text:
(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama is saddled with a potentially toxic image problem: that he has an elitist attitude.

Sen. Barack Obama mingles at the Penn State dairy farm.

It has made him a target of attacks from Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee.

It's ironic that one presidential candidate could hang that label on another, said Dr. Drew Westen, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and author of "The Political Brain."

"If you think you should be president, by definition you are an elitist, only because you believe that of the 300 million people in America, you are the best person to run it," he said. "There can't be a more elitist statement than that."

Obama's opponents made the elitist charge after the senator from Illinois said some small-town Pennsylvanians are understandably "bitter" over the government's failure to reverse their economic decline and, in their frustration, "cling to guns and religion." He made the statement at a recent fundraiser in San Francisco, California.  Watch how Obama is fighting the elitist label Â»

Obama defended his remarks but said he could have worded them better.

Clinton said his comments were "elitist, out of touch and frankly, patronizing."

McCain agreed that the remarks were "elitist."

Branding a rival elitist is not new in politics. Republicans for years have successfully labeled Democratic presidential candidates as the liberal elite. Portraying their rivals as latte-sipping, sushi-eating insiders, Republicans have connected with some voters by arguing that they understand the values important to the everyday person.

"It's a little like when politicians charge politicians with being politicians. It has the same feel to it: that if it sticks, it's because a candidate hasn't handled it well," Westen said.

Republicans painted George W. Bush's Democratic opponents Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 as elitists who were detached from average Americans, and the strategy worked.

How damaging the blow is, Westen said, depends on the target's response.

"The mistake that Kerry and Gore both made was to let that brand stick to them," he said.

"The only question is whether Obama fights it back and offers a different brand for himself than the brand that is starting to be given to him."

By definition, all the candidates exhibit the aura of elitism, because it's difficult to get a presidential campaign started without some degree of personal wealth.

It's ironic, Westen said, that of the three standing, the only one who isn't demonstrably wealthy is Obama.

Since leaving the White House, the Clintons have earned more than $109 million from book sales, speaking engagements, the presidential pension and her Senate salary, among other sources.

McCain, whose father and grandfather were Navy admirals, married into wealth. His second wife, Cindy, has a stake in her father's multimillion-dollar beer distributor company. The Associated Press estimated her worth at more than $100 million.

Whatever their current financial status, the candidates all like to convey the impression that they are not much different than the people they are trying to persuade to vote for them.

Obama, 46, who graduated from Columbia University and received a law degree from Harvard, often mentions growing up in a single-parent home. He says he and his wife just paid off their school loans in the past five or six years.

"I wasn't born into a lot of money. I didn't have a trust fund. I wasn't born into fame and fortune. I was raised by a single mother with the help of my grandparents," he said. "My mother had to use food stamps at one point."

Clinton, who has been reaching out to blue-collar voters with stories of how she learned to shoot a gun in Pennsylvania and photo ops hoisting a shot and a beer, often talks about her middle-class upbringing.

Clinton, 60, went to Wellesley College before attending law school at Yale. After graduation, she advocated for women and children's rights and became a staff attorney for the Children's Defense Fund.

She later became a partner in a law firm and was twice listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the country.

The senator from New York frequently touts her 35 years of public service, including eight as first lady.

McCain spent a week traveling around on a "get-to-know-me" tour. He talked about how he was a rambunctious child with a chip on his shoulder.

McCain, 71, went to the United States Naval Academy and frequently jokes about finishing at the bottom of his class.

After graduation, he spent 22 years as a naval pilot. He was shot down on a bombing mission and spent five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He retired from the Navy in 1981 and, living in Arizona, became a member of the House the next year. He was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is serving his fourth term.

Dr. James Twitchell, an author, University of Florida English professor and commentator on American culture, said the whole elitism back-and-forth is "self-serving nonsense," pointing specifically to the similarities in the Democratic contenders' stories.

"Both senators are members of one of the more elite clubs [the Senate], attended the elite schools [Harvard, Yale] and are out for one of the most elite jobs," he said.

As the candidates get closer to the White House, they get farther away from "normal life."

They fight to show they still share the average American's values, visiting bowling alleys, diners and schools along the way.

"I do think it speaks to one of the conflicts that Americans have about their leaders, which is we want them to be like us, and we want them to be above us at the same time," Westen said.

"The issue comes down to two things. One is, do you let your opponent brand you as elite, in which case you are in a lot of trouble in American politics? And the second is, do you convey clearly to people that you understand them and the world they live in and the problems they face?" he said.

"In the case of Barack Obama, my guess is, this isn't going to stick terribly well because he does such a good job of connecting with people that the elitist charge is going to be a harder one to make people feel." E-mail to a friend

CNN's Candy Crowley contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Sen.

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: is

text: saddled

text: with

text: a

text: potentially

text: toxic

text: image

text: problem

text: that

text: he

text: has

text: an

text: elitist

text: attitude

text: Sen.

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: mingles

text: at

text: the

text: Penn

text: State

text: dairy

text: farm

text: It

text: has

text: made

text: him

text: a

text: target

text: of

text: attacks

text: from

text: Democratic

text: rival

text: Sen.

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: and

text: Sen.

text: John

text: McCain

text: the

text: presumed

text: Republican

text: nominee

text: It

text: 's

text: ironic

text: that

text: one

text: presidential

text: candidate

text: could

text: hang

text: that

text: label

text: on

text: another

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Drew

text: Westen

text: professor

text: of

text: psychology

text: and

text: psychiatry

text: at

text: Emory

text: University

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: and

text: author

text: of

text: The

text: Political

text: Brain

text: If

text: you

text: think

text: you

text: should

text: be

text: president

text: by

text: definition

text: you

text: are

text: an

text: elitist

text: only

text: because

text: you

text: believe

text: that

text: of

text: the

text: million

text: people

text: in

text: America

text: you

text: are

text: the

text: best

text: person

text: to

text: run

text: it

text: he

text: said

text: There

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: a

text: more

text: elitist

text: statement

text: than

text: that

text: Obama

text: 's

text: opponents

text: made

text: the

text: elitist

text: charge

text: after

text: the

text: senator

text: from

text: Illinois

text: said

text: some

text: small

text: town

text: Pennsylvanians

text: are

text: understandably

text: bitter

text: over

text: the

text: government

text: 's

text: failure

text: to

text: reverse

text: their

text: economic

text: decline

text: and

text: in

text: their

text: frustration

text: cling

text: to

text: guns

text: and

text: religion

text: He

text: made

text: the

text: statement

text: at

text: a

text: recent

text: fundraiser

text: in

text: San

text: Francisco

text: California

text: Watch

text: how

text: Obama

text: is

text: fighting

text: the

text: elitist

text: label

text: Â

text: Obama

text: defended

text: his

text: remarks

text: but

text: said

text: he

text: could

text: have

text: worded

text: them

text: better

text: Clinton

text: said

text: his

text: comments

text: were

text: elitist

text: out

text: of

text: touch

text: and

text: frankly

text: patronizing

text: McCain

text: agreed

text: that

text: the

text: remarks

text: were

text: elitist

text: Branding

text: a

text: rival

text: elitist

text: is

text: not

text: new

text: in

text: politics

text: Republicans

text: for

text: years

text: have

text: successfully

text: labeled

text: Democratic

text: presidential

text: candidates

text: as

text: the

text: liberal

text: elite

text: Portraying

text: their

text: rivals

text: as

text: latte

text: sipping

text: sushi

text: eating

text: insiders

text: Republicans

text: have

text: connected

text: with

text: some

text: voters

text: by

text: arguing

text: that

text: they

text: understand

text: the

text: values

text: important

text: to

text: the

text: everyday

text: person

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: little

text: like

text: when

text: politicians

text: charge

text: politicians

text: with

text: being

text: politicians

text: It

text: has

text: the

text: same

text: feel

text: to

text: it

text: that

text: if

text: it

text: sticks

text: it

text: 's

text: because

text: a

text: candidate

text: has

text: n't

text: handled

text: it

text: well

text: Westen

text: said

text: Republicans

text: painted

text: George

text: W.

text: Bush

text: 's

text: Democratic

text: opponents

text: Al

text: Gore

text: in

text: and

text: John

text: Kerry

text: in

text: as

text: elitists

text: who

text: were

text: detached

text: from

text: average

text: Americans

text: and

text: the

text: strategy

text: worked

text: How

text: damaging

text: the

text: blow

text: is

text: Westen

text: said

text: depends

text: on

text: the

text: target

text: 's

text: response

text: The

text: mistake

text: that

text: Kerry

text: and

text: Gore

text: both

text: made

text: was

text: to

text: let

text: that

text: brand

text: stick

text: to

text: them

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: only

text: question

text: is

text: whether

text: Obama

text: fights

text: it

text: back

text: and

text: offers

text: a

text: different

text: brand

text: for

text: himself

text: than

text: the

text: brand

text: that

text: is

text: starting

text: to

text: be

text: given

text: to

text: him

text: By

text: definition

text: all

text: the

text: candidates

text: exhibit

text: the

text: aura

text: of

text: elitism

text: because

text: it

text: 's

text: difficult

text: to

text: get

text: a

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: started

text: without

text: some

text: degree

text: of

text: personal

text: wealth

text: It

text: 's

text: ironic

text: Westen

text: said

text: that

text: of

text: the

text: three

text: standing

text: the

text: only

text: one

text: who

text: is

text: n't

text: demonstrably

text: wealthy

text: is

text: Obama

text: Since

text: leaving

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: the

text: Clintons

text: have

text: earned

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: from

text: book

text: sales

text: speaking

text: engagements

text: the

text: presidential

text: pension

text: and

text: her

text: Senate

text: salary

text: among

text: other

text: sources

text: McCain

text: whose

text: father

text: and

text: grandfather

text: were

text: Navy

text: admirals

text: married

text: into

text: wealth

text: His

text: second

text: wife

text: Cindy

text: has

text: a

text: stake

text: in

text: her

text: father

text: 's

text: multimillion

text: dollar

text: beer

text: distributor

text: company

text: The

text: Associated

text: Press

text: estimated

text: her

text: worth

text: at

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: Whatever

text: their

text: current

text: financial

text: status

text: the

text: candidates

text: all

text: like

text: to

text: convey

text: the

text: impression

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: not

text: much

text: different

text: than

text: the

text: people

text: they

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: persuade

text: to

text: vote

text: for

text: them

text: Obama

text: who

text: graduated

text: from

text: Columbia

text: University

text: and

text: received

text: a

text: law

text: degree

text: from

text: Harvard

text: often

text: mentions

text: growing

text: up

text: in

text: a

text: single

text: parent

text: home

text: He

text: says

text: he

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: just

text: paid

text: off

text: their

text: school

text: loans

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: or

text: six

text: years

text: I

text: was

text: n't

text: born

text: into

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: money

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: a

text: trust

text: fund

text: I

text: was

text: n't

text: born

text: into

text: fame

text: and

text: fortune

text: I

text: was

text: raised

text: by

text: a

text: single

text: mother

text: with

text: the

text: help

text: of

text: my

text: grandparents

text: he

text: said

text: My

text: mother

text: had

text: to

text: use

text: food

text: stamps

text: at

text: one

text: point

text: Clinton

text: who

text: has

text: been

text: reaching

text: out

text: to

text: blue

text: collar

text: voters

text: with

text: stories

text: of

text: how

text: she

text: learned

text: to

text: shoot

text: a

text: gun

text: in

text: Pennsylvania

text: and

text: photo

text: ops

text: hoisting

text: a

text: shot

text: and

text: a

text: beer

text: often

text: talks

text: about

text: her

text: middle

text: class

text: upbringing

text: Clinton

text: went

text: to

text: Wellesley

text: College

text: before

text: attending

text: law

text: school

text: at

text: Yale

text: After

text: graduation

text: she

text: advocated

text: for

text: women

text: and

text: children

text: 's

text: rights

text: and

text: became

text: a

text: staff

text: attorney

text: for

text: the

text: Children

text: 's

text: Defense

text: Fund

text: She

text: later

text: became

text: a

text: partner

text: in

text: a

text: law

text: firm

text: and

text: was

text: twice

text: listed

text: as

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: influential

text: lawyers

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: The

text: senator

text: from

text: New

text: York

text: frequently

text: touts

text: her

text: years

text: of

text: public

text: service

text: including

text: eight

text: as

text: first

text: lady

text: McCain

text: spent

text: a

text: week

text: traveling

text: around

text: on

text: a

text: get

text: to

text: know

text: me

text: tour

text: He

text: talked

text: about

text: how

text: he

text: was

text: a

text: rambunctious

text: child

text: with

text: a

text: chip

text: on

text: his

text: shoulder

text: McCain

text: went

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Naval

text: Academy

text: and

text: frequently

text: jokes

text: about

text: finishing

text: at

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: his

text: class

text: After

text: graduation

text: he

text: spent

text: years

text: as

text: a

text: naval

text: pilot

text: He

text: was

text: shot

text: down

text: on

text: a

text: bombing

text: mission

text: and

text: spent

text: five

text: years

text: as

text: a

text: prisoner

text: of

text: war

text: in

text: North

text: Vietnam

text: He

text: retired

text: from

text: the

text: Navy

text: in

text: and

text: living

text: in

text: Arizona

text: became

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: House

text: the

text: next

text: year

text: He

text: was

text: elected

text: to

text: the

text: Senate

text: in

text: and

text: is

text: serving

text: his

text: fourth

text: term

text: Dr.

text: James

text: Twitchell

text: an

text: author

text: University

text: of

text: Florida

text: English

text: professor

text: and

text: commentator

text: on

text: American

text: culture

text: said

text: the

text: whole

text: elitism

text: back

text: and

text: forth

text: is

text: self

text: serving

text: nonsense

text: pointing

text: specifically

text: to

text: the

text: similarities

text: in

text: the

text: Democratic

text: contenders

text: stories

text: Both

text: senators

text: are

text: members

text: of

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: more

text: elite

text: clubs

text: the

text: Senate

text: attended

text: the

text: elite

text: schools

text: Harvard

text: Yale

text: and

text: are

text: out

text: for

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: elite

text: jobs

text: he

text: said

text: As

text: the

text: candidates

text: get

text: closer

text: to

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: they

text: get

text: farther

text: away

text: from

text: normal

text: life

text: They

text: fight

text: to

text: show

text: they

text: still

text: share

text: the

text: average

text: American

text: 's

text: values

text: visiting

text: bowling

text: alleys

text: diners

text: and

text: schools

text: along

text: the

text: way

text: I

text: do

text: think

text: it

text: speaks

text: to

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: conflicts

text: that

text: Americans

text: have

text: about

text: their

text: leaders

text: which

text: is

text: we

text: want

text: them

text: to

text: be

text: like

text: us

text: and

text: we

text: want

text: them

text: to

text: be

text: above

text: us

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: Westen

text: said

text: The

text: issue

text: comes

text: down

text: to

text: two

text: things

text: One

text: is

text: do

text: you

text: let

text: your

text: opponent

text: brand

text: you

text: as

text: elite

text: in

text: which

text: case

text: you

text: are

text: in

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: trouble

text: in

text: American

text: politics

text: And

text: the

text: second

text: is

text: do

text: you

text: convey

text: clearly

text: to

text: people

text: that

text: you

text: understand

text: them

text: and

text: the

text: world

text: they

text: live

text: in

text: and

text: the

text: problems

text: they

text: face

text: he

text: said

text: In

text: the

text: case

text: of

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: my

text: guess

text: is

text: this

text: is

text: n't

text: going

text: to

text: stick

text: terribly

text: well

text: because

text: he

text: does

text: such

text: a

text: good

text: job

text: of

text: connecting

text: with

text: people

text: that

text: the

text: elitist

text: charge

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: harder

text: one

text: to

text: make

text: people

text: feel

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Candy

text: Crowley

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What does Westen say about presidential candidates?

answer: could hang that label on another,

text: could hang that label on another,

question: Who are Barack Obama's rivals?

answer: Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain,

text: Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain,

question: what does the author Drew Westen says about presidential candidates?

answer: It's ironic that one

text: It's ironic that one

question: Who says that candidates are elite by definition?

answer: Dr. Drew Westen,

text: Dr. Drew Westen,

question: Who is accused of having an elitist attitude?

answer: Sen.

text: Sen.


text:
(CNN) -- Months after rescuers found them struggling and covered in oil, 33 endangered and threatened young sea turtles are finally going home to the Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Audubon Nature Institute freed the turtles Thursday in waters about 40 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

This marked the latest mass release of turtles since about 500 were rescued in the weeks and months after the massive months-long oil spill.

"We were able to release these turtles because they're now healthy, and we're seeing recovery in the surface habitats of the Gulf of Mexico," NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a news release.

The spill began after an April 20 explosion on the offshore drilling platform Deepwater Horizon that killed 11 men. Two days later, the platform sank and oil started gushing into the Gulf. In early August, owner BP used cement and mud to plug the damaged Gulf of Mexico well.

Officials formally declared an end to the oil spill disaster on September 19, though considerable efforts remained to clean up area waters and revive wildlife affected by the spill.

Earlier this month, NOAA reopened federal waters off the Louisiana coast to fishing. Thursday's release marked another milestone in the area's recovery, according to those involved.

"Returning this group of sea turtles to their home waters is ... a sign that Louisiana is on the path towards recovery," said Randy Pausina, an assistant secretary for Louisiana's office of fisheries.

The 33 turtles had been rescued more than three months ago by federal officials and state wildlife authorities from Louisiana, Florida and Georgia, as well as the Riverhead Foundation and the In-Water Research Group. They were rehabilitated at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans.

They included green, Kemp's ridley and hawksbill sea turtles, which are classified as endangered species. There also were loggerheads, which are a threatened species.

With 270 turtles having been cleaned, nursed back to health and released, there are more than 200 still in rehabilitation sites around the area.

Scientists did extensive aerial and shipboard tests earlier this week on the waters near the release point, making sure the sargassum algae was clean. Young turtles thrive in such areas, which provide protection from predators and ample food, including small crabs, snails and other creatures.

"Six months ago, it was nearly impossible to imagine this day would ever come," said Ron Forman, the Audubon Nature Institute's CEO and president.

text: CNN

text: Months

text: after

text: rescuers

text: found

text: them

text: struggling

text: and

text: covered

text: in

text: oil

text: endangered

text: and

text: threatened

text: young

text: sea

text: turtles

text: are

text: finally

text: going

text: home

text: to

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: Scientists

text: from

text: the

text: National

text: Oceanic

text: and

text: Atmospheric

text: Administration

text: the

text: Louisiana

text: Department

text: of

text: Wildlife

text: and

text: Fisheries

text: and

text: the

text: Audubon

text: Nature

text: Institute

text: freed

text: the

text: turtles

text: Thursday

text: in

text: waters

text: about

text: miles

text: southwest

text: of

text: Grand

text: Isle

text: Louisiana

text: This

text: marked

text: the

text: latest

text: mass

text: release

text: of

text: turtles

text: since

text: about

text: were

text: rescued

text: in

text: the

text: weeks

text: and

text: months

text: after

text: the

text: massive

text: months

text: long

text: oil

text: spill

text: We

text: were

text: able

text: to

text: release

text: these

text: turtles

text: because

text: they

text: 're

text: now

text: healthy

text: and

text: we

text: 're

text: seeing

text: recovery

text: in

text: the

text: surface

text: habitats

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: NOAA

text: Administrator

text: Jane

text: Lubchenco

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: news

text: release

text: The

text: spill

text: began

text: after

text: an

text: April

text: explosion

text: on

text: the

text: offshore

text: drilling

text: platform

text: Deepwater

text: Horizon

text: that

text: killed

text: men

text: Two

text: days

text: later

text: the

text: platform

text: sank

text: and

text: oil

text: started

text: gushing

text: into

text: the

text: Gulf

text: In

text: early

text: August

text: owner

text: BP

text: used

text: cement

text: and

text: mud

text: to

text: plug

text: the

text: damaged

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: well

text: Officials

text: formally

text: declared

text: an

text: end

text: to

text: the

text: oil

text: spill

text: disaster

text: on

text: September

text: though

text: considerable

text: efforts

text: remained

text: to

text: clean

text: up

text: area

text: waters

text: and

text: revive

text: wildlife

text: affected

text: by

text: the

text: spill

text: Earlier

text: this

text: month

text: NOAA

text: reopened

text: federal

text: waters

text: off

text: the

text: Louisiana

text: coast

text: to

text: fishing

text: Thursday

text: 's

text: release

text: marked

text: another

text: milestone

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: 's

text: recovery

text: according

text: to

text: those

text: involved

text: Returning

text: this

text: group

text: of

text: sea

text: turtles

text: to

text: their

text: home

text: waters

text: is

text: a

text: sign

text: that

text: Louisiana

text: is

text: on

text: the

text: path

text: towards

text: recovery

text: said

text: Randy

text: Pausina

text: an

text: assistant

text: secretary

text: for

text: Louisiana

text: 's

text: office

text: of

text: fisheries

text: The

text: turtles

text: had

text: been

text: rescued

text: more

text: than

text: three

text: months

text: ago

text: by

text: federal

text: officials

text: and

text: state

text: wildlife

text: authorities

text: from

text: Louisiana

text: Florida

text: and

text: Georgia

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: the

text: Riverhead

text: Foundation

text: and

text: the

text: In

text: Water

text: Research

text: Group

text: They

text: were

text: rehabilitated

text: at

text: the

text: Audubon

text: Nature

text: Institute

text: in

text: New

text: Orleans

text: They

text: included

text: green

text: Kemp

text: 's

text: ridley

text: and

text: hawksbill

text: sea

text: turtles

text: which

text: are

text: classified

text: as

text: endangered

text: species

text: There

text: also

text: were

text: loggerheads

text: which

text: are

text: a

text: threatened

text: species

text: With

text: turtles

text: having

text: been

text: cleaned

text: nursed

text: back

text: to

text: health

text: and

text: released

text: there

text: are

text: more

text: than

text: still

text: in

text: rehabilitation

text: sites

text: around

text: the

text: area

text: Scientists

text: did

text: extensive

text: aerial

text: and

text: shipboard

text: tests

text: earlier

text: this

text: week

text: on

text: the

text: waters

text: near

text: the

text: release

text: point

text: making

text: sure

text: the

text: sargassum

text: algae

text: was

text: clean

text: Young

text: turtles

text: thrive

text: in

text: such

text: areas

text: which

text: provide

text: protection

text: from

text: predators

text: and

text: ample

text: food

text: including

text: small

text: crabs

text: snails

text: and

text: other

text: creatures

text: Six

text: months

text: ago

text: it

text: was

text: nearly

text: impossible

text: to

text: imagine

text: this

text: day

text: would

text: ever

text: come

text: said

text: Ron

text: Forman

text: the

text: Audubon

text: Nature

text: Institute

text: 's

text: CEO

text: and

text: president

question: what waters did this occur in

answer: 40 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

text: 40 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

question: what was were among 500 rescued after the mammoth months-long oil spill

answer: sea turtles

text: sea turtles

question: What was rescued?

answer: sea turtles

text: sea turtles

question: What do experts say the release is further evidence of?

answer: the area's recovery,

text: the area's recovery,

question: what is recovering according to scientists

answer: surface habitats of the Gulf of Mexico,"

text: surface habitats of the Gulf of Mexico,"

question: What is recovering?

answer: turtles

text: turtles

question: How many turtles were rescued?

answer: 33


text:
EDINBURGH, Scotland -- Hibernian have named former striker Mixu Paatelainen as their new manager in succession to John Collins -- who resigned last month in frustration at the lack of funds available to buy new players.

Paatelainen was a popular playing figure in the distinctive green of Hibernian.

The Finn, who enjoyed two playing spells with the Scottish Premier League club, joins from Finnish side TPS Turku.

The 40-year-old, who also played for Dundee United, Aberdeen, St Johnstone and St Mirren in Scotland -- as well as Bolton and Wolverhampton in England, confirmed he is relishing the challenge of his new job.

"I am very happy to take up this opportunity," Paatelainen said. "Everyone knows of my great affection for this club and I believe my desire to see teams play exciting, attacking and intelligent football fits well with the club's philosophy.

"I will bring energy, hard-work and leadership to the squad. I am also committed to working with players, as individuals and groups, to help them to improve.

"If I can help one player improve, the team is better. If I can help all players improve, we are much better."

Capped 70 times by Finland, Paatelainen helped Turku finish third in the Veikkausliiga last year. Compensation for his release has been agreed.

His two playing stints with Hibernian were from 1998-2001 and 2002-2003, either side of a spell with French side Strasbourg.

Paatelainen may know some of the Hibernian players who have come through the youth set-up, having been involved in coaching of the club's youngsters during his second playing spell.

Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie said: "We are delighted Mixu has agreed to take up the challenge and opportunity of managing Hibernian. We are convinced that he was the strongest candidate, and he impressed us a great deal during his interview.

"He has a clear vision of the type of football he wants to play, has strong ideas on man-management and demonstrates excellent leadership qualities. I am sure he will further enhance his growing reputation."   E-mail to a friend

text: EDINBURGH

text: Scotland

text: Hibernian

text: have

text: named

text: former

text: striker

text: Mixu

text: Paatelainen

text: as

text: their

text: new

text: manager

text: in

text: succession

text: to

text: John

text: Collins

text: who

text: resigned

text: last

text: month

text: in

text: frustration

text: at

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: funds

text: available

text: to

text: buy

text: new

text: players

text: Paatelainen

text: was

text: a

text: popular

text: playing

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: distinctive

text: green

text: of

text: Hibernian

text: The

text: Finn

text: who

text: enjoyed

text: two

text: playing

text: spells

text: with

text: the

text: Scottish

text: Premier

text: League

text: club

text: joins

text: from

text: Finnish

text: side

text: TPS

text: Turku

text: The

text: old

text: who

text: also

text: played

text: for

text: Dundee

text: United

text: Aberdeen

text: St

text: Johnstone

text: and

text: St

text: Mirren

text: in

text: Scotland

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: Bolton

text: and

text: Wolverhampton

text: in

text: England

text: confirmed

text: he

text: is

text: relishing

text: the

text: challenge

text: of

text: his

text: new

text: job

text: I

text: am

text: very

text: happy

text: to

text: take

text: up

text: this

text: opportunity

text: Paatelainen

text: said

text: Everyone

text: knows

text: of

text: my

text: great

text: affection

text: for

text: this

text: club

text: and

text: I

text: believe

text: my

text: desire

text: to

text: see

text: teams

text: play

text: exciting

text: attacking

text: and

text: intelligent

text: football

text: fits

text: well

text: with

text: the

text: club

text: 's

text: philosophy

text: I

text: will

text: bring

text: energy

text: hard

text: work

text: and

text: leadership

text: to

text: the

text: squad

text: I

text: am

text: also

text: committed

text: to

text: working

text: with

text: players

text: as

text: individuals

text: and

text: groups

text: to

text: help

text: them

text: to

text: improve

text: If

text: I

text: can

text: help

text: one

text: player

text: improve

text: the

text: team

text: is

text: better

text: If

text: I

text: can

text: help

text: all

text: players

text: improve

text: we

text: are

text: much

text: better

text: Capped

text: times

text: by

text: Finland

text: Paatelainen

text: helped

text: Turku

text: finish

text: third

text: in

text: the

text: Veikkausliiga

text: last

text: year

text: Compensation

text: for

text: his

text: release

text: has

text: been

text: agreed

text: His

text: two

text: playing

text: stints

text: with

text: Hibernian

text: were

text: from

text: and

text: either

text: side

text: of

text: a

text: spell

text: with

text: French

text: side

text: Strasbourg

text: Paatelainen

text: may

text: know

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: Hibernian

text: players

text: who

text: have

text: come

text: through

text: the

text: youth

text: set

text: up

text: having

text: been

text: involved

text: in

text: coaching

text: of

text: the

text: club

text: 's

text: youngsters

text: during

text: his

text: second

text: playing

text: spell

text: Hibernian

text: chairman

text: Rod

text: Petrie

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: delighted

text: Mixu

text: has

text: agreed

text: to

text: take

text: up

text: the

text: challenge

text: and

text: opportunity

text: of

text: managing

text: Hibernian

text: We

text: are

text: convinced

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: the

text: strongest

text: candidate

text: and

text: he

text: impressed

text: us

text: a

text: great

text: deal

text: during

text: his

text: interview

text: He

text: has

text: a

text: clear

text: vision

text: of

text: the

text: type

text: of

text: football

text: he

text: wants

text: to

text: play

text: has

text: strong

text: ideas

text: on

text: man

text: management

text: and

text: demonstrates

text: excellent

text: leadership

text: qualities

text: I

text: am

text: sure

text: he

text: will

text: further

text: enhance

text: his

text: growing

text: reputation

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: What is the name of the club?

answer: Scottish Premier League

text: Scottish Premier League

question: When did John Collins resign?

answer: last month

text: last month

question: Who was a popular figgure?

answer: Paatelainen

text: Paatelainen

question: Whom will he replace?

answer: John Collins

text: John Collins

question: Whom did Finn Mixu replace?

answer: John Collins

text: John Collins

question: Who is the new manager of Scottish club Hibernian

answer: Mixu Paatelainen

text: Mixu Paatelainen

question: Who will appoint new manager?

answer: Hibernian

text: Hibernian

question: What country is the club located in?

answer: Scotland

text: Scotland


text:
Editor's note: Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, was a political consultant for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House.

Paul Begala says Republicans are failing to respond to the real economic pain felt throughout the U.S.

(CNN) -- As the fight over President Obama's economic recovery package heats up, the two sides are beginning to define themselves with admirable clarity.

The president says we have a crisis that is heading toward a catastrophe.

In announcing his new Economic Recovery Advisory Board, President Obama declared, "The situation could not be more serious. These [new unemployment] numbers demand action. It is inexcusable and irresponsible for any of us to get bogged down in distraction, delay, or politics as usual, while millions of Americans are being put out of work."

The Republicans, on the other hand, have honed their economic message: Denial, Delay, Do Nothing.

Denial

It begins with denial. Former Bush adviser Karl Rove and Fox News host Bill O'Reilly opined in December that it's the media's fault. The said the press is overhyping bad news; the economy, they suggested, is not really all that bad. "So you are agreeing with me," O'Reilly said, "that there is a conscious effort on the part of The New York Times and other liberal media to basically paint as drastic a picture as possible, so that when Barack Obama takes office, that anything is better than what we have now?"

"Yes," said Mr. Rove.

OK. I guess if you're wealthy like Mr. Rove and Mr. O'Reilly you can afford to pretend the recession is a vast media conspiracy. But for the 3.7 million Americans who have lost their jobs in the Bush-Republican recession, Messrs. Rove and O'Reilly seem dangerously out of touch.

Delay

"Let's slow down. Let's take our time," said Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska). "Few things are going to be as important as this." Generally that's good advice. But with the economy losing 19,000 jobs a day, is delay really a wise strategy? Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) seems to think so. He told CNN's John King, "We could shelf this bill and start again. That's what we really need to do."

Do Nothing

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is widely considered a rising star in the GOP. He was even mentioned as a potential running mate for 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain. His strategy, again articulated to John King on "State of the Union," is to do nothing -- let companies, communities and families fail.

"We're going to go through a process of deleveraging," Sanford said. "And it will be painful. The question is, do we apply a bunch of different Band-Aids that lengthen and prolong this pain or do we take the Band-Aid off? I believe very strongly: Let's get this thing over with, let's not drag it on."

Set aside the callousness of Sanford's metaphor -- that joblessness at the highest level since the Great Depression is somehow like a scratch that doesn't even need a Band-Aid.

Focus instead on Sanford's substantive message: You're on your own. Write if you get work. This befits a party which has high-ranking members who deny the effectiveness of the New Deal. What's next, denying that the federal government put a man on the moon?

What Bipartisanship?

Given the GOP's combination of flat-earth economics and scorched-earth politics, it should come as no surprise that it looks like 98.6 percent of Washington Republicans oppose President Obama's economic recovery package. They either do not understand the depth of the recession or they do not realize the results of the recent election.

I don't know what more President Obama can do. He has named three prominent Republicans to his Cabinet (Robert Gates at Defense, Ray LaHood at Transportation and Judd Gregg at Commerce). He has helped persuade New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch to replace Sen. Gregg with a Republican.

He has met behind closed doors with the entire House and Senate Republican conferences. He has hosted bipartisan cocktail parties, a Super Bowl party and -- what's left, a slumber party? He has agreed to ditch progressive provisions from the stimulus bill, like support for family planning (earning him a rebuke from Planned Parenthood) and accepted more tax cuts than many Democrats would like. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on the stimulus package

Still, there's bipartisanship and there's bipartisanship. Real-world Republicans support President Obama's recovery plan. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is a supporter, and as the ubiquitous John King has reported, the very Republican mayor of the very Republican town of Carmel, Indiana, supports Obama's plan as well. "Government should be investing in infrastructure," Mayor James Brainard told King. "That is what government is meant to do. It creates long-term value. I think the stimulus plan is a good one."

So take heart, Mr. President. In the real world of layoffs, foreclosures and plant closings, you have the support of both Republicans and Democrats. They agree with you that Denial, Delay and Doing Nothing is not an economic strategy.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Begala.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Paul

text: Begala

text: a

text: Democratic

text: strategist

text: and

text: CNN

text: political

text: contributor

text: was

text: a

text: political

text: consultant

text: for

text: Bill

text: Clinton

text: 's

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: in

text: and

text: was

text: counselor

text: to

text: Clinton

text: in

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: Paul

text: Begala

text: says

text: Republicans

text: are

text: failing

text: to

text: respond

text: to

text: the

text: real

text: economic

text: pain

text: felt

text: throughout

text: the

text: U.S.

text: CNN

text: As

text: the

text: fight

text: over

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: economic

text: recovery

text: package

text: heats

text: up

text: the

text: two

text: sides

text: are

text: beginning

text: to

text: define

text: themselves

text: with

text: admirable

text: clarity

text: The

text: president

text: says

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: crisis

text: that

text: is

text: heading

text: toward

text: a

text: catastrophe

text: In

text: announcing

text: his

text: new

text: Economic

text: Recovery

text: Advisory

text: Board

text: President

text: Obama

text: declared

text: The

text: situation

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: more

text: serious

text: These

text: new

text: unemployment

text: numbers

text: demand

text: action

text: It

text: is

text: inexcusable

text: and

text: irresponsible

text: for

text: any

text: of

text: us

text: to

text: get

text: bogged

text: down

text: in

text: distraction

text: delay

text: or

text: politics

text: as

text: usual

text: while

text: millions

text: of

text: Americans

text: are

text: being

text: put

text: out

text: of

text: work

text: The

text: Republicans

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: hand

text: have

text: honed

text: their

text: economic

text: message

text: Denial

text: Delay

text: Do

text: Nothing

text: Denial

text: It

text: begins

text: with

text: denial

text: Former

text: Bush

text: adviser

text: Karl

text: Rove

text: and

text: Fox

text: News

text: host

text: Bill

text: O'Reilly

text: opined

text: in

text: December

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: the

text: media

text: 's

text: fault

text: The

text: said

text: the

text: press

text: is

text: overhyping

text: bad

text: news

text: the

text: economy

text: they

text: suggested

text: is

text: not

text: really

text: all

text: that

text: bad

text: So

text: you

text: are

text: agreeing

text: with

text: me

text: O'Reilly

text: said

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: conscious

text: effort

text: on

text: the

text: part

text: of

text: The

text: New

text: York

text: Times

text: and

text: other

text: liberal

text: media

text: to

text: basically

text: paint

text: as

text: drastic

text: a

text: picture

text: as

text: possible

text: so

text: that

text: when

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: takes

text: office

text: that

text: anything

text: is

text: better

text: than

text: what

text: we

text: have

text: now

text: Yes

text: said

text: Mr.

text: Rove

text: OK

text: I

text: guess

text: if

text: you

text: 're

text: wealthy

text: like

text: Mr.

text: Rove

text: and

text: Mr.

text: O'Reilly

text: you

text: can

text: afford

text: to

text: pretend

text: the

text: recession

text: is

text: a

text: vast

text: media

text: conspiracy

text: But

text: for

text: the

text: million

text: Americans

text: who

text: have

text: lost

text: their

text: jobs

text: in

text: the

text: Bush

text: Republican

text: recession

text: Messrs.

text: Rove

text: and

text: O'Reilly

text: seem

text: dangerously

text: out

text: of

text: touch

text: Delay

text: Let

text: 's

text: slow

text: down

text: Let

text: 's

text: take

text: our

text: time

text: said

text: Sen.

text: Mike

text: Johanns

text: R

text: Nebraska

text: Few

text: things

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: as

text: important

text: as

text: this

text: Generally

text: that

text: 's

text: good

text: advice

text: But

text: with

text: the

text: economy

text: losing

text: jobs

text: a

text: day

text: is

text: delay

text: really

text: a

text: wise

text: strategy

text: Sen.

text: Richard

text: Shelby

text: R

text: Alabama

text: seems

text: to

text: think

text: so

text: He

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: John

text: King

text: We

text: could

text: shelf

text: this

text: bill

text: and

text: start

text: again

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: we

text: really

text: need

text: to

text: do

text: Do

text: Nothing

text: South

text: Carolina

text: Gov.

text: Mark

text: Sanford

text: is

text: widely

text: considered

text: a

text: rising

text: star

text: in

text: the

text: GOP

text: He

text: was

text: even

text: mentioned

text: as

text: a

text: potential

text: running

text: mate

text: for

text: Republican

text: presidential

text: nominee

text: John

text: McCain

text: His

text: strategy

text: again

text: articulated

text: to

text: John

text: King

text: on

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: is

text: to

text: do

text: nothing

text: let

text: companies

text: communities

text: and

text: families

text: fail

text: We

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: go

text: through

text: a

text: process

text: of

text: deleveraging

text: Sanford

text: said

text: And

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: painful

text: The

text: question

text: is

text: do

text: we

text: apply

text: a

text: bunch

text: of

text: different

text: Band

text: Aids

text: that

text: lengthen

text: and

text: prolong

text: this

text: pain

text: or

text: do

text: we

text: take

text: the

text: Band

text: Aid

text: off

text: I

text: believe

text: very

text: strongly

text: Let

text: 's

text: get

text: this

text: thing

text: over

text: with

text: let

text: 's

text: not

text: drag

text: it

text: on

text: Set

text: aside

text: the

text: callousness

text: of

text: Sanford

text: 's

text: metaphor

text: that

text: joblessness

text: at

text: the

text: highest

text: level

text: since

text: the

text: Great

text: Depression

text: is

text: somehow

text: like

text: a

text: scratch

text: that

text: does

text: n't

text: even

text: need

text: a

text: Band

text: Aid

text: Focus

text: instead

text: on

text: Sanford

text: 's

text: substantive

text: message

text: You

text: 're

text: on

text: your

text: own

text: Write

text: if

text: you

text: get

text: work

text: This

text: befits

text: a

text: party

text: which

text: has

text: high

text: ranking

text: members

text: who

text: deny

text: the

text: effectiveness

text: of

text: the

text: New

text: Deal

text: What

text: 's

text: next

text: denying

text: that

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: put

text: a

text: man

text: on

text: the

text: moon

text: What

text: Bipartisanship

text: Given

text: the

text: GOP

text: 's

text: combination

text: of

text: flat

text: earth

text: economics

text: and

text: scorched

text: earth

text: politics

text: it

text: should

text: come

text: as

text: no

text: surprise

text: that

text: it

text: looks

text: like

text: percent

text: of

text: Washington

text: Republicans

text: oppose

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: economic

text: recovery

text: package

text: They

text: either

text: do

text: not

text: understand

text: the

text: depth

text: of

text: the

text: recession

text: or

text: they

text: do

text: not

text: realize

text: the

text: results

text: of

text: the

text: recent

text: election

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: more

text: President

text: Obama

text: can

text: do

text: He

text: has

text: named

text: three

text: prominent

text: Republicans

text: to

text: his

text: Cabinet

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: at

text: Defense

text: Ray

text: LaHood

text: at

text: Transportation

text: and

text: Judd

text: Gregg

text: at

text: Commerce

text: He

text: has

text: helped

text: persuade

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: Gov.

text: John

text: Lynch

text: to

text: replace

text: Sen.

text: Gregg

text: with

text: a

text: Republican

text: He

text: has

text: met

text: behind

text: closed

text: doors

text: with

text: the

text: entire

text: House

text: and

text: Senate

text: Republican

text: conferences

text: He

text: has

text: hosted

text: bipartisan

text: cocktail

text: parties

text: a

text: Super

text: Bowl

text: party

text: and

text: what

text: 's

text: left

text: a

text: slumber

text: party

text: He

text: has

text: agreed

text: to

text: ditch

text: progressive

text: provisions

text: from

text: the

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: like

text: support

text: for

text: family

text: planning

text: earning

text: him

text: a

text: rebuke

text: from

text: Planned

text: Parenthood

text: and

text: accepted

text: more

text: tax

text: cuts

text: than

text: many

text: Democrats

text: would

text: like

text: iReport.com

text: Share

text: your

text: thoughts

text: on

text: the

text: stimulus

text: package

text: Still

text: there

text: 's

text: bipartisanship

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: bipartisanship

text: Real

text: world

text: Republicans

text: support

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: recovery

text: plan

text: Florida

text: Gov.

text: Charlie

text: Crist

text: is

text: a

text: supporter

text: and

text: as

text: the

text: ubiquitous

text: John

text: King

text: has

text: reported

text: the

text: very

text: Republican

text: mayor

text: of

text: the

text: very

text: Republican

text: town

text: of

text: Carmel

text: Indiana

text: supports

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: as

text: well

text: Government

text: should

text: be

text: investing

text: in

text: infrastructure

text: Mayor

text: James

text: Brainard

text: told

text: King

text: That

text: is

text: what

text: government

text: is

text: meant

text: to

text: do

text: It

text: creates

text: long

text: term

text: value

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: stimulus

text: plan

text: is

text: a

text: good

text: one

text: So

text: take

text: heart

text: Mr.

text: President

text: In

text: the

text: real

text: world

text: of

text: layoffs

text: foreclosures

text: and

text: plant

text: closings

text: you

text: have

text: the

text: support

text: of

text: both

text: Republicans

text: and

text: Democrats

text: They

text: agree

text: with

text: you

text: that

text: Denial

text: Delay

text: and

text: Doing

text: Nothing

text: is

text: not

text: an

text: economic

text: strategy

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Paul

text: Begala

question: Who did Paul Begala criticize?

answer: Republicans

text: Republicans

question: What is the attitude of some in the GOP?

answer: Do Nothing

text: Do Nothing


text:
Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Conflicting accounts emerged Thursday over whether the extremist group Al-Shabaab has signaled a desire to negotiate with Kenya amid a Kenyan military offensive targeting the group.

"They want to talk," said a Kenyan official who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to talk to the media.

A spokesman for the Kenyan government, however, disputed that account and said Kenya wouldn't talk with Al-Shabaab even if the group did want to negotiate.

"Al-Shabaab has not contacted Kenya in any way," said the spokesman, Alfred Mutua. "There are no plans whatsoever for Kenya to negotiate with Al-Shabaab. Kenya does not negotiate with outlawed groups."

He said Kenyan troops have enjoyed success since crossing the border into Somalia to pursue Al-Shabaab, which the United States and several Western nations view as a terrorist organization.

"They are running scared. I think they are busy running for their lives," Mutua said. "They don't have time to talk."

Kenyan troops struck several Al-Shabaab training sites in Somalia early Thursday, a military spokesman said. The militant group, which includes many rival factions with different leaders, operates from Somalia.

The group's leaders were said to be reaching out for possible negotiations two weeks after Kenyan troops stormed into Somalia to hunt for Al-Shabaab, which Kenya blames for recent kidnappings of foreigners in the nation.

But Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, Al-Shabaab's second-in-command who is also known as Abu Mansur, told supporters protesting in Mogadishu against the Kenyan incursion that if Kenya struck targets in Somalia, the militant group would strike back.

Kenya has said its forces aim to take the Somali port city of Kismayo, described by the United Nations as a key stronghold and source of cash for Al-Shabaab. The United Nations estimates the group collects up to $50 million a year from businesses in Kismayo, about half of its annual income.

Robow urged what he said were Al-Shabaab-trained fighters in Kenya to take action in return, with the Kenyan port of Mombasa a target.

''Carry out attacks with heavy losses on Kenya," Robow said. "If Kenya closes the sea port in Kismayo, attack its banks, its port, its foreign guests and wherever there is a high-value target."

Kenyan officials have declared self-defense justifies crossing the border with Somalia, saying a recent spate of abductions threatened its security and constituted an attack. Kidnappers have seized two aid workers and two European tourists in the past month.

"We have looked at what is going on ... and decided that unless we move in now, Al-Shabaab is not diminishing, it is becoming bigger and bigger," Mutua said.

The war on terror cannot be won without dismantling the group's power, he said.

Efforts to flush out the terror group will take a "couple of months, if that," Mutua said, adding that "weeks" would be a more ideal time frame.

Analysts and diplomats have raised concerns over the incursion, saying it gives the terror group a reason to strike Kenya.

"If there is anything we have learned in the last couple of decades is that foreign intervention, especially military intervention, doesn't work in Somalia," said Rashid Abdi, an analyst for International Crisis Group. "I definitely understand Kenya's anxiety about the terror threat emanating from Somalia ... but I think there is more that Kenya could have done inside the country."

While noting Kenya's "right to defend itself," the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi said it was not part of the decision to send troops to Somalia.

"The United States did not encourage the Kenyan government to act nor did Kenya seek our views," said Katya Thomas, the embassy's press officer. "We note that Kenya has a right to defend itself against threats to its security and its citizens."

Somali President Sharif Ahmed thanked Kenya on Wednesday for helping battle the extremist group two days after he accused the nation of overstepping its boundaries.

Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report.

text: Nairobi

text: Kenya

text: CNN

text: Conflicting

text: accounts

text: emerged

text: Thursday

text: over

text: whether

text: the

text: extremist

text: group

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: has

text: signaled

text: a

text: desire

text: to

text: negotiate

text: with

text: Kenya

text: amid

text: a

text: Kenyan

text: military

text: offensive

text: targeting

text: the

text: group

text: They

text: want

text: to

text: talk

text: said

text: a

text: Kenyan

text: official

text: who

text: did

text: not

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: named

text: because

text: he

text: is

text: not

text: authorized

text: to

text: talk

text: to

text: the

text: media

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Kenyan

text: government

text: however

text: disputed

text: that

text: account

text: and

text: said

text: Kenya

text: would

text: n't

text: talk

text: with

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: even

text: if

text: the

text: group

text: did

text: want

text: to

text: negotiate

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: has

text: not

text: contacted

text: Kenya

text: in

text: any

text: way

text: said

text: the

text: spokesman

text: Alfred

text: Mutua

text: There

text: are

text: no

text: plans

text: whatsoever

text: for

text: Kenya

text: to

text: negotiate

text: with

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: Kenya

text: does

text: not

text: negotiate

text: with

text: outlawed

text: groups

text: He

text: said

text: Kenyan

text: troops

text: have

text: enjoyed

text: success

text: since

text: crossing

text: the

text: border

text: into

text: Somalia

text: to

text: pursue

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: which

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: several

text: Western

text: nations

text: view

text: as

text: a

text: terrorist

text: organization

text: They

text: are

text: running

text: scared

text: I

text: think

text: they

text: are

text: busy

text: running

text: for

text: their

text: lives

text: Mutua

text: said

text: They

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: time

text: to

text: talk

text: Kenyan

text: troops

text: struck

text: several

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: training

text: sites

text: in

text: Somalia

text: early

text: Thursday

text: a

text: military

text: spokesman

text: said

text: The

text: militant

text: group

text: which

text: includes

text: many

text: rival

text: factions

text: with

text: different

text: leaders

text: operates

text: from

text: Somalia

text: The

text: group

text: 's

text: leaders

text: were

text: said

text: to

text: be

text: reaching

text: out

text: for

text: possible

text: negotiations

text: two

text: weeks

text: after

text: Kenyan

text: troops

text: stormed

text: into

text: Somalia

text: to

text: hunt

text: for

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: which

text: Kenya

text: blames

text: for

text: recent

text: kidnappings

text: of

text: foreigners

text: in

text: the

text: nation

text: But

text: Sheikh

text: Mukhtar

text: Robow

text: Ali

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: 's

text: second

text: in

text: command

text: who

text: is

text: also

text: known

text: as

text: Abu

text: Mansur

text: told

text: supporters

text: protesting

text: in

text: Mogadishu

text: against

text: the

text: Kenyan

text: incursion

text: that

text: if

text: Kenya

text: struck

text: targets

text: in

text: Somalia

text: the

text: militant

text: group

text: would

text: strike

text: back

text: Kenya

text: has

text: said

text: its

text: forces

text: aim

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: Somali

text: port

text: city

text: of

text: Kismayo

text: described

text: by

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: as

text: a

text: key

text: stronghold

text: and

text: source

text: of

text: cash

text: for

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: The

text: United

text: Nations

text: estimates

text: the

text: group

text: collects

text: up

text: to

text: million

text: a

text: year

text: from

text: businesses

text: in

text: Kismayo

text: about

text: half

text: of

text: its

text: annual

text: income

text: Robow

text: urged

text: what

text: he

text: said

text: were

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: trained

text: fighters

text: in

text: Kenya

text: to

text: take

text: action

text: in

text: return

text: with

text: the

text: Kenyan

text: port

text: of

text: Mombasa

text: a

text: target

text: Carry

text: out

text: attacks

text: with

text: heavy

text: losses

text: on

text: Kenya

text: Robow

text: said

text: If

text: Kenya

text: closes

text: the

text: sea

text: port

text: in

text: Kismayo

text: attack

text: its

text: banks

text: its

text: port

text: its

text: foreign

text: guests

text: and

text: wherever

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: high

text: value

text: target

text: Kenyan

text: officials

text: have

text: declared

text: self

text: defense

text: justifies

text: crossing

text: the

text: border

text: with

text: Somalia

text: saying

text: a

text: recent

text: spate

text: of

text: abductions

text: threatened

text: its

text: security

text: and

text: constituted

text: an

text: attack

text: Kidnappers

text: have

text: seized

text: two

text: aid

text: workers

text: and

text: two

text: European

text: tourists

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: month

text: We

text: have

text: looked

text: at

text: what

text: is

text: going

text: on

text: and

text: decided

text: that

text: unless

text: we

text: move

text: in

text: now

text: Al

text: Shabaab

text: is

text: not

text: diminishing

text: it

text: is

text: becoming

text: bigger

text: and

text: bigger

text: Mutua

text: said

text: The

text: war

text: on

text: terror

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: won

text: without

text: dismantling

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: power

text: he

text: said

text: Efforts

text: to

text: flush

text: out

text: the

text: terror

text: group

text: will

text: take

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: months

text: if

text: that

text: Mutua

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: weeks

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: more

text: ideal

text: time

text: frame

text: Analysts

text: and

text: diplomats

text: have

text: raised

text: concerns

text: over

text: the

text: incursion

text: saying

text: it

text: gives

text: the

text: terror

text: group

text: a

text: reason

text: to

text: strike

text: Kenya

text: If

text: there

text: is

text: anything

text: we

text: have

text: learned

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: couple

text: of

text: decades

text: is

text: that

text: foreign

text: intervention

text: especially

text: military

text: intervention

text: does

text: n't

text: work

text: in

text: Somalia

text: said

text: Rashid

text: Abdi

text: an

text: analyst

text: for

text: International

text: Crisis

text: Group

text: I

text: definitely

text: understand

text: Kenya

text: 's

text: anxiety

text: about

text: the

text: terror

text: threat

text: emanating

text: from

text: Somalia

text: but

text: I

text: think

text: there

text: is

text: more

text: that

text: Kenya

text: could

text: have

text: done

text: inside

text: the

text: country

text: While

text: noting

text: Kenya

text: 's

text: right

text: to

text: defend

text: itself

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Embassy

text: in

text: Nairobi

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: decision

text: to

text: send

text: troops

text: to

text: Somalia

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: did

text: not

text: encourage

text: the

text: Kenyan

text: government

text: to

text: act

text: nor

text: did

text: Kenya

text: seek

text: our

text: views

text: said

text: Katya

text: Thomas

text: the

text: embassy

text: 's

text: press

text: officer

text: We

text: note

text: that

text: Kenya

text: has

text: a

text: right

text: to

text: defend

text: itself

text: against

text: threats

text: to

text: its

text: security

text: and

text: its

text: citizens

text: Somali

text: President

text: Sharif

text: Ahmed

text: thanked

text: Kenya

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: for

text: helping

text: battle

text: the

text: extremist

text: group

text: two

text: days

text: after

text: he

text: accused

text: the

text: nation

text: of

text: overstepping

text: its

text: boundaries

text: Journalist

text: Mohamed

text: Amiin

text: Adow

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: who are kenyan forces pursuing in Somalia

answer: Al-Shabaab

text: Al-Shabaab

question: Who said its militants will strike Kenyan?

answer: Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali,

text: Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali,

question: Who entered Somalia two weeks ago?

answer: Kenyan troops

text: Kenyan troops

question: when did kenyan forces enter somalia

answer: early Thursday,

text: early Thursday,

question: What does a government spokesman deny?

answer: "Al-Shabaab has not contacted Kenya in any way,"

text: "Al-Shabaab has not contacted Kenya in any way,"

question: Who wants to talk according to a Kenyan offical

answer: extremist group Al-Shabaab

text: extremist group Al-Shabaab


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government is buying 10,000 Taser stun guns for police officers across England and Wales, Britain's Home Office said Monday.

British police officers use a Taser gun to tackle a mock suspect in a training exercise.

The move will expand the ranks of officers carrying the weapons from "select firearms squads" to "thousands of trained frontline officers," according to the Home Office, which is responsible for domestic policing.

Home Secretary (Interior Minister) Jacqui Smith said police "deserve our support, so I want to give the police the tools they tell me they need to confront dangerous people. That is why I am giving the police 10,000 Tasers."

The guns fire barbed darts charged with enough electricity to stun a person, the Home Office said.

But Amnesty International UK described them as "potentially lethal electrical weapons" that deliver "50,000 volts of electricity into a person's body. The result is excruciatingly painful, causing a person to fall to the ground and, at times, lose control of their bodily functions."

The human rights group, however, expressed qualified support for the British government move, urging that the weapons be given only to officers specially trained to use them.

"We don't actually oppose the use of Tasers as long as it's by a limited number of highly trained specialist officers, responding to genuinely life-threatening or very dangerous situations," said Oliver Sprague, the organization's arms program director.

But, he added: "Tasers are potentially lethal weapons which are already linked to numerous deaths in North America and that's why wide deployment without adequate training is a dangerous step too far for British policing."

"The home secretary should urgently review this decision and ensure that Tasers only end up in the hands of a small number of fully trained officers capable of making the potentially fatal decision over whether to fire 50,000 volts into a person's body."

Amnesty says more than 300 people have died after being shot with Tasers since 2001.

The decision to introduce Tasers across England and Wales follows what the government called a successful pilot program with officers from 10 police forces, including London's Metropolitan Police and forces responsible for Liverpool and Bristol. The test ran for 12 months from September 2007 with constables who had not previously carried firearms, a Home Office spokesman said.

Before the pilot program, approximately 6,000 specially trained firearms officers across the country had access to Tasers starting in 2004.

Most British police officers do not carry any kind of firearm, Home Secretary Smith emphasized in her statement, a fact she said she was proud of.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: The

text: British

text: government

text: is

text: buying

text: Taser

text: stun

text: guns

text: for

text: police

text: officers

text: across

text: England

text: and

text: Wales

text: Britain

text: 's

text: Home

text: Office

text: said

text: Monday

text: British

text: police

text: officers

text: use

text: a

text: Taser

text: gun

text: to

text: tackle

text: a

text: mock

text: suspect

text: in

text: a

text: training

text: exercise

text: The

text: move

text: will

text: expand

text: the

text: ranks

text: of

text: officers

text: carrying

text: the

text: weapons

text: from

text: select

text: firearms

text: squads

text: to

text: thousands

text: of

text: trained

text: frontline

text: officers

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Home

text: Office

text: which

text: is

text: responsible

text: for

text: domestic

text: policing

text: Home

text: Secretary

text: Interior

text: Minister

text: Jacqui

text: Smith

text: said

text: police

text: deserve

text: our

text: support

text: so

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: give

text: the

text: police

text: the

text: tools

text: they

text: tell

text: me

text: they

text: need

text: to

text: confront

text: dangerous

text: people

text: That

text: is

text: why

text: I

text: am

text: giving

text: the

text: police

text: Tasers

text: The

text: guns

text: fire

text: barbed

text: darts

text: charged

text: with

text: enough

text: electricity

text: to

text: stun

text: a

text: person

text: the

text: Home

text: Office

text: said

text: But

text: Amnesty

text: International

text: UK

text: described

text: them

text: as

text: potentially

text: lethal

text: electrical

text: weapons

text: that

text: deliver

text: volts

text: of

text: electricity

text: into

text: a

text: person

text: 's

text: body

text: The

text: result

text: is

text: excruciatingly

text: painful

text: causing

text: a

text: person

text: to

text: fall

text: to

text: the

text: ground

text: and

text: at

text: times

text: lose

text: control

text: of

text: their

text: bodily

text: functions

text: The

text: human

text: rights

text: group

text: however

text: expressed

text: qualified

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: British

text: government

text: move

text: urging

text: that

text: the

text: weapons

text: be

text: given

text: only

text: to

text: officers

text: specially

text: trained

text: to

text: use

text: them

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: actually

text: oppose

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: Tasers

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: it

text: 's

text: by

text: a

text: limited

text: number

text: of

text: highly

text: trained

text: specialist

text: officers

text: responding

text: to

text: genuinely

text: life

text: threatening

text: or

text: very

text: dangerous

text: situations

text: said

text: Oliver

text: Sprague

text: the

text: organization

text: 's

text: arms

text: program

text: director

text: But

text: he

text: added

text: Tasers

text: are

text: potentially

text: lethal

text: weapons

text: which

text: are

text: already

text: linked

text: to

text: numerous

text: deaths

text: in

text: North

text: America

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: why

text: wide

text: deployment

text: without

text: adequate

text: training

text: is

text: a

text: dangerous

text: step

text: too

text: far

text: for

text: British

text: policing

text: The

text: home

text: secretary

text: should

text: urgently

text: review

text: this

text: decision

text: and

text: ensure

text: that

text: Tasers

text: only

text: end

text: up

text: in

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: a

text: small

text: number

text: of

text: fully

text: trained

text: officers

text: capable

text: of

text: making

text: the

text: potentially

text: fatal

text: decision

text: over

text: whether

text: to

text: fire

text: volts

text: into

text: a

text: person

text: 's

text: body

text: Amnesty

text: says

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: have

text: died

text: after

text: being

text: shot

text: with

text: Tasers

text: since

text: The

text: decision

text: to

text: introduce

text: Tasers

text: across

text: England

text: and

text: Wales

text: follows

text: what

text: the

text: government

text: called

text: a

text: successful

text: pilot

text: program

text: with

text: officers

text: from

text: police

text: forces

text: including

text: London

text: 's

text: Metropolitan

text: Police

text: and

text: forces

text: responsible

text: for

text: Liverpool

text: and

text: Bristol

text: The

text: test

text: ran

text: for

text: months

text: from

text: September

text: with

text: constables

text: who

text: had

text: not

text: previously

text: carried

text: firearms

text: a

text: Home

text: Office

text: spokesman

text: said

text: Before

text: the

text: pilot

text: program

text: approximately

text: specially

text: trained

text: firearms

text: officers

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: had

text: access

text: to

text: Tasers

text: starting

text: in

text: Most

text: British

text: police

text: officers

text: do

text: not

text: carry

text: any

text: kind

text: of

text: firearm

text: Home

text: Secretary

text: Smith

text: emphasized

text: in

text: her

text: statement

text: a

text: fact

text: she

text: said

text: she

text: was

text: proud

text: of

question: What is a taser?

answer: "potentially lethal electrical weapons"

text: "potentially lethal electrical weapons"

question: Who are to be armed with Tasers?

answer: police officers

text: police officers

question: who criticies the plan

answer: Amnesty International UK

text: Amnesty International UK

question: Police were armed with taser guns in England and where else?

answer: Wales,

text: Wales,

question: Who have criticised the use of tasers?

answer: Amnesty International UK

text: Amnesty International UK

question: The barbed darts were charged with enough electricity to do what to a person?

answer: stun

text: stun

question: who are armed with tasers

answer: British police officers

text: British police officers


text:
ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Officials monitoring the River Tiber in Rome fear it could break its banks as early as Friday evening after a spate of bad weather in Italy -- but do not expect major flooding.

A rescue boat patrols the swollen River Tiber in central Rome early Friday.

Guido Bertolaso, the head of the Italian Civil Protection Department said that there is a 20 to 30 percent chance the river could break its banks and cause disruption in some neighborhoods in northern Rome, but not in the historic city center.

Two people have died in weather-related incidents elsewhere in Italy.

"We see that the flow is increasing, but it is not reaching a level that could be dangerous for the capital city of Italy," said Bertolaso about the Tiber, deeming the situation "crucial but not serious."

Bertolaso, calling the situation "quite extraordinary," labeled the flood threat and storms as the "fifth most serious situation of the past 100 years."

"But I think it is under control and the secret is to have the technology and the kind of organization to monitor the situation and to intervene if an emergency arises," he said. Bertolaso noted that authorities have been keeping a minute-by-minute watch because of heavy storms over the past few days.

He said the water level would probably increase for a few more hours and eventually peak between 8 p.m. and midnight local time Friday (between 1800 and 2200 GMT).

"If there will be no more rain, the situation is expected to stabilize," he said.

Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno said he did not expect a major flood and noted that only a few dwellings have been evacuated -- primarily those inhabited by immigrants and Roma, who have set up makeshift camps on the banks of the Tiber.

"I just recommend people to stay at home and not to rush to the river banks to watch the river swelling," Alemanno said.

Hundreds of volunteers and civil protection officials have been deployed around Rome to monitor the situation, the Civil Protection Department said.

Sandbags have been lined up to contain any possible river overflow, and the fire brigade is ready with amphibious vehicles.

Police have blocked access to some pedestrian bridges and river banks, while residents are being urged to use their vehicles only if necessary.

Firefighters Thursday had to rescue dozens of motorists stranded in their cars. Because of the intense rain, the streets of some northern Rome neighborhoods were already flooded by water and covered in thick brown mud.

One woman died near Rome early Thursday when her car was submerged by a wave of water and mud in an underpass. The body of a second victim was found in the southern region of Calabria after a bridge collapsed.

text: ROME

text: Italy

text: CNN

text: Officials

text: monitoring

text: the

text: River

text: Tiber

text: in

text: Rome

text: fear

text: it

text: could

text: break

text: its

text: banks

text: as

text: early

text: as

text: Friday

text: evening

text: after

text: a

text: spate

text: of

text: bad

text: weather

text: in

text: Italy

text: but

text: do

text: not

text: expect

text: major

text: flooding

text: A

text: rescue

text: boat

text: patrols

text: the

text: swollen

text: River

text: Tiber

text: in

text: central

text: Rome

text: early

text: Friday

text: Guido

text: Bertolaso

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: Italian

text: Civil

text: Protection

text: Department

text: said

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: to

text: percent

text: chance

text: the

text: river

text: could

text: break

text: its

text: banks

text: and

text: cause

text: disruption

text: in

text: some

text: neighborhoods

text: in

text: northern

text: Rome

text: but

text: not

text: in

text: the

text: historic

text: city

text: center

text: Two

text: people

text: have

text: died

text: in

text: weather

text: related

text: incidents

text: elsewhere

text: in

text: Italy

text: We

text: see

text: that

text: the

text: flow

text: is

text: increasing

text: but

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: reaching

text: a

text: level

text: that

text: could

text: be

text: dangerous

text: for

text: the

text: capital

text: city

text: of

text: Italy

text: said

text: Bertolaso

text: about

text: the

text: Tiber

text: deeming

text: the

text: situation

text: crucial

text: but

text: not

text: serious

text: Bertolaso

text: calling

text: the

text: situation

text: quite

text: extraordinary

text: labeled

text: the

text: flood

text: threat

text: and

text: storms

text: as

text: the

text: fifth

text: most

text: serious

text: situation

text: of

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: But

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: is

text: under

text: control

text: and

text: the

text: secret

text: is

text: to

text: have

text: the

text: technology

text: and

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: organization

text: to

text: monitor

text: the

text: situation

text: and

text: to

text: intervene

text: if

text: an

text: emergency

text: arises

text: he

text: said

text: Bertolaso

text: noted

text: that

text: authorities

text: have

text: been

text: keeping

text: a

text: minute

text: by

text: minute

text: watch

text: because

text: of

text: heavy

text: storms

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: days

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: water

text: level

text: would

text: probably

text: increase

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: more

text: hours

text: and

text: eventually

text: peak

text: between

text: p.m.

text: and

text: midnight

text: local

text: time

text: Friday

text: between

text: and

text: GMT

text: If

text: there

text: will

text: be

text: no

text: more

text: rain

text: the

text: situation

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: stabilize

text: he

text: said

text: Rome

text: Mayor

text: Gianni

text: Alemanno

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: not

text: expect

text: a

text: major

text: flood

text: and

text: noted

text: that

text: only

text: a

text: few

text: dwellings

text: have

text: been

text: evacuated

text: primarily

text: those

text: inhabited

text: by

text: immigrants

text: and

text: Roma

text: who

text: have

text: set

text: up

text: makeshift

text: camps

text: on

text: the

text: banks

text: of

text: the

text: Tiber

text: I

text: just

text: recommend

text: people

text: to

text: stay

text: at

text: home

text: and

text: not

text: to

text: rush

text: to

text: the

text: river

text: banks

text: to

text: watch

text: the

text: river

text: swelling

text: Alemanno

text: said

text: Hundreds

text: of

text: volunteers

text: and

text: civil

text: protection

text: officials

text: have

text: been

text: deployed

text: around

text: Rome

text: to

text: monitor

text: the

text: situation

text: the

text: Civil

text: Protection

text: Department

text: said

text: Sandbags

text: have

text: been

text: lined

text: up

text: to

text: contain

text: any

text: possible

text: river

text: overflow

text: and

text: the

text: fire

text: brigade

text: is

text: ready

text: with

text: amphibious

text: vehicles

text: Police

text: have

text: blocked

text: access

text: to

text: some

text: pedestrian

text: bridges

text: and

text: river

text: banks

text: while

text: residents

text: are

text: being

text: urged

text: to

text: use

text: their

text: vehicles

text: only

text: if

text: necessary

text: Firefighters

text: Thursday

text: had

text: to

text: rescue

text: dozens

text: of

text: motorists

text: stranded

text: in

text: their

text: cars

text: Because

text: of

text: the

text: intense

text: rain

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: some

text: northern

text: Rome

text: neighborhoods

text: were

text: already

text: flooded

text: by

text: water

text: and

text: covered

text: in

text: thick

text: brown

text: mud

text: One

text: woman

text: died

text: near

text: Rome

text: early

text: Thursday

text: when

text: her

text: car

text: was

text: submerged

text: by

text: a

text: wave

text: of

text: water

text: and

text: mud

text: in

text: an

text: underpass

text: The

text: body

text: of

text: a

text: second

text: victim

text: was

text: found

text: in

text: the

text: southern

text: region

text: of

text: Calabria

text: after

text: a

text: bridge

text: collapsed

question: What percent chance could the Tiber overflow?

answer: 20 to 30

text: 20 to 30

question: What has a 20 - 30 percent chance of overflowing?

answer: River Tiber

text: River Tiber

question: What country had a wave of bad weather?

answer: Italy

text: Italy

question: Who died near Rome?

answer: One woman

text: One woman

question: Where did the bridge collapse?

answer: Calabria

text: Calabria

question: What would overflow its banks?

answer: the River Tiber

text: the River Tiber


text:
(CNN) -- The world has a new alliance to save vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

A frog swims in a pond in Munich, Germany, in June.

A coalition of organizations established the Amphibian Survival Alliance this month to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change. The scientists said amphibians are the world's most threatened group of animals.

Though they thrived on Earth for more than 360 million years, one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species are now at risk of extinction and as many as 122 species have gone extinct since 1980, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's amphibian specialist group.

"The world's amphibians are facing an uphill battle for survival," said James Collins of Arizona State University, co-chairman of the group.

He said the new alliance, formed at the Amphibian Mini Summit at the Zoological Society of London, will focus efforts on the biggest threat to amphibians: infectious disease and habitat destruction. The group includes amphibian specialists working in the wild as well as those in zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens worldwide.

"Amphibians have so much to offer humans," said amphibian specialist Simon Stuart. "Many have an arsenal of compounds stored in their skin that have the potential to address a multitude of human diseases."

But as amphibians die out, so do opportunities to develop new medicines, he said. The southern gastric brooding frog, for instance, could have led to the development of a treatment for human peptic ulcers had it not gone extinct, Stuart said.

"We simply cannot afford to let this current amphibian extinction crisis go unchecked," he said.

Andrew Blaustein, who began documenting amphibian declines two decades ago, said the loss of species was part of an overall biodiversity crisis.

"Amphibians seem to have been hit the hardest of all vertebrate species," said Blaustein, a professor of zoology at Oregon State University. "The long-term ecological repercussions of their decline could be profound, and we have to do something about it."

text: CNN

text: The

text: world

text: has

text: a

text: new

text: alliance

text: to

text: save

text: vanishing

text: frogs

text: toads

text: and

text: salamanders

text: A

text: frog

text: swims

text: in

text: a

text: pond

text: in

text: Munich

text: Germany

text: in

text: June

text: A

text: coalition

text: of

text: organizations

text: established

text: the

text: Amphibian

text: Survival

text: Alliance

text: this

text: month

text: to

text: conserve

text: species

text: threatened

text: by

text: deadly

text: fungus

text: habitat

text: loss

text: pollution

text: pesticides

text: and

text: climate

text: change

text: The

text: scientists

text: said

text: amphibians

text: are

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: threatened

text: group

text: of

text: animals

text: Though

text: they

text: thrived

text: on

text: Earth

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: years

text: one

text: in

text: three

text: of

text: the

text: recognized

text: amphibian

text: species

text: are

text: now

text: at

text: risk

text: of

text: extinction

text: and

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: species

text: have

text: gone

text: extinct

text: since

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: International

text: Union

text: for

text: the

text: Conservation

text: of

text: Nature

text: 's

text: amphibian

text: specialist

text: group

text: The

text: world

text: 's

text: amphibians

text: are

text: facing

text: an

text: uphill

text: battle

text: for

text: survival

text: said

text: James

text: Collins

text: of

text: Arizona

text: State

text: University

text: co

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: group

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: new

text: alliance

text: formed

text: at

text: the

text: Amphibian

text: Mini

text: Summit

text: at

text: the

text: Zoological

text: Society

text: of

text: London

text: will

text: focus

text: efforts

text: on

text: the

text: biggest

text: threat

text: to

text: amphibians

text: infectious

text: disease

text: and

text: habitat

text: destruction

text: The

text: group

text: includes

text: amphibian

text: specialists

text: working

text: in

text: the

text: wild

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: those

text: in

text: zoos

text: aquariums

text: and

text: botanical

text: gardens

text: worldwide

text: Amphibians

text: have

text: so

text: much

text: to

text: offer

text: humans

text: said

text: amphibian

text: specialist

text: Simon

text: Stuart

text: Many

text: have

text: an

text: arsenal

text: of

text: compounds

text: stored

text: in

text: their

text: skin

text: that

text: have

text: the

text: potential

text: to

text: address

text: a

text: multitude

text: of

text: human

text: diseases

text: But

text: as

text: amphibians

text: die

text: out

text: so

text: do

text: opportunities

text: to

text: develop

text: new

text: medicines

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: southern

text: gastric

text: brooding

text: frog

text: for

text: instance

text: could

text: have

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: development

text: of

text: a

text: treatment

text: for

text: human

text: peptic

text: ulcers

text: had

text: it

text: not

text: gone

text: extinct

text: Stuart

text: said

text: We

text: simply

text: can

text: not

text: afford

text: to

text: let

text: this

text: current

text: amphibian

text: extinction

text: crisis

text: go

text: unchecked

text: he

text: said

text: Andrew

text: Blaustein

text: who

text: began

text: documenting

text: amphibian

text: declines

text: two

text: decades

text: ago

text: said

text: the

text: loss

text: of

text: species

text: was

text: part

text: of

text: an

text: overall

text: biodiversity

text: crisis

text: Amphibians

text: seem

text: to

text: have

text: been

text: hit

text: the

text: hardest

text: of

text: all

text: vertebrate

text: species

text: said

text: Blaustein

text: a

text: professor

text: of

text: zoology

text: at

text: Oregon

text: State

text: University

text: The

text: long

text: term

text: ecological

text: repercussions

text: of

text: their

text: decline

text: could

text: be

text: profound

text: and

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: about

text: it

question: What do Amphibians aid in?

answer: "Many have an arsenal of compounds stored in their skin that have the potential to address a multitude of human diseases."

text: "Many have an arsenal of compounds stored in their skin that have the potential to address a multitude of human diseases."

question: What does Amphibian Survival Alliance aim to save ?

answer: vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

text: vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

question: What do scientists say?

answer: amphibians are the world's most threatened group of animals.

text: amphibians are the world's most threatened group of animals.

question: How many amphibian species are at risk of extinction?

answer: one in three of the 6,000 recognized

text: one in three of the 6,000 recognized

question: How many species are at risk of extinction?

answer: one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian

text: one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian

question: Whats the name of the group which wants to save endangered animals?

answer: Amphibian Survival Alliance

text: Amphibian Survival Alliance

question: What does the Amphibian Survival ALliance want to save?

answer: vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

text: vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

question: How many recognised species are there ?

answer: 6,000