text:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN)  -- At least 6,000 Christians have fled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the past week because of killings and death threats, Iraq's Ministry of Immigration and Displaced Persons said Thursday.

A Christian family that fled Mosul found refuge in the Al-Sayida monastery about 30 miles north of the city.

The number represents 1,424 families, at least 70 more families than were reported to be displaced on Wednesday.

The ministry said it had set up an operation room to follow up sending urgent aid to the displaced Christian families as a result of attacks by what it called "terrorist groups."

Iraqi officials have said the families were frightened by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face death.

Fourteen Christians have been slain in the past two weeks in the city, which is about 260 miles (420 kilometers) north of Baghdad.

Mosul is one of the last Iraqi cities where al Qaeda in Iraq has a significant presence and routinely carries out attacks. The U.S. military said it killed the Sunni militant group's No. 2 leader, Abu Qaswarah, in a raid in the northern city earlier this month.

In response to the recent attacks on Christians, authorities have ordered more checkpoints in several of the city's Christian neighborhoods.

The attacks may have been prompted by Christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections, which are to be held by January 31, authorities said.

Hundreds of Christians took to the streets in Mosul and surrounding villages and towns, demanding adequate representation on provincial councils, whose members will be chosen in the local elections.

Thursday, Iraq's minister of immigration and displaced persons discussed building housing complexes for Christian families in northern Iraq and allocating land to build the complexes.

Abdel Samad Rahman Sultan brought up the issue when he met with a representative of Iraq's Hammurabi Organization for Human Rights and with the head of the Kojina Organization for helping displaced persons.

A curfew was declared Wednesday in several neighborhoods of eastern Mosul as authorities searched for militants behind the attacks.

CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

text: BAGHDAD

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: At

text: least

text: Christians

text: have

text: fled

text: the

text: northern

text: Iraqi

text: city

text: of

text: Mosul

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: week

text: because

text: of

text: killings

text: and

text: death

text: threats

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Immigration

text: and

text: Displaced

text: Persons

text: said

text: Thursday

text: A

text: Christian

text: family

text: that

text: fled

text: Mosul

text: found

text: refuge

text: in

text: the

text: Al

text: Sayida

text: monastery

text: about

text: miles

text: north

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: The

text: number

text: represents

text: families

text: at

text: least

text: more

text: families

text: than

text: were

text: reported

text: to

text: be

text: displaced

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: ministry

text: said

text: it

text: had

text: set

text: up

text: an

text: operation

text: room

text: to

text: follow

text: up

text: sending

text: urgent

text: aid

text: to

text: the

text: displaced

text: Christian

text: families

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: attacks

text: by

text: what

text: it

text: called

text: terrorist

text: groups

text: Iraqi

text: officials

text: have

text: said

text: the

text: families

text: were

text: frightened

text: by

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: killings

text: and

text: threats

text: by

text: Muslim

text: extremists

text: ordering

text: them

text: to

text: convert

text: to

text: Islam

text: or

text: face

text: death

text: Fourteen

text: Christians

text: have

text: been

text: slain

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: weeks

text: in

text: the

text: city

text: which

text: is

text: about

text: miles

text: kilometers

text: north

text: of

text: Baghdad

text: Mosul

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: last

text: Iraqi

text: cities

text: where

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: in

text: Iraq

text: has

text: a

text: significant

text: presence

text: and

text: routinely

text: carries

text: out

text: attacks

text: The

text: U.S.

text: military

text: said

text: it

text: killed

text: the

text: Sunni

text: militant

text: group

text: 's

text: No

text: leader

text: Abu

text: Qaswarah

text: in

text: a

text: raid

text: in

text: the

text: northern

text: city

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: In

text: response

text: to

text: the

text: recent

text: attacks

text: on

text: Christians

text: authorities

text: have

text: ordered

text: more

text: checkpoints

text: in

text: several

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: Christian

text: neighborhoods

text: The

text: attacks

text: may

text: have

text: been

text: prompted

text: by

text: Christian

text: demonstrations

text: ahead

text: of

text: provincial

text: elections

text: which

text: are

text: to

text: be

text: held

text: by

text: January

text: authorities

text: said

text: Hundreds

text: of

text: Christians

text: took

text: to

text: the

text: streets

text: in

text: Mosul

text: and

text: surrounding

text: villages

text: and

text: towns

text: demanding

text: adequate

text: representation

text: on

text: provincial

text: councils

text: whose

text: members

text: will

text: be

text: chosen

text: in

text: the

text: local

text: elections

text: Thursday

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: minister

text: of

text: immigration

text: and

text: displaced

text: persons

text: discussed

text: building

text: housing

text: complexes

text: for

text: Christian

text: families

text: in

text: northern

text: Iraq

text: and

text: allocating

text: land

text: to

text: build

text: the

text: complexes

text: Abdel

text: Samad

text: Rahman

text: Sultan

text: brought

text: up

text: the

text: issue

text: when

text: he

text: met

text: with

text: a

text: representative

text: of

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: Hammurabi

text: Organization

text: for

text: Human

text: Rights

text: and

text: with

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: Kojina

text: Organization

text: for

text: helping

text: displaced

text: persons

text: A

text: curfew

text: was

text: declared

text: Wednesday

text: in

text: several

text: neighborhoods

text: of

text: eastern

text: Mosul

text: as

text: authorities

text: searched

text: for

text: militants

text: behind

text: the

text: attacks

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Mohammed

text: Tawfeeq

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What frightened the families?

answer: a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face death.

text: a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face death.

question: How many Christian families have been displaced

answer: 1,424

question: What did extremists order thdm to do

answer: Islam or face death.

text: Islam or face death.

question: How many families have been displaced?

answer: 1,424

question: What were the families ordered to do?

answer: Islam or face death.

text: Islam or face death.

question: How many Christians have been slain

answer: Fourteen

text: Fourteen

question: Who was displaced?

answer: 1,424 families,

text: 1,424 families,

question: Who are the extremists ordering to convert to Islam?

answer: Muslim

text: Muslim


text:
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic season, formed Saturday near the coast of Belize, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Tropical Storm Arthur could make its way across the Yucatan and re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm made its way over land and was expected to weaken, but the center said the storm could re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity Sunday.

At 11 p.m., the center of Arthur was over the southern Yucatan Peninsula, about 80 miles (125 km) west of Chetumal, Mexico, and about 120 miles (195 km) south-southeast of Campeche, Mexico.

It was moving west at about 7 miles (11 km) per hour.

The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 km/hr), with higher gusts, mainly over water east of its center. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 260 miles (415 km) from the center of the storm, forecasters said.

The government of Belize issued a tropical storm warning for the nation's coast, and the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Cabo Catoche south to the border with Belize.

A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area -- in this case, within the next six to 12 hours.

The storm was forecast to dump up to 10 inches of rain over Belize, up to 15 inches in isolated areas, the hurricane center said.

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday.

On Thursday, Tropical Storm Alma, the first one of the year in the eastern Pacific, formed near the west coast of Central America, according to the National Weather Service. The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression and dissipated over the high terrain of Central America.

The federal government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted this month that the Atlantic season would be more active than normal, with up to 16 named storms and up to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or above.

The noted Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team predicted this year that there would be 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

The team calculated a 69 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the U.S. coast.

A survey released this week found that 50 percent of 1,100 adults surveyed in Atlantic and U.S. Gulf Coast states did not have disaster plans or survival kits.

"Nearly one in three said they would not prepare their home until a storm is within 24 hours of landfall," Bill Read, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Thursday.

"Now is the time to buy all that stuff," he said upon the release of the survey by polling firm Mason-Dixon.

text: MIAMI

text: Florida

text: CNN

text: Tropical

text: Storm

text: Arthur

text: the

text: first

text: named

text: storm

text: of

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: season

text: formed

text: Saturday

text: near

text: the

text: coast

text: of

text: Belize

text: the

text: U.S.

text: National

text: Hurricane

text: Center

text: said

text: Tropical

text: Storm

text: Arthur

text: could

text: make

text: its

text: way

text: across

text: the

text: Yucatan

text: and

text: re

text: emerge

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: The

text: storm

text: made

text: its

text: way

text: over

text: land

text: and

text: was

text: expected

text: to

text: weaken

text: but

text: the

text: center

text: said

text: the

text: storm

text: could

text: re

text: emerge

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: and

text: regain

text: intensity

text: Sunday

text: At

text: p.m.

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: Arthur

text: was

text: over

text: the

text: southern

text: Yucatan

text: Peninsula

text: about

text: miles

text: km

text: west

text: of

text: Chetumal

text: Mexico

text: and

text: about

text: miles

text: km

text: south

text: southeast

text: of

text: Campeche

text: Mexico

text: It

text: was

text: moving

text: west

text: at

text: about

text: miles

text: km

text: per

text: hour

text: The

text: storm

text: 's

text: maximum

text: sustained

text: winds

text: were

text: near

text: mph

text: km

text: hr

text: with

text: higher

text: gusts

text: mainly

text: over

text: water

text: east

text: of

text: its

text: center

text: Tropical

text: storm

text: force

text: winds

text: extend

text: outward

text: up

text: to

text: miles

text: km

text: from

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: the

text: storm

text: forecasters

text: said

text: The

text: government

text: of

text: Belize

text: issued

text: a

text: tropical

text: storm

text: warning

text: for

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: coast

text: and

text: the

text: government

text: of

text: Mexico

text: issued

text: a

text: tropical

text: storm

text: warning

text: from

text: Cabo

text: Catoche

text: south

text: to

text: the

text: border

text: with

text: Belize

text: A

text: tropical

text: storm

text: warning

text: means

text: tropical

text: storm

text: conditions

text: are

text: expected

text: within

text: the

text: warning

text: area

text: in

text: this

text: case

text: within

text: the

text: next

text: six

text: to

text: hours

text: The

text: storm

text: was

text: forecast

text: to

text: dump

text: up

text: to

text: inches

text: of

text: rain

text: over

text: Belize

text: up

text: to

text: inches

text: in

text: isolated

text: areas

text: the

text: hurricane

text: center

text: said

text: The

text: Atlantic

text: hurricane

text: season

text: begins

text: Sunday

text: On

text: Thursday

text: Tropical

text: Storm

text: Alma

text: the

text: first

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: in

text: the

text: eastern

text: Pacific

text: formed

text: near

text: the

text: west

text: coast

text: of

text: Central

text: America

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: National

text: Weather

text: Service

text: The

text: storm

text: was

text: downgraded

text: to

text: a

text: tropical

text: depression

text: and

text: dissipated

text: over

text: the

text: high

text: terrain

text: of

text: Central

text: America

text: The

text: federal

text: government

text: 's

text: National

text: Oceanic

text: and

text: Atmospheric

text: Administration

text: predicted

text: this

text: month

text: that

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: season

text: would

text: be

text: more

text: active

text: than

text: normal

text: with

text: up

text: to

text: named

text: storms

text: and

text: up

text: to

text: five

text: major

text: hurricanes

text: of

text: Category

text: or

text: above

text: The

text: noted

text: Colorado

text: State

text: University

text: hurricane

text: forecasting

text: team

text: predicted

text: this

text: year

text: that

text: there

text: would

text: be

text: named

text: storms

text: eight

text: hurricanes

text: and

text: four

text: major

text: hurricanes

text: The

text: team

text: calculated

text: a

text: percent

text: chance

text: that

text: at

text: least

text: one

text: major

text: hurricane

text: will

text: make

text: landfall

text: on

text: the

text: U.S.

text: coast

text: A

text: survey

text: released

text: this

text: week

text: found

text: that

text: percent

text: of

text: adults

text: surveyed

text: in

text: Atlantic

text: and

text: U.S.

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: states

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: disaster

text: plans

text: or

text: survival

text: kits

text: Nearly

text: one

text: in

text: three

text: said

text: they

text: would

text: not

text: prepare

text: their

text: home

text: until

text: a

text: storm

text: is

text: within

text: hours

text: of

text: landfall

text: Bill

text: Read

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Hurricane

text: Center

text: said

text: Thursday

text: Now

text: is

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: buy

text: all

text: that

text: stuff

text: he

text: said

text: upon

text: the

text: release

text: of

text: the

text: survey

text: by

text: polling

text: firm

text: Mason

text: Dixon

question: When did the storm originally begin?

answer: Saturday

text: Saturday

question: If the storm re-emerged into the Gulf of Mexico could it regain intensity?

answer: the center said the storm could re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity Sunday.

text: the center said the storm could re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity Sunday.

question: What was the approximate sustained winds brought by the storm?

answer: near 40 mph

text: near 40 mph

question: What are the maximum sustained winds of the storm

answer: near 40 mph

text: near 40 mph

question: Where will 10 to 15 inches of rain fall?

answer: Belize,

text: Belize,

question: When is the storm expected to reappear?

answer: Sunday.

text: Sunday.

question: what will happen if the storm re-emerges into gulf of mexico?

answer: regain intensity

text: regain intensity

question: What number of inches or rain is the storm forecast  to dump?

answer: 15

question: What was the storm's average wind speed?

answer: 40 mph

text: 40 mph

question: What day does the hurricane season begin?

answer: Sunday.

text: Sunday.

question: What speed will the storms maximum sustained winds reach?

answer: near 40 mph

text: near 40 mph


text:
(CNN) -- A motorcycle competitor has died the first stage of this year's Dakar Rally in Argentina Sunday.

Jorge Martinez Boero was only two kilometers from the finish of the 57km special from Mar del Plata to Santa Rosa when he came off his Beta bike with tragic results.

Organizers said the 38-year-old from Argentina, who was taking part in the annual event for the second time, suffered a cardiac arrest after his fall.

He was treated by medical staff within five minutes of the accident, but died on the way to hospital.

In a statement on the official website of the endurance rally, organizers sent their "heartfelt condolences to his family and loved one's."

Boero's death was the 21st involving a competitor during the event, which was started in 1979 as the Paris-Dakar rally.

It finished in the Senegal capital for 29 times until the organizers brought the event to South America in 2009.

This year's event covers 9,000 kilometers and takes in Argentina, Peru and Chile.

Cars, motorcycles and trucks compete in their various categories over a series of grueling special stages on difficult terrain.

Chilean Francisco Lopez won the opening stage of the motorbike section as the Aprilia rider covered the 57km course in 32 minutes 37seconds.

Russia's Leonid Novitzkiy took first in the cars section in a Mini, with NASCAR star Robby Gordon in fifth place in his Hummer.

text: CNN

text: A

text: motorcycle

text: competitor

text: has

text: died

text: the

text: first

text: stage

text: of

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: Dakar

text: Rally

text: in

text: Argentina

text: Sunday

text: Jorge

text: Martinez

text: Boero

text: was

text: only

text: two

text: kilometers

text: from

text: the

text: finish

text: of

text: the

text: km

text: special

text: from

text: Mar

text: del

text: Plata

text: to

text: Santa

text: Rosa

text: when

text: he

text: came

text: off

text: his

text: Beta

text: bike

text: with

text: tragic

text: results

text: Organizers

text: said

text: the

text: old

text: from

text: Argentina

text: who

text: was

text: taking

text: part

text: in

text: the

text: annual

text: event

text: for

text: the

text: second

text: time

text: suffered

text: a

text: cardiac

text: arrest

text: after

text: his

text: fall

text: He

text: was

text: treated

text: by

text: medical

text: staff

text: within

text: five

text: minutes

text: of

text: the

text: accident

text: but

text: died

text: on

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: hospital

text: In

text: a

text: statement

text: on

text: the

text: official

text: website

text: of

text: the

text: endurance

text: rally

text: organizers

text: sent

text: their

text: heartfelt

text: condolences

text: to

text: his

text: family

text: and

text: loved

text: one

text: 's

text: Boero

text: 's

text: death

text: was

text: the

text: involving

text: a

text: competitor

text: during

text: the

text: event

text: which

text: was

text: started

text: in

text: as

text: the

text: Paris

text: Dakar

text: rally

text: It

text: finished

text: in

text: the

text: Senegal

text: capital

text: for

text: times

text: until

text: the

text: organizers

text: brought

text: the

text: event

text: to

text: South

text: America

text: in

text: This

text: year

text: 's

text: event

text: covers

text: kilometers

text: and

text: takes

text: in

text: Argentina

text: Peru

text: and

text: Chile

text: Cars

text: motorcycles

text: and

text: trucks

text: compete

text: in

text: their

text: various

text: categories

text: over

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: grueling

text: special

text: stages

text: on

text: difficult

text: terrain

text: Chilean

text: Francisco

text: Lopez

text: won

text: the

text: opening

text: stage

text: of

text: the

text: motorbike

text: section

text: as

text: the

text: Aprilia

text: rider

text: covered

text: the

text: km

text: course

text: in

text: minutes

text: Russia

text: 's

text: Leonid

text: Novitzkiy

text: took

text: first

text: in

text: the

text: cars

text: section

text: in

text: a

text: Mini

text: with

text: NASCAR

text: star

text: Robby

text: Gordon

text: in

text: fifth

text: place

text: in

text: his

text: Hummer

question: A motorcyclist was killed on first stage of what Rally?

answer: Dakar

text: Dakar

question: Who was killed in Dakar?

answer: Jorge Martinez Boero

text: Jorge Martinez Boero

question: Where was the victim from?

answer: Argentina,

text: Argentina,

question: How many people have died on the rally since 1979?

answer: 21st

question: Where was Jorge Martinez Boero from?

answer: Argentina,

text: Argentina,

question: What was the cause of his death?

answer: a cardiac arrest

text: a cardiac arrest


text:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq awarded a lucrative oil contract to BP and China National Petroleum Corp., government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Wednesday, while rejecting other companies' offers for other oil fields.

BP and China National Petroleum Corporation have won a lucrative oil contract in Iraq.

The joint BP-CNPC bid was for the al-Rumeila oil field, one of the largest in the world. The energy companies are expected to increase production at the oil field by 50 percent, to 285,000 barrels a day, for a service charge of $2 for each additional barrel produced, al-Dabbagh said in a statement.

The Iraqi government rejected bids for five other oil fields and a natural gas field because the bidders did not agree to the service charge set by the Ministry of Oil, he said.

The Ministry of Oil rejected the idea that the failure to award more than one contract made the much-anticipated auction a flop.

Iraq did not say how much the BP-CNPC bid was worth. It runs for 20 years.

Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani chaired the government-sponsored auction for the oil and natural gas field contracts Tuesday, after a day's delay due to a sandstorm.

Much of the auction was broadcast live on state television, which Ministry of Oil spokesman Assem Jihad told CNN was a sign of the transparency of the process.

He said the government was satisfied with the auction, even though only one contract was awarded, because the contract was for Iraq's largest oil field.

Iraq plans to open bidding this year on 10 more oil fields and one natural gas field, all of which are undeveloped, Jihad said.

The companies whose bids were rejected Tuesday have been given time to review their offers, he said.

Iraq has some of the largest oil reserves in the world, with an estimated 115 billion barrels -- tying Iran for second place, behind Saudi Arabia's 264 billion barrels, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration in the United States.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad contributed to this report.

text: BAGHDAD

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: Iraq

text: awarded

text: a

text: lucrative

text: oil

text: contract

text: to

text: BP

text: and

text: China

text: National

text: Petroleum

text: Corp.

text: government

text: spokesman

text: Ali

text: al

text: Dabbagh

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: while

text: rejecting

text: other

text: companies

text: offers

text: for

text: other

text: oil

text: fields

text: BP

text: and

text: China

text: National

text: Petroleum

text: Corporation

text: have

text: won

text: a

text: lucrative

text: oil

text: contract

text: in

text: Iraq

text: The

text: joint

text: BP

text: CNPC

text: bid

text: was

text: for

text: the

text: al

text: Rumeila

text: oil

text: field

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: energy

text: companies

text: are

text: expected

text: to

text: increase

text: production

text: at

text: the

text: oil

text: field

text: by

text: percent

text: to

text: barrels

text: a

text: day

text: for

text: a

text: service

text: charge

text: of

text: for

text: each

text: additional

text: barrel

text: produced

text: al

text: Dabbagh

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: The

text: Iraqi

text: government

text: rejected

text: bids

text: for

text: five

text: other

text: oil

text: fields

text: and

text: a

text: natural

text: gas

text: field

text: because

text: the

text: bidders

text: did

text: not

text: agree

text: to

text: the

text: service

text: charge

text: set

text: by

text: the

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Oil

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Oil

text: rejected

text: the

text: idea

text: that

text: the

text: failure

text: to

text: award

text: more

text: than

text: one

text: contract

text: made

text: the

text: much

text: anticipated

text: auction

text: a

text: flop

text: Iraq

text: did

text: not

text: say

text: how

text: much

text: the

text: BP

text: CNPC

text: bid

text: was

text: worth

text: It

text: runs

text: for

text: years

text: Oil

text: Minister

text: Hussein

text: Shahrastani

text: chaired

text: the

text: government

text: sponsored

text: auction

text: for

text: the

text: oil

text: and

text: natural

text: gas

text: field

text: contracts

text: Tuesday

text: after

text: a

text: day

text: 's

text: delay

text: due

text: to

text: a

text: sandstorm

text: Much

text: of

text: the

text: auction

text: was

text: broadcast

text: live

text: on

text: state

text: television

text: which

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Oil

text: spokesman

text: Assem

text: Jihad

text: told

text: CNN

text: was

text: a

text: sign

text: of

text: the

text: transparency

text: of

text: the

text: process

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: government

text: was

text: satisfied

text: with

text: the

text: auction

text: even

text: though

text: only

text: one

text: contract

text: was

text: awarded

text: because

text: the

text: contract

text: was

text: for

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: largest

text: oil

text: field

text: Iraq

text: plans

text: to

text: open

text: bidding

text: this

text: year

text: on

text: more

text: oil

text: fields

text: and

text: one

text: natural

text: gas

text: field

text: all

text: of

text: which

text: are

text: undeveloped

text: Jihad

text: said

text: The

text: companies

text: whose

text: bids

text: were

text: rejected

text: Tuesday

text: have

text: been

text: given

text: time

text: to

text: review

text: their

text: offers

text: he

text: said

text: Iraq

text: has

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: oil

text: reserves

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: with

text: an

text: estimated

text: billion

text: barrels

text: tying

text: Iran

text: for

text: second

text: place

text: behind

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: 's

text: billion

text: barrels

text: according

text: to

text: estimates

text: from

text: the

text: Energy

text: Information

text: Administration

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Jomana

text: Karadsheh

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: who made a joint bid for the giant oil field al-Rumeila?

answer: BP-CNPC

text: BP-CNPC

question: Who awarded the oil contract to BP?

answer: Iraq

text: Iraq

question: What country awarded the lucrative oil contract?

answer: Iraq

text: Iraq

question: who awards lucrative oil contracts Iraq?

answer: The Iraqi government

text: The Iraqi government

question: Energy companies expect to increase production at the field by what percent?

answer: 50

question: As energy companies expected to increase production in the field?

answer: oil

text: oil

question: What oil field was the bid for?

answer: al-Rumeila

text: al-Rumeila

question: What did the energy companies expected?

answer: to increase production at the oil field by 50 percent, to 285,000 barrels a day,

text: to increase production at the oil field by 50 percent, to 285,000 barrels a day,

question: What was the BP-CNPC bid?

answer: for the al-Rumeila oil field,

text: for the al-Rumeila oil field,


text:
(CNN)  -- Not content to sit quietly at home eating their tofu cutlets, more and more vegetarians, it seems, are taking action, trying to get the carnivorous masses to change their ways.

Of course, the meat-free have been trying to win people over to their cause since the time of Pythagoras. But lately, activists are trying more in-your-face tactics.

For Lierre Keith, author of "The Vegetarian Myth," the "in-your-face" part is quite literal. A former vegetarian who has publicly recanted, she was lecturing in San Francisco, California, last week, when three masked assailants shouted "Go vegan!" and lobbed chili pepper-laced pies at her.

Even in hard-core vegan circles -- which exclude using animal-based products for food, clothing, medicine or any other purpose -- such borderline-violent exploits are controversial.

More common is the approach of folks like newly converted talk show host Ellen Degeneres, who has been sharing recipes for vegan nachos along with her philosophy.

Still, recipes only go so far. And, more to the point, they don't get as much media attention. For many vegan and vegetarian activists, getting coverage is an art.

PETA

If you've ever read about a particularly outrageous pro-vegetarian campaign, there's a good chance that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was behind it. The folks at PETA seem to be firm believers in the idea that "all media attention is good media attention," and the more shocking or ridiculous the stunt, the more media outlets will pick up the story.

PETA was laughed at when it tried to rebrand fish as "sea kittens," in hopes that the more cuddly name would make seafood a less appealing mealtime choice. It was criticized for the suggestion that recently deceased Oscar G. Mayer should be buried with his company's hot dog-shaped Wienermobile.

After British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay cooked up horse meat on his show, PETA UK dumped a ton of manure outside his London restaurant.

Plenty of ecological activists cringe at these kinds of prankish maneuvers, but they do get noticed. And that, apparently, is the point.

Why else would PETA organize an army of zombies to protest outside of KFC restaurants?

Not content to oppose meat-eating in the real world, PETA also took a swipe at virtual carnivorousness: In response to the Nintendo DS game "Cooking Mama," the group released its own bloody version.

And, as anyone who's seen its anti-fur posters knows, PETA is well aware that sex sells. The group got the granddaughter of Argentinean revolutionary Che Guevara to pose wearing nothing but a bandolier filled with carrots.

Last, year PETA proposed a too-racy-for-TV "vegetarians have better sex" Super Bowl commercial, guaranteeing plenty of coverage when -- surprise! -- NBC rejected the ad.

PETA also brings its soft-core approach to the streets with its "Lettuce Ladies" campaign: young models, clad in a few strategically placed leaves, handing out veggie hot dogs.

The group has enlisted Pamela Anderson and Elizabeth Berkley to pose for the Lettuce Ladies Web site (find it yourself) -- probably the best thing that's happened to their careers in years. Is there tofu wresting? Yes, there is tofu wrestling.

Casa Diablo

PETA is not alone in combining feminine pulchritude and an anti-meat agenda. A couple of years back, Portland, Oregon, resident Johnny Diablo got a bunch of media attention when he opened Casa Diablo, the world's first vegan strip club.

Serving veggie burgers with a side of nudity (or maybe the other way around) might seem to be just a publicity stunt. (The fact that Diablo tried to put the club up for sale shortly after opening would seem to suggest that.)

But Mr. Diablo is an earnest vegan himself, and he's apparently retained ownership of Casa Diablo, though reviews -- of both the cuisine and the more fleshy attractions -- are decidedly mixed.

McVegan

As the most public face of our carnivorous culture, McDonald's is a popular target of vegetarian activism.

Back in 1985, the London branch of Greenpeace declared October 16 World Anti-McDonald's Day, and every year since, there have been protests and rallies all over the globe.

The group Vegan Action, founded by Berkeley students in 1993, has come up with a gentler -- and tastier -- way to combat the ubiquity of the golden arches. With its help, you can host your own "McVegan" event. There will be veggie burgers, there will be uniformed servers, and there will even be a costumed clown mascot -- Reggie McVeggie, "Ronald's kinder brother." The slogan: "Billions and billions saved."

Vegan Avengers

Even a green group like Friends of the Earth isn't safe from vegan wrath. Last year, the group hosted a comedy night at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, only to have the event crashed by masked activists wearing enormous artificial testicles.

They called themselves the "Vegan Avengers," and their crude slogan suggested that the middle-of-the-road members of FoE should grow a similar pair by supporting veganism. The Avengers have not been heard from since their single appearance.

text: CNN

text: Not

text: content

text: to

text: sit

text: quietly

text: at

text: home

text: eating

text: their

text: tofu

text: cutlets

text: more

text: and

text: more

text: vegetarians

text: it

text: seems

text: are

text: taking

text: action

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: carnivorous

text: masses

text: to

text: change

text: their

text: ways

text: Of

text: course

text: the

text: meat

text: free

text: have

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: win

text: people

text: over

text: to

text: their

text: cause

text: since

text: the

text: time

text: of

text: Pythagoras

text: But

text: lately

text: activists

text: are

text: trying

text: more

text: in

text: your

text: face

text: tactics

text: For

text: Lierre

text: Keith

text: author

text: of

text: The

text: Vegetarian

text: Myth

text: the

text: in

text: your

text: face

text: part

text: is

text: quite

text: literal

text: A

text: former

text: vegetarian

text: who

text: has

text: publicly

text: recanted

text: she

text: was

text: lecturing

text: in

text: San

text: Francisco

text: California

text: last

text: week

text: when

text: three

text: masked

text: assailants

text: shouted

text: Go

text: vegan

text: and

text: lobbed

text: chili

text: pepper

text: laced

text: pies

text: at

text: her

text: Even

text: in

text: hard

text: core

text: vegan

text: circles

text: which

text: exclude

text: using

text: animal

text: based

text: products

text: for

text: food

text: clothing

text: medicine

text: or

text: any

text: other

text: purpose

text: such

text: borderline

text: violent

text: exploits

text: are

text: controversial

text: More

text: common

text: is

text: the

text: approach

text: of

text: folks

text: like

text: newly

text: converted

text: talk

text: show

text: host

text: Ellen

text: Degeneres

text: who

text: has

text: been

text: sharing

text: recipes

text: for

text: vegan

text: nachos

text: along

text: with

text: her

text: philosophy

text: Still

text: recipes

text: only

text: go

text: so

text: far

text: And

text: more

text: to

text: the

text: point

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: get

text: as

text: much

text: media

text: attention

text: For

text: many

text: vegan

text: and

text: vegetarian

text: activists

text: getting

text: coverage

text: is

text: an

text: art

text: PETA

text: If

text: you

text: 've

text: ever

text: read

text: about

text: a

text: particularly

text: outrageous

text: pro

text: vegetarian

text: campaign

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: good

text: chance

text: that

text: People

text: for

text: the

text: Ethical

text: Treatment

text: of

text: Animals

text: was

text: behind

text: it

text: The

text: folks

text: at

text: PETA

text: seem

text: to

text: be

text: firm

text: believers

text: in

text: the

text: idea

text: that

text: all

text: media

text: attention

text: is

text: good

text: media

text: attention

text: and

text: the

text: more

text: shocking

text: or

text: ridiculous

text: the

text: stunt

text: the

text: more

text: media

text: outlets

text: will

text: pick

text: up

text: the

text: story

text: PETA

text: was

text: laughed

text: at

text: when

text: it

text: tried

text: to

text: rebrand

text: fish

text: as

text: sea

text: kittens

text: in

text: hopes

text: that

text: the

text: more

text: cuddly

text: name

text: would

text: make

text: seafood

text: a

text: less

text: appealing

text: mealtime

text: choice

text: It

text: was

text: criticized

text: for

text: the

text: suggestion

text: that

text: recently

text: deceased

text: Oscar

text: G.

text: Mayer

text: should

text: be

text: buried

text: with

text: his

text: company

text: 's

text: hot

text: dog

text: shaped

text: Wienermobile

text: After

text: British

text: celebrity

text: chef

text: Gordon

text: Ramsay

text: cooked

text: up

text: horse

text: meat

text: on

text: his

text: show

text: PETA

text: UK

text: dumped

text: a

text: ton

text: of

text: manure

text: outside

text: his

text: London

text: restaurant

text: Plenty

text: of

text: ecological

text: activists

text: cringe

text: at

text: these

text: kinds

text: of

text: prankish

text: maneuvers

text: but

text: they

text: do

text: get

text: noticed

text: And

text: that

text: apparently

text: is

text: the

text: point

text: Why

text: else

text: would

text: PETA

text: organize

text: an

text: army

text: of

text: zombies

text: to

text: protest

text: outside

text: of

text: KFC

text: restaurants

text: Not

text: content

text: to

text: oppose

text: meat

text: eating

text: in

text: the

text: real

text: world

text: PETA

text: also

text: took

text: a

text: swipe

text: at

text: virtual

text: carnivorousness

text: In

text: response

text: to

text: the

text: Nintendo

text: DS

text: game

text: Cooking

text: Mama

text: the

text: group

text: released

text: its

text: own

text: bloody

text: version

text: And

text: as

text: anyone

text: who

text: 's

text: seen

text: its

text: anti

text: fur

text: posters

text: knows

text: PETA

text: is

text: well

text: aware

text: that

text: sex

text: sells

text: The

text: group

text: got

text: the

text: granddaughter

text: of

text: Argentinean

text: revolutionary

text: Che

text: Guevara

text: to

text: pose

text: wearing

text: nothing

text: but

text: a

text: bandolier

text: filled

text: with

text: carrots

text: Last

text: year

text: PETA

text: proposed

text: a

text: too

text: racy

text: for

text: TV

text: vegetarians

text: have

text: better

text: sex

text: Super

text: Bowl

text: commercial

text: guaranteeing

text: plenty

text: of

text: coverage

text: when

text: surprise

text: NBC

text: rejected

text: the

text: ad

text: PETA

text: also

text: brings

text: its

text: soft

text: core

text: approach

text: to

text: the

text: streets

text: with

text: its

text: Lettuce

text: Ladies

text: campaign

text: young

text: models

text: clad

text: in

text: a

text: few

text: strategically

text: placed

text: leaves

text: handing

text: out

text: veggie

text: hot

text: dogs

text: The

text: group

text: has

text: enlisted

text: Pamela

text: Anderson

text: and

text: Elizabeth

text: Berkley

text: to

text: pose

text: for

text: the

text: Lettuce

text: Ladies

text: Web

text: site

text: find

text: it

text: yourself

text: probably

text: the

text: best

text: thing

text: that

text: 's

text: happened

text: to

text: their

text: careers

text: in

text: years

text: Is

text: there

text: tofu

text: wresting

text: Yes

text: there

text: is

text: tofu

text: wrestling

text: Casa

text: Diablo

text: PETA

text: is

text: not

text: alone

text: in

text: combining

text: feminine

text: pulchritude

text: and

text: an

text: anti

text: meat

text: agenda

text: A

text: couple

text: of

text: years

text: back

text: Portland

text: Oregon

text: resident

text: Johnny

text: Diablo

text: got

text: a

text: bunch

text: of

text: media

text: attention

text: when

text: he

text: opened

text: Casa

text: Diablo

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: first

text: vegan

text: strip

text: club

text: Serving

text: veggie

text: burgers

text: with

text: a

text: side

text: of

text: nudity

text: or

text: maybe

text: the

text: other

text: way

text: around

text: might

text: seem

text: to

text: be

text: just

text: a

text: publicity

text: stunt

text: The

text: fact

text: that

text: Diablo

text: tried

text: to

text: put

text: the

text: club

text: up

text: for

text: sale

text: shortly

text: after

text: opening

text: would

text: seem

text: to

text: suggest

text: that

text: But

text: Mr.

text: Diablo

text: is

text: an

text: earnest

text: vegan

text: himself

text: and

text: he

text: 's

text: apparently

text: retained

text: ownership

text: of

text: Casa

text: Diablo

text: though

text: reviews

text: of

text: both

text: the

text: cuisine

text: and

text: the

text: more

text: fleshy

text: attractions

text: are

text: decidedly

text: mixed

text: McVegan

text: As

text: the

text: most

text: public

text: face

text: of

text: our

text: carnivorous

text: culture

text: McDonald

text: 's

text: is

text: a

text: popular

text: target

text: of

text: vegetarian

text: activism

text: Back

text: in

text: the

text: London

text: branch

text: of

text: Greenpeace

text: declared

text: October

text: World

text: Anti

text: McDonald

text: 's

text: Day

text: and

text: every

text: year

text: since

text: there

text: have

text: been

text: protests

text: and

text: rallies

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: globe

text: The

text: group

text: Vegan

text: Action

text: founded

text: by

text: Berkeley

text: students

text: in

text: has

text: come

text: up

text: with

text: a

text: gentler

text: and

text: tastier

text: way

text: to

text: combat

text: the

text: ubiquity

text: of

text: the

text: golden

text: arches

text: With

text: its

text: help

text: you

text: can

text: host

text: your

text: own

text: McVegan

text: event

text: There

text: will

text: be

text: veggie

text: burgers

text: there

text: will

text: be

text: uniformed

text: servers

text: and

text: there

text: will

text: even

text: be

text: a

text: costumed

text: clown

text: mascot

text: Reggie

text: McVeggie

text: Ronald

text: 's

text: kinder

text: brother

text: The

text: slogan

text: Billions

text: and

text: billions

text: saved

text: Vegan

text: Avengers

text: Even

text: a

text: green

text: group

text: like

text: Friends

text: of

text: the

text: Earth

text: is

text: n't

text: safe

text: from

text: vegan

text: wrath

text: Last

text: year

text: the

text: group

text: hosted

text: a

text: comedy

text: night

text: at

text: the

text: Hammersmith

text: Apollo

text: in

text: London

text: only

text: to

text: have

text: the

text: event

text: crashed

text: by

text: masked

text: activists

text: wearing

text: enormous

text: artificial

text: testicles

text: They

text: called

text: themselves

text: the

text: Vegan

text: Avengers

text: and

text: their

text: crude

text: slogan

text: suggested

text: that

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: the

text: road

text: members

text: of

text: FoE

text: should

text: grow

text: a

text: similar

text: pair

text: by

text: supporting

text: veganism

text: The

text: Avengers

text: have

text: not

text: been

text: heard

text: from

text: since

text: their

text: single

text: appearance

question: What is an art for many vegan and vegetarian activists?

answer: getting coverage

text: getting coverage

question: Who believes that "all media attention is good media attention"?

answer: The folks at PETA

text: The folks at PETA

question: Who believes "all media attention is good media attention"?

answer: PETA

text: PETA

question: What is an art for many vegan and vegetarian activist?

answer: getting coverage

text: getting coverage

question: What is an art to vegans?

answer: getting coverage

text: getting coverage

question: What does PETA feel about media attention?

answer: is good

text: is good

question: What have been used to further the anti-meat cause?

answer: vegan strip club.

text: vegan strip club.


text:
(CNN) -- German sailors foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an Egyptian cargo ship off the coast of Yemen, the German Defense Ministry said.

Pirates like these threaten the Somalian coast.

The German navy frigate Karlsruhe responded to an emergency call from the Wabi Al Arab Thursday morning, sending helicopters to the stricken vessel. When the helicopters arrived, the pirates broke off the attack, the ministry said.

A crew member on the Wabi Al Arab was wounded when the pirates attempted to board the vessel. He was flown by helicopter for treatment aboard the Karlsruhe, the ministry said.

The German sailors captured the pirates and disarmed them, destroying the weapons, the ministry said.

The German government in Berlin later ordered the Somali pirates released because they were not caught while harassing German interests, according to BBC.

The Karlsruhe joined the fight against the pirates on Tuesday from Djibouti, the defense ministry said.

On Wednesday a top Japanese official said the country was considering sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia, a key shipping route that sees around 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels each year.

China said Tuesday that two destroyers and a supply ship from its navy would set sail for the region on Friday to protect Chinese merchant ships.  Watch why China's dispatch of forces is significant Â»

The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution last week aimed at combating piracy along the Horn of Africa by allowing military forces to chase pirate onto land in cases of "hot pursuit."

The Security Council resolution, which passed unanimously, expands upon existing counter-piracy tools, including a stipulation that would allow for national and regional military forces to chase pirates onto land -- specifically into Somalia, where many of the pirates have their bases.

Over 124 incidents -- attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful hijackings -- have been recorded to date this year, according to Kenyan Seafarers Association.

text: CNN

text: German

text: sailors

text: foiled

text: an

text: attempt

text: by

text: pirates

text: to

text: hijack

text: an

text: Egyptian

text: cargo

text: ship

text: off

text: the

text: coast

text: of

text: Yemen

text: the

text: German

text: Defense

text: Ministry

text: said

text: Pirates

text: like

text: these

text: threaten

text: the

text: Somalian

text: coast

text: The

text: German

text: navy

text: frigate

text: Karlsruhe

text: responded

text: to

text: an

text: emergency

text: call

text: from

text: the

text: Wabi

text: Al

text: Arab

text: Thursday

text: morning

text: sending

text: helicopters

text: to

text: the

text: stricken

text: vessel

text: When

text: the

text: helicopters

text: arrived

text: the

text: pirates

text: broke

text: off

text: the

text: attack

text: the

text: ministry

text: said

text: A

text: crew

text: member

text: on

text: the

text: Wabi

text: Al

text: Arab

text: was

text: wounded

text: when

text: the

text: pirates

text: attempted

text: to

text: board

text: the

text: vessel

text: He

text: was

text: flown

text: by

text: helicopter

text: for

text: treatment

text: aboard

text: the

text: Karlsruhe

text: the

text: ministry

text: said

text: The

text: German

text: sailors

text: captured

text: the

text: pirates

text: and

text: disarmed

text: them

text: destroying

text: the

text: weapons

text: the

text: ministry

text: said

text: The

text: German

text: government

text: in

text: Berlin

text: later

text: ordered

text: the

text: Somali

text: pirates

text: released

text: because

text: they

text: were

text: not

text: caught

text: while

text: harassing

text: German

text: interests

text: according

text: to

text: BBC

text: The

text: Karlsruhe

text: joined

text: the

text: fight

text: against

text: the

text: pirates

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: from

text: Djibouti

text: the

text: defense

text: ministry

text: said

text: On

text: Wednesday

text: a

text: top

text: Japanese

text: official

text: said

text: the

text: country

text: was

text: considering

text: sending

text: vessels

text: to

text: join

text: U.S.

text: Russian

text: NATO

text: and

text: Indian

text: vessels

text: in

text: the

text: waters

text: off

text: Somalia

text: a

text: key

text: shipping

text: route

text: that

text: sees

text: around

text: oil

text: tankers

text: freighters

text: and

text: merchant

text: vessels

text: each

text: year

text: China

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: two

text: destroyers

text: and

text: a

text: supply

text: ship

text: from

text: its

text: navy

text: would

text: set

text: sail

text: for

text: the

text: region

text: on

text: Friday

text: to

text: protect

text: Chinese

text: merchant

text: ships

text: Watch

text: why

text: China

text: 's

text: dispatch

text: of

text: forces

text: is

text: significant

text: Â

text: The

text: U.N.

text: Security

text: Council

text: passed

text: a

text: resolution

text: last

text: week

text: aimed

text: at

text: combating

text: piracy

text: along

text: the

text: Horn

text: of

text: Africa

text: by

text: allowing

text: military

text: forces

text: to

text: chase

text: pirate

text: onto

text: land

text: in

text: cases

text: of

text: hot

text: pursuit

text: The

text: Security

text: Council

text: resolution

text: which

text: passed

text: unanimously

text: expands

text: upon

text: existing

text: counter

text: piracy

text: tools

text: including

text: a

text: stipulation

text: that

text: would

text: allow

text: for

text: national

text: and

text: regional

text: military

text: forces

text: to

text: chase

text: pirates

text: onto

text: land

text: specifically

text: into

text: Somalia

text: where

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: pirates

text: have

text: their

text: bases

text: Over

text: incidents

text: attempted

text: attacks

text: averted

text: attacks

text: and

text: successful

text: hijackings

text: have

text: been

text: recorded

text: to

text: date

text: this

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: Kenyan

text: Seafarers

text: Association

question: Number of vessels that use the key shipping route?

answer: 20,000

question: What did the BBC report?

answer: The German government in Berlin later ordered the Somali pirates released because they were not caught while harassing German interests,

text: The German government in Berlin later ordered the Somali pirates released because they were not caught while harassing German interests,

question: How many vessels travel in the shipping route?

answer: 20,000

question: What did a top official say?

answer: the country was considering sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,

text: the country was considering sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,

question: What was Japan considering doing?

answer: sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,

text: sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,

question: What country ordered the pirates to be released?

answer: Berlin

text: Berlin

question: How many vessels travel near Somalia yearly?

answer: 20,000

question: What is a key shipping route?

answer: the waters off Somalia,

text: the waters off Somalia,

question: Who ordered the pirates to be released?

answer: The German government in Berlin

text: The German government in Berlin

question: Who later ordered the pirates released?

answer: The German government in Berlin

text: The German government in Berlin

question: Japan was considering what?

answer: sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,

text: sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia,


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. He was a co-host of "Crossfire" on CNN with Robert Novak from 2002 to 2005.

Paul Begala says he admired Robert Novak for his skepticism about authority, work ethic and faith in his beliefs.

(CNN) -- In our innumerable debates, I delighted in calling Bob Novak "the finest mind of the 12th century." One time, though, he scowled and growled, "I prefer the 15th century. Spanish Inquisition. Those were the days."

Novak left this world on Tuesday, but he also left his mark. Needless to say I disagreed with Bob about virtually every political issue, and sometimes our on-air debates continued as profanity-laced shouting matches after the show ended. Despite our profound differences, though, we were friends. Here's why:

Bob was an iconoclast. He loved poking conventional wisdom in the eye. If all the media elite were perched on the same wire, Bob would land on the opposite wire and gleefully squawk at them.

Bob was an ideologue more than a partisan. One of the many sources of tension between us was the fact that I am a partisan Democrat who believes that, from time to time, my personal ideological agenda must take a backseat to advancing a broader progressive agenda carried by my party. Not Bob. He was a conservative first, last and always, and when he felt the Republican Party had strayed from his hard-core anti-tax, anti-government ideology he would hammer the GOP with the same withering ridicule he usually dispensed to Democrats.

Bob was deeply skeptical of authority. He was a lowly lieutenant in the United States Army, and he instinctively distrusted big shots -- a rarity in a town that is often dazzled by rank. For a guy who said he preferred business to government, he was not afraid to show his contempt for network executives with whom he disagreed.

Bob had a remarkable work ethic. In the predawn hours after the 2004 presidential debate in Miami, Bob slipped in the shower, breaking his hip. The injury was terribly painful, and Bob was rushed to the hospital. Within 24 hours he was propped up in bed, working the phones and banging out a column on his laptop.

Bob was an old-school reporter. Most pundits (your humble author included) devour the reporting of others and regurgitate our opinions. While strongly opinionated, Bob also reported. His sources, especially in the GOP, were wide and deep.

When I was a White House official, one of my most dreaded responsibilities was dealing with Bob. He didn't support much of anything we were trying to do, but he never lied to me, never broke his word, and tried his hardest to get things right. Accuracy mattered enormously.

Bob could be civil. This will astonish some, because Bob could also be rude. But he taught me at least one lesson in civility. On "Crossfire," I carried a debate over into the commercial break.

I badgered and hectored and attacked the guest who was on the right. I was angry and I let him have it. "Wait just a #*& $@#^ minute," Bob screamed at me. "You're out of line. You're being rude. Get off his back. He's come here on our show to make his case and you're abusing him. We call them 'guests' for a reason, Paul." He was right.

Bob loved sports. One tiny island of common ground Bob and I could share was a love of sports. When James Carville and I joined "Crossfire" in 2002, CNN had a much-hyped debut planned for April 1. Bob didn't care. Maryland was playing for the NCAA basketball championship and he was going to be there. Producers pleaded, but Bob was unmoved. He did the show via satellite from Atlanta, Georgia, and when Coach Gary Williams cut down the net for the Terps, Bob was courtside.

Bob became a Catholic. My brand of Catholicism and Bob's were as different as our brands of politics, but as a cradle Catholic I admire anyone who, at age 67, is still seeking the divine, still questioning, still open to a new faith. We spoke about faith often, and I'm sure his Catholic faith gave him great comfort as he battled the disease that claimed his life. Requiem in pace, friend.

Or, as Bob might prefer: Goodnight, sweet Prince of Darkness.

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: He

text: was

text: a

text: co

text: host

text: of

text: Crossfire

text: on

text: CNN

text: with

text: Robert

text: Novak

text: from

text: to

text: Paul

text: Begala

text: says

text: he

text: admired

text: Robert

text: Novak

text: for

text: his

text: skepticism

text: about

text: authority

text: work

text: ethic

text: and

text: faith

text: in

text: his

text: beliefs

text: CNN

text: In

text: our

text: innumerable

text: debates

text: I

text: delighted

text: in

text: calling

text: Bob

text: Novak

text: the

text: finest

text: mind

text: of

text: the

text: century

text: One

text: time

text: though

text: he

text: scowled

text: and

text: growled

text: I

text: prefer

text: the

text: century

text: Spanish

text: Inquisition

text: Those

text: were

text: the

text: days

text: Novak

text: left

text: this

text: world

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: but

text: he

text: also

text: left

text: his

text: mark

text: Needless

text: to

text: say

text: I

text: disagreed

text: with

text: Bob

text: about

text: virtually

text: every

text: political

text: issue

text: and

text: sometimes

text: our

text: on

text: air

text: debates

text: continued

text: as

text: profanity

text: laced

text: shouting

text: matches

text: after

text: the

text: show

text: ended

text: Despite

text: our

text: profound

text: differences

text: though

text: we

text: were

text: friends

text: Here

text: 's

text: why

text: Bob

text: was

text: an

text: iconoclast

text: He

text: loved

text: poking

text: conventional

text: wisdom

text: in

text: the

text: eye

text: If

text: all

text: the

text: media

text: elite

text: were

text: perched

text: on

text: the

text: same

text: wire

text: Bob

text: would

text: land

text: on

text: the

text: opposite

text: wire

text: and

text: gleefully

text: squawk

text: at

text: them

text: Bob

text: was

text: an

text: ideologue

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: partisan

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: many

text: sources

text: of

text: tension

text: between

text: us

text: was

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: I

text: am

text: a

text: partisan

text: Democrat

text: who

text: believes

text: that

text: from

text: time

text: to

text: time

text: my

text: personal

text: ideological

text: agenda

text: must

text: take

text: a

text: backseat

text: to

text: advancing

text: a

text: broader

text: progressive

text: agenda

text: carried

text: by

text: my

text: party

text: Not

text: Bob

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: conservative

text: first

text: last

text: and

text: always

text: and

text: when

text: he

text: felt

text: the

text: Republican

text: Party

text: had

text: strayed

text: from

text: his

text: hard

text: core

text: anti

text: tax

text: anti

text: government

text: ideology

text: he

text: would

text: hammer

text: the

text: GOP

text: with

text: the

text: same

text: withering

text: ridicule

text: he

text: usually

text: dispensed

text: to

text: Democrats

text: Bob

text: was

text: deeply

text: skeptical

text: of

text: authority

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: lowly

text: lieutenant

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Army

text: and

text: he

text: instinctively

text: distrusted

text: big

text: shots

text: a

text: rarity

text: in

text: a

text: town

text: that

text: is

text: often

text: dazzled

text: by

text: rank

text: For

text: a

text: guy

text: who

text: said

text: he

text: preferred

text: business

text: to

text: government

text: he

text: was

text: not

text: afraid

text: to

text: show

text: his

text: contempt

text: for

text: network

text: executives

text: with

text: whom

text: he

text: disagreed

text: Bob

text: had

text: a

text: remarkable

text: work

text: ethic

text: In

text: the

text: predawn

text: hours

text: after

text: the

text: presidential

text: debate

text: in

text: Miami

text: Bob

text: slipped

text: in

text: the

text: shower

text: breaking

text: his

text: hip

text: The

text: injury

text: was

text: terribly

text: painful

text: and

text: Bob

text: was

text: rushed

text: to

text: the

text: hospital

text: Within

text: hours

text: he

text: was

text: propped

text: up

text: in

text: bed

text: working

text: the

text: phones

text: and

text: banging

text: out

text: a

text: column

text: on

text: his

text: laptop

text: Bob

text: was

text: an

text: old

text: school

text: reporter

text: Most

text: pundits

text: your

text: humble

text: author

text: included

text: devour

text: the

text: reporting

text: of

text: others

text: and

text: regurgitate

text: our

text: opinions

text: While

text: strongly

text: opinionated

text: Bob

text: also

text: reported

text: His

text: sources

text: especially

text: in

text: the

text: GOP

text: were

text: wide

text: and

text: deep

text: When

text: I

text: was

text: a

text: White

text: House

text: official

text: one

text: of

text: my

text: most

text: dreaded

text: responsibilities

text: was

text: dealing

text: with

text: Bob

text: He

text: did

text: n't

text: support

text: much

text: of

text: anything

text: we

text: were

text: trying

text: to

text: do

text: but

text: he

text: never

text: lied

text: to

text: me

text: never

text: broke

text: his

text: word

text: and

text: tried

text: his

text: hardest

text: to

text: get

text: things

text: right

text: Accuracy

text: mattered

text: enormously

text: Bob

text: could

text: be

text: civil

text: This

text: will

text: astonish

text: some

text: because

text: Bob

text: could

text: also

text: be

text: rude

text: But

text: he

text: taught

text: me

text: at

text: least

text: one

text: lesson

text: in

text: civility

text: On

text: Crossfire

text: I

text: carried

text: a

text: debate

text: over

text: into

text: the

text: commercial

text: break

text: I

text: badgered

text: and

text: hectored

text: and

text: attacked

text: the

text: guest

text: who

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: right

text: I

text: was

text: angry

text: and

text: I

text: let

text: him

text: have

text: it

text: Wait

text: just

text: a

text: minute

text: Bob

text: screamed

text: at

text: me

text: You

text: 're

text: out

text: of

text: line

text: You

text: 're

text: being

text: rude

text: Get

text: off

text: his

text: back

text: He

text: 's

text: come

text: here

text: on

text: our

text: show

text: to

text: make

text: his

text: case

text: and

text: you

text: 're

text: abusing

text: him

text: We

text: call

text: them

text: guests

text: for

text: a

text: reason

text: Paul

text: He

text: was

text: right

text: Bob

text: loved

text: sports

text: One

text: tiny

text: island

text: of

text: common

text: ground

text: Bob

text: and

text: I

text: could

text: share

text: was

text: a

text: love

text: of

text: sports

text: When

text: James

text: Carville

text: and

text: I

text: joined

text: Crossfire

text: in

text: CNN

text: had

text: a

text: much

text: hyped

text: debut

text: planned

text: for

text: April

text: Bob

text: did

text: n't

text: care

text: Maryland

text: was

text: playing

text: for

text: the

text: NCAA

text: basketball

text: championship

text: and

text: he

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: Producers

text: pleaded

text: but

text: Bob

text: was

text: unmoved

text: He

text: did

text: the

text: show

text: via

text: satellite

text: from

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: and

text: when

text: Coach

text: Gary

text: Williams

text: cut

text: down

text: the

text: net

text: for

text: the

text: Terps

text: Bob

text: was

text: courtside

text: Bob

text: became

text: a

text: Catholic

text: My

text: brand

text: of

text: Catholicism

text: and

text: Bob

text: 's

text: were

text: as

text: different

text: as

text: our

text: brands

text: of

text: politics

text: but

text: as

text: a

text: cradle

text: Catholic

text: I

text: admire

text: anyone

text: who

text: at

text: age

text: is

text: still

text: seeking

text: the

text: divine

text: still

text: questioning

text: still

text: open

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: faith

text: We

text: spoke

text: about

text: faith

text: often

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: sure

text: his

text: Catholic

text: faith

text: gave

text: him

text: great

text: comfort

text: as

text: he

text: battled

text: the

text: disease

text: that

text: claimed

text: his

text: life

text: Requiem

text: in

text: pace

text: friend

text: Or

text: as

text: Bob

text: might

text: prefer

text: Goodnight

text: sweet

text: Prince

text: of

text: Darkness

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: What did Paul Begala say?

answer: he admired Robert Novak for his skepticism about authority, work ethic and faith in his beliefs.

text: he admired Robert Novak for his skepticism about authority, work ethic and faith in his beliefs.

question: What did Bob Bovak work hard at?

answer: hardest to get things right.

text: hardest to get things right.

question: What were Bob Novak's political beliefs?

answer: conservative

text: conservative

question: Who says Bob Novak was a friend even though they differed on many issues?

answer: Paul Begala

text: Paul Begala

question: What relation was Bob novak to Paul Begala?

answer: co-host of "Crossfire" on CNN with Robert

text: co-host of "Crossfire" on CNN with Robert


text:
NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India launched its first lunar mission on Wednesday, with hopes of achieving high-resolution images of the moon's topography and diving into the international space race.

The spacecraft carrying India's first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, lifts off in Sriharikota on Wednesday.

The unmanned lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1, or "moon craft" in ancient Sanskrit, came at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday (8:50 p.m. ET) from the Sriharikota space center in southern India.

The two-year mission seeks high-resolution imaging of the moon's surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions, according to the Indian Space Research Organization. It will also search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical breakdown of certain lunar rocks, the group said.

Despite the numerous missions to the moon over the past 50 years, "we really don't have a good map of the moon," said Miles O'Brien, CNN chief technology and environment correspondent. "The goal is to come up with a very intricate, three-dimensional map of the moon."

The Chandrayaan-1 is carrying payloads from the United States, European Union countries Germany, Britain, Sweden and Bulgaria, and India plans to share the data from the mission with other programs, including NASA.  Watch the launch of India's first lunar mission Â»

ISRO said on its Web site that the mission would lay the groundwork for future lunar missions and "probe the physical characteristics of the lunar surface in greater depth than previous missions by other nations."

"It will also give us a deeper understanding about the planet Earth itself or its origins," a statement on the Web site said. "Earlier missions did not come out with a full understanding of the moon and that is the reason scientists are still interested. This will lay the foundation for bigger missions and also open up new possibilities of international networking and support for planetary programs."

Until now, India's space launches have been more practical, with weather warning satellites and communiations systems, The Associated Press cited former NASA associated administrator Scott Pace as saying.

To date, only the U.S. Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and China have sent missions to the moon, according to AP.

Critics of the mission have questioned its $80 million price tag, saying the money should have been spent by the government to improve education and fight poverty.

But, "there are scientists that would argue that there are plenty of things we don't know about the moon ... and India might have the know-how" to find answers, said CNN's Sara Sidner in New Delhi.

The United States and the Soviet Union dominated the field of lunar exploration from the late 1950s. The United States is preparing for its own mission slated for next spring -- the first U.S. lunar mission in more than a decade, according to NASA.

Soviet spacecraft were the first to fly by, land on and orbit the moon. Luna 1, launched on January 2, 1959, and sped by the moon two days later.

Luna 2 was launched on an impact mission on September 12, 1959, striking the surface two days later. Luna 9 launched on January 31, 1966, becoming the first craft to successfully land on the moon and send back data, touching down on the surface on January 31, 1966, and transmitting until February 3, 1967, when its batteries ran out.

Luna 10 was launched March 31, 1966, entered lunar orbit on April 3, and operated for 56 days.

But the United States' Apollo missions were the first manned missions to reach the moon, culminating with six missions that set down on the surface. The first, Apollo 11, left earth on July 16, 1969, and landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the lunar surface on July 20 while command module pilot Michael Collins orbited above. The astronauts returned safely to earth on July 24.

Most recently India's fellow Asian nations, China and Japan, put lunar orbiters in place. Japan launched the Kaguya orbiter in October 2007, followed by China's launch of the Chang'e mission a few weeks later.  Watch what is shaping up to be a new space race Â»

"Each nation is doing its own thing to drive its research technology for the well-being of that nation," AP quoted Charles Vick, a space analyst for the Washington think tank GlobalSecurity.org, as saying.

text: NEW

text: DELHI

text: India

text: CNN

text: India

text: launched

text: its

text: first

text: lunar

text: mission

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: with

text: hopes

text: of

text: achieving

text: high

text: resolution

text: images

text: of

text: the

text: moon

text: 's

text: topography

text: and

text: diving

text: into

text: the

text: international

text: space

text: race

text: The

text: spacecraft

text: carrying

text: India

text: 's

text: first

text: lunar

text: probe

text: lifts

text: off

text: in

text: Sriharikota

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: unmanned

text: lunar

text: orbiter

text: or

text: moon

text: craft

text: in

text: ancient

text: Sanskrit

text: came

text: at

text: a.m.

text: Wednesday

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: from

text: the

text: Sriharikota

text: space

text: center

text: in

text: southern

text: India

text: The

text: two

text: year

text: mission

text: seeks

text: high

text: resolution

text: imaging

text: of

text: the

text: moon

text: 's

text: surface

text: especially

text: the

text: permanently

text: shadowed

text: polar

text: regions

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Indian

text: Space

text: Research

text: Organization

text: It

text: will

text: also

text: search

text: for

text: evidence

text: of

text: water

text: or

text: ice

text: and

text: attempt

text: to

text: identify

text: the

text: chemical

text: breakdown

text: of

text: certain

text: lunar

text: rocks

text: the

text: group

text: said

text: Despite

text: the

text: numerous

text: missions

text: to

text: the

text: moon

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: we

text: really

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: a

text: good

text: map

text: of

text: the

text: moon

text: said

text: Miles

text: O'Brien

text: CNN

text: chief

text: technology

text: and

text: environment

text: correspondent

text: The

text: goal

text: is

text: to

text: come

text: up

text: with

text: a

text: very

text: intricate

text: three

text: dimensional

text: map

text: of

text: the

text: moon

text: The

text: is

text: carrying

text: payloads

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: European

text: Union

text: countries

text: Germany

text: Britain

text: Sweden

text: and

text: Bulgaria

text: and

text: India

text: plans

text: to

text: share

text: the

text: data

text: from

text: the

text: mission

text: with

text: other

text: programs

text: including

text: NASA

text: Watch

text: the

text: launch

text: of

text: India

text: 's

text: first

text: lunar

text: mission

text: Â

text: ISRO

text: said

text: on

text: its

text: Web

text: site

text: that

text: the

text: mission

text: would

text: lay

text: the

text: groundwork

text: for

text: future

text: lunar

text: missions

text: and

text: probe

text: the

text: physical

text: characteristics

text: of

text: the

text: lunar

text: surface

text: in

text: greater

text: depth

text: than

text: previous

text: missions

text: by

text: other

text: nations

text: It

text: will

text: also

text: give

text: us

text: a

text: deeper

text: understanding

text: about

text: the

text: planet

text: Earth

text: itself

text: or

text: its

text: origins

text: a

text: statement

text: on

text: the

text: Web

text: site

text: said

text: Earlier

text: missions

text: did

text: not

text: come

text: out

text: with

text: a

text: full

text: understanding

text: of

text: the

text: moon

text: and

text: that

text: is

text: the

text: reason

text: scientists

text: are

text: still

text: interested

text: This

text: will

text: lay

text: the

text: foundation

text: for

text: bigger

text: missions

text: and

text: also

text: open

text: up

text: new

text: possibilities

text: of

text: international

text: networking

text: and

text: support

text: for

text: planetary

text: programs

text: Until

text: now

text: India

text: 's

text: space

text: launches

text: have

text: been

text: more

text: practical

text: with

text: weather

text: warning

text: satellites

text: and

text: communiations

text: systems

text: The

text: Associated

text: Press

text: cited

text: former

text: NASA

text: associated

text: administrator

text: Scott

text: Pace

text: as

text: saying

text: To

text: date

text: only

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Russia

text: the

text: European

text: Space

text: Agency

text: Japan

text: and

text: China

text: have

text: sent

text: missions

text: to

text: the

text: moon

text: according

text: to

text: AP

text: Critics

text: of

text: the

text: mission

text: have

text: questioned

text: its

text: million

text: price

text: tag

text: saying

text: the

text: money

text: should

text: have

text: been

text: spent

text: by

text: the

text: government

text: to

text: improve

text: education

text: and

text: fight

text: poverty

text: But

text: there

text: are

text: scientists

text: that

text: would

text: argue

text: that

text: there

text: are

text: plenty

text: of

text: things

text: we

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: about

text: the

text: moon

text: and

text: India

text: might

text: have

text: the

text: know

text: how

text: to

text: find

text: answers

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Sara

text: Sidner

text: in

text: New

text: Delhi

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: the

text: Soviet

text: Union

text: dominated

text: the

text: field

text: of

text: lunar

text: exploration

text: from

text: the

text: late

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: is

text: preparing

text: for

text: its

text: own

text: mission

text: slated

text: for

text: next

text: spring

text: the

text: first

text: U.S.

text: lunar

text: mission

text: in

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: decade

text: according

text: to

text: NASA

text: Soviet

text: spacecraft

text: were

text: the

text: first

text: to

text: fly

text: by

text: land

text: on

text: and

text: orbit

text: the

text: moon

text: Luna

text: launched

text: on

text: January

text: and

text: sped

text: by

text: the

text: moon

text: two

text: days

text: later

text: Luna

text: was

text: launched

text: on

text: an

text: impact

text: mission

text: on

text: September

text: striking

text: the

text: surface

text: two

text: days

text: later

text: Luna

text: launched

text: on

text: January

text: becoming

text: the

text: first

text: craft

text: to

text: successfully

text: land

text: on

text: the

text: moon

text: and

text: send

text: back

text: data

text: touching

text: down

text: on

text: the

text: surface

text: on

text: January

text: and

text: transmitting

text: until

text: February

text: when

text: its

text: batteries

text: ran

text: out

text: Luna

text: was

text: launched

text: March

text: entered

text: lunar

text: orbit

text: on

text: April

text: and

text: operated

text: for

text: days

text: But

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Apollo

text: missions

text: were

text: the

text: first

text: manned

text: missions

text: to

text: reach

text: the

text: moon

text: culminating

text: with

text: six

text: missions

text: that

text: set

text: down

text: on

text: the

text: surface

text: The

text: first

text: Apollo

text: left

text: earth

text: on

text: July

text: and

text: landed

text: astronauts

text: Neil

text: Armstrong

text: and

text: Edwin

text: Aldrin

text: on

text: the

text: lunar

text: surface

text: on

text: July

text: while

text: command

text: module

text: pilot

text: Michael

text: Collins

text: orbited

text: above

text: The

text: astronauts

text: returned

text: safely

text: to

text: earth

text: on

text: July

text: Most

text: recently

text: India

text: 's

text: fellow

text: Asian

text: nations

text: China

text: and

text: Japan

text: put

text: lunar

text: orbiters

text: in

text: place

text: Japan

text: launched

text: the

text: Kaguya

text: orbiter

text: in

text: October

text: followed

text: by

text: China

text: 's

text: launch

text: of

text: the

text: Chang'e

text: mission

text: a

text: few

text: weeks

text: later

text: Watch

text: what

text: is

text: shaping

text: up

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: new

text: space

text: race

text: Â

text: Each

text: nation

text: is

text: doing

text: its

text: own

text: thing

text: to

text: drive

text: its

text: research

text: technology

text: for

text: the

text: well

text: being

text: of

text: that

text: nation

text: AP

text: quoted

text: Charles

text: Vick

text: a

text: space

text: analyst

text: for

text: the

text: Washington

text: think

text: tank

text: GlobalSecurity.org

text: as

text: saying

question: What follows Japan and China's missions to the moon?

answer: India

text: India

question: Who did Chandrayaan-1 follow?

answer: Watch what is shaping up to be a new space race Â

text: Watch what is shaping up to be a new space race Â

question: What does Chandrayaan mean in Sanskrit?

answer: "moon craft"

text: "moon craft"

question: What does the two-year mission seek?

answer: high-resolution imaging of the moon's surface,

text: high-resolution imaging of the moon's surface,

question: What is carrying payloads

answer: The Chandrayaan-1

text: The Chandrayaan-1

question: Chandrayaan-1 follows which countries missions to the mooon?

answer: China and Japan,

text: China and Japan,

question: How long is the mission?

answer: two-year

text: two-year

question: One of the countries Chandrayaan-1 is carrying payloads from?

answer: United States,

text: United States,

question: What does Chandrayaan mean?

answer: "moon craft"

text: "moon craft"

question: Who did Chandrayaan follow

answer: Chang'e

text: Chang'e


text:
(CNN) -- Cristiano Ronaldo continued his sensational scoring form with a hat-trick on Wednesday night to keep Real Madrid's Spanish title hopes alive going into the final two matches of the season.

Real trail Barcelona by one point after matching the defending champions' 4-1 victory over Tenerife the night before, coming from behind to defeat European hopefuls Mallorca.

While world player of the year Lionel Messi took his tally to 44 goals with two more on Tuesday, Ronaldo is proving to be just as important to Real's chances.

The Portugal forward, who became the world's most expensive player when he signed for $130 million from Manchester United in pre-season, has now scored 36 times this campaign.

He followed up his double from Sunday's last-gasp 3-2 victory against Osasuna with another superb solo display, canceling out Aritz Aduriz's 16th-minute header with an opportunist effort 10 minutes later as he beat goalkeeper Dudu Aouate to a long ball by Sergio Ramos.

Ronaldo put Real ahead 11 minutes after halftime with his 24th league goal this season, again combining with Ramos as he chested down the Argentine's pass and prodded the ball past Aouate.

He made it 3-1 with 18 minutes to play as he skipped past two defenders on the left-hand edge of the penalty area and calmly slotted a low right-foot shot past the keeper to seal his first treble for the club.

Gonzalo Higuain capped the victory 10 minutes later with a superb deft chip over Aouate after running clear for his 26th goal in La Liga this season, putting him behind only Messi's 31.

This weekend, Real will host Athletic Bilbao while Barcelona travel to Sevilla, who reclaimed fourth place from Mallorca with a 5-1 victory at Racing Santander.

Striker Alvaro Negredo followed up his weekend double with two more goals as Santander, who had Mohamed Tchite sent off for two bookings after he made it 3-1 on the hour, were left just a point above the bottom three.

Eighth-placed Athletic Bilbao failed to return to the top six after a 1-1 home draw with Malaga, who moved above Santander on goal difference.

Atletico Madrid kept up the fine end-of-season form that has seen Real's city rivals reach the finals of the Europa League and Copa Del Rey by defeating second-bottom Valladolid 3-1.

Goals from Juanito, Jose Manuel Jurado and Diego Forlan put the ninth-placed hosts 3-0 up before a 78th-minute consolation by Jonathan Sesma as relegation-threatened Valladolid suffered a first defeat under former Spain coach Javier Clemente.

Deportivo La Coruna were leapfrogged by Atletico after losing 3-1 at Osasuna, and now cannot qualify for the Europa League.

Real Zaragoza moved five points clear of the bottom three with a 1-0 win at home to Espanyol, who are a point above in 13th place, thanks to a second-half penalty from in-form striker Adrian Colunga.

text: CNN

text: Cristiano

text: Ronaldo

text: continued

text: his

text: sensational

text: scoring

text: form

text: with

text: a

text: hat

text: trick

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: night

text: to

text: keep

text: Real

text: Madrid

text: 's

text: Spanish

text: title

text: hopes

text: alive

text: going

text: into

text: the

text: final

text: two

text: matches

text: of

text: the

text: season

text: Real

text: trail

text: Barcelona

text: by

text: one

text: point

text: after

text: matching

text: the

text: defending

text: champions

text: victory

text: over

text: Tenerife

text: the

text: night

text: before

text: coming

text: from

text: behind

text: to

text: defeat

text: European

text: hopefuls

text: Mallorca

text: While

text: world

text: player

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: Lionel

text: Messi

text: took

text: his

text: tally

text: to

text: goals

text: with

text: two

text: more

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: Ronaldo

text: is

text: proving

text: to

text: be

text: just

text: as

text: important

text: to

text: Real

text: 's

text: chances

text: The

text: Portugal

text: forward

text: who

text: became

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: expensive

text: player

text: when

text: he

text: signed

text: for

text: million

text: from

text: Manchester

text: United

text: in

text: pre

text: season

text: has

text: now

text: scored

text: times

text: this

text: campaign

text: He

text: followed

text: up

text: his

text: double

text: from

text: Sunday

text: 's

text: last

text: gasp

text: victory

text: against

text: Osasuna

text: with

text: another

text: superb

text: solo

text: display

text: canceling

text: out

text: Aritz

text: Aduriz

text: 's

text: minute

text: header

text: with

text: an

text: opportunist

text: effort

text: minutes

text: later

text: as

text: he

text: beat

text: goalkeeper

text: Dudu

text: Aouate

text: to

text: a

text: long

text: ball

text: by

text: Sergio

text: Ramos

text: Ronaldo

text: put

text: Real

text: ahead

text: minutes

text: after

text: halftime

text: with

text: his

text: league

text: goal

text: this

text: season

text: again

text: combining

text: with

text: Ramos

text: as

text: he

text: chested

text: down

text: the

text: Argentine

text: 's

text: pass

text: and

text: prodded

text: the

text: ball

text: past

text: Aouate

text: He

text: made

text: it

text: with

text: minutes

text: to

text: play

text: as

text: he

text: skipped

text: past

text: two

text: defenders

text: on

text: the

text: left

text: hand

text: edge

text: of

text: the

text: penalty

text: area

text: and

text: calmly

text: slotted

text: a

text: low

text: right

text: foot

text: shot

text: past

text: the

text: keeper

text: to

text: seal

text: his

text: first

text: treble

text: for

text: the

text: club

text: Gonzalo

text: Higuain

text: capped

text: the

text: victory

text: minutes

text: later

text: with

text: a

text: superb

text: deft

text: chip

text: over

text: Aouate

text: after

text: running

text: clear

text: for

text: his

text: goal

text: in

text: La

text: Liga

text: this

text: season

text: putting

text: him

text: behind

text: only

text: Messi

text: 's

text: This

text: weekend

text: Real

text: will

text: host

text: Athletic

text: Bilbao

text: while

text: Barcelona

text: travel

text: to

text: Sevilla

text: who

text: reclaimed

text: fourth

text: place

text: from

text: Mallorca

text: with

text: a

text: victory

text: at

text: Racing

text: Santander

text: Striker

text: Alvaro

text: Negredo

text: followed

text: up

text: his

text: weekend

text: double

text: with

text: two

text: more

text: goals

text: as

text: Santander

text: who

text: had

text: Mohamed

text: Tchite

text: sent

text: off

text: for

text: two

text: bookings

text: after

text: he

text: made

text: it

text: on

text: the

text: hour

text: were

text: left

text: just

text: a

text: point

text: above

text: the

text: bottom

text: three

text: Eighth

text: placed

text: Athletic

text: Bilbao

text: failed

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: the

text: top

text: six

text: after

text: a

text: home

text: draw

text: with

text: Malaga

text: who

text: moved

text: above

text: Santander

text: on

text: goal

text: difference

text: Atletico

text: Madrid

text: kept

text: up

text: the

text: fine

text: end

text: of

text: season

text: form

text: that

text: has

text: seen

text: Real

text: 's

text: city

text: rivals

text: reach

text: the

text: finals

text: of

text: the

text: Europa

text: League

text: and

text: Copa

text: Del

text: Rey

text: by

text: defeating

text: second

text: bottom

text: Valladolid

text: Goals

text: from

text: Juanito

text: Jose

text: Manuel

text: Jurado

text: and

text: Diego

text: Forlan

text: put

text: the

text: ninth

text: placed

text: hosts

text: up

text: before

text: a

text: minute

text: consolation

text: by

text: Jonathan

text: Sesma

text: as

text: relegation

text: threatened

text: Valladolid

text: suffered

text: a

text: first

text: defeat

text: under

text: former

text: Spain

text: coach

text: Javier

text: Clemente

text: Deportivo

text: La

text: Coruna

text: were

text: leapfrogged

text: by

text: Atletico

text: after

text: losing

text: at

text: Osasuna

text: and

text: now

text: can

text: not

text: qualify

text: for

text: the

text: Europa

text: League

text: Real

text: Zaragoza

text: moved

text: five

text: points

text: clear

text: of

text: the

text: bottom

text: three

text: with

text: a

text: win

text: at

text: home

text: to

text: Espanyol

text: who

text: are

text: a

text: point

text: above

text: in

text: place

text: thanks

text: to

text: a

text: second

text: half

text: penalty

text: from

text: in

text: form

text: striker

text: Adrian

text: Colunga

question: Who reclaims fourth place?

answer: Barcelona

text: Barcelona

question: what position did Sevilla claim?

answer: fourth place

text: fourth place

question: Who did he score for?

answer: Real Madrid's

text: Real Madrid's

question: Who scored his first hat-trick?

answer: Ronaldo

text: Ronaldo

question: What team has reclaimed fourth place?

answer: Barcelona

text: Barcelona

question: How many times has Ronaldo netted?

answer: 36

question: which country is he from?

answer: Portugal

text: Portugal

question: What number of goals has he scored this season?

answer: 44

question: who scored a hat-trick?

answer: Ronaldo

text: Ronaldo