text:
(CNN) -- Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

The state of Massachusetts says the Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex couples essential rights.

"We're taking this action today because, first, we believe that [the Defense of Marriage Act] directly interferes with Massachusetts' long-standing sovereign authority to define and regulate the marital status of its residents," Attorney General Martha Coakley said Wednesday afternoon.

"Massachusetts has a single category of married persons, and we view all married persons equally and identically," she said.

"DOMA divides that category into two distinct and unequal classes of marriage."

The lawsuit argues that the act, which became law in 1996, denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections, including federal income tax credits, employment and retirement benefits, health insurance coverage and Social Security payments.

"In enacting DOMA, Congress overstepped its authority, undermined states' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people," the state wrote in the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in federal court.

Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, said that about 16,000 same-sex couples have been married there since 2004, when it began issuing marriage licenses. Since that time, the lawsuit said, "the security and stability of families has been strengthened in important ways throughout the state. "

The state is challenging Section 3 of the law, which defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

Before the act, the lawsuit argues, defining marital status was the prerogative of the states.

The law "eviscerated more than 200 years of federal government deference to the states with respect to defining marriage," it said.

The lawsuit also argues that the law forces Massachusetts to treat same-sex married couples differently from heterosexual married couples, particularly through determining who qualifies for the state's Medicaid program, known as MassHealth, and whether a same-sex spouse of a veteran can be buried in a veteran cemetery.

"But for DOMA, married individuals in same-sex relationships in the commonwealth would receive the same status, obligations, responsibilities, rights, and protections as married individuals in different-sex relationships under local, state, and federal laws," the lawsuit said.

The defendants named in the lawsuit include the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the United States itself.

Charles Miller, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, said the department will review the case but noted that President Obama supports the legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

In March, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the same Boston-based group that successfully argued in 2003 for same-sex marriage rights in Massachusetts -- also sued the federal government over Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Besides Massachusetts, three other states recognize same-sex marriages: Connecticut, Maine, and Iowa. Vermont and New Hampshire will join their company when same-sex marriages become legal later this year and early next year.

text: CNN

text: Massachusetts

text: sued

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: challenging

text: the

text: constitutionality

text: of

text: a

text: federal

text: law

text: that

text: defines

text: marriage

text: as

text: the

text: union

text: of

text: a

text: man

text: and

text: a

text: woman

text: The

text: state

text: of

text: Massachusetts

text: says

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: denies

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: essential

text: rights

text: We

text: 're

text: taking

text: this

text: action

text: today

text: because

text: first

text: we

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: directly

text: interferes

text: with

text: Massachusetts

text: long

text: standing

text: sovereign

text: authority

text: to

text: define

text: and

text: regulate

text: the

text: marital

text: status

text: of

text: its

text: residents

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Martha

text: Coakley

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: afternoon

text: Massachusetts

text: has

text: a

text: single

text: category

text: of

text: married

text: persons

text: and

text: we

text: view

text: all

text: married

text: persons

text: equally

text: and

text: identically

text: she

text: said

text: DOMA

text: divides

text: that

text: category

text: into

text: two

text: distinct

text: and

text: unequal

text: classes

text: of

text: marriage

text: The

text: lawsuit

text: argues

text: that

text: the

text: act

text: which

text: became

text: law

text: in

text: denies

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: essential

text: rights

text: and

text: protections

text: including

text: federal

text: income

text: tax

text: credits

text: employment

text: and

text: retirement

text: benefits

text: health

text: insurance

text: coverage

text: and

text: Social

text: Security

text: payments

text: In

text: enacting

text: DOMA

text: Congress

text: overstepped

text: its

text: authority

text: undermined

text: states

text: efforts

text: to

text: recognize

text: marriages

text: between

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: and

text: codified

text: an

text: animus

text: towards

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: people

text: the

text: state

text: wrote

text: in

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: which

text: was

text: filed

text: Wednesday

text: in

text: federal

text: court

text: Massachusetts

text: the

text: first

text: state

text: to

text: legalize

text: gay

text: marriage

text: said

text: that

text: about

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: have

text: been

text: married

text: there

text: since

text: when

text: it

text: began

text: issuing

text: marriage

text: licenses

text: Since

text: that

text: time

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: said

text: the

text: security

text: and

text: stability

text: of

text: families

text: has

text: been

text: strengthened

text: in

text: important

text: ways

text: throughout

text: the

text: state

text: The

text: state

text: is

text: challenging

text: Section

text: of

text: the

text: law

text: which

text: defines

text: marriage

text: as

text: a

text: legal

text: union

text: between

text: one

text: man

text: and

text: one

text: woman

text: as

text: husband

text: and

text: wife

text: and

text: a

text: spouse

text: as

text: a

text: person

text: of

text: the

text: opposite

text: sex

text: who

text: is

text: a

text: husband

text: or

text: a

text: wife

text: Before

text: the

text: act

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: argues

text: defining

text: marital

text: status

text: was

text: the

text: prerogative

text: of

text: the

text: states

text: The

text: law

text: eviscerated

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: of

text: federal

text: government

text: deference

text: to

text: the

text: states

text: with

text: respect

text: to

text: defining

text: marriage

text: it

text: said

text: The

text: lawsuit

text: also

text: argues

text: that

text: the

text: law

text: forces

text: Massachusetts

text: to

text: treat

text: same

text: sex

text: married

text: couples

text: differently

text: from

text: heterosexual

text: married

text: couples

text: particularly

text: through

text: determining

text: who

text: qualifies

text: for

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: Medicaid

text: program

text: known

text: as

text: MassHealth

text: and

text: whether

text: a

text: same

text: sex

text: spouse

text: of

text: a

text: veteran

text: can

text: be

text: buried

text: in

text: a

text: veteran

text: cemetery

text: But

text: for

text: DOMA

text: married

text: individuals

text: in

text: same

text: sex

text: relationships

text: in

text: the

text: commonwealth

text: would

text: receive

text: the

text: same

text: status

text: obligations

text: responsibilities

text: rights

text: and

text: protections

text: as

text: married

text: individuals

text: in

text: different

text: sex

text: relationships

text: under

text: local

text: state

text: and

text: federal

text: laws

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: said

text: The

text: defendants

text: named

text: in

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: include

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Health

text: and

text: Human

text: Services

text: Secretary

text: of

text: Health

text: and

text: Human

text: Services

text: Kathleen

text: Sebelius

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: Secretary

text: Eric

text: Shinseki

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: itself

text: Charles

text: Miller

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Justice

text: said

text: the

text: department

text: will

text: review

text: the

text: case

text: but

text: noted

text: that

text: President

text: Obama

text: supports

text: the

text: legislative

text: repeal

text: of

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: In

text: March

text: Gay

text: Lesbian

text: Advocates

text: Defenders

text: the

text: same

text: Boston

text: based

text: group

text: that

text: successfully

text: argued

text: in

text: for

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: rights

text: in

text: Massachusetts

text: also

text: sued

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: over

text: Section

text: of

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: Besides

text: Massachusetts

text: three

text: other

text: states

text: recognize

text: same

text: sex

text: marriages

text: Connecticut

text: Maine

text: and

text: Iowa

text: Vermont

text: and

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: will

text: join

text: their

text: company

text: when

text: same

text: sex

text: marriages

text: become

text: legal

text: later

text: this

text: year

text: and

text: early

text: next

text: year

question: What does it call marriage?

answer: the union of a man and a woman.

text: the union of a man and a woman.

question: What did attorney general say?

answer: "Massachusetts has a single category of married persons, and we view all married persons equally and identically,"

text: "Massachusetts has a single category of married persons, and we view all married persons equally and identically,"

question: What did lawsuit challenge?

answer: Section 3 of the law, which defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

text: Section 3 of the law, which defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

question: What is the typical definition for marriage in the past?

answer: union of a man and a woman.

text: union of a man and a woman.

question: What did the lawsuit challenge?

answer: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

text: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN)  -- For Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau, the last two months have been a whirlwind. "Full of the best moments and the scariest moments of my life," says the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer.

Eric Shanteau said he felt angry when he found out he had testicular cancer.

"Getting to the Olympics was, has always been, my swimming dream since I was 8 or 9 years old. You know, right after I started swimming it was, 'I want to make an Olympic team. That's where I want to be'."

In June, a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics he was told he had testicular cancer. "My initial reaction was probably anger more than anything else," he says. "I'm used to being in control of everything. I'm in control of how I train, how I race and then to all of a sudden have that control ripped away from me was tough."

After weeks of tests to determine the "stage" or spread of the cancer, Shanteau's team of doctors cleared him to compete in the Beijing Olympics, which meant carefully monitoring his tumor but delaying treatment. Though putting off the surgery was controversial to some, Eric says it was an educated choice based on numerous doctor evaluations. "I hope people understand that if I was in a different position with my test results, then I wouldn't have put off having surgery."  Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from Eric Shanteau's surgery Â»

He swam a personal best in the 200 meter breaststroke. He did not qualify for the finals.

Cancer was a motivator, he says, because he knew it meant he could be facing his last competition. He put everything he had into that heat. "Leave it all in the pool, and I don't look back and regret anything as far as how I raced."

Once back from Beijing, Shanteau invited CNN to spend time with him the night before his surgery in Atlanta, Georgia. Though admittedly a little scared, he spent the evening relaxing with his family, cooking dinner, walking the dog.

A source of inspiration, he says, were fans who shared their stories of beating cancer.

"They send me their story and it helps me to learn that people are going through the same thing I am all over the world," says Shanteau. "They all affect me in a different way and it's been really encouraging to share in this experience with other people."

Testicular cancer is diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime. It is the most common form of cancer for 15- to 34-year-olds. It is also one of the most curable if discovered early. Nearly 140,000 men in the United States are testicular cancer survivors.

Shanteau says he experienced no symptoms of cancer and came across the tumor by chance. "I've been in a Speedo half my life," he says. "So I am really comfortable with my body. One day I just felt something that wasn't suppose to be there. I decided to go and get it checked out."

He adds that although he had the "greatest excuse in the world" -- an Olympic dream -- to ignore the lump, he understood the importance of early detection. Shanteau's father Rick, is battling lung cancer and responding well to treatment.

"A lot of guys, if they hear a rattle in their car, they're at the mechanic the next day," he says. "But if they feel something [physically] that they don't think should be there, it takes them a year to get to their doctor and that just is not smart. There's really no excuse, because it can save your life."

Fast forward to Shanteau's recent operation at Emory University Hospital. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with Shanteau during the surgery and spoke with the lead surgeon, Dr. Jeff Carney, moments afterward.

"I think the operation went very well," Carney said. "Eric's a very healthy young man, very thin, in excellent shape. That makes my job easy."

Later that week, Shanteau's pathology results revealed that the operation removed the most of the cancer. "The majority of it is gone." he tells CNN. "There is a small chance it could come back but I shouldn't need chemotherapy at this point, so I am really optimistic."

His treatment plan is to keep a close eye on his health for the next year with regular medical tests. "Obviously, it would have been nice if the doctor said, 'You're completely in the clear,' but my results are exactly what the doctors expected."

Eric says the cancer diagnosis gave him a different perspective on life. "I appreciate life much more now," he says. "I don't let myself get upset about the little nitpicky things anymore. Food even seems to taste better. It is really great."

As for Shanteau's swimming career, he plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome, Italy.

"2012 [the next Olympics] is a push for me. Right now I'm just kind of taking it year by year and we'll see what happens."

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: For

text: Olympic

text: swimmer

text: Eric

text: Shanteau

text: the

text: last

text: two

text: months

text: have

text: been

text: a

text: whirlwind

text: Full

text: of

text: the

text: best

text: moments

text: and

text: the

text: scariest

text: moments

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: says

text: the

text: old

text: Olympic

text: swimmer

text: Eric

text: Shanteau

text: said

text: he

text: felt

text: angry

text: when

text: he

text: found

text: out

text: he

text: had

text: testicular

text: cancer

text: Getting

text: to

text: the

text: Olympics

text: was

text: has

text: always

text: been

text: my

text: swimming

text: dream

text: since

text: I

text: was

text: or

text: years

text: old

text: You

text: know

text: right

text: after

text: I

text: started

text: swimming

text: it

text: was

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: make

text: an

text: Olympic

text: team

text: That

text: 's

text: where

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: In

text: June

text: a

text: week

text: before

text: the

text: qualifying

text: round

text: of

text: the

text: Olympics

text: he

text: was

text: told

text: he

text: had

text: testicular

text: cancer

text: My

text: initial

text: reaction

text: was

text: probably

text: anger

text: more

text: than

text: anything

text: else

text: he

text: says

text: I

text: 'm

text: used

text: to

text: being

text: in

text: control

text: of

text: everything

text: I

text: 'm

text: in

text: control

text: of

text: how

text: I

text: train

text: how

text: I

text: race

text: and

text: then

text: to

text: all

text: of

text: a

text: sudden

text: have

text: that

text: control

text: ripped

text: away

text: from

text: me

text: was

text: tough

text: After

text: weeks

text: of

text: tests

text: to

text: determine

text: the

text: stage

text: or

text: spread

text: of

text: the

text: cancer

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: team

text: of

text: doctors

text: cleared

text: him

text: to

text: compete

text: in

text: the

text: Beijing

text: Olympics

text: which

text: meant

text: carefully

text: monitoring

text: his

text: tumor

text: but

text: delaying

text: treatment

text: Though

text: putting

text: off

text: the

text: surgery

text: was

text: controversial

text: to

text: some

text: Eric

text: says

text: it

text: was

text: an

text: educated

text: choice

text: based

text: on

text: numerous

text: doctor

text: evaluations

text: I

text: hope

text: people

text: understand

text: that

text: if

text: I

text: was

text: in

text: a

text: different

text: position

text: with

text: my

text: test

text: results

text: then

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: have

text: put

text: off

text: having

text: surgery

text: Dr.

text: Sanjay

text: Gupta

text: reports

text: from

text: Eric

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: surgery

text: Â

text: He

text: swam

text: a

text: personal

text: best

text: in

text: the

text: meter

text: breaststroke

text: He

text: did

text: not

text: qualify

text: for

text: the

text: finals

text: Cancer

text: was

text: a

text: motivator

text: he

text: says

text: because

text: he

text: knew

text: it

text: meant

text: he

text: could

text: be

text: facing

text: his

text: last

text: competition

text: He

text: put

text: everything

text: he

text: had

text: into

text: that

text: heat

text: Leave

text: it

text: all

text: in

text: the

text: pool

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: look

text: back

text: and

text: regret

text: anything

text: as

text: far

text: as

text: how

text: I

text: raced

text: Once

text: back

text: from

text: Beijing

text: Shanteau

text: invited

text: CNN

text: to

text: spend

text: time

text: with

text: him

text: the

text: night

text: before

text: his

text: surgery

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: Though

text: admittedly

text: a

text: little

text: scared

text: he

text: spent

text: the

text: evening

text: relaxing

text: with

text: his

text: family

text: cooking

text: dinner

text: walking

text: the

text: dog

text: A

text: source

text: of

text: inspiration

text: he

text: says

text: were

text: fans

text: who

text: shared

text: their

text: stories

text: of

text: beating

text: cancer

text: They

text: send

text: me

text: their

text: story

text: and

text: it

text: helps

text: me

text: to

text: learn

text: that

text: people

text: are

text: going

text: through

text: the

text: same

text: thing

text: I

text: am

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: world

text: says

text: Shanteau

text: They

text: all

text: affect

text: me

text: in

text: a

text: different

text: way

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: been

text: really

text: encouraging

text: to

text: share

text: in

text: this

text: experience

text: with

text: other

text: people

text: Testicular

text: cancer

text: is

text: diagnosed

text: in

text: about

text: in

text: men

text: in

text: their

text: lifetime

text: It

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: common

text: form

text: of

text: cancer

text: for

text: to

text: olds

text: It

text: is

text: also

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: curable

text: if

text: discovered

text: early

text: Nearly

text: men

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: are

text: testicular

text: cancer

text: survivors

text: Shanteau

text: says

text: he

text: experienced

text: no

text: symptoms

text: of

text: cancer

text: and

text: came

text: across

text: the

text: tumor

text: by

text: chance

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: in

text: a

text: Speedo

text: half

text: my

text: life

text: he

text: says

text: So

text: I

text: am

text: really

text: comfortable

text: with

text: my

text: body

text: One

text: day

text: I

text: just

text: felt

text: something

text: that

text: was

text: n't

text: suppose

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: I

text: decided

text: to

text: go

text: and

text: get

text: it

text: checked

text: out

text: He

text: adds

text: that

text: although

text: he

text: had

text: the

text: greatest

text: excuse

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: an

text: Olympic

text: dream

text: to

text: ignore

text: the

text: lump

text: he

text: understood

text: the

text: importance

text: of

text: early

text: detection

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: father

text: Rick

text: is

text: battling

text: lung

text: cancer

text: and

text: responding

text: well

text: to

text: treatment

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: guys

text: if

text: they

text: hear

text: a

text: rattle

text: in

text: their

text: car

text: they

text: 're

text: at

text: the

text: mechanic

text: the

text: next

text: day

text: he

text: says

text: But

text: if

text: they

text: feel

text: something

text: physically

text: that

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: should

text: be

text: there

text: it

text: takes

text: them

text: a

text: year

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: their

text: doctor

text: and

text: that

text: just

text: is

text: not

text: smart

text: There

text: 's

text: really

text: no

text: excuse

text: because

text: it

text: can

text: save

text: your

text: life

text: Fast

text: forward

text: to

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: recent

text: operation

text: at

text: Emory

text: University

text: Hospital

text: CNN

text: Chief

text: Medical

text: Correspondent

text: Dr.

text: Sanjay

text: Gupta

text: was

text: with

text: Shanteau

text: during

text: the

text: surgery

text: and

text: spoke

text: with

text: the

text: lead

text: surgeon

text: Dr.

text: Jeff

text: Carney

text: moments

text: afterward

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: operation

text: went

text: very

text: well

text: Carney

text: said

text: Eric

text: 's

text: a

text: very

text: healthy

text: young

text: man

text: very

text: thin

text: in

text: excellent

text: shape

text: That

text: makes

text: my

text: job

text: easy

text: Later

text: that

text: week

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: pathology

text: results

text: revealed

text: that

text: the

text: operation

text: removed

text: the

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: cancer

text: The

text: majority

text: of

text: it

text: is

text: gone

text: he

text: tells

text: CNN

text: There

text: is

text: a

text: small

text: chance

text: it

text: could

text: come

text: back

text: but

text: I

text: should

text: n't

text: need

text: chemotherapy

text: at

text: this

text: point

text: so

text: I

text: am

text: really

text: optimistic

text: His

text: treatment

text: plan

text: is

text: to

text: keep

text: a

text: close

text: eye

text: on

text: his

text: health

text: for

text: the

text: next

text: year

text: with

text: regular

text: medical

text: tests

text: Obviously

text: it

text: would

text: have

text: been

text: nice

text: if

text: the

text: doctor

text: said

text: You

text: 're

text: completely

text: in

text: the

text: clear

text: but

text: my

text: results

text: are

text: exactly

text: what

text: the

text: doctors

text: expected

text: Eric

text: says

text: the

text: cancer

text: diagnosis

text: gave

text: him

text: a

text: different

text: perspective

text: on

text: life

text: I

text: appreciate

text: life

text: much

text: more

text: now

text: he

text: says

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: let

text: myself

text: get

text: upset

text: about

text: the

text: little

text: nitpicky

text: things

text: anymore

text: Food

text: even

text: seems

text: to

text: taste

text: better

text: It

text: is

text: really

text: great

text: As

text: for

text: Shanteau

text: 's

text: swimming

text: career

text: he

text: plans

text: to

text: compete

text: in

text: the

text: World

text: Swimming

text: Championship

text: in

text: Rome

text: Italy

text: the

text: next

text: Olympics

text: is

text: a

text: push

text: for

text: me

text: Right

text: now

text: I

text: 'm

text: just

text: kind

text: of

text: taking

text: it

text: year

text: by

text: year

text: and

text: we

text: 'll

text: see

text: what

text: happens

question: What is the number of men affected by the cancer?

answer: 1 in 300

text: 1 in 300

question: What type of cancer did Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau have?

answer: testicular

text: testicular

question: What disease does Shanteau have?

answer: testicular cancer.

text: testicular cancer.

question: When did the swimmer find the cancer?

answer: June, a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics

text: June, a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics

question: What was the name of the swimmer?

answer: Eric Shanteau,

text: Eric Shanteau,

question: What is the name of the Olympic swimmer who found out he had cancer in June?

answer: Eric Shanteau

text: Eric Shanteau

question: He delayed treatment so he could compete in the games in which city?

answer: Beijing

text: Beijing

question: What event will Shanteau compete in in Rome?

answer: 200 meter breaststroke.

text: 200 meter breaststroke.

question: What type of cancer does Shanteau have?

answer: testicular

text: testicular


text:
(CNN) -- Birders define "a big year" as an informal competition to see who can spot the most species of birds in a certain area in a calendar year.

Let me start off with a disclaimer: I am a bit of a bird nerd. Not a serious birder by any stretch (I have never gone on vacation specifically for the birds, for example ... well, not a long one, anyway), but my iPhoto has been known to contain more than a few shots of birds, and my iPhone does have iBird Explorer Plus. Oh, and as a child, my dad and I would spend the occasional summer afternoon in the country listening to records of bird calls.

However, just because I like birds doesn't mean I am predisposed to liking a movie with a lot of birds in it. I am a huge baseball fan too, but am perfectly able to recognize a bad baseball movie when I see one. "Major League 2," anyone? In addition, a good film needs to have something to it in addition to the surface subject matter. What I am trying to say is, just because this is a film about birding doesn't mean it's a film about birding.

Stu Preissler (Steve Martin), Brad Harris (Jack Black) and Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) are three birders who may (or may not) be attempting a Big Year. The thing is, it's such a competitive field that those attempting such a feat tend to keep the information to themselves, so as to not inspire the competition. Paying possum is a big part of a Big Year.

The head of a corporation, Stu is nearing retirement age. He wants to quit the rat race, do something for himself (A Big Year, natch) and settle down in Colorado with his wife, Edith (JoBeth Williams). Of course his corporate underlings, smarmily played by Kevin Pollak and Joel McHale, continuously try to pull him off the road and into the board room.

Brad, in his mid-30s and divorced, is low on funds and morale. He's stuck in a job he hates and aches to do something truly great. As a birder, this means breaking the world record held by Bostick (almost always referred to by his surname with a mix of derision, awe and envy by his fellow birders).

For Stu and Brad, while the undertaking of a Big Year is exciting, it's also a means to an end, not the end itself, and the journey is at least as important as the result. One of the joys of this film is watching their excitement when some El NiÃÂ±o weather phenomena means that there's a likelihood of a mass of grounded birds (a storm in Florida) or a super rare sighting (a pink-footed goose, rarely seen in the U.S.).

To the arrogant and absurdly colorfully attired Bostick, however, the Big Year is personal and more about him than it is about the birds. It's his record, and his status as world champion is more important to him than anything, even his devoted wife, Jessica (Rosamund Pike). Bostick is constantly promising to hang up his binoculars and start a family, only to receive a call with a rare bird sighting somewhere across the country and hit the road again.

Stu and Brad quickly become friends and repeatedly run into each other throughout the year in far-flung parts of the continent, and travel they do. "The Big Year" takes them from Maine to Key West to Arizona to Attu Island, Alaska, the westernmost island in the Aleutians, closer to Russia than it is to the Alaskan mainland (of course the production didn't actually shoot there, but they did shoot in the Yukon). The scenery and wildlife on display are at times breathtaking.

The thing is (up on my avian soapbox, again), I can see the appeal. After all, birds are amazing creatures. They can fly, which is amazing in and of itself, and oh, by the way, isn't one of the most common dreams the one where you're flying? Add to that their place in evolution, their diversity, strength and behavioral differences, and they're pretty interesting creatures.

While it's mostly about the humans in the cast, the sheer number of birds on display (stay for the running list during the closing credits) is astonishing, with some quite interesting (and in one case downright touching) bits of bird trivia thrown in. It's not hard to see how large groups of people could get caught up in the activity. In fact, a 2006 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department puts the number of birders nationwide at 48 million. That same year, the activity created 671,000 jobs and added $36 billion to the U.S. economy.

At the heart of "The Big Year" is the idea that we all have our passions, and why are any passions any weirder than any other? Surely, on a list of odd obsessions, birding ranks far below hoarding or, say, dyeing your dog to look like a panda.

Supporting turns are all solid, with special notice to the always lovely Rashida Jones as Ellie, the female bird nerd who captures Brad's interest, and Anjelica Huston as the comically and aptly named Annie Auklet. Dianne Weist and Brian Dennehy are perfectly cast as Brad's parents. If there's ever been a non-related trio that looks more like a real family, I'll eat my special birding hat. Kidding. I don't have one ... yet.

"The Big Year" is a charming, uplifting and heartwarming film, and when it's funny (which is often), it's very funny indeed. It has a simple but compelling story to which everyone, birders and non-, can relate, great chemistry between Martin and Black, and a heart. It's nice to see a film that doesn't have a mean streak and also doesn't talk to adults like they are idiots.

"The Big Year" is rated PG. There's a minor swear word or two, but that's about it.

text: CNN

text: Birders

text: define

text: a

text: big

text: year

text: as

text: an

text: informal

text: competition

text: to

text: see

text: who

text: can

text: spot

text: the

text: most

text: species

text: of

text: birds

text: in

text: a

text: certain

text: area

text: in

text: a

text: calendar

text: year

text: Let

text: me

text: start

text: off

text: with

text: a

text: disclaimer

text: I

text: am

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: a

text: bird

text: nerd

text: Not

text: a

text: serious

text: birder

text: by

text: any

text: stretch

text: I

text: have

text: never

text: gone

text: on

text: vacation

text: specifically

text: for

text: the

text: birds

text: for

text: example

text: well

text: not

text: a

text: long

text: one

text: anyway

text: but

text: my

text: iPhoto

text: has

text: been

text: known

text: to

text: contain

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: few

text: shots

text: of

text: birds

text: and

text: my

text: iPhone

text: does

text: have

text: iBird

text: Explorer

text: Plus

text: Oh

text: and

text: as

text: a

text: child

text: my

text: dad

text: and

text: I

text: would

text: spend

text: the

text: occasional

text: summer

text: afternoon

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: listening

text: to

text: records

text: of

text: bird

text: calls

text: However

text: just

text: because

text: I

text: like

text: birds

text: does

text: n't

text: mean

text: I

text: am

text: predisposed

text: to

text: liking

text: a

text: movie

text: with

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: birds

text: in

text: it

text: I

text: am

text: a

text: huge

text: baseball

text: fan

text: too

text: but

text: am

text: perfectly

text: able

text: to

text: recognize

text: a

text: bad

text: baseball

text: movie

text: when

text: I

text: see

text: one

text: Major

text: League

text: anyone

text: In

text: addition

text: a

text: good

text: film

text: needs

text: to

text: have

text: something

text: to

text: it

text: in

text: addition

text: to

text: the

text: surface

text: subject

text: matter

text: What

text: I

text: am

text: trying

text: to

text: say

text: is

text: just

text: because

text: this

text: is

text: a

text: film

text: about

text: birding

text: does

text: n't

text: mean

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: film

text: about

text: birding

text: Stu

text: Preissler

text: Steve

text: Martin

text: Brad

text: Harris

text: Jack

text: Black

text: and

text: Kenny

text: Bostick

text: Owen

text: Wilson

text: are

text: three

text: birders

text: who

text: may

text: or

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: attempting

text: a

text: Big

text: Year

text: The

text: thing

text: is

text: it

text: 's

text: such

text: a

text: competitive

text: field

text: that

text: those

text: attempting

text: such

text: a

text: feat

text: tend

text: to

text: keep

text: the

text: information

text: to

text: themselves

text: so

text: as

text: to

text: not

text: inspire

text: the

text: competition

text: Paying

text: possum

text: is

text: a

text: big

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: Big

text: Year

text: The

text: head

text: of

text: a

text: corporation

text: Stu

text: is

text: nearing

text: retirement

text: age

text: He

text: wants

text: to

text: quit

text: the

text: rat

text: race

text: do

text: something

text: for

text: himself

text: A

text: Big

text: Year

text: natch

text: and

text: settle

text: down

text: in

text: Colorado

text: with

text: his

text: wife

text: Edith

text: JoBeth

text: Williams

text: Of

text: course

text: his

text: corporate

text: underlings

text: smarmily

text: played

text: by

text: Kevin

text: Pollak

text: and

text: Joel

text: McHale

text: continuously

text: try

text: to

text: pull

text: him

text: off

text: the

text: road

text: and

text: into

text: the

text: board

text: room

text: Brad

text: in

text: his

text: and

text: divorced

text: is

text: low

text: on

text: funds

text: and

text: morale

text: He

text: 's

text: stuck

text: in

text: a

text: job

text: he

text: hates

text: and

text: aches

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: truly

text: great

text: As

text: a

text: birder

text: this

text: means

text: breaking

text: the

text: world

text: record

text: held

text: by

text: Bostick

text: almost

text: always

text: referred

text: to

text: by

text: his

text: surname

text: with

text: a

text: mix

text: of

text: derision

text: awe

text: and

text: envy

text: by

text: his

text: fellow

text: birders

text: For

text: Stu

text: and

text: Brad

text: while

text: the

text: undertaking

text: of

text: a

text: Big

text: Year

text: is

text: exciting

text: it

text: 's

text: also

text: a

text: means

text: to

text: an

text: end

text: not

text: the

text: end

text: itself

text: and

text: the

text: journey

text: is

text: at

text: least

text: as

text: important

text: as

text: the

text: result

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: joys

text: of

text: this

text: film

text: is

text: watching

text: their

text: excitement

text: when

text: some

text: El

text: NiÃÂ±o

text: weather

text: phenomena

text: means

text: that

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: likelihood

text: of

text: a

text: mass

text: of

text: grounded

text: birds

text: a

text: storm

text: in

text: Florida

text: or

text: a

text: super

text: rare

text: sighting

text: a

text: pink

text: footed

text: goose

text: rarely

text: seen

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: To

text: the

text: arrogant

text: and

text: absurdly

text: colorfully

text: attired

text: Bostick

text: however

text: the

text: Big

text: Year

text: is

text: personal

text: and

text: more

text: about

text: him

text: than

text: it

text: is

text: about

text: the

text: birds

text: It

text: 's

text: his

text: record

text: and

text: his

text: status

text: as

text: world

text: champion

text: is

text: more

text: important

text: to

text: him

text: than

text: anything

text: even

text: his

text: devoted

text: wife

text: Jessica

text: Rosamund

text: Pike

text: Bostick

text: is

text: constantly

text: promising

text: to

text: hang

text: up

text: his

text: binoculars

text: and

text: start

text: a

text: family

text: only

text: to

text: receive

text: a

text: call

text: with

text: a

text: rare

text: bird

text: sighting

text: somewhere

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: and

text: hit

text: the

text: road

text: again

text: Stu

text: and

text: Brad

text: quickly

text: become

text: friends

text: and

text: repeatedly

text: run

text: into

text: each

text: other

text: throughout

text: the

text: year

text: in

text: far

text: flung

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: continent

text: and

text: travel

text: they

text: do

text: The

text: Big

text: Year

text: takes

text: them

text: from

text: Maine

text: to

text: Key

text: West

text: to

text: Arizona

text: to

text: Attu

text: Island

text: Alaska

text: the

text: westernmost

text: island

text: in

text: the

text: Aleutians

text: closer

text: to

text: Russia

text: than

text: it

text: is

text: to

text: the

text: Alaskan

text: mainland

text: of

text: course

text: the

text: production

text: did

text: n't

text: actually

text: shoot

text: there

text: but

text: they

text: did

text: shoot

text: in

text: the

text: Yukon

text: The

text: scenery

text: and

text: wildlife

text: on

text: display

text: are

text: at

text: times

text: breathtaking

text: The

text: thing

text: is

text: up

text: on

text: my

text: avian

text: soapbox

text: again

text: I

text: can

text: see

text: the

text: appeal

text: After

text: all

text: birds

text: are

text: amazing

text: creatures

text: They

text: can

text: fly

text: which

text: is

text: amazing

text: in

text: and

text: of

text: itself

text: and

text: oh

text: by

text: the

text: way

text: is

text: n't

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: common

text: dreams

text: the

text: one

text: where

text: you

text: 're

text: flying

text: Add

text: to

text: that

text: their

text: place

text: in

text: evolution

text: their

text: diversity

text: strength

text: and

text: behavioral

text: differences

text: and

text: they

text: 're

text: pretty

text: interesting

text: creatures

text: While

text: it

text: 's

text: mostly

text: about

text: the

text: humans

text: in

text: the

text: cast

text: the

text: sheer

text: number

text: of

text: birds

text: on

text: display

text: stay

text: for

text: the

text: running

text: list

text: during

text: the

text: closing

text: credits

text: is

text: astonishing

text: with

text: some

text: quite

text: interesting

text: and

text: in

text: one

text: case

text: downright

text: touching

text: bits

text: of

text: bird

text: trivia

text: thrown

text: in

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: hard

text: to

text: see

text: how

text: large

text: groups

text: of

text: people

text: could

text: get

text: caught

text: up

text: in

text: the

text: activity

text: In

text: fact

text: a

text: survey

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Fish

text: and

text: Wildlife

text: Department

text: puts

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: birders

text: nationwide

text: at

text: million

text: That

text: same

text: year

text: the

text: activity

text: created

text: jobs

text: and

text: added

text: billion

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: economy

text: At

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: The

text: Big

text: Year

text: is

text: the

text: idea

text: that

text: we

text: all

text: have

text: our

text: passions

text: and

text: why

text: are

text: any

text: passions

text: any

text: weirder

text: than

text: any

text: other

text: Surely

text: on

text: a

text: list

text: of

text: odd

text: obsessions

text: birding

text: ranks

text: far

text: below

text: hoarding

text: or

text: say

text: dyeing

text: your

text: dog

text: to

text: look

text: like

text: a

text: panda

text: Supporting

text: turns

text: are

text: all

text: solid

text: with

text: special

text: notice

text: to

text: the

text: always

text: lovely

text: Rashida

text: Jones

text: as

text: Ellie

text: the

text: female

text: bird

text: nerd

text: who

text: captures

text: Brad

text: 's

text: interest

text: and

text: Anjelica

text: Huston

text: as

text: the

text: comically

text: and

text: aptly

text: named

text: Annie

text: Auklet

text: Dianne

text: Weist

text: and

text: Brian

text: Dennehy

text: are

text: perfectly

text: cast

text: as

text: Brad

text: 's

text: parents

text: If

text: there

text: 's

text: ever

text: been

text: a

text: non

text: related

text: trio

text: that

text: looks

text: more

text: like

text: a

text: real

text: family

text: I

text: 'll

text: eat

text: my

text: special

text: birding

text: hat

text: Kidding

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: one

text: yet

text: The

text: Big

text: Year

text: is

text: a

text: charming

text: uplifting

text: and

text: heartwarming

text: film

text: and

text: when

text: it

text: 's

text: funny

text: which

text: is

text: often

text: it

text: 's

text: very

text: funny

text: indeed

text: It

text: has

text: a

text: simple

text: but

text: compelling

text: story

text: to

text: which

text: everyone

text: birders

text: and

text: non-

text: can

text: relate

text: great

text: chemistry

text: between

text: Martin

text: and

text: Black

text: and

text: a

text: heart

text: It

text: 's

text: nice

text: to

text: see

text: a

text: film

text: that

text: does

text: n't

text: have

text: a

text: mean

text: streak

text: and

text: also

text: does

text: n't

text: talk

text: to

text: adults

text: like

text: they

text: are

text: idiots

text: The

text: Big

text: Year

text: is

text: rated

text: PG

text: There

text: 's

text: a

text: minor

text: swear

text: word

text: or

text: two

text: but

text: that

text: 's

text: about

text: it

question: What does the title refer to?

answer: s the idea that we all have our passions

text: s the idea that we all have our passions

question: What does the film include?

answer: birding

text: birding

question: Who stars in "The Big Year"?

answer: Stu Preissler (Steve Martin), Brad Harris (Jack Black) and Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson)

text: Stu Preissler (Steve Martin), Brad Harris (Jack Black) and Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson)


text:
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -- Humble woodcutter Mohammed Sultan Nafeek's teenage daughter moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a housemaid to support her family after they were displaced by the 2004 tsunami. Now she is on death row, and all he can do is pray.

Razeena Mohammad (left) and Mohammad Sultan Nafeek, parents of Rizana Nafeek.

Rizana, who was 17 when she started work in Saudi Arabia, was convicted of killing a 4-month-old baby boy in her care just two weeks into her job.

Nafeek says the child died accidentally, choking on milk.

His daughter was sentenced to beheading in a case rights groups say underlines the vulnerability of many of the 1.5 million Sri Lankans who work abroad -- nearly 400,000 of them in Saudi Arabia alone.

"Our family was suffering hardship, and so our daughter volunteered to go and work abroad to send money home," Nafeek told Reuters by telephone from his modest home in Mutur in Sri Lanka's war-torn northeast.

After the December 2004 tsunami forced them from their home, the family was displaced again by renewed civil war between the state and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

Nafeek visited Saudi Arabia with Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister this month in a bid to secure clemency and met with relations of the dead child's parents but came away empty handed.

Under Saudi law, a pardon is the gift of the family of the victim, and so far the parents of the dead child have refused to meet either the family or Sri Lankan officials.

"The cops told us: 'Go and pray to Allah. If you can get the forgiveness of the parents, your daughter will be free,' " he said. "So I am praying all the time."

"If we had been able to meet the parents, we are sure they would have been willing to forgive our daughter after seeing our situation."

The Sri Lankan government is investigating the agency that sent Rizana to work abroad when she was technically still a child but remains hopeful she will be pardoned or exonerated.

"I am fairly confident," said Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila. "We have spoken to tribal leaders of their particular tribe, we have spoken to area officials... It is they who will now have to speak (to the parents)."

"His Excellency the President (Mahinda Rajapaksa) has been following this case very keenly. This is an exceptional case because of her tender age," he added.

Rights groups accuse the government of failing to protect its expatriate workers -- one of the main sources of foreign-exchange revenues for the $23 billion economy -- with legal aid.

They also decry Saudi Arabia's legal system.

"This case raises many troubling questions about the treatment of children and foreigners in Saudi Arabia's criminal-justice system," Human Rights Watch said in a statement issued overnight.

"International law prohibits the death penalty for crimes committed before the age of 18."

Saudi Arabia executed four Sri Lankans convicted of armed robbery earlier this year, and did not inform Sri Lankan authorities beforehand.

Sri Lanka reinstated its own death penalty in 2004 after the murder of a high court judge, but it has been dormant since 1976.

There is no indication any of the dozens of convicted murderers, rapists and drug smugglers on death row in Sri Lanka and effectively serving life prison terms will actually be executed. E-mail to a friend

text: COLOMBO

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: Reuters

text: Humble

text: woodcutter

text: Mohammed

text: Sultan

text: Nafeek

text: 's

text: teenage

text: daughter

text: moved

text: to

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: to

text: work

text: as

text: a

text: housemaid

text: to

text: support

text: her

text: family

text: after

text: they

text: were

text: displaced

text: by

text: the

text: tsunami

text: Now

text: she

text: is

text: on

text: death

text: row

text: and

text: all

text: he

text: can

text: do

text: is

text: pray

text: Razeena

text: Mohammad

text: left

text: and

text: Mohammad

text: Sultan

text: Nafeek

text: parents

text: of

text: Rizana

text: Nafeek

text: Rizana

text: who

text: was

text: when

text: she

text: started

text: work

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: was

text: convicted

text: of

text: killing

text: a

text: old

text: baby

text: boy

text: in

text: her

text: care

text: just

text: two

text: weeks

text: into

text: her

text: job

text: Nafeek

text: says

text: the

text: child

text: died

text: accidentally

text: choking

text: on

text: milk

text: His

text: daughter

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: beheading

text: in

text: a

text: case

text: rights

text: groups

text: say

text: underlines

text: the

text: vulnerability

text: of

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: million

text: Sri

text: Lankans

text: who

text: work

text: abroad

text: nearly

text: of

text: them

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: alone

text: Our

text: family

text: was

text: suffering

text: hardship

text: and

text: so

text: our

text: daughter

text: volunteered

text: to

text: go

text: and

text: work

text: abroad

text: to

text: send

text: money

text: home

text: Nafeek

text: told

text: Reuters

text: by

text: telephone

text: from

text: his

text: modest

text: home

text: in

text: Mutur

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: 's

text: war

text: torn

text: northeast

text: After

text: the

text: December

text: tsunami

text: forced

text: them

text: from

text: their

text: home

text: the

text: family

text: was

text: displaced

text: again

text: by

text: renewed

text: civil

text: war

text: between

text: the

text: state

text: and

text: separatist

text: Tamil

text: Tiger

text: rebels

text: Nafeek

text: visited

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: with

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: 's

text: deputy

text: foreign

text: minister

text: this

text: month

text: in

text: a

text: bid

text: to

text: secure

text: clemency

text: and

text: met

text: with

text: relations

text: of

text: the

text: dead

text: child

text: 's

text: parents

text: but

text: came

text: away

text: empty

text: handed

text: Under

text: Saudi

text: law

text: a

text: pardon

text: is

text: the

text: gift

text: of

text: the

text: family

text: of

text: the

text: victim

text: and

text: so

text: far

text: the

text: parents

text: of

text: the

text: dead

text: child

text: have

text: refused

text: to

text: meet

text: either

text: the

text: family

text: or

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: officials

text: The

text: cops

text: told

text: us

text: Go

text: and

text: pray

text: to

text: Allah

text: If

text: you

text: can

text: get

text: the

text: forgiveness

text: of

text: the

text: parents

text: your

text: daughter

text: will

text: be

text: free

text: he

text: said

text: So

text: I

text: am

text: praying

text: all

text: the

text: time

text: If

text: we

text: had

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: meet

text: the

text: parents

text: we

text: are

text: sure

text: they

text: would

text: have

text: been

text: willing

text: to

text: forgive

text: our

text: daughter

text: after

text: seeing

text: our

text: situation

text: The

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: government

text: is

text: investigating

text: the

text: agency

text: that

text: sent

text: Rizana

text: to

text: work

text: abroad

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: technically

text: still

text: a

text: child

text: but

text: remains

text: hopeful

text: she

text: will

text: be

text: pardoned

text: or

text: exonerated

text: I

text: am

text: fairly

text: confident

text: said

text: Deputy

text: Foreign

text: Minister

text: Hussein

text: Bhaila

text: We

text: have

text: spoken

text: to

text: tribal

text: leaders

text: of

text: their

text: particular

text: tribe

text: we

text: have

text: spoken

text: to

text: area

text: officials

text: It

text: is

text: they

text: who

text: will

text: now

text: have

text: to

text: speak

text: to

text: the

text: parents

text: His

text: Excellency

text: the

text: President

text: Mahinda

text: Rajapaksa

text: has

text: been

text: following

text: this

text: case

text: very

text: keenly

text: This

text: is

text: an

text: exceptional

text: case

text: because

text: of

text: her

text: tender

text: age

text: he

text: added

text: Rights

text: groups

text: accuse

text: the

text: government

text: of

text: failing

text: to

text: protect

text: its

text: expatriate

text: workers

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: main

text: sources

text: of

text: foreign

text: exchange

text: revenues

text: for

text: the

text: billion

text: economy

text: with

text: legal

text: aid

text: They

text: also

text: decry

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: 's

text: legal

text: system

text: This

text: case

text: raises

text: many

text: troubling

text: questions

text: about

text: the

text: treatment

text: of

text: children

text: and

text: foreigners

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: 's

text: criminal

text: justice

text: system

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: issued

text: overnight

text: International

text: law

text: prohibits

text: the

text: death

text: penalty

text: for

text: crimes

text: committed

text: before

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: executed

text: four

text: Sri

text: Lankans

text: convicted

text: of

text: armed

text: robbery

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: and

text: did

text: not

text: inform

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: authorities

text: beforehand

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: reinstated

text: its

text: own

text: death

text: penalty

text: in

text: after

text: the

text: murder

text: of

text: a

text: high

text: court

text: judge

text: but

text: it

text: has

text: been

text: dormant

text: since

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: indication

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: dozens

text: of

text: convicted

text: murderers

text: rapists

text: and

text: drug

text: smugglers

text: on

text: death

text: row

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: and

text: effectively

text: serving

text: life

text: prison

text: terms

text: will

text: actually

text: be

text: executed

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: What displaced her family?

answer: 2004 tsunami.

text: 2004 tsunami.

question: What was the girl's age?

answer: 17

question: Who died accidentally, choking on milk?

answer: the child

text: the child

question: What was the girl convicted of?

answer: killing a 4-month-old baby

text: killing a 4-month-old baby

question: What did Nafeek say about the death?

answer: the child died accidentally, choking on milk.

text: the child died accidentally, choking on milk.

question: When was the family displaced by a tsunami?

answer: 2004

question: What did the child choke on?

answer: milk.

text: milk.

question: What was a girl convicted of?

answer: killing a 4-month-old baby boy in her care

text: killing a 4-month-old baby boy in her care

question: Who was convicted of killing baby in her care in Saudi Arabia?

answer: Rizana Nafeek.

text: Rizana Nafeek.


text:
HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- A European Union delegation met Saturday with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who said the parties had established a "good rapport."

President Mugabe and his wife, Grace, arrive for a ZANU PF party youth conference on Friday.

"There was no animosity, it was quite friendly," Mugabe said.

Gunilla Carlsson, the Swedish minister for International Development Cooperation, said the parties "definitely made some progress."

"Of course we didn't agree with everything Mr. Mugabe said, but it was a correct meeting and we exchanged views," Carlsson, who is heading the mission, told CNN's Rosemary Church.

The delegation met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai later on Saturday.

Carlsson spokesman Peter Larsson had said earlier that "there was no sense of any hostility from Mugabe." Larsson was referring to remarks the Zimbabwean president made Friday, when he condemned "bloody whites" for meddling in his country's affairs. Carlsson is heading the mission to Zimbabwe.

"Sanctions or no sanctions, Zimbabwe remains ours," .Mugabe told his ZANU-PF party's youth conference in Harare on Friday.

"Who said the British and the Americans should rule over others? That's why we say, down with you. We have not invited these bloody whites. They want to poke their nose into our own affairs. Refuse that," he said.

The European Union imposed travel bans on Mugabe and his representatives in 2002. The bans were imposed after accusations of human rights violations and election fraud.

In addition to travel restrictions, the European Union has frozen the assets of more than 200 Zimbabweans for allegedly violating human rights, according to Sweden, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU this year.

On Saturday, Mugabe again addressed "sanctions," saying he was dismayed that they were not lifted after meeting with the EU delegation.

"I have always been disappointed with sanctions on Zimbabwe," he said, adding that the EU delegation "thought things were not working, yet we did all the things we were asked to do" under a power-sharing agreement signed in September last year.

Larsson said there was no discussion about the restrictions at the meeting.

Under the agreement, which was to end months of turmoil and violence that followed the country's March 2008 presidential elections, Mugabe retained his office, and opposition leader Tsvangirai became prime minister.

The agreement -- the Global Political Agreement-- spelled out a number of fundamental democratic reforms, but so far there has been no progress toward them, Carlsson said in a statement ahead of the meetings with Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

"There have not yet been clear positive developments in all areas. I am still concerned at the lack of democratic development," she said then.

After meeting with Tsvangirai, Carlsson told CNN that "Tsvangirai's government is working hard towards the implementation of the political agreement."

She added, "After such a long time of oppression, it is of course hard to move forward and change will take some time. But the EU is committed to follow up on this progress and encourage change."

CNN's Per Nyberg in London, England, contributed to this report

text: HARARE

text: Zimbabwe

text: CNN

text: A

text: European

text: Union

text: delegation

text: met

text: Saturday

text: with

text: Zimbabwe

text: President

text: Robert

text: Mugabe

text: who

text: said

text: the

text: parties

text: had

text: established

text: a

text: good

text: rapport

text: President

text: Mugabe

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: Grace

text: arrive

text: for

text: a

text: ZANU

text: PF

text: party

text: youth

text: conference

text: on

text: Friday

text: There

text: was

text: no

text: animosity

text: it

text: was

text: quite

text: friendly

text: Mugabe

text: said

text: Gunilla

text: Carlsson

text: the

text: Swedish

text: minister

text: for

text: International

text: Development

text: Cooperation

text: said

text: the

text: parties

text: definitely

text: made

text: some

text: progress

text: Of

text: course

text: we

text: did

text: n't

text: agree

text: with

text: everything

text: Mr.

text: Mugabe

text: said

text: but

text: it

text: was

text: a

text: correct

text: meeting

text: and

text: we

text: exchanged

text: views

text: Carlsson

text: who

text: is

text: heading

text: the

text: mission

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Rosemary

text: Church

text: The

text: delegation

text: met

text: with

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Morgan

text: Tsvangirai

text: later

text: on

text: Saturday

text: Carlsson

text: spokesman

text: Peter

text: Larsson

text: had

text: said

text: earlier

text: that

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: sense

text: of

text: any

text: hostility

text: from

text: Mugabe

text: Larsson

text: was

text: referring

text: to

text: remarks

text: the

text: Zimbabwean

text: president

text: made

text: Friday

text: when

text: he

text: condemned

text: bloody

text: whites

text: for

text: meddling

text: in

text: his

text: country

text: 's

text: affairs

text: Carlsson

text: is

text: heading

text: the

text: mission

text: to

text: Zimbabwe

text: Sanctions

text: or

text: no

text: sanctions

text: Zimbabwe

text: remains

text: ours

text: .Mugabe

text: told

text: his

text: ZANU

text: PF

text: party

text: 's

text: youth

text: conference

text: in

text: Harare

text: on

text: Friday

text: Who

text: said

text: the

text: British

text: and

text: the

text: Americans

text: should

text: rule

text: over

text: others

text: That

text: 's

text: why

text: we

text: say

text: down

text: with

text: you

text: We

text: have

text: not

text: invited

text: these

text: bloody

text: whites

text: They

text: want

text: to

text: poke

text: their

text: nose

text: into

text: our

text: own

text: affairs

text: Refuse

text: that

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: European

text: Union

text: imposed

text: travel

text: bans

text: on

text: Mugabe

text: and

text: his

text: representatives

text: in

text: The

text: bans

text: were

text: imposed

text: after

text: accusations

text: of

text: human

text: rights

text: violations

text: and

text: election

text: fraud

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: travel

text: restrictions

text: the

text: European

text: Union

text: has

text: frozen

text: the

text: assets

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: Zimbabweans

text: for

text: allegedly

text: violating

text: human

text: rights

text: according

text: to

text: Sweden

text: which

text: holds

text: the

text: rotating

text: presidency

text: of

text: the

text: EU

text: this

text: year

text: On

text: Saturday

text: Mugabe

text: again

text: addressed

text: sanctions

text: saying

text: he

text: was

text: dismayed

text: that

text: they

text: were

text: not

text: lifted

text: after

text: meeting

text: with

text: the

text: EU

text: delegation

text: I

text: have

text: always

text: been

text: disappointed

text: with

text: sanctions

text: on

text: Zimbabwe

text: he

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: the

text: EU

text: delegation

text: thought

text: things

text: were

text: not

text: working

text: yet

text: we

text: did

text: all

text: the

text: things

text: we

text: were

text: asked

text: to

text: do

text: under

text: a

text: power

text: sharing

text: agreement

text: signed

text: in

text: September

text: last

text: year

text: Larsson

text: said

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: discussion

text: about

text: the

text: restrictions

text: at

text: the

text: meeting

text: Under

text: the

text: agreement

text: which

text: was

text: to

text: end

text: months

text: of

text: turmoil

text: and

text: violence

text: that

text: followed

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: March

text: presidential

text: elections

text: Mugabe

text: retained

text: his

text: office

text: and

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Tsvangirai

text: became

text: prime

text: minister

text: The

text: agreement

text: the

text: Global

text: Political

text: Agreement--

text: spelled

text: out

text: a

text: number

text: of

text: fundamental

text: democratic

text: reforms

text: but

text: so

text: far

text: there

text: has

text: been

text: no

text: progress

text: toward

text: them

text: Carlsson

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: meetings

text: with

text: Mugabe

text: and

text: Tsvangirai

text: There

text: have

text: not

text: yet

text: been

text: clear

text: positive

text: developments

text: in

text: all

text: areas

text: I

text: am

text: still

text: concerned

text: at

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: democratic

text: development

text: she

text: said

text: then

text: After

text: meeting

text: with

text: Tsvangirai

text: Carlsson

text: told

text: CNN

text: that

text: Tsvangirai

text: 's

text: government

text: is

text: working

text: hard

text: towards

text: the

text: implementation

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: agreement

text: She

text: added

text: After

text: such

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: of

text: oppression

text: it

text: is

text: of

text: course

text: hard

text: to

text: move

text: forward

text: and

text: change

text: will

text: take

text: some

text: time

text: But

text: the

text: EU

text: is

text: committed

text: to

text: follow

text: up

text: on

text: this

text: progress

text: and

text: encourage

text: change

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Per

text: Nyberg

text: in

text: London

text: England

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who is president of Zimbabwe

answer: Robert Mugabe,

text: Robert Mugabe,

question: What do EU officials in Zimbabwe want to do?

answer: encourage change."

text: encourage change."

question: Who is Zimbabwe's president?

answer: Robert Mugabe,

text: Robert Mugabe,

question: When did they arrive

answer: Friday.

text: Friday.


text:
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Amid turmoil over the treatment of post-election detainees and controversy over the mass trials of political figures, Iran's supreme leader on Saturday appointed a new judiciary chief, Iranian media reported.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during the announcement  that Sadeq Larijani, right, will head Iran's judiciary.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tapped Sadeq Larijani -- brother of Iran's powerful parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani -- to replace Hashemi Shahroudi, a vocal hardliner against the opposition movement, who finished his 10-year term, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. Another brother, Mohammad Javad Larijani, is the secretary-general of the judiciary's human rights office.

The development is significant in that the two brothers now head two of the three branches of Iran's government, and tensions between Ali Larijani and hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have emerged as the president tried to assemble his Cabinet for his second term.

Sadeq Larijani makes the transition as a third round of detainees arrested in the aftermath of the Islamic republic's disputed presidential election were scheduled to appear in court Sunday, the semi-official Fars news agency said.

The mass trial of about 100 Iranians is being held in the Revolutionary Court. Reformist politicians, lawyers and journalists are among those accused of protesting in an attempt to overturn government leadership. More than two dozen detainees were scheduled to be on trial Sunday, according to media reports, although it is not clear whether it will be the defendants' first appearance in court.

Among the defendants who have been on trial this month are Seyyed Mohammad Abtahi, a former Iranian vice president; Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian reporter for Newsweek magazine; and Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar.

Street protests and a brutal government crackdown followed the June 12 presidential election, leading to the arrests of more than 1,000 people. The official death toll from the post-election unrest is 30, although opposition leaders reportedly have said it's more than twice that figure.

The new judiciary chief's brother, Ali Larijani, spent the last week dismissing allegations by Iran's opposition that post-election detainees were raped while in custody, according to state-run media.

Larijani said that a special panel of Iran's parliament, or Majlis, conducted a "precise and comprehensive inquiry" into the treatment at Tehran's Evin and Kahrizak prisons, and found "no cases of rape or sexual abuse," government-funded Press TV reported.

A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry also denied that prisoners had been tortured.

"What kind of talk is this? There was never any pressure used against these people," Hassan Qashqavi said Monday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

They were responding to accusations made by opposition candidate Mehdi Karrubi who, along with opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi, ran against hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election. Iran's election authority declared Ahmadinejad the overwhelming winner of the race, sparking hundreds of thousands of Iranians to take to the streets in protest.

Iranian opposition figures, including Karrubi, have compared the treatment of the detainees to the abuse of political prisoners under the "oppressing regime" of the shah, who was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

In an open letter to former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani posted Saturday on his party's Web site, Karrubi says an "impartial committee" is needed to "investigate these tragedies with transparency until they are resolved."

"Some of the former detainees have told of such brutal and violent, repeated rapes of the young women [in detention] that have caused irreparable damage to their reproductive systems," Karrubi says in the letter. "Others have raped our detained young men with such brutality that they [the victims] have been afflicted by depression and are no longer speaking with anyone and refuse to leave the dark corners of their houses."

Larijani on Wednesday challenged Karrubi to "present evidence of such outrages" for the Majlis to investigate, according to Press TV.

text: TEHRAN

text: Iran

text: CNN

text: Amid

text: turmoil

text: over

text: the

text: treatment

text: of

text: post

text: election

text: detainees

text: and

text: controversy

text: over

text: the

text: mass

text: trials

text: of

text: political

text: figures

text: Iran

text: 's

text: supreme

text: leader

text: on

text: Saturday

text: appointed

text: a

text: new

text: judiciary

text: chief

text: Iranian

text: media

text: reported

text: Ayatollah

text: Ali

text: Khamenei

text: speaks

text: during

text: the

text: announcement

text: that

text: Sadeq

text: Larijani

text: right

text: will

text: head

text: Iran

text: 's

text: judiciary

text: Ayatollah

text: Ali

text: Khamenei

text: tapped

text: Sadeq

text: Larijani

text: brother

text: of

text: Iran

text: 's

text: powerful

text: parliamentary

text: speaker

text: Ali

text: Larijani

text: to

text: replace

text: Hashemi

text: Shahroudi

text: a

text: vocal

text: hardliner

text: against

text: the

text: opposition

text: movement

text: who

text: finished

text: his

text: term

text: the

text: semi

text: official

text: Mehr

text: news

text: agency

text: reported

text: Another

text: brother

text: Mohammad

text: Javad

text: Larijani

text: is

text: the

text: secretary

text: general

text: of

text: the

text: judiciary

text: 's

text: human

text: rights

text: office

text: The

text: development

text: is

text: significant

text: in

text: that

text: the

text: two

text: brothers

text: now

text: head

text: two

text: of

text: the

text: three

text: branches

text: of

text: Iran

text: 's

text: government

text: and

text: tensions

text: between

text: Ali

text: Larijani

text: and

text: hardline

text: President

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: have

text: emerged

text: as

text: the

text: president

text: tried

text: to

text: assemble

text: his

text: Cabinet

text: for

text: his

text: second

text: term

text: Sadeq

text: Larijani

text: makes

text: the

text: transition

text: as

text: a

text: third

text: round

text: of

text: detainees

text: arrested

text: in

text: the

text: aftermath

text: of

text: the

text: Islamic

text: republic

text: 's

text: disputed

text: presidential

text: election

text: were

text: scheduled

text: to

text: appear

text: in

text: court

text: Sunday

text: the

text: semi

text: official

text: Fars

text: news

text: agency

text: said

text: The

text: mass

text: trial

text: of

text: about

text: Iranians

text: is

text: being

text: held

text: in

text: the

text: Revolutionary

text: Court

text: Reformist

text: politicians

text: lawyers

text: and

text: journalists

text: are

text: among

text: those

text: accused

text: of

text: protesting

text: in

text: an

text: attempt

text: to

text: overturn

text: government

text: leadership

text: More

text: than

text: two

text: dozen

text: detainees

text: were

text: scheduled

text: to

text: be

text: on

text: trial

text: Sunday

text: according

text: to

text: media

text: reports

text: although

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: clear

text: whether

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: defendants

text: first

text: appearance

text: in

text: court

text: Among

text: the

text: defendants

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: on

text: trial

text: this

text: month

text: are

text: Seyyed

text: Mohammad

text: Abtahi

text: a

text: former

text: Iranian

text: vice

text: president

text: Maziar

text: Bahari

text: an

text: Iranian

text: Canadian

text: reporter

text: for

text: Newsweek

text: magazine

text: and

text: Kian

text: Tajbakhsh

text: an

text: Iranian

text: American

text: scholar

text: Street

text: protests

text: and

text: a

text: brutal

text: government

text: crackdown

text: followed

text: the

text: June

text: presidential

text: election

text: leading

text: to

text: the

text: arrests

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: The

text: official

text: death

text: toll

text: from

text: the

text: post

text: election

text: unrest

text: is

text: although

text: opposition

text: leaders

text: reportedly

text: have

text: said

text: it

text: 's

text: more

text: than

text: twice

text: that

text: figure

text: The

text: new

text: judiciary

text: chief

text: 's

text: brother

text: Ali

text: Larijani

text: spent

text: the

text: last

text: week

text: dismissing

text: allegations

text: by

text: Iran

text: 's

text: opposition

text: that

text: post

text: election

text: detainees

text: were

text: raped

text: while

text: in

text: custody

text: according

text: to

text: state

text: run

text: media

text: Larijani

text: said

text: that

text: a

text: special

text: panel

text: of

text: Iran

text: 's

text: parliament

text: or

text: Majlis

text: conducted

text: a

text: precise

text: and

text: comprehensive

text: inquiry

text: into

text: the

text: treatment

text: at

text: Tehran

text: 's

text: Evin

text: and

text: Kahrizak

text: prisons

text: and

text: found

text: no

text: cases

text: of

text: rape

text: or

text: sexual

text: abuse

text: government

text: funded

text: Press

text: TV

text: reported

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: Iran

text: 's

text: Foreign

text: Ministry

text: also

text: denied

text: that

text: prisoners

text: had

text: been

text: tortured

text: What

text: kind

text: of

text: talk

text: is

text: this

text: There

text: was

text: never

text: any

text: pressure

text: used

text: against

text: these

text: people

text: Hassan

text: Qashqavi

text: said

text: Monday

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: semi

text: official

text: Mehr

text: news

text: agency

text: They

text: were

text: responding

text: to

text: accusations

text: made

text: by

text: opposition

text: candidate

text: Mehdi

text: Karrubi

text: who

text: along

text: with

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Mir

text: Hossein

text: Moussavi

text: ran

text: against

text: hardline

text: President

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: in

text: the

text: June

text: election

text: Iran

text: 's

text: election

text: authority

text: declared

text: Ahmadinejad

text: the

text: overwhelming

text: winner

text: of

text: the

text: race

text: sparking

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: Iranians

text: to

text: take

text: to

text: the

text: streets

text: in

text: protest

text: Iranian

text: opposition

text: figures

text: including

text: Karrubi

text: have

text: compared

text: the

text: treatment

text: of

text: the

text: detainees

text: to

text: the

text: abuse

text: of

text: political

text: prisoners

text: under

text: the

text: oppressing

text: regime

text: of

text: the

text: shah

text: who

text: was

text: overthrown

text: by

text: the

text: Islamic

text: Revolution

text: in

text: In

text: an

text: open

text: letter

text: to

text: former

text: president

text: Ali

text: Akbar

text: Hashemi

text: Rafsanjani

text: posted

text: Saturday

text: on

text: his

text: party

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: Karrubi

text: says

text: an

text: impartial

text: committee

text: is

text: needed

text: to

text: investigate

text: these

text: tragedies

text: with

text: transparency

text: until

text: they

text: are

text: resolved

text: Some

text: of

text: the

text: former

text: detainees

text: have

text: told

text: of

text: such

text: brutal

text: and

text: violent

text: repeated

text: rapes

text: of

text: the

text: young

text: women

text: in

text: detention

text: that

text: have

text: caused

text: irreparable

text: damage

text: to

text: their

text: reproductive

text: systems

text: Karrubi

text: says

text: in

text: the

text: letter

text: Others

text: have

text: raped

text: our

text: detained

text: young

text: men

text: with

text: such

text: brutality

text: that

text: they

text: the

text: victims

text: have

text: been

text: afflicted

text: by

text: depression

text: and

text: are

text: no

text: longer

text: speaking

text: with

text: anyone

text: and

text: refuse

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: dark

text: corners

text: of

text: their

text: houses

text: Larijani

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: challenged

text: Karrubi

text: to

text: present

text: evidence

text: of

text: such

text: outrages

text: for

text: the

text: Majlis

text: to

text: investigate

text: according

text: to

text: Press

text: TV

question: From which country is supreme leader?

answer: Iran's

text: Iran's

question: What is denied by leadership?

answer: prisoners had been tortured.

text: prisoners had been tortured.

question: What position will Sadeq Larijani take?

answer: Iran's judiciary.

text: Iran's judiciary.

question: How many detainees were to be tried Sunday?

answer: More than two dozen

text: More than two dozen

question: How many detainees were to be tried?

answer: More than two dozen

text: More than two dozen

question: What is reported by media?

answer: Iran's supreme leader on Saturday appointed a new judiciary chief,

text: Iran's supreme leader on Saturday appointed a new judiciary chief,

question: Who did Iran's supreme leader pick  to head judiciary?

answer: Sadeq Larijani,

text: Sadeq Larijani,

question: Who replaces the outgoing Hashemi Shahroudi?

answer: Sadeq Larijani

text: Sadeq Larijani


text:
(CNN) -- Hundreds of South Koreas were left in limbo after North Korea shut its borders Monday at the start of joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.

U.S. troops have started joint military exercises with their South Korean counterparts.

When Pyongyang took the action, 573 South Koreans were staying at the Kaesong industrial complex, north of the demilitarized zone, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Many of the stranded South Koreans work at the complex, which is a joint project between the Koreas.

"The South Korean government is closely monitoring the situation and preparing for all contingencies," said Kim Ho-nyun, a South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman. "We emphasize that currently the first priority is the safety of our citizens."

Eighty South Koreans had applied to cross the border into South Korea on Monday, Kim said, but had not been cleared to do so.

"We are also not certain what will happen to the South Koreans that want to cross tomorrow as well," he said.

The cross-border developments came as North Korea said it would retaliate if a "satellite" launch from its northeastern coast were intercepted, with the communist nation saying interference would "mean a war."

"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," a spokesman for the North Korean army said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

U.S. and South Korean officials have said that North Korea appears to be preparing to test-fire its long-range missile, the Taepodong-2, under the guise of launching a satellite into space. The missile is thought to have an intended range of about 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles), which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking Alaska or Hawaii.

North Korea's bellicose announcement came on the first day of annual joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.

"We have said several times that the U.S.-South Korean military exercises are annual defensive exercises," Kim said.

"We again urge North Korea to maintain the agreed stance of mutual respect and to stop its verbal attacks and actions that are raising tensions on the Korean peninsula," he said.

The North said it has shut its borders to "any enemies" and has cut off "the North-South military communications in order to guarantee the security."

North Korea said the military phone lines with the South, the last remaining communications channel, will remain closed until the 12-day military exercises end on March 20, according to Yonhap.

Kim said his government is urging North Korea "to immediately retract this measure and to allow the smooth flow of personnel and communication."

On Saturday, U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth said he wants dialogue with North Korea, but he also spoke against North Korea's move to go forward with a launch, saying it would be "ill-advised."

text: CNN

text: Hundreds

text: of

text: South

text: Koreas

text: were

text: left

text: in

text: limbo

text: after

text: North

text: Korea

text: shut

text: its

text: borders

text: Monday

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: joint

text: military

text: exercises

text: between

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: South

text: Korea

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: have

text: started

text: joint

text: military

text: exercises

text: with

text: their

text: South

text: Korean

text: counterparts

text: When

text: Pyongyang

text: took

text: the

text: action

text: South

text: Koreans

text: were

text: staying

text: at

text: the

text: Kaesong

text: industrial

text: complex

text: north

text: of

text: the

text: demilitarized

text: zone

text: South

text: Korea

text: 's

text: Yonhap

text: news

text: agency

text: reported

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: stranded

text: South

text: Koreans

text: work

text: at

text: the

text: complex

text: which

text: is

text: a

text: joint

text: project

text: between

text: the

text: Koreas

text: The

text: South

text: Korean

text: government

text: is

text: closely

text: monitoring

text: the

text: situation

text: and

text: preparing

text: for

text: all

text: contingencies

text: said

text: Kim

text: Ho

text: nyun

text: a

text: South

text: Korean

text: Unification

text: Ministry

text: spokesman

text: We

text: emphasize

text: that

text: currently

text: the

text: first

text: priority

text: is

text: the

text: safety

text: of

text: our

text: citizens

text: Eighty

text: South

text: Koreans

text: had

text: applied

text: to

text: cross

text: the

text: border

text: into

text: South

text: Korea

text: on

text: Monday

text: Kim

text: said

text: but

text: had

text: not

text: been

text: cleared

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: We

text: are

text: also

text: not

text: certain

text: what

text: will

text: happen

text: to

text: the

text: South

text: Koreans

text: that

text: want

text: to

text: cross

text: tomorrow

text: as

text: well

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: cross

text: border

text: developments

text: came

text: as

text: North

text: Korea

text: said

text: it

text: would

text: retaliate

text: if

text: a

text: satellite

text: launch

text: from

text: its

text: northeastern

text: coast

text: were

text: intercepted

text: with

text: the

text: communist

text: nation

text: saying

text: interference

text: would

text: mean

text: a

text: war

text: Shooting

text: our

text: satellite

text: for

text: peaceful

text: purposes

text: will

text: precisely

text: mean

text: a

text: war

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: North

text: Korean

text: army

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: carried

text: by

text: the

text: state

text: run

text: Korean

text: Central

text: News

text: Agency

text: KCNA

text: U.S.

text: and

text: South

text: Korean

text: officials

text: have

text: said

text: that

text: North

text: Korea

text: appears

text: to

text: be

text: preparing

text: to

text: test

text: fire

text: its

text: long

text: range

text: missile

text: the

text: under

text: the

text: guise

text: of

text: launching

text: a

text: satellite

text: into

text: space

text: The

text: missile

text: is

text: thought

text: to

text: have

text: an

text: intended

text: range

text: of

text: about

text: kilometers

text: miles

text: which

text: if

text: true

text: could

text: give

text: it

text: the

text: capability

text: of

text: striking

text: Alaska

text: or

text: Hawaii

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: bellicose

text: announcement

text: came

text: on

text: the

text: first

text: day

text: of

text: annual

text: joint

text: military

text: drills

text: between

text: South

text: Korea

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: We

text: have

text: said

text: several

text: times

text: that

text: the

text: U.S

text: South

text: Korean

text: military

text: exercises

text: are

text: annual

text: defensive

text: exercises

text: Kim

text: said

text: We

text: again

text: urge

text: North

text: Korea

text: to

text: maintain

text: the

text: agreed

text: stance

text: of

text: mutual

text: respect

text: and

text: to

text: stop

text: its

text: verbal

text: attacks

text: and

text: actions

text: that

text: are

text: raising

text: tensions

text: on

text: the

text: Korean

text: peninsula

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: North

text: said

text: it

text: has

text: shut

text: its

text: borders

text: to

text: any

text: enemies

text: and

text: has

text: cut

text: off

text: the

text: North

text: South

text: military

text: communications

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: guarantee

text: the

text: security

text: North

text: Korea

text: said

text: the

text: military

text: phone

text: lines

text: with

text: the

text: South

text: the

text: last

text: remaining

text: communications

text: channel

text: will

text: remain

text: closed

text: until

text: the

text: military

text: exercises

text: end

text: on

text: March

text: according

text: to

text: Yonhap

text: Kim

text: said

text: his

text: government

text: is

text: urging

text: North

text: Korea

text: to

text: immediately

text: retract

text: this

text: measure

text: and

text: to

text: allow

text: the

text: smooth

text: flow

text: of

text: personnel

text: and

text: communication

text: On

text: Saturday

text: U.S.

text: envoy

text: Stephen

text: Bosworth

text: said

text: he

text: wants

text: dialogue

text: with

text: North

text: Korea

text: but

text: he

text: also

text: spoke

text: against

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: move

text: to

text: go

text: forward

text: with

text: a

text: launch

text: saying

text: it

text: would

text: be

text: ill

text: advised

question: When were the South Koreans not cleared to cross the border?

answer: Monday

text: Monday

question: What country is doing annual joint military drills with the US?

answer: South Korea

text: South Korea

question: Who started annual joint military drills?

answer: U.S. troops

text: U.S. troops

question: Who is staying at Kaesong industrial complex?

answer: 573 South Koreans

text: 573 South Koreans

question: Number of people staying at Kaesong industrial complex?

answer: 573 South Koreans

text: 573 South Koreans

question: What is Kaesong north of?

answer: the demilitarized zone,

text: the demilitarized zone,

question: Where are 573 people staying?

answer: at the Kaesong industrial complex,

text: at the Kaesong industrial complex,

question: What were 80 South Koreans not cleared for?

answer: Korea

text: Korea