text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China's military is developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles that are "shifting the balance of power in the region" and could help Beijing secure resources or settle territorial disputes, a report released by the Pentagon said Wednesday.

U.S. and Chinese militaries need "resumption of dialogue,"  Adm. Timothy Keating told Congress.

China also continues to build up short-range missiles and increase its "coercive capabilities" against Taiwan. The report suggests such moves constitute an effort to pressure Taiwan into settling the cross-strait dispute in favor of China, though tensions between the two countries have receded over the past year.

The report, called the "Military Power of the People's Republic of China," is the Pentagon's annual briefing to Congress on the status of the communist country's military might.

While China continues to proclaim that its military buildup is for defense purposes to protect its interests, the report says the country's lack of transparency is worrisome and could lead to an unintended conflict.

"The limited transparency in China's military and security affairs poses risks to stability by creating uncertainty and increasing the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation," according to the report. "Much uncertainty surrounds China's future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power might be used."

The lack of transparency causes Washington "to speculate to some degree on what their intentions are," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters at a Wednesday briefing.

According to Adm. Timothy Keating, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command, some of that uncertainty is due to the cessation of talks between the Chinese and U.S. militaries.

In March of 2008, the United States and China installed a hot line between the two countries' militaries. But there have been no military-to-military talks since November 2008, when Washington announced it was selling weapons to Taiwan.

"We are looking for the resumption of that dialogue so we can engage in discussion with our colleagues in the People's Republic of China and their Army, Navy and Air Force so we can have a sense of their way ahead," Keating told the House Armed Services committee on Tuesday. "We don't have a clear idea of their broad strategic way ahead."

The Pentagon report comes after a recent incident in which Chinese ships, including a Chinese navy vessel, confronted an unarmed U.S. Navy surveillance ship in the South China Sea in international waters. The confrontation prompted the United States to move a destroyer ship to the area to protect the surveillance vessel.

While the report does not discuss the incident, it notes the importance China puts on controlling its waterways and the surrounding territories because "China's economic and political power is contingent upon access to and use of the sea, and that a strong navy is required to safeguard such access."

The analysis also said that while much of China's capability is more for regional disputes, it did send two destroyers and one supply ship off the coast of Africa to protect Chinese vessels from pirate attacks.

That move was a sign of Chinese intent to expand its militaries to protect expanding economic and political interests around the world, according to a China analyst.

"The Chinese military is being told to develop capabilities to deal with Chinese national interests beyond the pure defense of Chinese territory," said David Finklestein, the Director of China Studies for CNA, a nonprofit research group that does analysis for the U.S. military and other clients. "China, with a global economy, now obviously has global political interests and clearly has expanding global security interests."

Though the Pentagon report concludes that "China's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited," it does have a growing space program, nuclear weapon system and cyber warfare capabilities, "the only aspects of China's armed forces that, today, have the potential to be truly global," the report explained.

In citing China's cyber warfare, the report notes that U.S. government computers were the target of "intrusions that appear to have originated" from China, although they were not confirmed to be from the military.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: China

text: 's

text: military

text: is

text: developing

text: longer

text: range

text: ballistic

text: and

text: anti

text: ship

text: missiles

text: that

text: are

text: shifting

text: the

text: balance

text: of

text: power

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: and

text: could

text: help

text: Beijing

text: secure

text: resources

text: or

text: settle

text: territorial

text: disputes

text: a

text: report

text: released

text: by

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Chinese

text: militaries

text: need

text: resumption

text: of

text: dialogue

text: Adm.

text: Timothy

text: Keating

text: told

text: Congress

text: China

text: also

text: continues

text: to

text: build

text: up

text: short

text: range

text: missiles

text: and

text: increase

text: its

text: coercive

text: capabilities

text: against

text: Taiwan

text: The

text: report

text: suggests

text: such

text: moves

text: constitute

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: pressure

text: Taiwan

text: into

text: settling

text: the

text: cross

text: strait

text: dispute

text: in

text: favor

text: of

text: China

text: though

text: tensions

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: have

text: receded

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: The

text: report

text: called

text: the

text: Military

text: Power

text: of

text: the

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: is

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: 's

text: annual

text: briefing

text: to

text: Congress

text: on

text: the

text: status

text: of

text: the

text: communist

text: country

text: 's

text: military

text: might

text: While

text: China

text: continues

text: to

text: proclaim

text: that

text: its

text: military

text: buildup

text: is

text: for

text: defense

text: purposes

text: to

text: protect

text: its

text: interests

text: the

text: report

text: says

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: lack

text: of

text: transparency

text: is

text: worrisome

text: and

text: could

text: lead

text: to

text: an

text: unintended

text: conflict

text: The

text: limited

text: transparency

text: in

text: China

text: 's

text: military

text: and

text: security

text: affairs

text: poses

text: risks

text: to

text: stability

text: by

text: creating

text: uncertainty

text: and

text: increasing

text: the

text: potential

text: for

text: misunderstanding

text: and

text: miscalculation

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: report

text: Much

text: uncertainty

text: surrounds

text: China

text: 's

text: future

text: course

text: particularly

text: regarding

text: how

text: its

text: expanding

text: military

text: power

text: might

text: be

text: used

text: The

text: lack

text: of

text: transparency

text: causes

text: Washington

text: to

text: speculate

text: to

text: some

text: degree

text: on

text: what

text: their

text: intentions

text: are

text: Pentagon

text: spokesman

text: Geoff

text: Morrell

text: told

text: reporters

text: at

text: a

text: Wednesday

text: briefing

text: According

text: to

text: Adm.

text: Timothy

text: Keating

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Pacific

text: Command

text: some

text: of

text: that

text: uncertainty

text: is

text: due

text: to

text: the

text: cessation

text: of

text: talks

text: between

text: the

text: Chinese

text: and

text: U.S.

text: militaries

text: In

text: March

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: China

text: installed

text: a

text: hot

text: line

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: militaries

text: But

text: there

text: have

text: been

text: no

text: military

text: to

text: military

text: talks

text: since

text: November

text: when

text: Washington

text: announced

text: it

text: was

text: selling

text: weapons

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: We

text: are

text: looking

text: for

text: the

text: resumption

text: of

text: that

text: dialogue

text: so

text: we

text: can

text: engage

text: in

text: discussion

text: with

text: our

text: colleagues

text: in

text: the

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: and

text: their

text: Army

text: Navy

text: and

text: Air

text: Force

text: so

text: we

text: can

text: have

text: a

text: sense

text: of

text: their

text: way

text: ahead

text: Keating

text: told

text: the

text: House

text: Armed

text: Services

text: committee

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: a

text: clear

text: idea

text: of

text: their

text: broad

text: strategic

text: way

text: ahead

text: The

text: Pentagon

text: report

text: comes

text: after

text: a

text: recent

text: incident

text: in

text: which

text: Chinese

text: ships

text: including

text: a

text: Chinese

text: navy

text: vessel

text: confronted

text: an

text: unarmed

text: U.S.

text: Navy

text: surveillance

text: ship

text: in

text: the

text: South

text: China

text: Sea

text: in

text: international

text: waters

text: The

text: confrontation

text: prompted

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: to

text: move

text: a

text: destroyer

text: ship

text: to

text: the

text: area

text: to

text: protect

text: the

text: surveillance

text: vessel

text: While

text: the

text: report

text: does

text: not

text: discuss

text: the

text: incident

text: it

text: notes

text: the

text: importance

text: China

text: puts

text: on

text: controlling

text: its

text: waterways

text: and

text: the

text: surrounding

text: territories

text: because

text: China

text: 's

text: economic

text: and

text: political

text: power

text: is

text: contingent

text: upon

text: access

text: to

text: and

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: sea

text: and

text: that

text: a

text: strong

text: navy

text: is

text: required

text: to

text: safeguard

text: such

text: access

text: The

text: analysis

text: also

text: said

text: that

text: while

text: much

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: capability

text: is

text: more

text: for

text: regional

text: disputes

text: it

text: did

text: send

text: two

text: destroyers

text: and

text: one

text: supply

text: ship

text: off

text: the

text: coast

text: of

text: Africa

text: to

text: protect

text: Chinese

text: vessels

text: from

text: pirate

text: attacks

text: That

text: move

text: was

text: a

text: sign

text: of

text: Chinese

text: intent

text: to

text: expand

text: its

text: militaries

text: to

text: protect

text: expanding

text: economic

text: and

text: political

text: interests

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: China

text: analyst

text: The

text: Chinese

text: military

text: is

text: being

text: told

text: to

text: develop

text: capabilities

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: Chinese

text: national

text: interests

text: beyond

text: the

text: pure

text: defense

text: of

text: Chinese

text: territory

text: said

text: David

text: Finklestein

text: the

text: Director

text: of

text: China

text: Studies

text: for

text: CNA

text: a

text: nonprofit

text: research

text: group

text: that

text: does

text: analysis

text: for

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: and

text: other

text: clients

text: China

text: with

text: a

text: global

text: economy

text: now

text: obviously

text: has

text: global

text: political

text: interests

text: and

text: clearly

text: has

text: expanding

text: global

text: security

text: interests

text: Though

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: report

text: concludes

text: that

text: China

text: 's

text: ability

text: to

text: sustain

text: military

text: power

text: at

text: a

text: distance

text: remains

text: limited

text: it

text: does

text: have

text: a

text: growing

text: space

text: program

text: nuclear

text: weapon

text: system

text: and

text: cyber

text: warfare

text: capabilities

text: the

text: only

text: aspects

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: armed

text: forces

text: that

text: today

text: have

text: the

text: potential

text: to

text: be

text: truly

text: global

text: the

text: report

text: explained

text: In

text: citing

text: China

text: 's

text: cyber

text: warfare

text: the

text: report

text: notes

text: that

text: U.S.

text: government

text: computers

text: were

text: the

text: target

text: of

text: intrusions

text: that

text: appear

text: to

text: have

text: originated

text: from

text: China

text: although

text: they

text: were

text: not

text: confirmed

text: to

text: be

text: from

text: the

text: military

question: What is shifting the balance of power?

answer: developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles

text: developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles

question: The Pentagon report was about what country?

answer: China's

text: China's

question: What is partly to blame, according to U.S. admiral?

answer: the cessation of talks between the Chinese and

text: the cessation of talks between the Chinese and

question: The cessation talks were between who?

answer: Chinese and U.S. militaries.

text: Chinese and U.S. militaries.

question: What is shifting the balance of power in region?

answer: developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles

text: developing longer-range ballistic and anti-ship missiles

question: Who is accused of having a lack of transparency?

answer: China

text: China

question: What did the US admiral say is partly to blame?

answer: the cessation of talks between the Chinese and U.S. militaries.

text: the cessation of talks between the Chinese and U.S. militaries.

question: What area had a lack of transparency?

answer: China's military and security affairs

text: China's military and security affairs

question: What could Beijing's lack of transparency lead to?

answer: unintended conflict.

text: unintended conflict.


text:
(CNN) -- Much of the Central Plains and Midwest braced for another day of potentially severe weather as residents of Oklahoma cleaned up from a deadly outbreak of tornadoes this week.

The National Weather Service said severe thunderstorms were possible Wednesday across large sections of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, as well as parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, forecast an outbreak of powerful thunderstorms in the late afternoon and into the evening -- some with large hail.

The deadly storm system that swept through Oklahoma on Monday spawned multiple tornadoes and dropped softball-sized hail. Two people died and more than 100 people were treated for various injuries, the state Department of Emergency Management reported.

Gov. Brad Henry took an aerial tour of one of the hardest hit areas Tuesday afternoon.

"I lost track of the number of damaged and destroyed homes that we saw," Henry said. "Literally hundreds and, I think, thousands of homes have received damaged in these storms, and many, many of those homes have been destroyed.

"Even though central Oklahoma was the hardest hit, this storm really was a statewide event, and there is damage and destruction throughout the state," he said.

The governor said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano assured him "that FEMA would act very, very quickly on our request for a presidential disaster (declaration) and federal aid."

iReport: Are you there? Share photos, video

State emergency officials said more than 100 homes were destroyed and another 70 sustained major damage. Additionally, 43 businesses were destroyed.

text: CNN

text: Much

text: of

text: the

text: Central

text: Plains

text: and

text: Midwest

text: braced

text: for

text: another

text: day

text: of

text: potentially

text: severe

text: weather

text: as

text: residents

text: of

text: Oklahoma

text: cleaned

text: up

text: from

text: a

text: deadly

text: outbreak

text: of

text: tornadoes

text: this

text: week

text: The

text: National

text: Weather

text: Service

text: said

text: severe

text: thunderstorms

text: were

text: possible

text: Wednesday

text: across

text: large

text: sections

text: of

text: Oklahoma

text: Kansas

text: and

text: Missouri

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: parts

text: of

text: Arkansas

text: Kentucky

text: Illinois

text: and

text: Indiana

text: The

text: Storm

text: Prediction

text: Center

text: in

text: Norman

text: Oklahoma

text: forecast

text: an

text: outbreak

text: of

text: powerful

text: thunderstorms

text: in

text: the

text: late

text: afternoon

text: and

text: into

text: the

text: evening

text: some

text: with

text: large

text: hail

text: The

text: deadly

text: storm

text: system

text: that

text: swept

text: through

text: Oklahoma

text: on

text: Monday

text: spawned

text: multiple

text: tornadoes

text: and

text: dropped

text: softball

text: sized

text: hail

text: Two

text: people

text: died

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: were

text: treated

text: for

text: various

text: injuries

text: the

text: state

text: Department

text: of

text: Emergency

text: Management

text: reported

text: Gov.

text: Brad

text: Henry

text: took

text: an

text: aerial

text: tour

text: of

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: hardest

text: hit

text: areas

text: Tuesday

text: afternoon

text: I

text: lost

text: track

text: of

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: damaged

text: and

text: destroyed

text: homes

text: that

text: we

text: saw

text: Henry

text: said

text: Literally

text: hundreds

text: and

text: I

text: think

text: thousands

text: of

text: homes

text: have

text: received

text: damaged

text: in

text: these

text: storms

text: and

text: many

text: many

text: of

text: those

text: homes

text: have

text: been

text: destroyed

text: Even

text: though

text: central

text: Oklahoma

text: was

text: the

text: hardest

text: hit

text: this

text: storm

text: really

text: was

text: a

text: statewide

text: event

text: and

text: there

text: is

text: damage

text: and

text: destruction

text: throughout

text: the

text: state

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: governor

text: said

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: Secretary

text: Janet

text: Napolitano

text: assured

text: him

text: that

text: FEMA

text: would

text: act

text: very

text: very

text: quickly

text: on

text: our

text: request

text: for

text: a

text: presidential

text: disaster

text: declaration

text: and

text: federal

text: aid

text: iReport

text: Are

text: you

text: there

text: Share

text: photos

text: video

text: State

text: emergency

text: officials

text: said

text: more

text: than

text: homes

text: were

text: destroyed

text: and

text: another

text: sustained

text: major

text: damage

text: Additionally

text: businesses

text: were

text: destroyed

question: How long will the storm last?

answer: late afternoon and into the evening

text: late afternoon and into the evening

question: when are expected to see severe weather?

answer: Wednesday

text: Wednesday

question: How many homes were damaged?

answer: thousands

text: thousands

question: What will happen in Oklahoma?

answer: severe thunderstorms

text: severe thunderstorms

question: how many homes have been destroyed?

answer: more than 100

text: more than 100

question: who is expected to see tough weather?

answer: Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, as well as parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.

text: Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, as well as parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.


text:
(CNN) -- The pilot of a tanker that crashed into the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007, causing a major oil spill, was under the influence of multiple prescription medications that impaired his judgment, federal officials said in a report Wednesday.

The November 2007 crash left a gash in the tanker's side and led to an oil spill that killed more than 2,000 birds.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of the Hong Kong-registered Cosco Busan, was "medically unfit" on November 7, 2007. That, and a master pilot's poor oversight of his performance, were major factors in the crash that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay, the NTSB said.

"How a man who was taking a half-dozen impairing prescription medications got to stand on the bridge of a 68,000-ton ship and give directions to guide the vessel through a foggy bay and under a busy highway bridge is very troubling," said acting NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

The pilot, John Cota, was charged with criminal negligence in federal court last year. He faces two misdemeanor charges that could result in up to 18 months in prison and $115,000 in fines.

The 901-foot ship left Oakland, California, en route to South Korea when Cota gave orders that steered the ship directly toward a support tower on the bridge. While the ship avoided a direct hit, it hit a support system at the tower's base, cutting a 212-foot gash in the ship's side, the NTSB said.

The board ruled that Cota and Chinese master pilot Mao Cai Sun never thoroughly discussed a plan before they took off on a foggy night when visibility was less than a quarter-mile.

The oil spill killed about 2,500 birds of 50 different species, according to the report. The crash caused more than $70 million in environmental cleanup costs, $2 million in damage to the ship and $1.5 million in damage to the bridge.

The report also blamed the ship's operator, Fleet Management Ltd., for not properly training crew members and the U.S. Coast Guard for not providing adequate medical oversight of the pilot.

It said the Coast Guard should have revoked the pilot's license, the pilot should have given a meaningful pre-departure briefing about plans for the voyage and the master pilot should have taken a more active role in ensuring the ship's safety.

"There was a lack of competence in so many areas that this accident seemed almost inevitable," Rosenker said.

text: CNN

text: The

text: pilot

text: of

text: a

text: tanker

text: that

text: crashed

text: into

text: the

text: San

text: Francisco

text: Bay

text: Bridge

text: in

text: causing

text: a

text: major

text: oil

text: spill

text: was

text: under

text: the

text: influence

text: of

text: multiple

text: prescription

text: medications

text: that

text: impaired

text: his

text: judgment

text: federal

text: officials

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: report

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: November

text: crash

text: left

text: a

text: gash

text: in

text: the

text: tanker

text: 's

text: side

text: and

text: led

text: to

text: an

text: oil

text: spill

text: that

text: killed

text: more

text: than

text: birds

text: The

text: National

text: Transportation

text: Safety

text: Board

text: said

text: the

text: pilot

text: of

text: the

text: Hong

text: Kong

text: registered

text: Cosco

text: Busan

text: was

text: medically

text: unfit

text: on

text: November

text: That

text: and

text: a

text: master

text: pilot

text: 's

text: poor

text: oversight

text: of

text: his

text: performance

text: were

text: major

text: factors

text: in

text: the

text: crash

text: that

text: dumped

text: gallons

text: of

text: oil

text: into

text: the

text: bay

text: the

text: NTSB

text: said

text: How

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: was

text: taking

text: a

text: half

text: dozen

text: impairing

text: prescription

text: medications

text: got

text: to

text: stand

text: on

text: the

text: bridge

text: of

text: a

text: ship

text: and

text: give

text: directions

text: to

text: guide

text: the

text: vessel

text: through

text: a

text: foggy

text: bay

text: and

text: under

text: a

text: busy

text: highway

text: bridge

text: is

text: very

text: troubling

text: said

text: acting

text: NTSB

text: Chairman

text: Mark

text: V.

text: Rosenker

text: The

text: pilot

text: John

text: Cota

text: was

text: charged

text: with

text: criminal

text: negligence

text: in

text: federal

text: court

text: last

text: year

text: He

text: faces

text: two

text: misdemeanor

text: charges

text: that

text: could

text: result

text: in

text: up

text: to

text: months

text: in

text: prison

text: and

text: in

text: fines

text: The

text: ship

text: left

text: Oakland

text: California

text: en

text: route

text: to

text: South

text: Korea

text: when

text: Cota

text: gave

text: orders

text: that

text: steered

text: the

text: ship

text: directly

text: toward

text: a

text: support

text: tower

text: on

text: the

text: bridge

text: While

text: the

text: ship

text: avoided

text: a

text: direct

text: hit

text: it

text: hit

text: a

text: support

text: system

text: at

text: the

text: tower

text: 's

text: base

text: cutting

text: a

text: gash

text: in

text: the

text: ship

text: 's

text: side

text: the

text: NTSB

text: said

text: The

text: board

text: ruled

text: that

text: Cota

text: and

text: Chinese

text: master

text: pilot

text: Mao

text: Cai

text: Sun

text: never

text: thoroughly

text: discussed

text: a

text: plan

text: before

text: they

text: took

text: off

text: on

text: a

text: foggy

text: night

text: when

text: visibility

text: was

text: less

text: than

text: a

text: quarter

text: mile

text: The

text: oil

text: spill

text: killed

text: about

text: birds

text: of

text: different

text: species

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: report

text: The

text: crash

text: caused

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: in

text: environmental

text: cleanup

text: costs

text: million

text: in

text: damage

text: to

text: the

text: ship

text: and

text: million

text: in

text: damage

text: to

text: the

text: bridge

text: The

text: report

text: also

text: blamed

text: the

text: ship

text: 's

text: operator

text: Fleet

text: Management

text: Ltd.

text: for

text: not

text: properly

text: training

text: crew

text: members

text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: for

text: not

text: providing

text: adequate

text: medical

text: oversight

text: of

text: the

text: pilot

text: It

text: said

text: the

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: should

text: have

text: revoked

text: the

text: pilot

text: 's

text: license

text: the

text: pilot

text: should

text: have

text: given

text: a

text: meaningful

text: pre

text: departure

text: briefing

text: about

text: plans

text: for

text: the

text: voyage

text: and

text: the

text: master

text: pilot

text: should

text: have

text: taken

text: a

text: more

text: active

text: role

text: in

text: ensuring

text: the

text: ship

text: 's

text: safety

text: There

text: was

text: a

text: lack

text: of

text: competence

text: in

text: so

text: many

text: areas

text: that

text: this

text: accident

text: seemed

text: almost

text: inevitable

text: Rosenker

text: said

question: What state did this incident take place in?

answer: California,

text: California,

question: What did the tanker strike?

answer: San Francisco Bay Bridge

text: San Francisco Bay Bridge

question: How many birds died in this oil spill?

answer: more than 2,000

text: more than 2,000

question: Who is the pilot of the tanker?

answer: John Cota,

text: John Cota,

question: Who called the pilot medically unfit?

answer: National Transportation Safety Board

text: National Transportation Safety Board

question: How many medicines was this pilot on?

answer: multiple

text: multiple

question: What year did the crash occur?

answer: 2007

question: What did the tanker hit?

answer: the San Francisco Bay Bridge

text: the San Francisco Bay Bridge

question: What else was cited as a factor?

answer: master pilot's poor oversight of his performance,

text: master pilot's poor oversight of his performance,

question: What did the NTSB say about the pilot of tanker?

answer: "medically unfit"

text: "medically unfit"

question: How many birds died in 2007

answer: more than 2,000

text: more than 2,000


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The "crime scene cookies", "baaji custard" and "sponge shafts" depicted in Oliver Beale's letter of complaint to Virgin Atlantic struck a chord worldwide.

Mean cuisine? Airline industry experts insist standards of in-flight food are improving.

The missive he sent to Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson about a meal he received on board a Virgin flight from Mumbai to London in December spread across the web and email with a vengeance.

Not only was this a complaint letter par excellence, but it hit upon one of the most emotive subjects of long-haul air travel: the in-flight meal.

Read the letter here.

"Food gets everybody going, whether they are sitting at the back end or the front end of the plane," says Peter Miller, marketing director at Skytrax, a UK-based aviation research organization.

"Apart from the sheer fact you might be hungry, it is there to alleviate the boredom. Because of that people tend to focus on it more."

But the criticism passengers target at airline food is not always warranted, Miller argues.

Skytrax has been tracking airline service for a decade and every year it ranks airlines according to catering in economy, business and first class.

Miller acknowledges that there have been cut backs on catering across short-haul flights and a decline in spending on food in long-haul economy.

But Skytrax's research has also revealed a general improvement in standards over the last five years. "We are actually strong supporters of the overall quality that is served up across most airlines in most parts of the world," says Miller.

Standards have improved firstly as a result of greater competition between airline catering companies, says Miller. What do you think? Are in-flight meals getting better or worse? What was your worse meal? Sound off below.

Austrian catering company DO & CO has transformed the food served onboard Austrian Airlines and Turkish Airlines flights. Skytrax reported a 35 percent increase in customer satisfaction for Turkish Airlines since DO & CO was hired in 2007.

"In the last 15-20 years, the industry has focused on lean production. But we believe [airline catering] is not the job of a car manufacturer," says Attila Dogudan, CEO of DO & CO.

Good quality airline food not only depends on the quality of raw ingredients, he says, but also the intangible elements of good cuisine.

"If you have chefs doing 3,000 filets on the grill, after 300 they lose the passion," says Dogudan. To inspire enthusiasm in its kitchens, DO & CO says it employs an unusually high ratio of chefs to work on a greater variety of dishes.

They say they also insist on training cabin staff in food service; they replace the dreaded disposable food trays with crockery; and give passengers menus explaining where their fresh, local ingredients come from.

Airlines also use food as a marketing tool and improve standards to attract premium customers.

Austrian Airlines has won the Skytrax award for Best Business Class Catering for the last two years. As Michael Braun, spokesman at Austrian Airlines says, "the current situation in the airline industry is tough and costs have to be cut. But the competition is also very tough, so we need something that makes us unique compared to other airlines."

And for Austrian Airlines, one unique selling point is its food.

There is an on-board chef on every Austrian Airlines flight who puts the crucial finishing touches on premium-class meals.

The airline also offers a "Vienna coffee house in the air" and one quarter of flight attendants are trained sommeliers to guide passengers through the extensive wine list.

Airlines worldwide also hire celebrity chefs to add prestige to their culinary efforts. British chef, Gordon Ramsay is one of Singapore Airline's "Culinary Panel"; Juan Amador works with Lufthansa; and United Airlines enlisted the services of U.S. chef Charlie Trotter to inspire its in-flight menu.

Chefs help airlines design meals that perform at high altitude. As Michelle Bernstein, Delta's celebrity chef has said, palates weaken in pressurized air cabins, which means dishes need to be made a more flavorful and seasoned than they would be on the ground.

Miller at SkyTrax is skeptical about the true benefits a celebrity chef can bring to onboard catering. After all, Gordon Ramsay isn't actually in the cabin sautÃ©ing the potatoes.

But he does acknowledge that some chefs have influenced a new style of in-flight cuisine.

Chef Neil Perry, hired by Qantas in 2003, initiated a move to healthy eating in first and business class. His work has since influenced standards across catering in all classes.

Qantas won the Skytrax award for Best Economy Class Catering in 2008 partly as a result of simple enhancements such as the availability of fresh fruit between meals and from the self-serve bar in economy on its A380 aircraft.

But as airlines grapple with a deepening recession, can passengers expect treats to vanish from food trays?

Across short-haul flights, making cuts is an "easier game," says Miller. Passengers notice it far less if an airline switches a sandwich for a packet of biscuits and a plastic cup of coffee, he says.

But on long-haul flights, airlines are restrained in what they can cut.

Miller: "People measure the standard of their flight by the quality of the food or the size of the portion they get. If a meal is cut back too severely they are going to walk away."

How important is food for you on flights? Is it good enough? Sound off below.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: The

text: crime

text: scene

text: cookies

text: baaji

text: custard

text: and

text: sponge

text: shafts

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text: Peter

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text: Skytrax

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text: Apart

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text: the

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text: decade

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text: food

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text: But

text: Skytrax

text: 's

text: research

text: has

text: also

text: revealed

text: a

text: general

text: improvement

text: in

text: standards

text: over

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text: last

text: five

text: years

text: We

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text: Standards

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text: Skytrax

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text: Turkish

text: Airlines

text: since

text: DO

text: CO

text: was

text: hired

text: in

text: In

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: the

text: industry

text: has

text: focused

text: on

text: lean

text: production

text: But

text: we

text: believe

text: airline

text: catering

text: is

text: not

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text: job

text: of

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text: car

text: manufacturer

text: says

text: Attila

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text: CEO

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text: DO

text: CO

text: Good

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text: airline

text: food

text: not

text: only

text: depends

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text: quality

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text: raw

text: ingredients

text: he

text: says

text: but

text: also

text: the

text: intangible

text: elements

text: of

text: good

text: cuisine

text: If

text: you

text: have

text: chefs

text: doing

text: filets

text: on

text: the

text: grill

text: after

text: they

text: lose

text: the

text: passion

text: says

text: Dogudan

text: To

text: inspire

text: enthusiasm

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text: its

text: kitchens

text: DO

text: CO

text: says

text: it

text: employs

text: an

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text: high

text: ratio

text: of

text: chefs

text: to

text: work

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text: variety

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text: dishes

text: They

text: say

text: they

text: also

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text: on

text: training

text: cabin

text: staff

text: in

text: food

text: service

text: they

text: replace

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text: dreaded

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text: food

text: trays

text: with

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text: passengers

text: menus

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text: fresh

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text: come

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text: Airlines

text: also

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text: as

text: a

text: marketing

text: tool

text: and

text: improve

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text: to

text: attract

text: premium

text: customers

text: Austrian

text: Airlines

text: has

text: won

text: the

text: Skytrax

text: award

text: for

text: Best

text: Business

text: Class

text: Catering

text: for

text: the

text: last

text: two

text: years

text: As

text: Michael

text: Braun

text: spokesman

text: at

text: Austrian

text: Airlines

text: says

text: the

text: current

text: situation

text: in

text: the

text: airline

text: industry

text: is

text: tough

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text: have

text: to

text: be

text: cut

text: But

text: the

text: competition

text: is

text: also

text: very

text: tough

text: so

text: we

text: need

text: something

text: that

text: makes

text: us

text: unique

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text: airlines

text: And

text: for

text: Austrian

text: Airlines

text: one

text: unique

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text: point

text: is

text: its

text: food

text: There

text: is

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text: board

text: chef

text: on

text: every

text: Austrian

text: Airlines

text: flight

text: who

text: puts

text: the

text: crucial

text: finishing

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text: on

text: premium

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text: The

text: airline

text: also

text: offers

text: a

text: Vienna

text: coffee

text: house

text: in

text: the

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text: and

text: one

text: quarter

text: of

text: flight

text: attendants

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text: sommeliers

text: to

text: guide

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text: through

text: the

text: extensive

text: wine

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text: Airlines

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text: British

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text: Ramsay

text: is

text: one

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text: Singapore

text: Airline

text: 's

text: Culinary

text: Panel

text: Juan

text: Amador

text: works

text: with

text: Lufthansa

text: and

text: United

text: Airlines

text: enlisted

text: the

text: services

text: of

text: U.S.

text: chef

text: Charlie

text: Trotter

text: to

text: inspire

text: its

text: in

text: flight

text: menu

text: Chefs

text: help

text: airlines

text: design

text: meals

text: that

text: perform

text: at

text: high

text: altitude

text: As

text: Michelle

text: Bernstein

text: Delta

text: 's

text: celebrity

text: chef

text: has

text: said

text: palates

text: weaken

text: in

text: pressurized

text: air

text: cabins

text: which

text: means

text: dishes

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: made

text: a

text: more

text: flavorful

text: and

text: seasoned

text: than

text: they

text: would

text: be

text: on

text: the

text: ground

text: Miller

text: at

text: SkyTrax

text: is

text: skeptical

text: about

text: the

text: true

text: benefits

text: a

text: celebrity

text: chef

text: can

text: bring

text: to

text: onboard

text: catering

text: After

text: all

text: Gordon

text: Ramsay

text: is

text: n't

text: actually

text: in

text: the

text: cabin

text: sautÃ

text: ing

text: the

text: potatoes

text: But

text: he

text: does

text: acknowledge

text: that

text: some

text: chefs

text: have

text: influenced

text: a

text: new

text: style

text: of

text: in

text: flight

text: cuisine

text: Chef

text: Neil

text: Perry

text: hired

text: by

text: Qantas

text: in

text: initiated

text: a

text: move

text: to

text: healthy

text: eating

text: in

text: first

text: and

text: business

text: class

text: His

text: work

text: has

text: since

text: influenced

text: standards

text: across

text: catering

text: in

text: all

text: classes

text: Qantas

text: won

text: the

text: Skytrax

text: award

text: for

text: Best

text: Economy

text: Class

text: Catering

text: in

text: partly

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: simple

text: enhancements

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: availability

text: of

text: fresh

text: fruit

text: between

text: meals

text: and

text: from

text: the

text: self

text: serve

text: bar

text: in

text: economy

text: on

text: its

text: aircraft

text: But

text: as

text: airlines

text: grapple

text: with

text: a

text: deepening

text: recession

text: can

text: passengers

text: expect

text: treats

text: to

text: vanish

text: from

text: food

text: trays

text: Across

text: short

text: haul

text: flights

text: making

text: cuts

text: is

text: an

text: easier

text: game

text: says

text: Miller

text: Passengers

text: notice

text: it

text: far

text: less

text: if

text: an

text: airline

text: switches

text: a

text: sandwich

text: for

text: a

text: packet

text: of

text: biscuits

text: and

text: a

text: plastic

text: cup

text: of

text: coffee

text: he

text: says

text: But

text: on

text: long

text: haul

text: flights

text: airlines

text: are

text: restrained

text: in

text: what

text: they

text: can

text: cut

text: Miller

text: People

text: measure

text: the

text: standard

text: of

text: their

text: flight

text: by

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: the

text: food

text: or

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: the

text: portion

text: they

text: get

text: If

text: a

text: meal

text: is

text: cut

text: back

text: too

text: severely

text: they

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: walk

text: away

text: How

text: important

text: is

text: food

text: for

text: you

text: on

text: flights

text: Is

text: it

text: good

text: enough

text: Sound

text: off

text: below

question: What did the complaint letter state?

answer: "crime scene cookies", "baaji custard"

text: "crime scene cookies", "baaji custard"

question: What is improving in quality?

answer: in-flight food

text: in-flight food

question: Which airline's passenger complained about the food?

answer: Oliver Beale's

text: Oliver Beale's

question: Is in-flight food quality improving?

answer: are

text: are

question: What item has been criticized within the airplane industry?

answer: in-flight food

text: in-flight food

question: What do experts say about the quality?

answer: insist standards of in-flight food are improving.

text: insist standards of in-flight food are improving.


text:
(Entertainment Weekly) -- In "Marley & Me," it doesn't take long to learn why Marley, an incorrigibly frisky golden Labrador retriever adopted by Florida newspaper writers John and Jenny Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston), is the "world's worst dog."

In "Marley & Me," Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston's characters welcome a dog into their lives.

He's friendly and lovable, but he devours everything in sight -- drywall, socks, big chunks of furniture (no, he doesn't just chew on them, he eats them).

As a dog owner, I can testify that "Marley & Me," based on the real John Grogan's smash 2005 memoir, is the single most endearing and authentic movie about the human-canine connection in decades. As directed by David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada"), though, it's also something more: a disarmingly enjoyable, wholehearted comic vision of the happy messiness of family life.

John and Jenny share an existence that, from the standpoint of our current economic times, already looks like paradise. He's a reporter who gets refashioned, by his testy editor (Alan Arkin), into a lifestyle columnist (only to keep complaining about it -- poor guy!). She's a feature writer who becomes a stay-at-home mom.

As the kids come along (three of them), the Grogans move into bigger and bigger houses, yet they have thwarted ambitions, fights that go on for days, and a general attitude of wistful loss toward all the freedoms they have given up to become parents.

"Marley & Me" celebrates two ordinary people as they try to fit love, work, children, and one volcanically misbehaved pooch into a single space. Marley may be the dog from hell, but we're meant to see that the Grogans, in their hearts, wouldn't have it any other way. Marley stands in for all the unruliness that can never be domesticated out of life.

You can domesticate Owen Wilson, but the shock is how good the role of beleaguered breadwinner looks on him. He and Aniston forge a nimble connection (they even get mad in style), and Wilson has a scene near the end with Marley that's the most wrenchingly tender acting of his career.

Using his scratchy, lackadaisical warmth to voice a testament to family, and to where dogs fit into it, he makes you feel like it's a wonderful life indeed.

EW Grade: A-

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text: Entertainment

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text: Marley

text: Me

text: Owen

text: Wilson

text: and

text: Jennifer

text: Aniston

text: 's

text: characters

text: welcome

text: a

text: dog

text: into

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text: chew

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text: them

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text: As

text: a

text: dog

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text: can

text: testify

text: that

text: Marley

text: Me

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: real

text: John

text: Grogan

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text: enjoyable

text: wholehearted

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text: vision

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text: of

text: family

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text: John

text: and

text: Jenny

text: share

text: an

text: existence

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text: from

text: the

text: standpoint

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text: current

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text: all

text: the

text: freedoms

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text: have

text: given

text: up

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text: become

text: parents

text: Marley

text: Me

text: celebrates

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text: ordinary

text: people

text: as

text: they

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text: Grogans

text: in

text: their

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text: would

text: n't

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text: it

text: any

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text: Marley

text: stands

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text: Marley

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text: dogs

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question: What is Marley & Me about?

answer: frisky golden Labrador

text: frisky golden Labrador

question: Who stars in the film of Marley & Me?

answer: (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston),

text: (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston),

question: Who is getting high marks?

answer: "Marley & Me"

text: "Marley & Me"

question: Who stars in the film?

answer: (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston),

text: (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston),

question: what is marley and me about

answer: frisky golden Labrador retriever

text: frisky golden Labrador retriever

question: What is the film called

answer: "Marley & Me,"

text: "Marley & Me,"

question: What is the comedy about?

answer: two ordinary people as they try to fit love, work, children, and one volcanically misbehaved pooch into a single space.

text: two ordinary people as they try to fit love, work, children, and one volcanically misbehaved pooch into a single space.


text:
Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Demonstrations that began with quiet determination on the internet more than three weeks ago erupted into riotous jubilation Friday evening, moments after it was announced that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was stepping aside.

Protesters swarmed army tanks that had been deployed to keep order, banged drums, blew whistles and frantically waved Egyptian flags in celebration. They danced in circles and chanted. Processions of cars made their way down city streets, drivers honking horns and waving flags.

Fireworks erupted outside the presidential palace in Cairo and in the streets of Alexandria. Some men and women dropped to their knees and began to pray.

"I did not believe it at first,"  Egyptian-American Sarah el-Helewsaid.  "I feel complete joy."

"Freedom!" crowds chanted outside the white carved walls of the presidential palace.

"God is great!" they shouted in Tahrir Square.

On the front lines of the movement, protester and actor Khalid Abdallah, best known for his role in "The Kite Runner," expressed complete shock at Mubarak's decision to step down, but said Egyptians now feel like "destiny is in their hands," and he praised supporters of their struggle.

"Thank you to everyone who has stood in solidarity with us," Abdallah told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.  He said Egyptians are grateful for those who "told our true story."

Abdallah recounted seeing and hearing the voices of children. "Hold your head high," Abdallah said they chanted, "you're an Egyptian."

Fears that the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic umbrella group, could hijack Egypt's pro-democracy movement have made headlines during the 18 days of protests in the country, but the group has stated more than once that they are not seeking power.  On Friday, they celebrated the news of Mubarak's departure with the rest of the Egyptians.

"We are opening a new bridge now on history," Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Essam El Erian told CNN.  "This is [a] critical moment."  Erian said of the pro-democracy revolution that he said he believes will shape the future of Egypt.

In Alexandria, Fatima Puskar, an American living with her Egyptian husband, Emad, said she was watching Egyptian state TV when news of Mubarak's resignation was announced.

"We could hear people, even before the end of the statement I heard people outside of the window shouting and honking their horns," she said.

Omar Sultan of Cairo said he felt like he played a role in forcing Mubarak to resign by taking part in demonstrations.

"Everyone is very happy. No one imagined this day would come," he said. "I've never been prouder to be an Egyptian."

Two of the main bridges connecting east and west Cairo were like parking lots as people got out and began hugging and dancing.

"Life is great now. I think I will have a much better future now. It is a different era," a 17-year-old girl named Fatima told CNN.

The news of Mubarak's resignation, and the revolution that led to the announcement, has also sparked a renewed spirit and proud voice for Egyptians.

"I stopped writing -- as a journalist -- because I felt there was nothing to write about,"  said Salah Marakby, a 76-year-old retiree.  "But I feel now that the pyramid of corruption has fallen. I want to go back to writing now!"

One of the movement's key activists, Wael Ghonim, credited ordinary Egyptians for persisting through historic and sometimes violent protests that led to the first ouster of an Egyptian leader since 1952.

"Congratulations Egypt the criminal has left the palace," said Ghonim, who was jailed for a week and a half by the Mubarak regime and whose emotional commentary after his release helped galvanize protesters.

Addressing Mubarak and his allies, Ghonim said the country should hold them accountable for their actions, including the deaths of protesters killed during what had been peaceful demonstrations.

"I just want to say to Hosni Mubarak and to Omar Suleiman and to all those people who thought that being in power means you can oppress people, you know, hard-luck guys, you know, at the end of the day, we have a choice and we've made our choice," he said.

"They convinced us for 30 years that Egypt had died, that there was no more Egypt," he said in an interview with CNN, referring to the nearly 30 years of autocratic rule under Mubarak. "We were all looking for Egypt and thank God we found her today."

Ghonim, who helped set up the initial Facebook page calling for protests, said it was time to celebrate, and said he has confidence that Egypt will not fall into dictatorship again.

"Today, I am telling you Egypt is going to be a democratic state," said Ghonim, who is on leave of absence from his job at Google.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading opposition figure, showed his support for Mubarak's decision to step down through Twitter. "Egypt Today is a free and proud nation.  God Bless," was posted by ElBaradei Friday night on the social media website.

Amre Moussa, secretary general of Arab League, said he is optimistic that the country is on the right path.

"We have achieved what the people wanted," he said. "Now we must build a new Egypt."

The future many Egyptians had dared to imagine seems much brighter now.

"No matter how hard things are," Abdallah said,  "you can get through and you can keep dreaming."

"Today is our time," a 46-year old woman told CNN.  "We have learned that it is not too difficult to change. Sadly, some people died on the way."

Egypt's ambassador to the United States spoke with CNN Friday about the what it will take to form a new democratic government and whether future elections will be fair and open.

"Certainly the voice of the people has been heard loud and clear," Sameh Shoukry said.  "It will be the ballot box and the voice of the Egyptian people that will determine the direction of any future governments."

CNN's Amir Ahmed contributed to this report.

text: Cairo

text: Egypt

text: CNN

text: Demonstrations

text: that

text: began

text: with

text: quiet

text: determination

text: on

text: the

text: internet

text: more

text: than

text: three

text: weeks

text: ago

text: erupted

text: into

text: riotous

text: jubilation

text: Friday

text: evening

text: moments

text: after

text: it

text: was

text: announced

text: that

text: Egyptian

text: President

text: Hosni

text: Mubarak

text: was

text: stepping

text: aside

text: Protesters

text: swarmed

text: army

text: tanks

text: that

text: had

text: been

text: deployed

text: to

text: keep

text: order

text: banged

text: drums

text: blew

text: whistles

text: and

text: frantically

text: waved

text: Egyptian

text: flags

text: in

text: celebration

text: They

text: danced

text: in

text: circles

text: and

text: chanted

text: Processions

text: of

text: cars

text: made

text: their

text: way

text: down

text: city

text: streets

text: drivers

text: honking

text: horns

text: and

text: waving

text: flags

text: Fireworks

text: erupted

text: outside

text: the

text: presidential

text: palace

text: in

text: Cairo

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Alexandria

text: Some

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: dropped

text: to

text: their

text: knees

text: and

text: began

text: to

text: pray

text: I

text: did

text: not

text: believe

text: it

text: at

text: first

text: Egyptian

text: American

text: Sarah

text: el

text: Helewsaid

text: I

text: feel

text: complete

text: joy

text: Freedom

text: crowds

text: chanted

text: outside

text: the

text: white

text: carved

text: walls

text: of

text: the

text: presidential

text: palace

text: God

text: is

text: great

text: they

text: shouted

text: in

text: Tahrir

text: Square

text: On

text: the

text: front

text: lines

text: of

text: the

text: movement

text: protester

text: and

text: actor

text: Khalid

text: Abdallah

text: best

text: known

text: for

text: his

text: role

text: in

text: The

text: Kite

text: Runner

text: expressed

text: complete

text: shock

text: at

text: Mubarak

text: 's

text: decision

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: but

text: said

text: Egyptians

text: now

text: feel

text: like

text: destiny

text: is

text: in

text: their

text: hands

text: and

text: he

text: praised

text: supporters

text: of

text: their

text: struggle

text: Thank

text: you

text: to

text: everyone

text: who

text: has

text: stood

text: in

text: solidarity

text: with

text: us

text: Abdallah

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Wolf

text: Blitzer

text: He

text: said

text: Egyptians

text: are

text: grateful

text: for

text: those

text: who

text: told

text: our

text: true

text: story

text: Abdallah

text: recounted

text: seeing

text: and

text: hearing

text: the

text: voices

text: of

text: children

text: Hold

text: your

text: head

text: high

text: Abdallah

text: said

text: they

text: chanted

text: you

text: 're

text: an

text: Egyptian

text: Fears

text: that

text: the

text: Muslim

text: Brotherhood

text: an

text: Islamic

text: umbrella

text: group

text: could

text: hijack

text: Egypt

text: 's

text: pro

text: democracy

text: movement

text: have

text: made

text: headlines

text: during

text: the

text: days

text: of

text: protests

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: but

text: the

text: group

text: has

text: stated

text: more

text: than

text: once

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: not

text: seeking

text: power

text: On

text: Friday

text: they

text: celebrated

text: the

text: news

text: of

text: Mubarak

text: 's

text: departure

text: with

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: Egyptians

text: We

text: are

text: opening

text: a

text: new

text: bridge

text: now

text: on

text: history

text: Muslim

text: Brotherhood

text: spokesman

text: Essam

text: El

text: Erian

text: told

text: CNN

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: critical

text: moment

text: Erian

text: said

text: of

text: the

text: pro

text: democracy

text: revolution

text: that

text: he

text: said

text: he

text: believes

text: will

text: shape

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: Egypt

text: In

text: Alexandria

text: Fatima

text: Puskar

text: an

text: American

text: living

text: with

text: her

text: Egyptian

text: husband

text: Emad

text: said

text: she

text: was

text: watching

text: Egyptian

text: state

text: TV

text: when

text: news

text: of

text: Mubarak

text: 's

text: resignation

text: was

text: announced

text: We

text: could

text: hear

text: people

text: even

text: before

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: statement

text: I

text: heard

text: people

text: outside

text: of

text: the

text: window

text: shouting

text: and

text: honking

text: their

text: horns

text: she

text: said

text: Omar

text: Sultan

text: of

text: Cairo

text: said

text: he

text: felt

text: like

text: he

text: played

text: a

text: role

text: in

text: forcing

text: Mubarak

text: to

text: resign

text: by

text: taking

text: part

text: in

text: demonstrations

text: Everyone

text: is

text: very

text: happy

text: No

text: one

text: imagined

text: this

text: day

text: would

text: come

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: 've

text: never

text: been

text: prouder

text: to

text: be

text: an

text: Egyptian

text: Two

text: of

text: the

text: main

text: bridges

text: connecting

text: east

text: and

text: west

text: Cairo

text: were

text: like

text: parking

text: lots

text: as

text: people

text: got

text: out

text: and

text: began

text: hugging

text: and

text: dancing

text: Life

text: is

text: great

text: now

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: will

text: have

text: a

text: much

text: better

text: future

text: now

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: different

text: era

text: a

text: old

text: girl

text: named

text: Fatima

text: told

text: CNN

text: The

text: news

text: of

text: Mubarak

text: 's

text: resignation

text: and

text: the

text: revolution

text: that

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: announcement

text: has

text: also

text: sparked

text: a

text: renewed

text: spirit

text: and

text: proud

text: voice

text: for

text: Egyptians

text: I

text: stopped

text: writing

text: as

text: a

text: journalist

text: because

text: I

text: felt

text: there

text: was

text: nothing

text: to

text: write

text: about

text: said

text: Salah

text: Marakby

text: a

text: old

text: retiree

text: But

text: I

text: feel

text: now

text: that

text: the

text: pyramid

text: of

text: corruption

text: has

text: fallen

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: go

text: back

text: to

text: writing

text: now

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: movement

text: 's

text: key

text: activists

text: Wael

text: Ghonim

text: credited

text: ordinary

text: Egyptians

text: for

text: persisting

text: through

text: historic

text: and

text: sometimes

text: violent

text: protests

text: that

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: first

text: ouster

text: of

text: an

text: Egyptian

text: leader

text: since

text: Congratulations

text: Egypt

text: the

text: criminal

text: has

text: left

text: the

text: palace

text: said

text: Ghonim

text: who

text: was

text: jailed

text: for

text: a

text: week

text: and

text: a

text: half

text: by

text: the

text: Mubarak

text: regime

text: and

text: whose

text: emotional

text: commentary

text: after

text: his

text: release

text: helped

text: galvanize

text: protesters

text: Addressing

text: Mubarak

text: and

text: his

text: allies

text: Ghonim

text: said

text: the

text: country

text: should

text: hold

text: them

text: accountable

text: for

text: their

text: actions

text: including

text: the

text: deaths

text: of

text: protesters

text: killed

text: during

text: what

text: had

text: been

text: peaceful

text: demonstrations

text: I

text: just

text: want

text: to

text: say

text: to

text: Hosni

text: Mubarak

text: and

text: to

text: Omar

text: Suleiman

text: and

text: to

text: all

text: those

text: people

text: who

text: thought

text: that

text: being

text: in

text: power

text: means

text: you

text: can

text: oppress

text: people

text: you

text: know

text: hard

text: luck

text: guys

text: you

text: know

text: at

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: day

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: choice

text: and

text: we

text: 've

text: made

text: our

text: choice

text: he

text: said

text: They

text: convinced

text: us

text: for

text: years

text: that

text: Egypt

text: had

text: died

text: that

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: more

text: Egypt

text: he

text: said

text: in

text: an

text: interview

text: with

text: CNN

text: referring

text: to

text: the

text: nearly

text: years

text: of

text: autocratic

text: rule

text: under

text: Mubarak

text: We

text: were

text: all

text: looking

text: for

text: Egypt

text: and

text: thank

text: God

text: we

text: found

text: her

text: today

text: Ghonim

text: who

text: helped

text: set

text: up

text: the

text: initial

text: Facebook

text: page

text: calling

text: for

text: protests

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: time

text: to

text: celebrate

text: and

text: said

text: he

text: has

text: confidence

text: that

text: Egypt

text: will

text: not

text: fall

text: into

text: dictatorship

text: again

text: Today

text: I

text: am

text: telling

text: you

text: Egypt

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: democratic

text: state

text: said

text: Ghonim

text: who

text: is

text: on

text: leave

text: of

text: absence

text: from

text: his

text: job

text: at

text: Google

text: Mohamed

text: ElBaradei

text: a

text: leading

text: opposition

text: figure

text: showed

text: his

text: support

text: for

text: Mubarak

text: 's

text: decision

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: through

text: Twitter

text: Egypt

text: Today

text: is

text: a

text: free

text: and

text: proud

text: nation

text: God

text: Bless

text: was

text: posted

text: by

text: ElBaradei

text: Friday

text: night

text: on

text: the

text: social

text: media

text: website

text: Amre

text: Moussa

text: secretary

text: general

text: of

text: Arab

text: League

text: said

text: he

text: is

text: optimistic

text: that

text: the

text: country

text: is

text: on

text: the

text: right

text: path

text: We

text: have

text: achieved

text: what

text: the

text: people

text: wanted

text: he

text: said

text: Now

text: we

text: must

text: build

text: a

text: new

text: Egypt

text: The

text: future

text: many

text: Egyptians

text: had

text: dared

text: to

text: imagine

text: seems

text: much

text: brighter

text: now

text: No

text: matter

text: how

text: hard

text: things

text: are

text: Abdallah

text: said

text: you

text: can

text: get

text: through

text: and

text: you

text: can

text: keep

text: dreaming

text: Today

text: is

text: our

text: time

text: a

text: old

text: woman

text: told

text: CNN

text: We

text: have

text: learned

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: too

text: difficult

text: to

text: change

text: Sadly

text: some

text: people

text: died

text: on

text: the

text: way

text: Egypt

text: 's

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: spoke

text: with

text: CNN

text: Friday

text: about

text: the

text: what

text: it

text: will

text: take

text: to

text: form

text: a

text: new

text: democratic

text: government

text: and

text: whether

text: future

text: elections

text: will

text: be

text: fair

text: and

text: open

text: Certainly

text: the

text: voice

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: has

text: been

text: heard

text: loud

text: and

text: clear

text: Sameh

text: Shoukry

text: said

text: It

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: ballot

text: box

text: and

text: the

text: voice

text: of

text: the

text: Egyptian

text: people

text: that

text: will

text: determine

text: the

text: direction

text: of

text: any

text: future

text: governments

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Amir

text: Ahmed

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: who is going to be a democratic country?

answer: Egypt

text: Egypt

question: Who is a free and proud nation?

answer: Egypt

text: Egypt

question: who is free and proud nation?

answer: Egypt.

text: Egypt.

question: Who said "You can keep dreaming?"

answer: Abdallah

text: Abdallah

question: who is khalid abdallah

answer: protester and actor

text: protester and actor

question: Who is going to be a democratic state?

answer: Egypt.

text: Egypt.

question: who says you can keep dreaming?

answer: Abdallah

text: Abdallah


text:
HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's inflation rate has soared in the past three months and is now at 11.2 million percent, the highest in the world, according to the country's Central Statistical Office.

Zimbabwe's inflation rate has soared to a world high.

Official figures dated Monday show inflation has surged from the rate of 2.2 million percent recorded in May, despite the government's price controls.

The country's finance minister confirmed the new figure in an interview but said the rising inflation rate was not confined to Zimbabwe alone.

"While our case has been aggravated by the illegal sanctions imposed by the Western powers, rising food prices are a world phenomenon because of the use of bio-fuel," said Samuel Mumbengegwi. "But we will continue to fight inflation by making sure that prices charged are realistic."

In February, the price of a loaf of bread in the country was less than 200,000 Zimbabwe dollars. On Monday, that same loaf of bread cost 1.6 trillion Zimbabwe dollars.

Analysts have said the Zimbabwean government's official inflation rate figures are conservative. Last week, one of Zimbabwe's leading banks, Kingdom Bank, said the country's inflation rate was now more than 20 million percent.

The locally-owned bank predicted tougher times ahead for Zimbabwe in the absence of donor support and foreign investment in an economy that has been in freefall for almost a decade.

Once considered the breadbasket of Africa, Zimbabwe has been in the throes of an economic meltdown ever since the country embarked on a chaotic land reform program that has decimated commercial agriculture.

Analysts say the crisis has worsened following President Robert Mugabe's disputed reelection in the June 27 presidential run-off. His challenger Morgan Tsvangirai boycotted the race over widespread allegations of violence and voter intimidation.

The economic crisis has destroyed Zimbabwe's currency and made it difficult for Zimbabweans to buy basic commodities, electricity, fuel, and medicines. Many Zimbabweans have left the country amid rising unemployment and deepening poverty.

Last week a summit in South Africa of regional African leaders failed to persuade Zimbabwe's political parties to agree to form a government of national unity, which observers view as the best way to end Zimbabwe's record recession.

text: HARARE

text: Zimbabwe

text: CNN

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: inflation

text: rate

text: has

text: soared

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: three

text: months

text: and

text: is

text: now

text: at

text: million

text: percent

text: the

text: highest

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: Central

text: Statistical

text: Office

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: inflation

text: rate

text: has

text: soared

text: to

text: a

text: world

text: high

text: Official

text: figures

text: dated

text: Monday

text: show

text: inflation

text: has

text: surged

text: from

text: the

text: rate

text: of

text: million

text: percent

text: recorded

text: in

text: May

text: despite

text: the

text: government

text: 's

text: price

text: controls

text: The

text: country

text: 's

text: finance

text: minister

text: confirmed

text: the

text: new

text: figure

text: in

text: an

text: interview

text: but

text: said

text: the

text: rising

text: inflation

text: rate

text: was

text: not

text: confined

text: to

text: Zimbabwe

text: alone

text: While

text: our

text: case

text: has

text: been

text: aggravated

text: by

text: the

text: illegal

text: sanctions

text: imposed

text: by

text: the

text: Western

text: powers

text: rising

text: food

text: prices

text: are

text: a

text: world

text: phenomenon

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: bio

text: fuel

text: said

text: Samuel

text: Mumbengegwi

text: But

text: we

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: fight

text: inflation

text: by

text: making

text: sure

text: that

text: prices

text: charged

text: are

text: realistic

text: In

text: February

text: the

text: price

text: of

text: a

text: loaf

text: of

text: bread

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: was

text: less

text: than

text: Zimbabwe

text: dollars

text: On

text: Monday

text: that

text: same

text: loaf

text: of

text: bread

text: cost

text: trillion

text: Zimbabwe

text: dollars

text: Analysts

text: have

text: said

text: the

text: Zimbabwean

text: government

text: 's

text: official

text: inflation

text: rate

text: figures

text: are

text: conservative

text: Last

text: week

text: one

text: of

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: leading

text: banks

text: Kingdom

text: Bank

text: said

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: inflation

text: rate

text: was

text: now

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: percent

text: The

text: locally

text: owned

text: bank

text: predicted

text: tougher

text: times

text: ahead

text: for

text: Zimbabwe

text: in

text: the

text: absence

text: of

text: donor

text: support

text: and

text: foreign

text: investment

text: in

text: an

text: economy

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: freefall

text: for

text: almost

text: a

text: decade

text: Once

text: considered

text: the

text: breadbasket

text: of

text: Africa

text: Zimbabwe

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: the

text: throes

text: of

text: an

text: economic

text: meltdown

text: ever

text: since

text: the

text: country

text: embarked

text: on

text: a

text: chaotic

text: land

text: reform

text: program

text: that

text: has

text: decimated

text: commercial

text: agriculture

text: Analysts

text: say

text: the

text: crisis

text: has

text: worsened

text: following

text: President

text: Robert

text: Mugabe

text: 's

text: disputed

text: reelection

text: in

text: the

text: June

text: presidential

text: run

text: off

text: His

text: challenger

text: Morgan

text: Tsvangirai

text: boycotted

text: the

text: race

text: over

text: widespread

text: allegations

text: of

text: violence

text: and

text: voter

text: intimidation

text: The

text: economic

text: crisis

text: has

text: destroyed

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: currency

text: and

text: made

text: it

text: difficult

text: for

text: Zimbabweans

text: to

text: buy

text: basic

text: commodities

text: electricity

text: fuel

text: and

text: medicines

text: Many

text: Zimbabweans

text: have

text: left

text: the

text: country

text: amid

text: rising

text: unemployment

text: and

text: deepening

text: poverty

text: Last

text: week

text: a

text: summit

text: in

text: South

text: Africa

text: of

text: regional

text: African

text: leaders

text: failed

text: to

text: persuade

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: political

text: parties

text: to

text: agree

text: to

text: form

text: a

text: government

text: of

text: national

text: unity

text: which

text: observers

text: view

text: as

text: the

text: best

text: way

text: to

text: end

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: record

text: recession

question: what is the cost of loaf of bread?

answer: Zimbabwe dollars.

text: Zimbabwe dollars.

question: What is the price of a loaf of bread?

answer: Zimbabwe dollars.

text: Zimbabwe dollars.

question: What do the Zimbabwe officials blame?

answer: chaotic land reform program

text: chaotic land reform program

question: What is the cost of a loaf of bread in Zimbabwe?

answer: 1.6 trillion

text: 1.6 trillion

question: What is happening to Zimbabwe's inflation rate?

answer: soared in the past three months

text: soared in the past three months

question: What is Zimbabwe's inflation rate?

answer: 11.2 million percent,

text: 11.2 million percent,

question: What do officials blame for this?

answer: rising food prices are a world phenomenon because of the use of bio-fuel,"

text: rising food prices are a world phenomenon because of the use of bio-fuel,"

question: To what rate did Zimbabwe inflation grow?

answer: 11.2 million percent,

text: 11.2 million percent,

question: What is the price of a load of bread?

answer: 200,000 Zimbabwe dollars.

text: 200,000 Zimbabwe dollars.

question: To what percent does the inflation rate soar?

answer: 11.2 million

text: 11.2 million


text:
(CNN) -- British mercenary Simon Mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea.

Simon Mann was arrested after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in Zimbabwe.

The former British military officer confessed to trying to topple long-time ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo - but denied being the plot's leader.

The goal of the plot was to install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth.

During the trial, Mann testified he was a "junior" in the organization which plotted to overthrow the tiny west African country's president in 2004, and that Lebanese businessman Eli Calil was the man in charge.

"Eli Calil was known as the cardinal -- the cardinal -- which I think says it all," Mann told the court.  Watch Mann's reaction to his sentences Â»

Footage of the proceedings was broadcast by Britain's Channel 4 News, which says it has the only camera in the courtroom.

As Mann's trial progressed last month, South Africa rejected Mann's allegation that it had given its tacit support for the coup plot.

"South Africa will never, tacitly or expressly, support the use of mercenaries to bring about fundamental political changes in any country in our continent or elsewhere in the world including Equatorial Guinea," the government said in a statement.

Mann testified that several governments, including Spain and the United States, welcomed the idea of a coup.

Mann is a former British army commando who was arrested four years ago after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in Zimbabwe.

The government of Equatorial Guinea said the group was on its way to overthrow its president. Mann said at the time they were going to guard a diamond mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A Zimbabwe court convicted Mann of trying to buy weapons illegally. He served four years in jail there before being extradited to Equatorial Guinea's capital of Malabo earlier this year to face charges of leading an abortive coup.

Mann testified that his former friend Mark Thatcher -- the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher -- was a main partner in the plot.

Thatcher was arrested along with Mann in 2004, and he pleaded guilty in South Africa the following year to unwittingly bankrolling the plot. He escaped jail time by paying a fine.

Thatcher admitted giving $275,000 toward the charter of a helicopter, saying he thought was for commercial purposes and discovered only later it was to be used by mercenaries.

But Mann said Thatcher paid $350,000 for a helicopter and a plane which he knew would be used in the plot, and that he attended meetings about the plan with Calil in London.

Calil, Mann said, initially asked him to assassinate President Obiang and talked about the possibility of staging a guerrilla war. Mann testified he refused both requests, considering them unethical, but he did agree to help stage a coup.

Though he said Thatcher was a top figure in the plot, Mann testified that even Thatcher was under Calil in the group's hierarchy.

Mann, appearing in a gray prison outfit, emphasized that he was not the man in charge.

Mann's defense lawyer took 45 minutes to question Mann, Channel 4 reported, in contrast to the four hours of prosecution questioning Mann faced.

Mann smiled often in the footage shown by Channel 4 and even stuck his tongue out playfully at the camera.

After his stint in the British army, Mann was affiliated with the South Africa-based mercenary firm Executive Outcomes. The firm described itself on its now-defunct Web site as a "military advisory service" that had played a "crucial" role in ending two African civil wars.

text: CNN

text: British

text: mercenary

text: Simon

text: Mann

text: has

text: been

text: jailed

text: for

text: years

text: for

text: his

text: part

text: in

text: plotting

text: a

text: coup

text: in

text: Equatorial

text: Guinea

text: Simon

text: Mann

text: was

text: arrested

text: after

text: a

text: plane

text: carrying

text: him

text: and

text: about

text: mercenaries

text: landed

text: in

text: Zimbabwe

text: The

text: former

text: British

text: military

text: officer

text: confessed

text: to

text: trying

text: to

text: topple

text: long

text: time

text: ruler

text: Teodoro

text: Obiang

text: Nguema

text: Mbasogo

text: but

text: denied

text: being

text: the

text: plot

text: 's

text: leader

text: The

text: goal

text: of

text: the

text: plot

text: was

text: to

text: install

text: exiled

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Severo

text: Moto

text: who

text: is

text: currently

text: in

text: Spain

text: awaiting

text: trial

text: on

text: charges

text: of

text: arms

text: trafficking

text: and

text: to

text: gain

text: access

text: to

text: the

text: former

text: Spanish

text: colony

text: 's

text: oil

text: wealth

text: During

text: the

text: trial

text: Mann

text: testified

text: he

text: was

text: a

text: junior

text: in

text: the

text: organization

text: which

text: plotted

text: to

text: overthrow

text: the

text: tiny

text: west

text: African

text: country

text: 's

text: president

text: in

text: and

text: that

text: Lebanese

text: businessman

text: Eli

text: Calil

text: was

text: the

text: man

text: in

text: charge

text: Eli

text: Calil

text: was

text: known

text: as

text: the

text: cardinal

text: the

text: cardinal

text: which

text: I

text: think

text: says

text: it

text: all

text: Mann

text: told

text: the

text: court

text: Watch

text: Mann

text: 's

text: reaction

text: to

text: his

text: sentences

text: Â

text: Footage

text: of

text: the

text: proceedings

text: was

text: broadcast

text: by

text: Britain

text: 's

text: Channel

text: News

text: which

text: says

text: it

text: has

text: the

text: only

text: camera

text: in

text: the

text: courtroom

text: As

text: Mann

text: 's

text: trial

text: progressed

text: last

text: month

text: South

text: Africa

text: rejected

text: Mann

text: 's

text: allegation

text: that

text: it

text: had

text: given

text: its

text: tacit

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: coup

text: plot

text: South

text: Africa

text: will

text: never

text: tacitly

text: or

text: expressly

text: support

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: mercenaries

text: to

text: bring

text: about

text: fundamental

text: political

text: changes

text: in

text: any

text: country

text: in

text: our

text: continent

text: or

text: elsewhere

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: including

text: Equatorial

text: Guinea

text: the

text: government

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Mann

text: testified

text: that

text: several

text: governments

text: including

text: Spain

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: welcomed

text: the

text: idea

text: of

text: a

text: coup

text: Mann

text: is

text: a

text: former

text: British

text: army

text: commando

text: who

text: was

text: arrested

text: four

text: years

text: ago

text: after

text: a

text: plane

text: carrying

text: him

text: and

text: about

text: mercenaries

text: landed

text: in

text: Zimbabwe

text: The

text: government

text: of

text: Equatorial

text: Guinea

text: said

text: the

text: group

text: was

text: on

text: its

text: way

text: to

text: overthrow

text: its

text: president

text: Mann

text: said

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: they

text: were

text: going

text: to

text: guard

text: a

text: diamond

text: mine

text: in

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: A

text: Zimbabwe

text: court

text: convicted

text: Mann

text: of

text: trying

text: to

text: buy

text: weapons

text: illegally

text: He

text: served

text: four

text: years

text: in

text: jail

text: there

text: before

text: being

text: extradited

text: to

text: Equatorial

text: Guinea

text: 's

text: capital

text: of

text: Malabo

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: to

text: face

text: charges

text: of

text: leading

text: an

text: abortive

text: coup

text: Mann

text: testified

text: that

text: his

text: former

text: friend

text: Mark

text: Thatcher

text: the

text: son

text: of

text: former

text: British

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Margaret

text: Thatcher

text: was

text: a

text: main

text: partner

text: in

text: the

text: plot

text: Thatcher

text: was

text: arrested

text: along

text: with

text: Mann

text: in

text: and

text: he

text: pleaded

text: guilty

text: in

text: South

text: Africa

text: the

text: following

text: year

text: to

text: unwittingly

text: bankrolling

text: the

text: plot

text: He

text: escaped

text: jail

text: time

text: by

text: paying

text: a

text: fine

text: Thatcher

text: admitted

text: giving

text: toward

text: the

text: charter

text: of

text: a

text: helicopter

text: saying

text: he

text: thought

text: was

text: for

text: commercial

text: purposes

text: and

text: discovered

text: only

text: later

text: it

text: was

text: to

text: be

text: used

text: by

text: mercenaries

text: But

text: Mann

text: said

text: Thatcher

text: paid

text: for

text: a

text: helicopter

text: and

text: a

text: plane

text: which

text: he

text: knew

text: would

text: be

text: used

text: in

text: the

text: plot

text: and

text: that

text: he

text: attended

text: meetings

text: about

text: the

text: plan

text: with

text: Calil

text: in

text: London

text: Calil

text: Mann

text: said

text: initially

text: asked

text: him

text: to

text: assassinate

text: President

text: Obiang

text: and

text: talked

text: about

text: the

text: possibility

text: of

text: staging

text: a

text: guerrilla

text: war

text: Mann

text: testified

text: he

text: refused

text: both

text: requests

text: considering

text: them

text: unethical

text: but

text: he

text: did

text: agree

text: to

text: help

text: stage

text: a

text: coup

text: Though

text: he

text: said

text: Thatcher

text: was

text: a

text: top

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: plot

text: Mann

text: testified

text: that

text: even

text: Thatcher

text: was

text: under

text: Calil

text: in

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: hierarchy

text: Mann

text: appearing

text: in

text: a

text: gray

text: prison

text: outfit

text: emphasized

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: not

text: the

text: man

text: in

text: charge

text: Mann

text: 's

text: defense

text: lawyer

text: took

text: minutes

text: to

text: question

text: Mann

text: Channel

text: reported

text: in

text: contrast

text: to

text: the

text: four

text: hours

text: of

text: prosecution

text: questioning

text: Mann

text: faced

text: Mann

text: smiled

text: often

text: in

text: the

text: footage

text: shown

text: by

text: Channel

text: and

text: even

text: stuck

text: his

text: tongue

text: out

text: playfully

text: at

text: the

text: camera

text: After

text: his

text: stint

text: in

text: the

text: British

text: army

text: Mann

text: was

text: affiliated

text: with

text: the

text: South

text: Africa

text: based

text: mercenary

text: firm

text: Executive

text: Outcomes

text: The

text: firm

text: described

text: itself

text: on

text: its

text: now

text: defunct

text: Web

text: site

text: as

text: a

text: military

text: advisory

text: service

text: that

text: had

text: played

text: a

text: crucial

text: role

text: in

text: ending

text: two

text: African

text: civil

text: wars

question: What did the organization plot?

answer: install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth.

text: install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth.

question: Who implicated Mark Thatcher?

answer: Mann

text: Mann

question: Who was jailed for plotting a Equatorial Guinea coup?

answer: Simon Mann

text: Simon Mann

question: Who was jailed for plotting?

answer: Simon Mann

text: Simon Mann

question: Who testifier he was a junior?

answer: Mann

text: Mann