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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Despite a hardline U.S. policy, there is no reason why federal officials can't negotiate directly with pirates who are holding a U.S. captain hostage off Somalia, a counterterrorism expert said Thursday. Pirates have been plaguing commercial shipping vessels in the waters off the coast of east Africa. Nor is there anything to stop an independent party from paying for his release, said Juan Carlos Zarate, who served as deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism under former President George W. Bush. "The U.S. has a very clear policy of no concessions; that's different than no negotiations," said Zarate, now is a senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. The U.S. policy against concessions translates into a policy against paying for the release of hostages, he said. "That means no ransoms, nothing of value in return for the safe release of hostages," he said. But, he added, "It's also important to note that there's nothing in U.S. policy that restricts family members or private companies -- like a shipping company -- to actually pay a ransom. There's nothing that the U.S. government can do other than potentially to prosecute if that money is going to a known terrorist organization, which is a fine line." Nevertheless, he said it is U.S. government policy to discourage private companies from making payments to hostage takers. "The U.S. has a very clear sense that, if you start to pay ransoms, you in essence create an industry for kidnapping," he said. "And, frankly, it's why you see an uptick in the piracy problem in East Africa. It's a for-profit venture. It's very lucrative at low cost for the pirates and it's, in part, fueled by the fact that shipping companies in other countries have been paying ransoms for the release of ships, cargo and personnel." Zarate predicted the standoff off Somalia will not be resolved soon. "I don't see or forecast the use of massive force inadvertently because of the potential for hurting our citizen," he said, referring to Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama who was taken hostage after four gunmen boarded it on Wednesday. "And so I think this is going to take a while, and it may involve some third-party negotiations." Though he approves of the government's handling of the situation so far, Zarate said the situation not an easy one. "This, to a certain extent, is the U.S. government's nightmare scenario," said Zarate, who oversaw the U.S. government's counterterrorism strategy from 2005 to 2009. "We had always planned for, but hoped that this kind of situation wouldn't happen -- where a U.S. vessel was taken or a U.S. citizen was taken in those waters," he said. He called the standoff "a classic hostage situation, which is difficult to resolve. It is certainly difficult to resolve on the high seas where we have limited levers to play." iReport.com: How should the U.S. respond? Zarate said the hostage holders appear to be in the stronger position, though at first glance -- four men holding a fifth aboard a 28-foot powerless lifeboat in the ocean hundreds of miles from shore -- that may not appear to be the case. "I think they have the upper hand, in part, because we value the life of our citizens," he said. "They may not value their lives as much, and they may not be using the same rational calculus that we would in this situation." But, he said, the pirates may not be able to turn that advantage into victory. "I think the good guys will win," he said. iReport.com: 'Stop the pirates, Obama!' "I think we'll find a way out of this. I think the FBI hostage negotiators, the naval personnel on scene and others will find a way of negotiating their way out of this. They're professionals; they know how to do that. But it's	[ "what does paying ransom encourage", "what is the reason for the standoff?", "what is difficult in high seas", "what did security adviser say?", "what does paying random encourage?", "what did Bush adviser say" ]	[ [ "an industry for kidnapping,\"" ], [ "no ransoms," ], [ "standoff \"a classic hostage situation," ], [ "\"The U.S. has a very clear policy of no concessions; that's different than no negotiations,\"" ], [ "you in essence create an industry for kidnapping,\"" ], [ "\"The U.S. has a very clear policy of no concessions; that's different than no negotiations,\"" ] ]	Paying ransom encourages more kidnappings for money, Juan Carlos Zarate says . Standoff in high seas difficult because "we have limited levers to play," he says . Attempts to free American captain off Somalia "going to take a while," he says . "The good guys will win... but it's difficult," former Bush security adviser says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Despite crushing defeats in the last two elections, Senate Republicans have new "energy and enthusiasm" for winning back the majority, according to their leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. A top GOP leader says George W. Bush, politically, was a "millstone" around the GOP's neck. "President Bush had become extremely unpopular, and politically he was sort of a millstone around our necks in both '06 and '08," McConnell told reporters Friday. "We now have the opportunity to be on offense, offer our own ideas and we will win some." Many of those ideas get presented as amendments to Democratic bills, and even though they're usually defeated, they can draw attention to GOP policy alternatives and force Democrats to take difficult votes. "They become the way you chart the course for a comeback, which, in this country, always happens at some point," McConnell said. "The pendulum swings." McConnell said many of the ideas for amendments come from conservative think tanks and other Republican thinkers off Capitol Hill. "Newt Gingrich, for example, has an idea a minute. Many of those are quite good. Many of those become amendments," he said. McConnell also said he doesn't mind the "party of no" label Congressional Democrats and the White House give Republicans. "I don't feel anyone should be apologetic for opposing a bad idea," McConnell said. "I'm not fearful of an effort to demonize dissent." After being labeled by Democrats the "party of no" for criticizing the budget without offering solutions, House Republicans said Thursday that they have come up with a plan B -- though were later criticized for a lack of details. "Two nights ago, the president said, 'We haven't seen a budget yet out of Republicans.' Well, it's just not true, because here it is, Mr. President," House Minority leader Rep. John Boehner said Wednesday as he held up a booklet that he said was a "blueprint for where we're going." Watch GOP leaders unveil their 'leaner' budget » The details of the GOP budget will be presented on the House floor next week, said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin. "We're going to show a leaner budget, a budget with lower taxes, lower spending and lower borrowing," Ryan said. The blueprint includes familiar Republican proposals to limit "wasteful" government spending, cut the size of government and provide incentives to private entities to expand access to health care. It also includes a major overhaul of the tax code, proposing a marginal tax rate of 10 percent for income up to $100,000 and 25 percent for any income above that level. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs laughed off the Republicans' proposal Thursday, joking that their blueprint has more pictures of windmills than charts. "It's interesting to have a budget that doesn't contain any numbers. I think the 'party of no' has become the 'party of no new ideas,' " he said at the daily briefing. CNN contributor Paul Begala says that Republicans are simply out of ideas -- and have no one to blame but themselves. "The Republicans are like an arsonist who complains that the fire department is wasting water. Obama is trying to handle an immediate crisis while also laying the foundation for long-term growth. The Republicans are doing neither," Begala said. "They have no plan to stop the loss of jobs or to get capital markets functioning properly -- and they certainly have no plans for health care, education or energy, which are the keys to both long-term economic growth and long-term deficit reduction." Begala added: "If this were 'Sesame Street,' the announcer would be saying, 'This program brought to you by the letters G, O and P ... None of the crises the president is addressing were of his creation. All of them were created or worsened by the Republicans who ran the House of Representatives	[ "what Sen. Mitch McConnell says Bush was?", "Who said Bush was a millstone around our necks?", "Who said there was no need to apologize?", "Mitch McConnell reviewer?", "Who is plotting a comback?" ]	[ [ "a \"millstone\" around the GOP's neck." ], [ "McConnell" ], [ "McConnell" ], [ "\"President Bush" ], [ "Sen. Mitch McConnell" ] ]	Top Senate Republican says the party is plotting a "comeback" Sen. Mitch McConnell says Bush was 'a millstone around our necks' McConnell: No need to apologize "for opposing a bad idea"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Determining the amount of troops necessary to win a war is never an easy decision for a commander in chief and his military commanders if history is any guide. The Obama administration is working on a strategic review of improving conditions in Afghanistan. And it's a dilemma President Obama faces as pressure mounts on him to decide what strategy will improve conditions in Afghanistan. The president and his top military, national security and foreign policy advisers are conducting an intensive strategic review of the U.S. military presence in the war-torn nation. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, is calling for a counterinsurgency strategy that would add as many as 40,000 troops. But others in the administration want a different approach. Vice President Joe Biden has called for a counterterrorism strategy, which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. If the president should listen to McChrystal and adopt a troop "surge," the question remains: How many is enough? One expert said such a large number is needed to reduce violence throughout the country -- the 40,000 troops would allow the U.S. military to "reverse the momentum of the insurgency, which has been on the rise," said Kimberly Kagan of the Institute for the Study of War, who has advised McChrystal on Afghanistan. That number, Kagan said, would help fill in gaps around Kandahar in the southern part of the country where Taliban forces have amassed. But she warned that eventually, troops would also be needed to tamp down the insurgency in other parts of the country. "If we had 40,000 more troops, it is likely that the initiative would be wrested from the enemy, and the U.S. and coalition forces would be able to mount a counteroffensive that would proceed in stages over time," she said. Even with more troops, the fight will be a tough one if the last few weeks are any indication. Just last week, eight U.S. soldiers were killed in an intense firefight with hundreds of insurgents in Nuristan province, a remote area in northern Afghanistan. It was the second deadliest attack in a single day so far in the war, which recently entered its ninth year. Read soldiers' accounts from the battle The White House is getting pressure from all sides of this issue. Many on the right have said the president should take the advice of the commanders on the ground. Sen. John McCain, a staunch supporter of the 2007 troop surge in Iraq, said Sunday that any added military deployment in Afghanistan smaller than 40,000 troops "would be an error of historic proportions." Asked whether he thought the war in Afghanistan could be won with fewer troops, the Arizona Republican said, "I do not." "I think the great danger now is a half-measure, sort of a -- you know, try to please all ends of the political spectrum," McCain told John King on "CNN's State of the Union." "And, again, I have great sympathy for the president, making the toughest decisions that presidents have to make, but I think he needs to use deliberate speed." Democrats are split over increasing troops. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said U.S. troops would be put in "jeopardy" if Obama does not listen to McChrystal. "I don't know how you put somebody in who's as crackerjack as Gen. McChrystal, who gives the president very solid recommendations, and not take those recommendations if you're not going to pull out," she said on ABC's "This Week." But Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, who also appeared on ABC, said that enlarging the U.S. footprint in Afghanistan would be a mistake. Watch more on the varying advice Obama is receiving from lawmakers » "We need to come up with a strategy that includes an exit strategy, because it'll also put pressure on the government of Afghanistan to step up to the plate, which it has not done so far."	[ "For how many more troops Obama`s top commander called for?", "where is the war", "On what Obama and his national security team has been working on it?", "The war in Afghanistan passed what year mark last week?", "Who is working on a new strategy?", "His top commander there has reportedly called for how many more troops?" ]	[ [ "40,000" ], [ "Afghanistan." ], [ "a strategic review of improving conditions in Afghanistan." ], [ "ninth" ], [ "Obama administration" ], [ "40,000" ] ]	The war in Afghanistan passed the 8-year mark last week . Obama and his national security team are working on a new strategy . His top commander there has reportedly called for 40,000 more troops .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Development threatens to engulf Civil War battlefields, a preservationist group said as it released its annual list of endangered battle sites on Wednesday. Civil War reenactors fire a cannon at the Gettysburg, Pennsylavnia, battlefield in 2003. "In town after town, the irreplaceable battlefields that define those communities are being marred forever," said James Lighthizer, the head of the Civil War Preservation Trust. "As we approach the sesquicentennial of the bloodiest conflict in our nation's history, we need to be more aware than ever of the importance of preserving these sacred places for generations to come." The group says it has helped save more than 25,000 acres of Civil War battlefields in 18 states. Topping the 2009 list of endangered battlefields is Monocacy, Maryland, where the Preservation Trust wants to prevent a trash-processing facility with a 350-foot smokestack from being built nearby. In Virginia, the group is fighting to keep a Wal-Mart Supercenter from going up on the edge of the Wilderness Battlefield, which also is on this year's list. On that site, 160,000 Union and Confederate troops fought a two-day battle in 1864. "These hallowed battlegrounds should be national shrines, monuments to American valor, determination and courage," actor Richard Dreyfuss said in prepared remarks. "Once these irreplaceable treasures are gone, they're gone forever." Dreyfuss has been involved in a pair of Civil War documentaries. Rounding out the group's Top 10 list of endangered battlefields are:	[ "What happened in Maryland?", "What did Dreyfuss say?", "What does Richard Dreyfuss say?", "What are being threatened?", "What could be built?", "What is threatening sites?", "What might be built near a Maryland battlefield?", "Where is the Walmart?", "What is wrong with civil war sites?" ]	[ [ "the Preservation Trust wants to prevent a trash-processing facility with a 350-foot smokestack from being built nearby." ], [ "\"These hallowed battlegrounds should be national shrines, monuments to American valor, determination and courage,\"" ], [ "\"Once these irreplaceable treasures are gone, they're gone forever.\"" ], [ "Civil War battlefields," ], [ "350-foot smokestack" ], [ "Development" ], [ "Wal-Mart Supercenter" ], [ "Virginia," ], [ "Development threatens to engulf" ] ]	Development threatens to destroy historic Civil War sites, group says . Trash processing center may be built near Maryland battlefield . Wal-Mart proposes store adjacent to Virginia's Wilderness battlefield . Sites are "irreplaceable treasures," actor Richard Dreyfuss says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Doctors removed five small polyps from President Bush's colon on Saturday, and "none appeared worrisome," a White House spokesman said. The polyps were removed and sent to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, for routine microscopic examination, spokesman Scott Stanzel said. Results are expected in two to three days. All were small, less than a centimeter [half an inch] in diameter, he said. Bush is in good humor, Stanzel said, and will resume his activities at Camp David. During the procedure Vice President Dick Cheney assumed presidential power. Bush reclaimed presidential power at 9:21 a.m. after about two hours. Doctors used "monitored anesthesia care," Stanzel said, so the president was asleep, but not as deeply unconscious as with a true general anesthetic. He spoke to first lady Laura Bush -- who is in Midland, Texas, celebrating her mother's birthday -- before and after the procedure, Stanzel said. Afterward, the president played with his Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley, Stanzel said. He planned to have lunch at Camp David and have briefings with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, and planned to take a bicycle ride Saturday afternoon. Cheney, meanwhile, spent the morning at his home on Maryland's eastern shore, reading and playing with his dogs, Stanzel said. Nothing occurred that required him to take official action as president before Bush reclaimed presidential power. The procedure was supervised by Dr. Richard Tubb, Bush's physician, and conducted by a multidisciplinary team from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, the White House said. Bush's last colonoscopy was in June 2002, and no abnormalities were found, White House spokesman Tony Snow said. The president's doctor had recommended a repeat procedure in about five years. A colonoscopy is the most sensitive test for colon cancer, rectal cancer and polyps, small clumps of cells that can become cancerous, according to the Mayo Clinic. Small polyps may be removed during the procedure. Snow said on Friday that Bush had polyps removed during colonoscopies before becoming president. Snow himself is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer that began in his colon and spread to his liver. Watch Snow talk about Bush's procedure and his own colon cancer » "The president wants to encourage everybody to use surveillance," Snow said. The American Cancer Society recommends that people without high risk factors or symptoms begin getting screened for signs of colorectal cancer at age 50. E-mail to a friend	[ "Where does Bush undergo his colonoscopy?", "What camp did Bush undergoe colonoscopy?", "Who was at Camp David?", "Were the polyps considered dangerous?", "Who is the vice president?", "Did they remove the polyps?", "What is a colonoscopy?", "What did the spokesman say?", "Who underwent a colonoscopy?", "What was found during the colonoscopy?", "What medical test did Bush have?", "What kind of surgery did George Bush have at Camp David?", "Who will reclaim their power?", "which president is at camp david?", "Does he have to go back?", "What number of polyps were they worried about?", "What are polyps?", "What was found during the procedure?", "To whom does the President reclaim transferred powers?", "What number of polyps were found?", "When does he get the power back?", "What happened to Bush?", "Which President undergoes a routine colonscopy at Camp David?" ]	[ [ "National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland," ], [ "David." ], [ "Bush" ], [ "no abnormalities" ], [ "Dick Cheney" ], [ "Doctors removed five small" ], [ "the most sensitive test for colon cancer, rectal cancer and polyps, small clumps of cells that can become cancerous," ], [ "The polyps were removed and sent to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, for routine microscopic examination," ], [ "Bush" ], [ "five small polyps" ], [ "routine microscopic examination," ], [ "removed five small polyps from" ], [ "Bush reclaimed presidential" ], [ "Bush" ], [ "a repeat procedure in about five years." ], [ "five" ], [ "small clumps of cells that can become cancerous," ], [ "five small polyps" ], [ "Vice" ], [ "five" ], [ "9:21 a.m." ], [ "Doctors removed five small polyps from President" ], [ "Bush's" ] ]	Five small polyps found during procedure; "none worrisome," spokesman says . President reclaims powers transferred to vice president . Bush undergoes routine colonoscopy at Camp David .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Don't let Jack Johnson fool you. Jack Johnson makes sure his business and his concert venues are environmentally friendly. Tabbed as a "mellow rocker" by perhaps one too many publications, the chart-topping singer-songwriter has a fire within that belies his laid-back manner -- a fire that extends to his company, Brushfire Records, and his environmental activism. Johnson started the record label in 2002 "as a way to put out soundtracks for surf movies we were making," he says. "Then our friends G. Love and Special Sauce were coming to the end of their record deal with another label, and the idea came up to put out their stuff." The Hawaii-based artist -- whose latest album "Sleep Through the Static" hit No. 1 in the U.S. and sold over 2 million albums worldwide -- has continued to assemble talent. The label's roster now includes indie-rockers Rogue Wave, folk-pop musician Mason Jennings and keyboardist Money Mark. Johnson says the record label is not driven by dollar signs. "We never try to talk anybody into joining the label, but we just offer a lot of creative control over all their music and a fairer deal than with most other labels," he explains. Watch Johnson, Zach Gill and Money Mark perform "Hope" » Rogue Wave frontman Zach Schwartz is one of the converts. "The music business is traditionally pretty cutthroat, nasty and evil, but [with Brushfire], it is not that way," he tells CNN. "You can make the music you want to make." Still, even in these major-label-dominated times, artist-friendly labels aren't unusual; Dave Matthews has also attracted talent with his ATO Records. It's in making Brushfire a model of green business that Johnson and his colleagues have stood out. As keen environmentalists, Johnson and his team have required Brushfire and its distributors to engage in earth-friendly implementations that have influenced others in the record business. "The music is one thing, but there is this business side," says Zach Gill, a Brushfire solo artist and member of Johnson's touring band. "I think more and more businesses are saying, 'Yeah, we want to be responsible. Responsible to our employees. Responsible for the waste our company generates.' We're starting to see that a lot in all kinds of businesses, not just in music," he says. Watch Gill and Johnson perform "Family" » Entertainment industry giant Universal Music Group -- the largest family of record labels in the recording industry -- has taken notice. Under Brushfire's direction, UMG uses recycled stock on all of the packaging for its releases, including movies, ensuring that the paper is as environmentally friendly as possible. Some is even made using wind power. Moreover, Brushfire's artists have exerted their eco-influence on venues and promoters for concert tours worldwide. The tour rider, a checklist of artists' requirements at each venue, usually consists of specific brands of beer or (in one case involving Jennifer Lopez) the way the coffee is stirred. Brushfire uses an EnviroRider, a handbook of eco-friendly options and actions for various components of concert tour production. "It gets augmented every year. What started out as suggestions are now becoming requirements [for us to play at a venue]," says Johnson. Johnson and his management also created All At Once, a social action network that provides tools and information to people who want to become more involved in their community and worldwide. Visitors to the All At Once area at tour venues will be rewarded with exclusive music downloads by their favorite Brushfire artists. Johnson's charity, Ohana Charitable Foundation, will match any donation (up to $2,500) to nonprofits made by fans at the shows or online. "We shrink our carbon footprint always, but we have all these nonprofit groups that we all work with," says Johnson. "Money from the shows goes to these groups and helps bolster their memberships	[ "What is Jack Johnson's record label called?", "Can you tell me the name of Jack Johnson's new album?" ]	[ [ "Brushfire" ], [ "\"Sleep Through the Static\"" ] ]	Jack Johnson has artist-friendly record label, Brushfire Records . Johnson also puts green interests at forefront . Singer-songwriter's new album is "Sleep Through the Static"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Dozens of suspected terrorists released by the United States from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are believed to have returned to terrorism activities, according to the Pentagon. Pentagon officials say 61 former Gitmo detainees have committed or are suspected of returning to terrorism. Since 2002, 61 former detainees have committed or are suspected to have committed attacks after being released from the detention camp, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said at a briefing Tuesday. The number is up since the Pentagon's last report in March 2008 when officials said 37 former detainees had been suspected of returning to the battlefield since 2002. Since 2007, more than 100 detainees were released, significantly more than in previous years, according to Pentagon officials. According to the statistics, of the 61 former detainees that are believed to have returned to fighting, 18 have been officially confirmed while 43 are suspected, Morrell said. The 18 were confirmed through intelligence, photographs, fingerprints and other information, Morrell said. Of the 43 other detainees suspected of taking part in terrorist attacks, only "plausible reporting" on their activities indicated some kind of involvement, according to Morrell. Officials would only identify one of the confirmed attackers, Adballah Salih al-Ajmi, a Kuwaiti man released from U.S. custody at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in 2005. Pentagon officials said Salih al-Ajmi blew himself up in a suicide attack in Iraq in April 2008. Since 2002, the Pentagon has released about 520 detainees to their home countries or counties that agreed to take them. Some have been released in full by those countries while others are still being held. "There, clearly, are people who are being held at Guantanamo who are still bent on doing harm to America, Americans and our allies, so there will have to be some solution for the likes of them," Morrell said. About 250 detainees remain held at Guantanamo and about 60 of those detainees have been cleared for release by the Pentagon, but their home countries will not take them or the U.S. believes they could be harmed by their governments if returned. President-elect Barack Obama has said he intends to shut down Guantanamo. Earlier this week, two sources close to the Obama transition team said he could issue an order to do so as early as his first week in office, saying that Obama believes "the legal framework at Gitmo has failed to successfully and swiftly prosecute terrorists."	[ "Who wants to shut down Guantanamo upon taking office?", "According to Pentagon, how many detainees still involved?", "How many detainees have been released from detention facility?", "Since 2002 how many detainees have been released?", "How many people have been released from detention facility?" ]	[ [ "Barack Obama" ], [ "61" ], [ "about 520" ], [ "61" ], [ "more than 100" ] ]	61 former Gitmo detainees still involved in terror acts, according to Pentagon . Since 2002, nearly 520 detainees have been released from detention facility . President-elect Barack Obama wants to shut down Guantanamo upon taking office .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- During the 1960 presidential election, Theodore Sorensen helped then-Sen. John F. Kennedy draft a speech addressing Kennedy's Catholicism and the separation between church and state. At the time, many questioned whether Kennedy, who would go on to become the nation's first Roman Catholic president, would be influenced by the Catholic church. Theodore Sorensen helped write John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech on Catholicism. Speaking to CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider, Sorensen discussed Kennedy's famous 1960 speech and compared it to the speech on faith in politics delivered Thursday by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who would be the first Mormon in the White House if he is elected. Question: Did Kennedy's 1960 speech win him the presidency? Sorensen: Well, he obviously didn't lose it, nor did he free the country from the curse of anti-Catholicism. The hate mail still poured into his office. The vicious picket signs were still seen out on the campaign trail, and, indeed, on Election Day. According to a University of Michigan survey, more people voted against Kennedy because of his religion than any other reason. Nevertheless, that speech, which was nationally broadcast and frequently rebroadcast, certainly took a lot of the poison out of the anti-Catholic issue and reassured all reasonable people. Watch Sorensen discuss why Kennedy gave his speech » Q. Could President Kennedy have delivered the speech Romney gave on Thursday? Sorensen: No. Mr. Romney's position on many of the issues are very different than JFK's. JFK wanted to particularly stress that he believed in the separation between church and state. He believed that no one needed to worry about a Catholic bishop or a cardinal dictating to him as a president, and that freedom of religion included freedom for those to go to any church or not to go to any church at all. So, Romney emphasized the role of religion in public life more strongly than JFK did or would have. Q. Romney seemed to differ quite strongly with Kennedy on the privacy of religion, didn't he? Sorensen: Yes, he did. In fact, Romney felt compelled for some reason to define his personal views of Jesus Christ. Kennedy said, as you noted, his personal views of religion were totally his business and not the business of the American people. Q. Romney made the statement "freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom." Do you think Kennedy would have agreed with that? Sorensen: I don't think anyone would disagree strongly with that. There were some lines in the Romney speech that echoed the Kennedy speech. As an old speechwriter, I would congratulate Mr. Romney. It was a pretty good speech. I think he touched all the bases he wanted to touch. Q. Romney discussed his views of Jesus Christ, something that Kennedy avoided. Why did Kennedy avoid discussing his religious views? Sorensen: Because [Kennedy] began the speech by saying his private religious beliefs -- his relationship with God or Jesus Christ or anything else -- was not a matter of public discussion. He did not think the election should be based on -- as he said, it's not what kind of church I believe in, the question is what kind of country do I believe in. Q. Kennedy's speech in 1960 is widely viewed as being successful. Do you think Romney's speech is likely to be viewed as a success? Sorensen: I assume so. I don't think Mr. Romney should be denied the presidency because of his religion. Just as I don't think Senator [Barack] Obama should be denied because of his race. Or that Mrs. [Hillary] Clinton should be denied the presidency because of her gender. This country is in deep, serious trouble, and thoughtful citizens surely are going to make up their minds based on the major issues confronting the country and the major qualities of the candidates and not on such superficial tests as religion, race, or gender. E-mail to a friend	[ "Who delivers speech on faith politics?", "What was Kennedy's speech on Roman Catholicism?", "What did Romney speak about?", "What did Sorensen say Kennedy viewed religion as?", "Who helped draft Kennedy's 1960 speech?", "Who helped draft Kennedy's speech?", "Which views did Kennedy and Romney differ greatly on?", "Who says that Kennedy viewed religion as a private matter?", "Which GOP candidate delivered a speech on faith in politics?", "What does Kennedy view religion as?" ]	[ [ "Kennedy" ], [ "JFK wanted to particularly stress that he believed in the separation between church and state. He believed that no one needed to worry about a Catholic bishop or a cardinal dictating to him as a president, and that freedom of religion included freedom for those to go to any church or not to go to any church at all." ], [ "emphasized the role of religion in public life" ], [ "totally his business" ], [ "Theodore Sorensen" ], [ "Theodore Sorensen" ], [ "privacy of religion," ], [ "Sorensen:" ], [ "Mitt Romney," ], [ "totally his business" ] ]	Ted Sorensen helped draft Kennedy's 1960 speech on Roman Catholicism . GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney delivers speech on faith in politics . Kennedy, Romney views on religion differ greatly, Sorensen says . Sorensen says Kennedy viewed religion as more of a private matter .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Every day, five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves. Before the Iraq war began, that figure was less than one suicide attempt a day. A U.S. soldier patrols the streets of Baghdad in January. The dramatic increase is revealed in new U.S. Army figures, which show 2,100 soldiers tried to commit suicide in 2007. "Suicide attempts are rising and have risen over the last five years," said Col. Elspeth Cameron-Ritchie, an Army psychiatrist. Concern over the rate of suicide attempts prompted Sen. Jim Webb, D-Virginia, to introduce legislation Thursday to improve the military's suicide-prevention programs. "Our troops and their families are under unprecedented levels of stress due to the pace and frequency of more than five years of deployments," Webb said in a written statement. Watch CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre on the reasons for the increase in suicides » Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, took to the Senate floor Thursday, urging more help for military members, especially for those returning from war. "Our brave service members who face deployment after deployment without the rest, recovery and treatment they need are at the breaking point," Murray said. She said Congress has given "hundreds of millions of dollars" to the military to improve its ability to provide mental health treatment, but said it will take more than money to resolve the problem. "It takes leadership and it takes a change in the culture of war," she said. She said some soldiers had reported receiving nothing more than an 800 number to call for help. "Many soldiers need a real person to talk to," she said. "And they need psychiatrists and they need psychologists." According to Army statistics, the incidence of U.S. Army soldiers attempting suicide or inflicting injuries on themselves has skyrocketed in the nearly five years since the start of the Iraq war. Last year's 2,100 attempted suicides -- an average of more than 5 per day -- compares with about 350 suicide attempts in 2002, the year before the war in Iraq began, according to the Army. The figures also show the number of suicides by active-duty troops in 2007 may reach an all-time high when the statistics are finalized in March, Army officials said. The Army lists 89 soldier deaths in 2007 as suicides and is investigating 32 more as possible suicides. Suicide rates already were up in 2006 with 102 deaths, compared with 87 in 2005. Cameron-Ritchie, the Army psychiatrist, said suicide attempts are usually related to problems with intimate relationships, but they are also related to problems with work, finances and the law. "The really tough area here is stigma. We know that soldiers don't want to go seek care. They're tough, they're strong, they don't want to go see a behavioral health-care provider," Cameron-Ritchie said. Multiple deployments and long deployments appear to exact a toll on relationships, thereby boosting the number of suicide attempts, she said. Traditionally, the suicide rate among military members has been lower than age- and gender-matched civilians. But in recent years the rate has crept up from 12 per 100,000 among the military to 17.5 per 100,000 in 2006, she said. That's still less than the civilian figure of about 20 per 100,000, she said. The "typical" soldier who commits suicide is a member of an infantry unit who uses a firearm to carry out the act, according to the Army. Post-traumatic stress disorder also may be a factor in suicide attempts, Cameron-Ritchie said, because it can result in broken relationships and often leads to drug and alcohol abuse. "The real central issue is relationships. Relationships, relationships, relationships," said U.S. Army Chaplain Lt. Col. Ran Dolinger. "People look at PTSD, they look at length of deployments ... but it's that broken relationship that really makes the difference." To reduce suicides, the Army said it is targeting soldiers who are or have been	[ "What is the senator doing about it?", "What is the Psychiatrist name?", "What type of care is currently offered?", "What treatment does soldiers need?" ]	[ [ "introduce legislation Thursday to improve the military's suicide-prevention programs." ], [ "Col. Elspeth Cameron-Ritchie," ], [ "an 800 number to call for help." ], [ "mental health" ] ]	Average of 5 soldiers per day tried to commit suicide in 2007, Army figures show . Sen. Jim Webb introduces legislation to improve care for soldiers . Army psychiatrist says soldiers must overcome stigma of treatment . Psychiatrist: "We know that soldiers don't want to go seek care"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Expressing hope that the future of Tibet and China will move beyond mistrust, the Dalai Lama accepted the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush Wednesday during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. "I am deeply touched that this great honor has been given to me, a Buddhist monk born of a simple family," he said. Earlier, China slammed the United States for bestowing the nation's highest civilian honor on the Dalai Lama, calling the ceremony an affront to the budding relations between the countries. But the Dalai Lama repeated his stance that he's seeking a "meaningful autonomy" for the Tibetan people, not independence from China. "Despite all this, Beijing continues to allege that my hidden agenda is a separation and restoration [of] Tibet's old social political system. Such a notion is unfounded and untrue," he said. "Much of the world is waiting to see how China's concepts of harmonious society and peaceful rights would unfold." Though Bush said the ceremony was not meant to antagonize the Chinese, he made repeated references to religious oppression. "Americans cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close our eyes or turn away," Bush said. Calling the Dalai Lama a "universal symbol of peace and tolerance, a shepherd to the faithful and a keeper of the flame for his people," Bush presented the medallion to the Dalai Lama. Watch actor Richard Gere explain the importance of the ceremony » The spiritual leader grinned broadly, pulling the award from its case and showing it to the lawmakers with whom he shared the stage. Democratic and Republican leaders praised the Dalai Lama's record of promoting peace and urged China to allow the return of the exiled leader. Bush also lauded the spiritual leader who as a boy kept a model of the Statue of Liberty by his bedside. The president met privately Tuesday with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th dalai lama, in the White House. Before the Wednesday honor, Bush said he was attending the ceremony because he admires the Dalai Lama, the two of them both support religious freedom and because "I like going to the gold medal ceremonies." He further said fostering religious freedom was in China's best interests and that Beijing should meet with the Dalai Lama. "If they were to sit down with the Dalai Lama, they would find him to be a man of peace and reconciliation," Bush said. China saw the ceremony as a political statement and believes the honor represents U.S. acquiescence to the Dalai Lama's calls for Tibetan autonomy. Tibet, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao, is "an inalienable part of China" and Chinese-Tibetan affairs are strictly a matter of Chinese domestic policy. "U.S. leaders meeting the Dalai [Lama] seriously violate the basic principles of international relations," Liu said. The Dalai Lama laughed off Chinese criticism of his visit, saying Tuesday in Washington, "That always happens." The Congressional Gold Medal -- one of four honors Congress is doling out Wednesday -- is presented "both for singular acts of exceptional service and for lifetime achievement." Past recipients include Mother Teresa, former South African President Nelson Mandela, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and baseball and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson. White House spokesman Dana Perino said Bush considered the Dalai Lama "a great spiritual leader." Bush, who has met with the Dalai Lama four times, told Chinese President Hu Jintao at a summit in Australia last month that he would be attending Wednesday's ceremony, Perino said. She quickly dismissed the notion that the president was trying to make a statement by attending the ceremony. The White House is generally measured in its criticism of China as it seeks to manage a booming trade relationship and a desire to enlist Chinese cooperation on nuclear standoffs with North Korea and Iran. Beijing has claimed to be the legitimate and rightful government of Tibet since 1951, the year after China invaded the then-independent state. Some say the claim doesn't jibe with international law. Allegations abound that China has	[ "What did President Bush say about the Dalai Lama?", "What is China's allegation?" ]	[ [ "a \"universal symbol of peace and tolerance, a shepherd to the faithful and a keeper of the flame for his people,\"" ], [ "my hidden agenda is a separation and restoration [of] Tibet's old social political system." ] ]	NEW: Dalai Lama: China's allegation of a hidden agenda is unfounded, untrue . President Bush encourages China to sit down with "man of peace" White House says it isn't "poking a stick" in China's eye with Dalai Lama honor . China: U.S. leaders "violate the basic principles of international relations"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- FBI Director Robert Mueller pointed Monday to recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India, and Somalia to highlight the FBI's concern that small groups or individuals could carry out such attacks on U.S. soil. FBI Director Robert Mueller says he worries the Mumbai attack could be replicated in the United States. In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Mueller worried that the dramatic terror attack on hotels and other facilities in Mumbai potentially could be replicated in the United States. "This type of attack reminds us that terrorists with large agendas and little money can use rudimentary weapons to maximize their impact. And it again raises the question of whether a similar attack could happen in Seattle or San Diego, Miami, or Manhattan," Mueller said. He said he is increasingly concerned with "pockets of people around the world that identify with al Qaeda and its ideology" but who have little or no actual contact with al Qaeda. Mueller cited the first-ever suicide bombing by a naturalized U.S. citizen last October. A Somali native who had settled in Minnesota traveled back to Somalia and blew up himself and 29 others. The idea that Shirwa Ahmed, 27, was radicalized in the United States raised red flags throughout the FBI. "One pattern in particular concerns us," Mueller said. "The prospect of young men, indoctrinated and radicalized within their own communities and induced to travel to Somalia to take up arms -- and to kill themselves and perhaps many others -- is a perversion of the immigrant story. And it raises the question of whether these young men will one day come home and, if so, what they might undertake here." Authorities have said as many as 20 young Somali men reported missing in Minnesota may have returned to Somalia to take up arms.	[ "What does the FBI worry?", "What alarms Mueller?", "What did the Mumbai attac show?", "What happened in the mumbai attack?", "What is the FBI worrying about?" ]	[ [ "small groups or individuals could carry out such attacks on U.S. soil." ], [ "he worries the Mumbai attack could be replicated in the United States." ], [ "concern that small groups or individuals could carry out such attacks on U.S. soil." ], [ "on hotels and other facilities" ], [ "the Mumbai attack could be replicated in the United States." ] ]	FBI director: Mumbai attack showed terrorists with little money can have large impact . FBI worries "whether a similar attack could happen in" the U.S., Mueller says . Suicide bombing involving naturalized U.S. citizen in Somalia also alarms Mueller .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- FBI agents temporarily deployed to Iraq received an average of about $45,000 in excessive overtime because they billed the government for 16 hours a day throughout their 90-day assignments, according to a Justice Department audit. Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine released the audit on Thursday. The audit, released Thursday by Inspector General Glenn Fine, found the agents routinely submitted the overtime with the blessing of their managers from 2003 through 2007. The report says the excessive overtime totaled $7.8 million. "The FBI inappropriately permitted employees to regularly claim overtime for activities that are not compensable as work, such as time spent eating meals, exercising more than 3 hours per week, and socializing," the report said. The socializing included going to movies and cocktail parties. The FBI promptly responded to the report, acknowledging the overtime policy was designed to encourage FBI employees to volunteer for Iraq duty, but should not have been used and has now been corrected. The 88-page report documenting the overtime issues found the FBI had initially approved the policy of paying for 16-hour days because conditions were harsh, there were few recreational opportunities and employees were always "on call." But the audit said that violates federal pay guidelines. The FBI admitted that "a flawed system was allowed to develop and remain in place too long," but it also sought to explain how the practice started. "Early in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq FBI managers traveled to those war zones and saw first hand the challenges of a 24/7 threat environment. FBI employees lived with sniper attacks, mortar fire, and roadside bombs as part of their daily work environment. They attempted to adapt a long established domestic pay system for domestic law enforcement to unprecedented wartime assignments for FBI personnel." FBI agents in Iraq perform a variety of duties, according to the bureau's Web site. Agents interview suspected terrorists captured by the military; gather intelligence; collect evidence from crime scenes like car bombs or mass graves; and investigate crimes committed by Americans against Iraqis, as well as those that Iraqis commit against their fellow citizens. The inspector general's report said overtime pay was less excessive for FBI personnel in Afghanistan. The report also found that somewhat less excessive overtime was paid to agents from other Justice Department agencies who were sent to Iraq, including deputy marshals, and ATF and DEA agents.	[ "What was used to detect these accounting errors?", "What was the average amount of overtime?", "Payment that FBI agents in Iraq receive in overtime?", "How much excessive overtime do agents in Iraq get?", "Who conducted the audit?", "What did the FBI acknowledge?", "What was the policy meant to encourage?", "What did the audit find?", "Who acknowledged the error?", "Where were the FBI agents who received improper payments?" ]	[ [ "the audit" ], [ "$45,000" ], [ "average of about $45,000" ], [ "an average of about $45,000 in" ], [ "Justice Department" ], [ "\"a flawed system was allowed to develop and remain in place too long,\"" ], [ "volunteer for Iraq duty," ], [ "agents routinely submitted the overtime with the blessing of their managers from 2003 through 2007." ], [ "The FBI" ], [ "Iraq" ] ]	FBI agents in Iraq each received an average of $45,000 in excessive overtime . Audit finds agents submitted overtime with managers' blessing . FBI acknowledges error but says policy was to encourage voluntary sign-ups .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal agents have arrested more than 1,300 suspected gang members, including 343 with violent criminal histories, in the past three months, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said Tuesday. Gang weapons and paraphernalia are displayed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2006. "Violent foreign-born gang members and their associates have more than worn out their welcome, and to them I have one message: good riddance," Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in a news release. Of those arrested, 374 face criminal charges, officials said. The rest face deportation, they said. During the nationwide crackdown, immigration and customs agents worked with law enforcement counterparts in 23 cities in what officials described as a "summer surge." The most arrests were made in the New York area (205) and Miami, Florida (160), but gang members were arrested in cities as small as Boise, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Arkansas. Watch agents in action in suspected gang roundup » Myers told a Washington news conference that some of "the worst of the worst" gang offenders had been taken off U.S. streets. One of the gangs targeted has been MS-13, which is believed to be the fastest growing group in the United States as well as one of the most violent, the agency said. The FBI estimates MS-13 has about 10,000 members in the country, along with tens of thousands in Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, where the gang originated in the late 1980s. "MS-13 still seems to be the primary gang and the most violent gang still out there, and it is penetrating throughout the United States," said Marcy Forman, director of investigations for the agency. Don Hunter, sheriff of Collier County in southwest Florida, said MS-13 was present in what he called the "upscale" community. "We are not unique, we have transnational gangs, we have homegrown gangs," Hunter told the news conference. But he said cooperation among federal and local agencies had made it possible to put a dent in gang operations. The sweep was part of the agency's Operation Community Shield anti-gang initiative, which started in 2005, and has resulted in arrests of more than 7,000 alleged members and their associates from more than 600 gangs, the agency said. E-mail to a friend CNN's Kelli Arena and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.	[ "How many people are facing criminal charges?", "Who conducted the sweep?", "What will happen to those who do not face criminal charges?", "How many faced criminial charges?", "How many cities had arrests?", "Arrests took place in how many cities?", "What number of cities did the arrests happen in?", "When was the initiative started?" ]	[ [ "374" ], [ "Federal agents" ], [ "deportation," ], [ "374" ], [ "23" ], [ "23" ], [ "23" ], [ "2005," ] ]	Immigration and Customs sweep part of initiative started in 2005 . Arrests took place over three-month period in 23 cities . Of those arrested, 374 face criminal charges; the rest will be deported .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal agents have determined New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer used a high-priced call-girl ring at least eight times in recent months, and agents had him under surveillance twice this year, sources familiar with the investigation said Wednesday. Sources say New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer used a call-girl service eight times in recent months. Spitzer announced his resignation Wednesday, two days after reports of his connection to the Emperors Club VIP became public. He has not been charged with a crime. He told reporters Wednesday, "I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's work." The resignation will take effect Monday. Watch Spitzer say he will resign » The sources said the investigation began when New York's North Fork Bank notified the Treasury Department about suspicious transfers of money from Spitzer's bank accounts. That investigation led agents to the alleged organizers of the prostitution ring, four of whom were charged in a criminal complaint last week, the sources said. A grand jury in New York is likely to hear evidence in the case soon, said Kathleen Mullin, an attorney who said she represents one of the ring's employees. Mullin would not identify her client, but said she was not the woman identified only as "Kristen" linked to Spitzer in court papers. She said her client and other women who worked for the Emperors Club have been asked to testify before the grand jury. Asked if her client had any encounters with Spitzer, Mullin said, "We have no information regarding the governor." Wiretaps on suspected members of the ring, authorized in January, yielded more than 5,000 telephone calls and text messages and another 6,000-plus e-mails, according to court papers. In those intercepts, the organizers told clients how to arrange and pay for their trysts, a federal agent's affidavit states. The affidavit identified clients by number, with Spitzer designated "Client 9," a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN this week. Sources familiar with the investigation said federal authorities Wednesday were trying to clamp down on leaks of the investigation's details. See a timeline of the investigation » The affidavit states "Client 9" paid $4,300 for 2½ hours with a call girl he arranged to meet at Washington's Mayflower Hotel, with some of that a deposit on a future session. Court papers state he also paid for train tickets, cab fare, mini-bar and room service charges for Kristen -- a 5-foot-5, 105-pound brunette he arranged to meet the night of February 13. Kristen is a 22-year-old would-be singer from New Jersey, The New York Times reported Wednesday. The newspaper said Ashley Youmans -- now known as Ashley Alexandra Dupre -- was identified in court documents as Kristen. Dupre has not been charged with a crime. She made a brief appearance Monday in U.S. Magistrate Court as a witness against four people charged with operating the Emperor's Club, the Times said. In an entry on her MySpace page, Dupre says she left "a broken family" and "abuse" in 2004, eventually settling in Manhattan "to pursue my music career." "I am all about my music, and my music is all about me," she writes on her MySpace page. "It flows from what I've been through, what I've seen and how I feel." Dupre's mother, Carolyn Capalbo, told the Times she and her daughter were close, adding that "she obviously got involved in something much larger than her." Spitzer, whose squeaky-clean image as a corporate corruption-buster made him a rising Democratic star, testified to the House Financial Services Committee the next day about the effect of the mortgage meltdown. He took a state plane from Buffalo, New York, to Washington and back to New York, his office confirmed Tuesday. Sources told CNN that FBI agents had Spitzer under surveillance at the Mayflower that night -- and on an earlier occasion, on January 26, when no prostitute showed up. His resignation is unlikely to affect decisions	[ "what about spitzer", "what about the bank", "What kind of transfers were suspicious?", "What kind of ring was Spritzer linked to?", "After being linked to a call girl ring, who resigned?", "The bank notified whom of the suspicious transfers of money?" ]	[ [ "used a call-girl service eight times in recent months." ], [ "North Fork Bank notified the Treasury Department about suspicious transfers of money from Spitzer's bank accounts." ], [ "money from Spitzer's bank accounts." ], [ "high-priced call-girl" ], [ "New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer" ], [ "Treasury Department" ] ]	"Kristen" identified as aspiring singer Ashley Youmans, 22 . Spitzer resigns Wednesday, two days after he is linked to call-girl ring . Bank notified Treasury Department about suspicious transfers of money . Spitzer could face charges of money laundering, legal experts say .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal drug officials say they've arrested 124 people and busted 56 labs in the largest illegal steroid investigation in U.S. history. The Drug Enforcement Administration says it busted 56 steroid labs in 27 states. The 18-month investigation, dubbed "Operation Raw Deal," targeted traffickers who allegedly imported raw materials from China and used them to make anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and insulin growth factor, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. "Today we reveal the truth behind the underground steroid market: dangerous drugs cooked up all too often in filthy conditions with no regard to safety, giving Americans who purchase them the ultimate raw deal," DEA Administrator Karen Tandy said in a statement. Authorities made arrests in 27 states, including busts in Los Angeles, California; New York City; San Diego, California; Providence, Rhode Island; and Kansas City, Missouri. They seized more than 530 pounds of raw materials and 11.4 million steroid dosage units in the United States, officials said, enough to supply hundreds of users. Most of the arrests were made between Thursday and Sunday, the DEA said. Chinese authorities cooperated with the investigation, which targeted 37 companies in China, the DEA said. So far, one Chinese lab has been shut down, officials said. The Chinese "have done everything" they were asked to do, said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne. Watch DEA officials say bust is only the beginning » The operation, according to the DEA, also cracked down on underground trafficking of counterfeit medications as well as Web sites that were distributing materials that helped in converting raw steroid ingredients into the finished product. "DEA successfully attacked the illegal steroid industry at every level of its distribution network-from the manufacturers in China who supply the raw materials, to the traffickers in the United States who market the deadly doses," the DEA statement said. Besides China, other countries which cooperated in the operation included Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Thailand, officials said. E-mail to a friend	[ "From which country were raw materials imported?", "How many labs were shut down?", "where Authorities arrest 124 people, shut down 56 labs?", "How many people where arrested?", "How many people did authorities arrest?", "where Investigators seize raw materials imported from?" ]	[ [ "China" ], [ "56" ], [ "in 27 states." ], [ "124" ], [ "124" ], [ "China" ] ]	Authorities arrest 124 people, shut down 56 labs . Investigators seize raw materials imported from China . China cooperates with probe, shuts down one lab .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal investigators at the Nestle USA plant in Danville, Virginia, have found evidence of E. coli bacteria in an unopened package of raw chocolate chip cookie dough, two sources at the Food and Drug Administration told CNN Monday. A Nestle spokeswoman says the tainted product was in a 16.5-ounce package and read "best before 10 JUN 2009." Researchers were testing the bacteria to determine if it bears the same genetic fingerprint as the E. coli linked to an outbreak of illness that has affected at least 69 people in 29 states. The tainted sample was manufactured last February 10 at the Nestle Plant in Danville, said the sources, both of whom requested anonymity. All of the infected persons had been confirmed as having the outbreak strain of E. coli 0157:H7, the CDC said Monday. Those affected range in age from 2 to 65, however 64 percent are less than 19 and 73 percent are female. Thirty-four people have been hospitalized and nine developed a kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been linked to the outbreak. A spokeswoman for Nestle said the company's baking division was informed Monday of the finding. She said the tainted product was in a 16.5-ounce package that had a day code of 9041 and a "best before 10 JUN 2009" on the package. The plant where the dough was produced has been shut since June 18.	[ "Whcih Nestle plant did this happen at?", "What strain has been confirmed?", "Was the company's baking division informed of the finding?", "How many states have been linked to the bacteria found in the Danville Nestle plant.", "Was bacteria found at Nestle plant in Danville?", "Which strain of bacteria was found in a Nestle plant in Danville, Virginia.", "In which American Nestle plant hs bateria been found" ]	[ [ "Danville, Virginia," ], [ "E. coli bacteria" ], [ "Monday of the" ], [ "29" ], [ "evidence of E. coli" ], [ "E. coli" ], [ "Danville, Virginia," ] ]	Bacteria found at Nestle USA plant in Danville, Virginia, FDA researchers say . Researchers tested bacteria for link to illness outbreak in 29 states . Nestle spokeswoman said company's baking division was informed of finding . All infected persons confirmed as having strain of E. coli 0157:H7 .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal investigators will declare the 2001 anthrax case solved on Wednesday, when they make public their case against government researcher Bruce Ivins, a government source familiar with the case told CNN on Tuesday. Ex-Army scientist Bruce Ivins, seen here in 2003, died from an apparent suicide last week. But the case will not be considered closed, because administrative details remain incomplete, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Before making the information public, the FBI is expected to share the evidence of Ivins' involvement with survivors and relatives of victims in the anthrax attacks, the source said. A lawyer for Maureen Stevens, the widow of Bob Stevens, the first victim of the 2001 attacks, said she was invited to the session and will attend. The tabloid photo editor died after inhaling anthrax that investigators believe was in a letter sent to American Media Inc., the publisher of the Sun and National Enquirer tabloids, at its offices in Boca Raton, Florida. Another source familiar with the investigation said Tuesday that in the fall of 2001, Ivins borrowed a machine that can convert wet anthrax, the kind used at Fort Detrick, into dry powder, which was found in the anthrax letters. Such machines, called lyophilizers, are not usually used at Fort Detrick, where Ivins worked, though they are easy to obtain. Experts said the report may have no significance. "I wouldn't necessarily make the conclusion that, just because he had access to a lyophilizer and used a lyophilizer, that that provides a smoking gun, that he must be using this for sinister purposes," said Peter Hotez, chairman of microbiology at George Washington University in Washington. Richard Spertzel, a former biodefense scientist who worked with Ivins at the lab at Fort Detrick, said there was "no way" a lyophilizer could have created the fine anthrax spores used in the 2001 letters. Spertzel said a more advanced machine would have been needed, and that no one working at a U.S. government lab could have produced such high quality anthrax in secret. Ivins, who is expected to be blamed for the mailings of the toxin, which killed five people and sickened more than a dozen others -- died July 27 at a hospital in Frederick, Maryland, from an apparent suicide attempt two days earlier. No charges have been made public. He became a suspect after investigators found DNA evidence from the 2001 anthrax mailings on a flask used in his laboratory at the U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, said a source who is familiar with the investigation but not authorized to speak publicly about the case. Ivins had worked for decades in the biodefense lab at Fort Detrick, where he was trying to develop a better vaccine against the toxin. The FBI had traced the anthrax used in the attacks to the lab by using a new technology, a U.S. official familiar with the investigation said. Authorities were looking at whether Ivins may have released anthrax to test a vaccine he was working on, another official said. Some of the anthrax-laced letters, written in crude block letters, included the words, "Take penacilin (sic) now," according to photographs released by the FBI. Since Ivins' death, suspicions about his involvement in the anthrax attacks have surfaced alongside questions about his sanity. At the time of his death, the 62-year-old scientist was under a temporary restraining order sought by a social worker who had counseled him in private and group sessions. She accused him of having harassed, stalked and threatened her with violence. The woman told the court in her complaint that Ivins had been treated at a mental health facility. Steven Hatfill, another government scientist who was named by the Justice Department as a "person of interest" in the attacks, was never charged. He sued the department, which settled the case in June. The skepticism in scientific circles about the strength of the case against Ivins heightens the importance of the government's unveiling of its evidence against the scientist, a former prosecutor said.	[ "Who is to declare anthrax case sold?", "What will be made public?", "who says the anthrax case is solved but not closed", "what Another source says?", "Who sais Ivins used a machine to convert wet anthrax into dry powder?", "Who died last week?", "Who is to declare anthrax case solved but not closed?", "What did Ivins use to convert wet anthrax into dry powder" ]	[ [ "Federal investigators" ], [ "case against government researcher Bruce Ivins," ], [ "Federal investigators" ], [ "in the fall of 2001, Ivins borrowed a machine that can convert wet anthrax, the kind used at Fort Detrick, into dry powder, which was found in the anthrax letters." ], [ "source familiar with" ], [ "Ex-Army scientist Bruce Ivins," ], [ "Federal investigators" ], [ "lyophilizer" ] ]	Source: Feds to declare anthrax case solved but not closed . Bruce Ivins, 62, died last week as FBI prepared to charge him in 2001 attacks . Another source says Ivins used a machine to convert wet anthrax into dry powder . Authorities will make case public after sharing details with victims and relatives .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal law enforcement authorities are discussing what to do with the lone surviving pirate captured Sunday off Somalia's coast after a successful military rescue abruptly ended a five-day hostage standoff at sea. A Kenyan police officer guards the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama at a Mombasa port Sunday. According to sources familiar with the case, U.S. government officials are weighing potential legal hurdles they may face if the young Somali captive is flown to New York or Washington to face federal criminal charges. Officially, the government is virtually mum on the discussions. "The Justice Department continues to review the evidence and other issues to determine whether to seek prosecution of this individual in the United States," said Dean Boyd, spokesman for the Justice Department National Security Division. Sources who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to discuss the matter said the detained Somali youth remains in military custody, but is likely to be turned over eventually to the FBI for transport to the United States. Watch how the Navy deals with pirates » New York-based FBI agents are assisting Nairobi-based agents in collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Some officials say it appears most likely the captive initially would be flown to New York to stand trial. However, sources stress no decisions have been made on when or where the young pirate would face justice. Investigators face the early and potentially difficult task of determining whether the Somali suspect is at least 18 years of age. Initial reports from the Horn of Africa have indicated the young man is anywhere from 16 to 19 years old. Officials note that authoritatively establishing his identity and date of birth in a lawless country, where records are often lost or burned, if they ever existed at all, may be problematic. Even if officials determine the Somali youth is a juvenile, he could be presented to a magistrate in a U.S. District Court. Justice Department records indicate such occurrences are rare, with juveniles accounting for less than 1 percent of criminal defendants. The latest available figures show among the thousands of federal prisoners, about half of the 200-plus defendants 17 or younger are held for trial as adults, while the other half are detained as juveniles. Whether adult or juvenile, the Somali captive could be charged under an international treaty to which the United States is a signatory that carries penalties of up to life in prison. Watch how U.S. could deal with captured pirate » The 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation has been used to prosecute pirates in other countries. The agreement allows for pirates and hostage takers on the high seas to be prosecuted in any country which signed the treaty, without regard to which national flag a ship was flying. Former FBI official and CNN contributor Tom Fuentes, who supervised international operations for the FBI, recalls agents providing critical help in winning the conviction in a Kenyan courtroom of 10 pirates captured in 2006 with the help of the U.S. military. The USS Nassau had come to the aid of an Indian ship on which pirates were holding 16 Indian hostages. Shots were fired, prompting the pirates to surrender. "The government of Kenya wanted to prosecute the case, so the Justice Department and State Department agreed to that. We said 'Let's teach them to fish'," Fuentes said. Watch report on pirates' deadly new goal » He said FBI agents ended up spending six months working with Kenyan authorities on how to conduct interviews, handle and protect evidence, and shape a prosecution that would stand up in any courtroom in the world. The pirates were convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. Officials familiar with the current case say the lone Somali suspect in U.S. military custody could be turned over to Kenya or another country in the region if barriers to a U.S. prosecution appear to be daunting. However, because the ship was U.S.-flagged and the seized sea captain was a U.S. citizen, federal authorities will want to prosecute the case on U.S. soil if at all possible, according to one federal law enforcement official. Another official said it was probable that if a charge against the Somali is	[ "Where was the Somali captive flown?", "What was the kids age", "What hurdles abound?", "Who is prosecuted?", "What age is the suspect?", "Whose custody is the suspect in?", "who was the suspect?", "What is the suspects age?" ]	[ [ "New York or Washington" ], [ "16 to 19 years old." ], [ "determining whether the Somali suspect is at least 18 years of age." ], [ "the young Somali captive" ], [ "at least 18" ], [ "U.S. military" ], [ "detained Somali youth" ], [ "at least 18 years of" ] ]	Legal hurdles abound if Somali captive is flown to United States for prosecution . Suspect in U.S. military custody could be turned over to Kenya or another country . Complicating issue is suspect's age, reportedly between 16 and 19 .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal officials will travel to Standish, Michigan, on Thursday to tour a state prison that could be used to house terror suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, U.S. government officials said Wednesday. The prison in Standish, Michigan, is slated for closure but would stay open if Guantanamo detainees are sent there. Among those who will check out the facility, the officials said, will be representatives from the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons. One administration official stressed no decision has been made about where to relocate Guantanamo detainees. Multiple options are under consideration. That official added Thursday's visit is simply to gather information about the prison. The prison in Standish is a maximum security facility slated for closure. Some local officials would like to see Guantanamo prisoners brought there as a way to keep the prison open and preserve jobs in an area with more than 20 percent unemployment. Jerry Nelson, mayor pro tem of Standish, told CNN earlier this month that the area would lose 350 jobs if the prison closes. "I think most people are for this," Nelson said. "Anything to keep the prison open." Another location often mentioned for housing Guantanamo prisoners is a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Republican Sen. Sam Brownback and other officials vehemently oppose placing prisoners there. "This local community has spoken loud and clear repeatedly," Brownback said in a news conference in Kansas this month. "They don't want the detainees here." Administration officials have said they are looking at installations that could hold courtrooms for federal criminal trials as well as military commissions. President Obama announced plans early in his presidency to close the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay by January. The center has 229 detainees.	[ "Where is the prison?", "Where could the Guantanamo detainees be relocated?", "Who is the mayor of Standish?", "When does Obama aim to close the Guantanamo detention center?", "From where are the detainees being relocated to?", "Where is the prision located?" ]	[ [ "in Standish, Michigan," ], [ "Standish, Michigan," ], [ "Jerry Nelson," ], [ "by January." ], [ "Guantanamo Bay, Cuba," ], [ "Standish, Michigan," ] ]	Michigan prison seen as place where Guantanamo detainees could be relocated . Official: No decision on where to move Gitmo detainees has been made . Mayor of Standish, Michigan: Move would keep prison open, keep jobs in area . President Obama aims to close Guantanamo detention center in January .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal transportation safety officials Wednesday issued an "urgent" recommendation calling for a redesign of a component on some Boeing 777 aircraft engines -- a component blamed for two major mishaps in the past year. The engines on this British Airways jet lost power as it prepared to land in London on January 17, 2008. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said the Rolls-Royce engine component played a role in the January 17, 2008, crash of a British Airways jet near London's Heathrow Airport. Both the plane's engines lost power as the plane approached the runway, and 13 people were injured in the resulting crash. Ten months later, on November 26, 2008, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 777 was in cruise flight over Montana when an engine lost power. That plane landed safely in Atlanta after pilots performed a procedure developed in response to the Heathrow crash. In both cases, the NTSB said, a build-up of ice on a fuel/oil heat exchanger restricted the flow of fuel to the Rolls-Royce engines, reducing power. "With two of these rollback events occurring within a year, we believe that there is a high probability of something similar happening again," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker said in a news release. The Federal Aviation Administration recently ordered operators of Boeing 777s that use the Rolls Royce engines to revise flight manuals to give pilots procedures to follow in certain cold weather conditions, outlining steps they should take if their jets experience a reduction of power. But the NTSB said Wednesday the FAA action does not go far enough. "The procedure has worked and it has been effective in significantly reducing the likelihood [of an incident]," said NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson. "But that's not enough. We need a permanent fix." While the emergency procedures work, they add to the complexity of flying the plane and require a descent, which could be hazardous if the plane is not at a sufficient altitude, the NTSB said. Some 56 aircraft in the U.S. fleet and a total of 228 worldwide are equipped with Rolls-Royce engines. But the NTSB stopped short of recommending the planes be grounded. Knudson said the safety board believes the new procedures will significantly address the problem until Rolls-Royce has a new component ready for installation. Rolls-Royce indicated it can have a new system ready within 12 months, the NTSB said. "We are encouraged to see that Rolls-Royce is already working on a redesign, and we are confident that with the FAA and EASA [European Aviation Safety Agency] overseeing the process, this flight safety issue -- even one as complex as this -- will be successfully and expeditiously resolved," Rosenker said. The NTSB recommended that, once Rolls-Royce completes its redesign, the new system be installed on all affected Boeing 777's at their next maintenance check or within six months. A Rolls-Royce spokesman said: "The report clearly states that the Rolls-Royce equipment on this flight met or exceeded all requirements. The report also highlights the emerging issue of ice build up in commercial 'long-cold-high' routes. This is an industry-wide issue which requires detailed research that is likely to shape future regulations and requirements." "This has been a serious matter for both Boeing, and the airlines who use the 777 with Rolls Royce engines," said Richard Quest, CNN's aviation correspondent . "The development of a permanent mechanical fix will solve the problem. Until then pilots operating the plane will be on their guard for any signs of the problems re-occurring. That said, the plane remains safe to fly, otherwise it would have been grounded by the authorities."	[ "Who has been blamed for two incidents?", "What Safety Board urges about Boeing 777 engine problem?", "What is being blamed for two incidents?", "What is the Safety Board urging?", "What has been the number of U.S. aircraft involved in?", "united states how many planes are involved?", "What could recur?" ]	[ [ "a component" ], [ "National Transportation" ], [ "a component on some Boeing 777 aircraft engines" ], [ "redesign of a component on some Boeing 777 aircraft engines" ], [ "56" ], [ "56" ], [ "a build-up of ice on a fuel/oil heat exchanger" ] ]	Safety Board urges quick fix for Boeing 777 engine problem . Rolls-Royce engine blamed for two incidents last year . NTSB: "High probability" of similar recurrence . Some 56 U.S. aircraft involved; 228 worldwide .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Fifteen years after his death, and after his family fought a very long bureaucratic battle with the government, Enrique Valdez's name was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Rick Valdez looks at his father's name on the Wall on Monday. Valdez was a Marine gunnery sergeant wounded by shrapnel in August 1969, combat that left him a quadriplegic. Since his death in 1994, his family has been waiting for the Defense Department to answer their requests that Valdez be included on "The Wall." On Memorial Day, his family finally got their wish, as they watched his name officially added to "The Wall." His name was added to the registry after the Department of Defense declared he was eligible because he died from his war injuries. Rick Valdez was 7 when his father was deployed to Vietnam. "The night he had to go to the bus station for his second tour of duty, that was the last time I saw him walking," the son recalled. "The next time we saw him was at the Veterans Administration hospital in Long Beach [California], after they shipped him home," he said. The Marine was 32. "There are people that are worse off than I was," Tina Valdez recalled his father always saying. "I enlisted, and I served. I knew what I was getting into. And if this is the worst that could happen to me, well then, so be it." When notification came weeks ago from the Defense Department that Valdez's name would be added to the Wall, there was no explanation with it. Valdez's family previously thought since he hadn't been killed during war, Enrique Valdez couldn't be on the wall. Comrades and others told the family that he could be added to "The Wall "as long as we could show that his death was a result of his [war] injuries," said daughter Tina Valdez. "And when my father passed away, they put it on the death certificate, long before we even knew that this was a possibility." Now, they couldn't be more thrilled that it's not a possibility anymore -- it's a reality -- though they don't have an explanation for why the Defense Department finally notified them. "What changed?" his daughter Tina Valdez asked. "I've been sending [the Defense Department] the same information for 14 years. Why all of a sudden is it different now?" But when she saw the fresh lettering earlier this month on Panel 17, she felt that an explanation didn't matter as much anymore. "It's OK, because his name is here," she said. Watch Gunnery Sgt. Valdez's family at the Memorial » Enrique Valdez joins 58,260 other names listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and his is the only name added this year under 1969, for combat deaths that year or later deaths resulting from injuries sustained in combat that year.	[ "Where was the name added?", "Where is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial", "When did Valdez receive his wounds", "who was added to Vietnam Veterans Memorial", "Whose name was it?", "when did Valdez die", "Whose has been added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial", "When did he die?" ]	[ [ "Vietnam Veterans Memorial." ], [ "WASHINGTON" ], [ "August 1969," ], [ "Enrique Valdez's" ], [ "Enrique Valdez's" ], [ "1994," ], [ "Enrique Valdez's" ], [ "1994," ] ]	Marine Gunnery Sgt. Enrique Valdez's name added to Vietnam Veterans Memorial . Valdez died from wounds suffered in August 1969 . His family worked for years to have his name added to the memorial .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For the fifth time this year, a U.S. Air Force nuclear weapons unit failed an inspection, this time because of failure to document its handling of nuclear missiles and other critical issues, Air Force officials said. In an Air Force file photo, an airman inspects a missile part at a training site. A "nuclear surety inspection" and "unit compliance inspection" was conducted this month on the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming by an Air Force inspector general. There was no risk to the unit's Minuteman III nuclear missiles, Air Force officials said. The unit has 90 days to correct the problems and pass another inspection. In the wake of recent problems, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and top Air Force officials have indicated a zero tolerance for failing inspections, but no punishments are expected in this case, officials said. The inspection report found the maintenance unit failed to document tests conducted on missiles correctly, including tests on safety devices. The inspector general told the unit the failures indicated either a "lack of competence" or "disregard for procedures," according to a source who has seen the report. Additionally, failures included having some personnel on duty without proper medical clearance and failure to inspect radiation detectors. Other units that failed inspections this year included two bomb wings and two missile units.	[ "What is not at risk?", "how many days has the 90th missile?", "How many days does the Missile Wing have to correct the failure?", "What do official say about the Minuteman III nuclear missiles?", "What did air force officials say?" ]	[ [ "to the unit's Minuteman III nuclear missiles," ], [ "90" ], [ "90" ], [ "There was no risk to the unit's" ], [ "There was no risk to the unit's Minuteman III nuclear missiles," ] ]	Unit at Wyoming base fails to document missile handling, Air Force officials say . The 90th Missile Wing has 90 days to make corrections . No risk to Minuteman III nuclear missiles, officials say .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For the first time since media coverage was banned in 1991, the return of the body of a fallen member of the U.S. armed forces was opened to news outlets late Sunday. A transport plane carries caskets of U.S. servicemen in this photo the Pentagon released in 2005. The U.S. Air Force informed media on Sunday that the family of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers consented to allowing coverage of his casket being returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Myers, 30, of Hopewell, Virginia, was a member of an engineering unit based in Britain. He died Saturday in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military reported. In February, President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates overturned a policy that dated back to the first Persian Gulf war. They agreed to allow reporters to observe the remains of American troops being returned to the U.S. military mortuary at Dover, as long as families agreed. The policy was supposed to take effect on Monday, and no reason was given why reporters were allowed to view the proceedings on Sunday. Watch report on lifting of the ban »	[ "Who consents to coverage of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers casket's return?", "when was the media ban introduced", "Whose funeral is being arranged?", "Where was body of Myers brought to on Sunday night?", "where is Dover air force base located", "Where will his body first come to?", "in what month did president Obama overturn the ban", "Where was the body of Myers brought?", "what was brought to Dover Air Force Base?", "when was media coverage banned?", "What did the family of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers consent to?", "Who overturned the policy in February?", "who consents to coverage of his casket's return?", "what happened to him?" ]	[ [ "the family" ], [ "1991," ], [ "Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers" ], [ "Dover Air Force Base in Delaware." ], [ "Delaware." ], [ "Air Force Base in Delaware." ], [ "February," ], [ "Dover Air Force Base in Delaware." ], [ "casket" ], [ "1991," ], [ "allowing coverage of his casket being returned" ], [ "President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates" ], [ "the family of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers" ], [ "died Saturday" ] ]	Family of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers consents to coverage of his casket's return . Body of Myers brought to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday night . This is first time that media coverage has been allowed since ban in 1991 . In February, President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates overturned policy .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For years, retired Air Force Col. John Leech has had no desire to return to the Pentagon. Retired Col. John Leech narrowly escaped death at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Leech narrowly escaped death September 11, 2001, when a hijacked American Airlines jetliner hit the building. He will attend Thursday's dedication of the Pentagon memorial honoring the 184 people killed in the terror attack. In an earlier visit to the memorial, Leech left a note for his friend Navy Capt. Jack Punches: "Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation." Leech could barely contain his sadness recently as he watched a Department of Defense videotape showing the burned interior of the area in the building where he was that fateful morning. "Wow. My God. ... It makes you weak in the knees to see these pictures," Leech said. Leech, 54, recently took CNN into an office not far from the conference room where he was that morning. He has avoided touring the building since the attack but finally decided he was ready to "re-engage" with the past. In 2001, Leech was working as a Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office. He worked primarily out of the White House but attended meetings at the Pentagon every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Watch as he returns to the crash site » As he walked the now-renovated halls where he spent the morning of September 11, he recalled the horror of the day. The shock, he said, was indescribable. "It hit with such force. I had never experienced anything like it in my life. It rattled you right down to the bone," Leech said. Flight 77 slammed into the west wall of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. ET. Among the 184 people killed in the building and on the plane were a 3-year-old girl and a 71-year-old retired Navy captain, the youngest and oldest victims, who were both passengers on Flight 77. A closer look at the new Pentagon memorial » Several people were killed or severely burned not far from where Leech took cover. He remembers people screaming, "bloodcurdling screams." "I was so lucky. ... It was almost like we were in a protective cocoon," Leech recalled. "I mean, I inhaled a lot of jet fuel vapors, and I got dusted up, but that was the extent of my injuries." The married father of a 26-year-old woman remembers snaking his way outside the burning building, where in a stupor he noticed a comb that appeared to belong to a small child. "A little girl's comb that was untouched. It was not scorched; it didn't have smut on it," Leech remembered. "It was a pristine red comb sitting off the side, and next to it was a tattered suitcase, and I can remember looking at that and thinking, who did that belong to? What little girl did that belong to?" Leech served 28 years in the military and now works for the Department of Homeland Security but hopes to return one day to the Defense Department. Seven years after that horrible day, Leech visited the chapel at the new Pentagon Memorial, a two-acre park, which opens to the public Thursday. It was built at the spot where Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thumbing through a condolence book in the chapel, he found the friend whom he was with that day, Navy Capt. Jack Punches. He wrote, "Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation -- John Leech." "I've avoided ... anything to do with 9/11, so it feels good to be here," he said. "I mean, a lot happened that day. A lot of good people died. A lot of very good people." CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this story	[ "Who narrowly escaped death on September 11, 2001?", "Retired Col. JOhn Leech escaped death when?", "What did he find in the rubble?", "What could be seen near a suitcase?", "What did the Pentagon survivor recall?", "Who is Col. John Leech?", "Who was nearly killed?" ]	[ [ "Retired Col. John Leech" ], [ "September 11, 2001." ], [ "\"A little girl's comb that was untouched." ], [ "a pristine red comb" ], [ "horror of the day." ], [ "Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office." ], [ "Retired Col. John Leech" ] ]	Retired Col. John Leech narrowly escaped death on September 11, 2001 . Pentagon survivor recalls shock, terror of that terrible morning . Fleeing for safety, he saw a little girl's red comb untouched near a tattered suitcase . Watch 9/11 memorials in New York and Washington on CNN.com Live .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former ABC News chief national security correspondent John McWethy died from injuries in a Colorado skiing accident, a coroner said Thursday. John McWethy, right, shares a laugh in 2002 with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington. A witness said McWethy, 61, was skiing fast on an intermediate trail Wednesday at Keystone Ski Resort when he lost control and slammed into a tree, said Joanne L. Richardson, the Summit County, Colorado, coroner. McWethy died while being treated for blunt-force injuries at Summit Medical Center, Richardson said. "He just missed a turn and slid sideways is what we're surmising," she told CNN. McWethy was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, she said. With his wife, Laurie, McWethy recently had moved to Boulder after nearly 30 years as an ABC News correspondent, so he could enjoy Colorado's ski trails, according to a statement from ABC News President David Westin. "He was doing something that he truly loved," Weston said. "But he deserved many more years doing it than he was given." Friends and former colleagues described McWethy as an outstanding reporter who also cherished life outside work. "He always knew without exception what so many in the powerful business of TV news fail to learn until it's too late: In the end, all we have is our families and our friends and our self-respect as news reporters," said CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who worked as a producer with McWethy for three years. Both Starr and former CNN producer Chris Plante admired McWethy's coolheaded reporting from the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, when a hijacked airliner punched a huge, fiery hole in the building's massive facade. "He was unflappable even in the most extreme situations because he was always centered by his love for his family and the knowledge that the television news business and all of this Washington hoo-ha was not 'real life,' " Plante said. "Unlike so many, he really did have a handle on what life was for. And the last moments of his life are proof of that." College classmate Bob Steele wrote about McWethy's "mighty" skepticism of authority in an article published online for the Poynter Institute. While they attended Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, Steele said McWethy "challenged the University President and his policies. He protested against the Vietnam War." Steele wrote that McWethy considered "why" to be "the most powerful word in the English language." Len Ackland of the University of Colorado's Center for Environmental Journalism told The Denver Post that his longtime friend "was a very humble guy." Ackland told the paper that McWethy "didn't talk about himself much. He was the kind of journalist who didn't want to be out front. It was always about the story, not about him. He was the kind of guy you enjoyed sitting down to have a beer with." McWethy left behind two sons, Adam, 28, and Ian, 24, according to the Post. His wife, who was with McWethy at the time of the accident, told the Post her husband was a good skier who enjoyed living in Colorado. "He loved it here," she told the paper. "I think he loved the beauty of its nature, the open spaces, the wildlife, everything." In his statement, Westin said, "He was one of those very rare reporters who knew his beat better than anyone, and had developed more sources than anyone, and yet, kept his objectivity." After working as a reporter for U.S. News & World Report, McWethy joined ABC News in 1979, going on to cover conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo and Liberia, according to the ABC News Web site. McWethy was the network's primary reporter assigned to Secretaries of State James Baker, George Shultz, Warren Christopher and Lawrence Eagleburger, ABC said, and he had traveled to more than 50 countries. McWethy was honored with at least five	[ "Was he wearing a helmet?", "Who died in Colorado ski accident?", "Who was wearing a helmet?", "Who is the ABC president?", "What caused him to die?", "What did he love to do?", "Who died in a ski accident?", "What was the reporter doing?" ]	[ [ "a" ], [ "John McWethy" ], [ "McWethy" ], [ "David Westin." ], [ "injuries" ], [ "ski" ], [ "John McWethy" ], [ "skiing" ] ]	Ex-ABC News reporter John McWethy, 61, dies in Colorado ski accident . McWethy was wearing helmet at time of crash, coroner says . Reporter died doing "something he truly loved," says ABC president . "Unflappable" reporter "really did have handle on what life was for," ex-colleague says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush have landed in Midland, Texas, the former first lady's hometown and her husband's childhood home. Former President George W. Bush helicopters for the last time to Andrews Air Force Base on Tuesday. A crowd welcomed the Bushes in Midland, waving red, white and blue W signs. Country music performers Rodney Atkins, the Gatlin Brothers and Lee Greenwood performed until the former first family arrived. "Today is a good day for the Bush family. We're back in Texas, and we're here to stay," Bush told a cheering crowd in downtown Midland's Centennial Plaza. "I am grateful that y'all came out to welcome us home." Watch the crowd in Midland cheer Bush » The Bushes flew to Midland from Washington on Tuesday after inaugural ceremonies for President Obama. "A good man took the oath of office today, and we offer him our prayers for success," he said. The Bushes boarded a helicopter in front of the Capitol bound for Andrews Air Force Base shortly before 1 p.m. Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walked the Bushes to the helicopter -- known as Marine One when the president is on board but called "Executive One" for this flight -- and bid them farewell with handshakes and hugs. The former president kept busy right up until his final moments in the White House. Painters and cleaning crews were still working in the West Wing press offices. Moving crews heaved boxes and delicately carried paintings bound in bubble wrap. Other moving trucks were unloading boxes and carting them into the White House. iReport.com: President Bush draws boos from inauguration crowd George W. Bush spent Tuesday morning making calls. He rang outgoing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card and former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Watch Bush wave goodbye » The former president also had a conversation with his good friend the Rev. T.D. Jakes. Jakes is the chief pastor of the nondenominational megachurch Potter's House in Dallas, Texas. He was in Washington to give a sermon Tuesday at St. John's Church, a short walk from the White House. It's unclear what was said in any of these exchanges, but Bush made clear to the nation last week that his presidency was challenging and that he is "filled with gratitude." Though there has been "legitimate debate" about many of his decisions, including the war in Iraq, Bush said, "there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil." Noting that Bush's last day in the home he has known for eight years was fraught with emotion, press secretary Dana Perino spoke affectionately about her boss. Bush "gave me a kiss on the forehead," she said. "It's something I will never forget." An attempt to sweeten the memories of the White House press corps was made Tuesday when Perino gave reporters boxes of M&Ms. The candies were wrapped with a presidential seal and signed by President Bush. Shortly before President Barack Obama and his family arrived at the White House, Bush took a last walk around the South Lawn. He spent his remaining time at the White House with his family. After the inauguration, a wheelchair-bound Vice President Dick Cheney, who injured his back lifting boxes while moving, was taken to a motorcade.	[ "What did Bush say to the crowd?", "What kind of Candy did Bush's Press Secretary give to reporters?", "What city in Texas did Bush return to?", "What does Bush say about Obama?", "What state is Bush in \"to stay\"?", "What did press secretary give reporters?", "What did Bush say?", "Where did the Bushes arrive?", "What state is Midland in?", "What time did the Bushes arrive?" ]	[ [ "\"I am grateful that y'all came out" ], [ "boxes of M&Ms." ], [ "Midland," ], [ "\"A good man took the oath of office today, and we offer him our prayers for success,\"" ], [ "Texas," ], [ "boxes of M&Ms." ], [ "We're back in Texas, and we're here to stay,\"" ], [ "Midland, Texas," ], [ "Texas," ], [ "shortly before 1 p.m." ] ]	NEW: "We're back in Texas, and we're here to stay," Bush tells cheering crowd . NEW: "A good man took the oath of office today," Bush says . The Bushes arrive in Midland, Texas, about 6 p.m. Tuesday . Outgoing press secretary gives reporters M&M boxes signed by President Bush .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Sen. Tom Daschle will be announced Thursday as President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a Democratic source said Wednesday. Former Sen. Tom Daschle, shown with his wife, Linda, says he will write Obama's health care plan. CNN has previously reported that the 61-year-old former Senate majority leader from South Dakota would be Obama's choice, but not the announcement date. In November, Daschle said he was excited about the possibility of serving as point person in Obama's effort to change the nation's health care system. Daschle is on the health care advisory group of Obama's transition team and said he plans to write the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year. "I hope to have the plan enacted by next year, and then it will take several years to implement," Daschle said last month. Daschle said reforming health care in the United States must be a priority in the current economic climate. "We can't afford not to do it," he said. "If we do nothing, we'll be paying twice as much on health care in 10 years as we do today." Daschle served as Democratic leader in the Senate from 1995 until he lost a re-election bid in 2004. Representing South Dakota, he was first elected as a congressman in 1978 and served in the House until he was elected to the Senate in 1986. He recently wrote a book on health care titled "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis." In the book, he pushed for universal health care coverage to reach 46 million uninsured Americans by expanding the federal employee health benefits program to include private employer plans together with Medicaid and Medicare. Most Republicans oppose any such plan, saying it would give too much power to the government. They've also questioned Daschle's recent work for a Washington lobbying firm. His wife, Linda Daschle, is a registered lobbyist for a firm that includes health care clients. But a source close to Daschle told CNN that Linda Daschle would be leaving the firm at the end of the year to set up her own company focusing on transportation lobbying in order to clear any potential conflicts of interest. CNN's Candy Crowley and Ed Henry contributed to this report.	[ "What is Linda Daschle's role?", "Who is a health care advisor on Obama's transition team?", "Who was a health care adviser on Obama's transition team?", "What does Daschle advocate expanding?", "What will the former Senate majority leader do?", "What does Daschle favor?", "Who intends to write a health plan?", "What does Daschle advocate?", "Who would leave firm to clear potential conflicts?", "Who is Tom Daschle?", "Who else is on the \"transition team\"?", "Who would leave firm to clear potential conflicts?", "Who plans to write Obama's health care plan?", "What groups does Linda Daschle lobby for?", "Why is Linda Daschle leaving the firm?", "What does Daschle advocate?", "Who would leave the firm to head off conflicts?", "Who is a health care adviser for Obama's transition team?", "Who is a health care adviser on Obama's transition team?", "Who is writing Obama's health care plan?" ]	[ [ "a registered lobbyist for a firm that includes health care clients." ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle," ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle" ], [ "the federal employee health benefits program to include private employer plans together with Medicaid and Medicare." ], [ "lead the Department of Health and Human Services," ], [ "universal health care coverage" ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle," ], [ "reforming health care in the United" ], [ "Linda Daschle" ], [ "former Senate majority leader from South Dakota" ], [ "Tom Daschle" ], [ "Linda Daschle," ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle," ], [ "health care clients." ], [ "set up her own company" ], [ "universal health care coverage" ], [ "Linda Daschle" ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle" ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle," ], [ "Former Sen. Tom Daschle," ] ]	Ex-Sen. Tom Daschle is a health care adviser on Obama's transition team . The former Senate majority leader says he plans to write Obama's health care plan . Daschle advocates expanding federal employee health benefits to private employers . Linda Daschle, a registered lobbyist, would leave firm to clear potential conflicts .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday he supports the Obama administration's decision to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military -- a move that was staunchly opposed by most top Republicans. "I think the decision that's been made with respect to allowing gays to serve openly in the military is a good one" Cheney told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." "It's the right thing to do." The policy, first enacted during the Clinton administration, was officially repealed on September 20. Over 14,000 people were kicked out of the military due to "don't ask, don't tell." The controversial repeal of the policy became a focal point of a GOP presidential debate last month when members of the audience booed a gay soldier who asked about the decision. President Barack Obama criticized the Republican presidential contenders on Saturday night for failing to rebuke the audience. "We don't believe in standing silent when that happens," Obama told attendees at the annual National Dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that promotes equality for gays and lesbians. If "you want to be commander-in-chief, you can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States even when it is not politically convenient," Obama said. Cheney responded to Obama by noting that he's "a little bit leery of the notion that somehow we ought to go hammer the Republican candidates because they didn't respond to booing in the audience." "When you're in a political campaign and debates, people boo a lot of things," Cheney told CNN. "I'm not sure that it was all focused specifically on that particular issue." After the debate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said he hadn't heard the booing when the question was asked. Santorum was being asked the question when the incident occurred.	[ "When was this repealed?", "Which people boeed the soldier?", "Who was the former vice president?", "Who supports the repeal?", "Who did the audience boo?", "What was don't ask don't tell about?", "When was don't ask don't tell repealed?", "Which vice president supported the repeal?" ]	[ [ "September 20." ], [ "the audience.\"" ], [ "Dick Cheney" ], [ "Former Vice President Dick Cheney" ], [ "gay soldier" ], [ "policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military" ], [ "September 20." ], [ "Dick Cheney" ] ]	Former GOP Vice President Dick Cheney says he supports the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" "Don't ask, don't tell" was officially repealed on September 20 . "Don't ask, don't tell" prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military . Members of the audience at a GOP debate booed a gay soldier for asking about the repeal .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former terrorist suspects detained by the United States were tortured, according to medical examinations detailed in a report released Wednesday by a human rights group. A U.S. serviceman with his dog watches a detainee at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in 2003. The Massachusetts-based Physicians for Human Rights reached that conclusion after two-day clinical evaluations of 11 former detainees, who had been held at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in Afghanistan. The detainees were never charged with crimes. "We found clear physical and psychological evidence of torture and abuse, often causing lasting suffering," said Dr. Allen Keller, a medical evaluator for the study. In a 121-page report, the doctors' group said that it uncovered medical evidence of torture, including beatings, electric shock, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, sodomy and scores of other abuses. The report is prefaced by retired U.S. Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, who led the Army's investigation into the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in 2003. Watch why a rights group says there's evidence of torture » "There is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes," Taguba says. "The only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account." Over the years, reports of abuses at Abu Ghraib and allegations of torture at Guantanamo prompted the Bush administration to deny that the U.S. military tortures detainees. Since only 11 detainees were examined "the findings of this assessment cannot be generalized to the treatment of all detainees in U.S. custody," the report says. However, the incidents documented are consistent with findings of other investigations into government treatment, "making it reasonable to conclude that these detainees were not the only ones abused, but are representative of a much larger number of detainees subjected to torture and ill treatment while in U.S. custody." Four of the men evaluated were arrested in or taken to Afghanistan between late 2001 and early 2003 and later were sent to Guantanamo Bay, where they were held for an average of three years before being released without charge, the report says. The other seven were detained in Iraq in 2003 and released within a year, the report says. All the subjects told examiners that they were subjected to multiple forms of torture or ill treatment that "often occurred in combination over a long period of time," the report says. While the report presents synopses of the detainees' backgrounds based on interviews with them, the authors did not have access to the detainees' medical histories. Therefore, there's no way to know whether any of the inmates may have had medical or mental problems before being detained. Among the ex-detainees was an Iraqi in his mid-40s, identified only as Laith, whom U.S. soldiers took into custody in October 2003 and who was released from Abu Ghraib in June 2004. According to the report, Laith was subjected to sleep deprivation, electric shocks and threats of sexual abuse to himself and his family. "They took off even my underwear. They asked me to do some movements that make me look in a very bad way so they can take photographs. ... They were trying to make me look like an animal," Laith told examiners, according to the report. According to the report, Laith said the most "painful" experiences involved threats to his family: "And they asked me, 'Have you ever heard voices of women in this prison?' I answered, 'Yes.' They were saying, 'Then you will hear your mothers and sisters when we are raping them.' " The examiners concluded in the report that "Laith appears to have suffered severe and lasting physical and psychological injuries as a result of his arrest and incarceration at Abu Ghraib prison." Another detainee, Youssef, was detained by U.S. soldiers nearly seven years ago when he tried to enter Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan without a passport, the report says. He initially was held in an Afghan prison, where he describes "being stripped naked, being intimidated by dogs, being	[ "Which administration did rights group go to?", "Who was tortured?", "What did rights group do?", "Who gave list of demands to Bush administration?", "What did the report reveal?", "What is the Rights group called?", "What do reports reveal?", "The report revealed medical evidence of what?" ]	[ [ "Bush" ], [ "Former terrorist suspects" ], [ "In a 121-page report, the doctors' group said that it uncovered medical evidence of torture, including beatings, electric shock, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, sodomy and scores of other abuses." ], [ "The Massachusetts-based Physicians for Human Rights" ], [ "medical evidence of torture," ], [ "Physicians for Human" ], [ "Former terrorist suspects detained by the United States were tortured," ], [ "torture and abuse," ] ]	Report reveals medical evidence of torture, including beatings and electric shock . Study calls on U.S. government to issue a formal apology to tortured detainees . Rights group gives list of demands to Bush administration .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Four people said to have acted on behalf of the Earth Liberation Front have been indicted on a charge of setting fire to an agriculture research building on the Michigan State University campus more than eight years ago, authorities announced Tuesday. Three Detroit, Michigan, residents and a Cincinnati, Ohio, resident were named in conspiracy and arson counts for a fire at a campus facility that housed federally funded plant genetic research. Officials said the December 31,1999, fire on the East Lansing campus caused more than $1 million in damage to facilities and the loss of research records. They also are accused of setting fire the next day to commercial logging equipment near Mesick, Michigan, in order to sabotage lumbering activity. "This investigation has been ongoing for almost a decade, and it should be a reminder to all that the FBI does not allow the passage of time to thwart our ability to apply our full resources to a case," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew Arena. Michigan State Police Chief James Dunlap called the case "a significant act of domestic terrorism." "This was more than an attack on a building and the destruction of valuable property," MSU President Lou Anna Simon said. "It was an assault on the core value of free and open inquiry at a research university." Officials said those named in the indictment are Marie Mason, 46, of Cincinnati; and Frank Ambrose, 33, Aren Burthwick, 27, and Stephanie Fultz, 27, all of Detroit. E-mail to a friend	[ "Who was named in conspiracy?", "Fire nine years ago caused $1 million in damage and loss of research records", "What have they done?", "What did the chief called it?", "They are said to have set fire to an agriculture research building at Michigan State" ]	[ [ "Three Detroit, Michigan, residents and a Cincinnati, Ohio, resident" ], [ "East Lansing campus" ], [ "setting fire to an agriculture research building on the Michigan State University campus" ], [ "\"a significant act of domestic terrorism.\"" ], [ "Four people" ] ]	3 Michigan residents and an Ohio resident named in conspiracy, arson counts . They are said to have set fire to an agriculture research building at Michigan State . Fire nine years ago caused $1 million in damage and loss of research records . Michigan State Police chief called fire 'a significant act of domestic terrorism'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Four senators pushed for a bill Wednesday to ban texting while driving, a day after a study found that drivers who text while on the road are much more likely to have an accident than undistracted drivers. A law that went into effect January 1 in California makes it illegal to send text messages while driving. Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-New York; Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey; Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana; and Kay Hagan, D-North Carolina, unveiled the ALERT Act, which would ban truck and car drivers and operators of mass transit from texting while driving. The proposed legislation would prohibit any driver from sending text or e-mail messages while driving a vehicle, said an earlier news release from the senators. If the bill passes, the Department of Transportation would set the minimum standards for compliance. States that do not enact text-banning laws within two years of the bill's passage could lose 25 percent of their federal highway funds, Schumer said in a news conference announcing the legislation. The noncompliant states could recuperate that money once they meet the text-banning standards, Schumer said. CTIA, a cellular phone industry group, said that it supports legislation that addresses text messaging while driving. "CTIA and our member companies continue to believe text messaging while driving is incompatible with safe driving," said a statement on CTIA's Web site. Fourteen states, including the home states of three of the bill's sponsors, and the District of Columbia already have laws barring texting while driving: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Interactive map: See state-by-state policies on distracted driving » New York does not ban texting while driving but has barred the use of handheld phones while driving, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association. Schumer said New York's legislature has sent Gov. David Paterson a bill to ban texting as well. "The legislation will send an important message to drivers across the country: Get your hands off the cell phone and back on the wheel," Schumer said. The senators cited a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study that found that truck drivers who texted while driving were 23 times more likely to crash or get into a near-accident than undistracted drivers. Watch more on the dangers of driving and texting When compared with dialing, talking, listening or reaching for an electronic device, texting posed the greatest accident risk, the study found. It attributed the increased risk to the almost five seconds it found that the driver's eyes were off the roadway while texting, said Rich Hanowski, the director of the Center for Truck and Bus Safety at the transportation institute. "Not having [a cell phone] in your hand while driving could be the difference between life and death," Menendez said. In September, a commuter train engineer missed a stop signal while trading text messages with a friend, leading to a collision with a freight train that killed 25 people in California, according to federal investigators. The accident also injured 101 people. In May, 62 people were injured when one trolley struck another in Boston, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said. In July, the operator of one trolley was charged with gross negligence after he admitted to texting seconds before the accident with the other trolley, according to the Suffolk County district attorney and a National Transportation Safety Board official. CNN Radio's John Lisk contributed to this report.	[ "New study finds who are more likely to have an accident?", "What does the new study say?", "What is banned while driving?", "What is the four senators pushing?", "What number of states have banned texting while driving?", "What is banned in 14 states?", "What forbade the 14th district of Columbia?" ]	[ [ "text while on the road" ], [ "found that drivers who text while on the road are much more likely to have an accident than undistracted drivers." ], [ "texting" ], [ "to ban texting while driving," ], [ "Fourteen" ], [ "texting while driving:" ], [ "already have laws barring texting while driving:" ] ]	14 states and the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving . Four senators push for a bill that bans the practice nationwide . New study finds drivers who text while driving more likely to have an accident . "Get your hands off the cell phone and back on the wheel," one senator says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Frank Buckles considered it his duty to represent his fellow soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day. Frank Buckles, 107 and the last living U.S. WWI veteran, said it was his duty to represent his fallen soldiers. "I have to," he told CNN, "because I'm the last living member of Americans" who fought in what was called The Great War. Buckles, 107, who is the sole living U.S. World War I veteran, attended ceremonies Tuesday at the grave of Gen. John Pershing, the top U.S. commander in that war. He was present for the first Veterans Day in 1918 -- though it was originally called Armistice Day -- that marked the end of WWI. Buckles was warmly greeted with standing applause by those in uniform and others who had gathered for the commemoration, but he said he did not think the fuss was about him. "I can see what they're honoring, the veterans of World War I." "Time has passed very quickly to me," he said after a wreath-laying. "I've had a lot of activity in the last 90 years." Watch interview with Frank Buckles » According to an autobiography released this year by the Pentagon, Buckles was eager to join the war. Although only 16 in the summer of 1917, he lied about his age to get into the armed services. He said his recruiter told him "the Ambulance Service was the quickest way to get to France," so he took training in trench casualty retrieval. Buckles was an officer's escort in France before joining a detail transporting German prisoners of war. A few decades later, Buckles was in the Philippines as a civilian, on the day in December 1941 that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He was taken as a prisoner of war in Manila and held for 39 months. Today Buckles is the symbolic leader of a drive to improve a run-down city-owned memorial on the National Mall for those lost in the World War I. The gazebo-styled structure was built in the 1930s. There is no national memorial in the nation's capital for the troops known as "doughboys" who served in the war that ended 90 years ago. Legislation in Congress would provide federal funding to restore and enhance the city's memorial. A $182 million World War II memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in 2004.	[ "Who is the oldest living U.S. veteran of WWI?", "What is Buckles' age?", "What did he say was his duty?", "What war did he serve in?", "The name of the last living U.S. vet of WWI is what?", "What was Veterans Day known as in 1918?", "Is there currently a national memorial in Washington for WWI veterans?" ]	[ [ "Frank Buckles," ], [ "107" ], [ "National Cemetery on Veterans Day." ], [ "WWI veteran," ], [ "Frank Buckles" ], [ "Armistice" ], [ "no" ] ]	Frank Buckles, 107, is the last living U.S. veteran of WWI . Buckles was present for first Veterans Day in 1918 when it was Armistice Day . Buckles said it was his duty to represent soldiers since he is last WWI vet . There is no national memorial in Washington for WWI veterans .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, said Sunday he believes U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011. Gen. Ray Odierno says the U.S. is working with Iraq to maintain security improvements as it looks to withdraw. On CNN's "State of the Union," chief national correspondent John King asked Odierno to rate his confidence, on a scale of 1 to 10, that U.S. troops would be out by the end of the timeline agreed by the U.S. and Iraqi governments. "As you ask me today, I believe it's a 10 -- that we will be gone by 2011," Odierno responded. One of the key architects of the troop "surge" strategy in Iraq, Odierno said conditions in the war-torn country have "improved significantly" in the past year or so. "Obviously, we still have some very serious incidents ... but, again, it's much safer," he said. Nine U.S. troops were killed in March, the lowest monthly toll since the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, he said. Watch Odierno share his assessment with CNN's John King » "So, there's been a clear improvement of security here," Odierno said. "The issue is: Can we maintain that? Can the Iraqis maintain it? And that's what we're working through now. We want them to be able to maintain this stability as we pull out." But less than two weeks into April, the U.S. toll for the month is already at nine. Asked whether the attacks were a sign of increased coordinated violence, Odierno responded that "there are some cells out there who are still capable of conducting suicide attacks," though he described the cells as "very small." Watch as general discusses joining Facebook » The U.S. military has made it more difficult for foreign fighters to get into Iraq through Syria, but there is still support for the Iraqi insurgency coming from Iran, he said. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraqi national security adviser, said the Iraqi government is making improvements in handling its own security. "We, the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight," al-Rubaie told "State of the Union." "And we believe that now we are leading and we are planning and carrying out most of the combat operations in the country, " he said, "and the United States forces are moving or transitioning to a more support role, more training, more providing more logistical support, rather than engaging in a huge military or kinetic combat operations." Al-Rubaie was mum when asked how President Obama has differed from former President George W. Bush. Watch al-Rubaie discuss Iraq's future » "I don't want to elaborate on differences," al-Rubaie said. "But I believe that President Obama understands the situation in Iraq and I believe he wants to stick by ... the withdrawal agreement." Odierno described Obama as "very attentive." "He listens. He's incredibly intelligent. He talks through the issues," Odierno said. "He makes a decision and then we execute those decisions, and that's all you can expect out of your commander-in-chief. And I've been very pleased with the interaction that I've been able to have with him."	[ "What does the Iraqi adviser say?", "What does the general say?", "who is odierno", "What did the Iraqi national security adviser say?", "When should US troops be withdrawn by?" ]	[ [ "\"We, the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight,\"" ], [ "U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011." ], [ "top U.S. military commander in Iraq," ], [ "government is making improvements in handling its own" ], [ "2011,\"" ] ]	On scale of 1 to 10, "I believe it's a 10," Gen. Ray Odierno says of timetable . U.S., Iraq agreed that U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by end of 2011 . Conditions in Iraq have "improved significantly" in the past year, general says . Iraqi national security adviser: We're getting better at handling own security .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Global warming concerns took center stage Monday as two organizations held rallies to draw attention to an issue that President Barack Obama has promised to place near the top of his agenda. Demonstrators stand outside the Capitol Power Plant in Washington on Monday to protest the plant's use of coal. A group of young protesters gathered in front of the Capitol to rally on behalf of legislation to reduce carbon emissions, decrease dependence on coal and oil, and speed a national drive toward "clean" energy. Later Monday, hundreds of representatives of a coalition of environmental, public health, social justice and other advocacy organizations marched around Capitol Hill and encircled a Washington coal-fired power plant to highlight the issue of climate change. The group, protesting the Capitol Power Plant's use of coal, stood in front of the plant's gated entrances. The plant powers the heating and cooling systems in the Capitol, as well as roughly a dozen other federal office buildings on Capitol Hill. "The Capitol Power Plant, sitting just blocks from Capitol Hill, symbolizes the stranglehold coal has over our government and future," the group said on its Web site. "It's not the largest or the dirtiest power plant in the country, but as the plant that is actually run by and for Congress it serves as an incredibly iconic symbol of what is wrong with our country's energy and climate policy." No arrests were made as a result of the protest, which "didn't affect the operations of the power plant," Capitol police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released a letter Thursday calling for the plant to convert to 100 percent natural gas by the end of 2009. "Taking this major step toward cleaning up the Capitol Power Plant's emissions would be an important demonstration of Congress' willingness to deal with the enormous challenges of global warming, energy independence and our inefficient use of finite fossil fuels," they wrote. Several members of Congress and environmental leaders addressed the earlier rally, which was held at the conclusion to Power Shift '09, a four-day environmental summit organized by the Energy Action Coalition. The coalition describes itself as an umbrella organization of 700 groups fighting for "clean energy solutions and the creation of a new green economy." It's time to "turn up the political heat in Washington so we can turn down the heat on Mother Earth," Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, told the crowd. "The science tells us that the time for talking about this problem is over. The time for action is now." The concept of "clean coal" is a "dirty lie," added environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy. "The most important thing you can do is not to change your light bulb but to change [members of Congress who have been] corrupted by ... dirty, filthy industry." America needs to be freed from the "carbon cronies," who are part of the "biggest threat to civilization," Kennedy said.	[ "What was the number of protests in Washington", "What was the group rallying for?", "What does the plant symbolize?", "what peace of legislation is a group rallying for", "Two protests on what hit Washington?" ]	[ [ "two" ], [ "on behalf of legislation to reduce carbon emissions, decrease dependence on coal and oil, and speed a national drive toward \"clean\" energy." ], [ "the stranglehold coal has over our government and future,\"" ], [ "to reduce carbon emissions, decrease dependence on coal and oil, and speed a national drive toward \"clean\" energy." ], [ "use of coal." ] ]	Two protests on global warming issues hit Washington . Group rallies for legislation to reduce carbon emissions, back "clean" energy . Separate group protests Capitol Power Plant's use of coal . Group: Plant "symbolizes the stranglehold coal has over our government and future"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Global warming could destabilize "struggling and poor" countries around the world, prompting mass migrations and creating breeding grounds for terrorists, the chairman of the National Intelligence Council told Congress on Wednesday. Climate change could increase flooding in coastal areas, like the flooding that hit the Philippines. Climate change "will aggravate existing problems such as poverty, social tensions, environmental degradation, ineffectual leadership and weak political institutions," Thomas Fingar said. "All of this threatens the domestic stability of a number of African, Asian, Central American and Central Asian countries." People are likely to flee destabilized countries, and some may turn to terrorism, he said. "The conditions exacerbated by the effects of climate change could increase the pool of potential recruits into terrorist activity," he said. "Economic refugees will perceive additional reasons to flee their homes because of harsher climates," Fingar predicted. That will put pressure on countries receiving refugees, many of which "will have neither the resources nor interest to host these climate migrants," he said in testimony to the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Reactions to the report broke down along partisan lines, with Democrats generally praising it and Republicans expressing doubts. Committee members had concerns about the report's secrecy, reliability and use of intelligence resources. Global warming may have a slight positive effect on the United States, since it is likely to produce larger farming yields, Fingar said But it is also likely to result in storm surges that could affect nuclear facilities and oil refineries near coasts, water shortages in the Southwest and longer summers with more wildfires, the study found. International migration may also help spread disease, Fingar added, and climate change could put stress on international trade in essential commodities. "The United States depends on a smooth-functioning international system ensuring the flow of trade and market access to critical raw materials, such as oil and gas, and security for its allies and partners. Climate change and climate change policies could affect all of these," he warned, "with significant geopolitical consequences." The report was the conclusion of the most comprehensive government analysis the U.S. intelligence community has ever conducted on climate change. Fingar emphasized that it could make no hard and fast predictions, saying that the operative word in his assessment was "may." Wealthy countries will be able to handle the situation better than poorer ones, he said. "We assess that no country will be immune to the effects of climate change, but some will be able to cope more effectively than others," he said. "Most of the struggling and poor states that will suffer adverse impacts to their potential and economic security are in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia. "However, the spillover -- from potentially increased migration and water-related disputes -- could have a harmful global impact," he added. Fingar painted a mixed picture of the effects of climate change on the United States itself. "Most studies suggest the United States as a whole will enjoy modest economic benefits over the next few decades, largely due to the increased crop yields," he said. "Costs begin to mount thereafter, however, and some parts of the United States -- particularly built-up coastal areas -- will be at greater risk of extreme weather events and potentially high costs related to losses in complex infrastructure." The impact of fighting and preparing for climate change may be greater than the effect of global warming itself, Fingar said. "Government, business and public efforts to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to deal with climate change -- from policies to reduce greenhouse gases to plans to reduce exposure to climate change or capitalize on potential impacts -- may affect U.S. national security interests even more than the physical impacts of climate change itself," he said. The report, the "National Intelligence Assessment on the National Security Implications of Global Climate Change to 2030," relied on U.S. government, military, academic and United Nations studies of climate change. The report itself	[ "What can threaten U.S. Coasts?", "What will happen to U.S food production with climate change?", "What could climate change do?", "What would the U.S. coasts be threatened with?", "What could Global warming spark?", "What states could climate change destabilize?" ]	[ [ "Climate change could increase flooding in coastal areas," ], [ "produce larger farming yields," ], [ "increase flooding in coastal areas," ], [ "poverty, social tensions, environmental degradation, ineffectual leadership" ], [ "prompting mass migrations and creating breeding grounds for terrorists, the chairman of the National Intelligence Council told Congress on Wednesday." ], [ "African, Asian, Central American and Central Asian countries.\"" ] ]	Climate change could destabilize "weak" states, intelligence chair says . Global warming could spark mass migrations, classified report finds . U.S. food production could increase with climate change, report suggests . But it says U.S. coasts could be threatened by larger storm surges .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hillary Clinton was sworn in as the 67th U.S. secretary of state Wednesday afternoon after the Senate approved her nomination by a vote of 94-2. Hillary Clinton gets sworn in Wednesday in her Senate office by Judge Kathryn Oberly. Former President Clinton and her Senate staff looked on as Clinton's childhood friend and D.C. Court of Appeals Associate Judge Kathryn Oberly swore her in on a Bible belonging to the former first lady's late father in a ceremony in her Senate office. The senators who opposed Clinton's confirmation were Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and David Vitter, R-Louisiana. Keeping with tradition, America's new chief diplomat will be treated to a welcoming ceremony with employees Thursday morning in the State Department, agency officials said. Immediately after the ceremony, Clinton submitted her resignation from the Senate with identical one-sentence letters to Vice President Joe Biden, who serves as president of the Senate, Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson and New York Gov. David Paterson. Paterson must appoint a replacement in the Senate. The governor, who had said he would not name his choice until after Clinton's confirmation, told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday that he had not made a decision. "I'm actually, I think, narrowing the field to about half of the people who are involved, and then I would hope, in the next few days, to get down to one," he told CNN's John Roberts. Some of the better-known candidates, including Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Steve Israel, have pledged not to wage a primary fight against Paterson's pick in the 2010 special election to finish the final two years of Clinton's term. Clinton's confirmation was held up Tuesday when Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn objected to a voice vote, demanding a roll-call vote instead. Cornyn said he knew that Clinton would be confirmed but said he delayed the vote because he wanted more time to talk about the foundation run by her husband. The former president signed an agreement with the Obama transition team pledging to limit foreign donations and to release annual disclosures of new donations to his foundation. "My concern is not whether our colleague Sen. Clinton is qualified to be secretary of state or not. She is," Cornyn said. "But we should not let our respect for Sen. Clinton or our admiration for the many good works of the Clinton Foundation blind us to the danger of perceived conflicts of interest caused by the [foundation's] solicitation of hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign and some domestic sources," he said. "The perception and reality must be that the office of secretary of state is viewed around the world as beyond reproach." Clinton was defended by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who used his first floor speech since the end of the presidential campaign to urge his colleagues to confirm her quickly as secretary of state. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on Obama's cabinet "I think the message that the American people are sending us now is they want us to work together and get to work," McCain said. "I think we ought to let Sen. Clinton, who is obviously qualified and obviously will serve, get to work immediately." McCain confidantes told CNN that the senator developed a genuinely deep admiration for Clinton during the drawn-out Democratic primary process. Both senators also sit on the Armed Services Committee and had become close on several congressional delegation trips abroad. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 16-1 last week in favor of Clinton's nomination, with Vitter casting the sole dissenting vote. CNN's Dana Bash, Ed Hornick and Elise Labott contributed to this report.	[ "Did Clinton submitted his resignation?", "Who is hillary clinton?", "What did Clinton resign from", "Who urged the confirmation", "Clinton will limit what type of donations" ]	[ [ "her" ], [ "the 67th U.S. secretary of state" ], [ "Senate" ], [ "Sen. John McCain," ], [ "foreign" ] ]	NEW: Sen. John McCain urges colleagues to confirm Hillary Clinton . Childhood friend swears in Clinton on Bible belonging to her late father . Clinton submits letter of resignation from the Senate . Former President Clinton pledges to limit foreign donations .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Democrats unveiled their revised version of health care reform Tuesday, offering a proposal that includes a government-funded health insurance option, requires both individuals and employers to participate, and taxes the wealthy to help cover costs. President Obama has urged Congress to work quickly on creating a health care reform bill. Democratic House leaders said the measure, titled "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," met the requirements set by President Obama for health care reform by lowering costs to consumers and businesses, letting people keep their current plan if desired, and preventing denial of coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions. "The House proposal will begin the process of fixing what's broken about our health care system, reducing costs for all, building on what works, and covering an estimated 97 percent of all Americans," Obama said in a written statement. "And by emphasizing prevention and wellness, it will also help improve the quality of health care for every American." Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, said the bill is intended to repair a "dysfunctional" health care system that is draining the U.S. economy while leaving 46 million Americans without health insurance. "We are going to accomplish what many people felt wouldn't happen in our lifetime," he said. But House Republicans slammed the Democrats' bill and pledged to try to amend it as three House committees begin considering the legislation later this week. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said the bill "without any question will kill jobs, will limit access to health care, will raise taxes and will lead to a government takeover of health care." Blunt said he will offer an amendment requiring all elected federal officials, including Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, to enroll in the new public insurance option. Republicans and some fiscally conservative Democrats also question the cost of health care reform. An earlier draft of the House Democrats' bill carried a price tag of $1 trillion over 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office said the revised house bill also would cost $1 trillion. However, a senior Democratic House committee staffer said the CBO analysis only covered costs without factoring in cost-saving measures worth $500 billion over 10 years or the revenue from tax surcharges on wealthy Americans, estimated to raise more than $500 billion over a decade. According to the CBO, the bill would cover 97 percent of Americans by 2015. The bill includes tax surcharges on Americans in the top 1.2 percent of income. It proposes a 5.4 percent surtax on couples earning more than $1 million, a 1.5 percent surtax on couples with income between $500,000 and $1 million, and a 1 percent surtax on joint incomes over $350,000 or individual income over $280,000. Anticipating Republican complaints that the tax surcharges would harm small business owners who report their income as personal, Democratic sponsors said the measure would affect less than 5 percent of all small business owners. Specific provisions of the bill include: -- A Health Insurance Exchange providing individuals and small business with choices for coverage, including a government-funded public option. -- No more coverage exclusion for pre-existing conditions. -- Affordability credits for low- and moderate-income individuals and families, available to those with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or $43,000 for individuals and $88,000 for a family of four. -- Limits on annual out-of-pocket spending. -- Expanded Medicaid coverage to individuals and families with incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. -- Required participation by individuals, with a penalty of 2.5 percent of adjusted gross income for non-compliance. -- Requirement that businesses with payrolls exceeding $250,000 provide their employees with health coverage or contribute up to 8 percent of their payroll on their behalf. -- A series of measures intended to reduce costs of Medicaid, Medicare and other existing systems. A statement Tuesday from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups opposed some of the bill's proposals, calling for market forces and employer autonomy instead of	[ "what Leaders say it meets Obama's requirements on health care reform?", "What type of Democrats oppose components of the plan?", "Who does the plan tax?", "Whose requirements on health care reform does the plan meet?", "What was Obama's health care requirements?" ]	[ [ "Democratic House" ], [ "some fiscally conservative" ], [ "surcharges on Americans in the top 1.2 percent of income." ], [ "Choices Act,\"" ], [ "lowering costs to consumers and businesses, letting people keep their current plan if desired, and preventing denial of coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions." ] ]	It offers government-funded health insurance option and taxes wealthy . Leaders say it meets Obama's requirements on health care reform . GOP, some fiscally conservative Democrats oppose components .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she is "praying" that President Bush has a change of heart and does not veto a bipartisan children's health insurance bill that he has labeled an unwarranted expansion of government-run health insurance. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi applauds after signing the State Children's Health Insurance legislation Friday. "The tide is going a different way than a presidential veto would reflect," Pelosi, a California Democrat, said. "It was with great friendship that I reached out to the president this morning to say that I was still praying that he would have a change of heart and sign this legislation." "I think I have to pray a little harder, but I will not give up," Pelosi said. Pelosi's comments came a day after the Senate voted 67-29 for the measure, which would expand the State Children's Health Insurance program by up to 4 million children. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino on Friday said Bush still intends to veto the bill when it arrives at his desk. Perino also said the disagreement between Congress and the White House was a simple policy difference, not "about who cares about children more than the other." "The president is saying, 'Let's take care of the neediest children first, let's not put scarce federal dollars toward a program that was meant for the poorest children and let it creep up to middle-income families with incomes up to $83,000 a year,' " Perino said. Bush and many Republicans contend that the program's original intent -- to give parents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance coverage for their children -- would be changed under the current bill, prompting parents to wind up dropping private coverage their children already have to get cheaper coverage under the bill. Perino also objected that the rhetoric surrounding the SCHIP bill has become too heated. "I think it is preposterous for people to suggest the president of the United States doesn't care about children, that he wants children to suffer," Perino said. The bill enjoys bipartisan support. Eighteen Republican senators Thursday night joined all the Democrats in voting for expanding the popular program from its current annual budget of $5 billion to $12 billion for the next five years. Four senators -- Republicans John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas and Democrats Joseph Biden of Delaware and Barack Obama of Illinois -- did not vote. With the current program scheduled to expire Saturday, the White House encouraged Congress to send the president a continuing resolution extending the program. "We should take this time to arrive at a more rational, bipartisan SCHIP reauthorization bill that focuses on children in poor families who don't currently have insurance, rather than raising taxes to cover people who already have private insurance," Perino added. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah was among those Republicans who split from the president. "It's very difficult for me to be against a man I care so much for," he told his colleagues on the Senate floor prior to the vote. "It's unfortunate that the president has chosen to be on what, to me, is clearly the wrong side of this issue." Though 67 votes in the 100-person chamber would suffice to overturn a veto, the House version, which was approved Tuesday, fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. E-mail to a friend	[ "Who objects to the measure?", "Who objected to expansion of coverage?", "Who is the Speaker of the House?", "What does Bush object to?", "Who is the House Speaker?", "What does the measure do?", "What does the measure expand?", "What measure passed in the Senate?", "What type of social service is being discussed?", "Who is praying for the president's change of heart?" ]	[ [ "President Bush" ], [ "President Bush" ], [ "Nancy Pelosi" ], [ "children's health insurance bill" ], [ "Nancy Pelosi" ], [ "expand the State Children's Health Insurance program" ], [ "the State Children's Health Insurance program by up to 4 million children." ], [ "State Children's Health Insurance legislation" ], [ "State Children's Health Insurance program" ], [ "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi" ] ]	House Speaker Pelosi "praying" that president has change of heart on bill . Measure expanding kids' health insurance program passed Senate . Bush objects to measure expanding coverage beyond just poor children . White House says expansion would cover children from middle-class families .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that another stimulus package might be needed to help the ailing economy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with economists and other Democrats on Tuesday to discuss the stimulus. Pelosi, whose comments followed a meeting with several economists, said the measures already taken by the Obama administration are helping to restore confidence in the shaky financial markets. But "we have to keep the door open and see how this goes," the California Democrat added. House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin said on Tuesday night he's already instructed his staff to start drafting a second stimulus proposal. Obey said his staff is preparing the outline of a stimulus bill but he cautioned there is no timeline to move on it. One of the economists in the meeting with Pelosi and other Democrats, Mark Zandi with Moody's Economy.com, said more taxpayer money would likely be needed to bolster the economy. Another economist, Allen Sinai, chief global economist at Decision Economics Inc., urged patience. But he questioned President Obama's prediction that the $800 billion stimulus package enacted last month would create or save as many as 3 million to 4 million jobs. "Initially ... the jobs created may be a little disappointing," Sinai said. Sinai said his analysis showed that about 2.5 million jobs would be saved or created over the next two years and he said it is more realistic to project 3 million jobs over a longer period of three years. The most recent prediction from the Congressional Budget Office, released last week, estimates the recovery package will create or save from 1.2 million jobs to 3.6 million jobs.	[ "What did the House speaker say?", "What do economist question?", "What might save or create 4 million jobs?", "What will be needed to bolster the economy?", "What are the House Appropriations Committee chairman's staff preparing?", "What does the House Speaker say?", "Who is preparing a second proposal?", "Who is preparing second proposal?", "What do economists question?" ]	[ [ "that another stimulus package might be needed" ], [ "President Obama's prediction that the $800 billion stimulus package enacted last month would create or save as many as 3 million to 4 million jobs." ], [ "$800 billion stimulus package" ], [ "another stimulus package" ], [ "the outline of a stimulus bill" ], [ "another stimulus package might be needed" ], [ "House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin" ], [ "Nancy Pelosi" ], [ "President Obama's prediction that the $800 billion stimulus package enacted last month would create or save as many as 3 million to 4 million jobs." ] ]	"We have to keep the door open and see how this goes," the House Speaker says . House Appropriations Committee chairman's staff is preparing second proposal . More taxpayer money will likely be needed to bolster economy, economist says . Economist questions whether current stimulus will save or create 4 million jobs .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House and Senate Democrats reached agreement late Monday on a budget resolution for 2010, which includes key spending priorities for the young Obama administration. The Senate and House could vote on the budget resolution Tuesday. President Obama's budget request is $3.67 trillion. "This budget is a major accomplishment," Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad said in a statement. "We are meeting President Obama's goals of reducing our dependence on foreign energy, striving for excellence in education, reforming our health care system, and providing middle-class tax relief." The agreement came as lawmakers were reconciling the House and Senate versions of the budget package. The president's budget request is $3.67 trillion. The full Senate and House are each expected to vote on the fiscal 2010 budget resolution this week. The House vote could come as soon as Tuesday. Budget negotiators have fast-tracked part of the budget process. Major health reform is likely to pass this year, because the special process -- known as budget reconciliation -- won't allow Republicans to filibuster the legislation, as was widely expected. Democrats, who currently control 58 seats in the Senate, will be able to pass it with a simple majority vote, instead of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster. Separately, conservative Democrats in the House, who have been pushing for a strong statement from leadership on fiscal responsibility in the budget, may have some of their concerns addressed. A Democratic aide told CNN that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer are drafting a letter to Senate leaders "throwing down the gauntlet" to insist that a pay-as-you-go system be followed, which would require new federal spending to be offset with budget cuts or tax increases. President Barack Obama called for the so-called "PAYGO" legislation in his weekend radio address. The budget resolution would limit increases in non-defense discretionary spending to 2.9 percent through 2014, according to Conrad. "While the budget resolution takes important steps in the near-term of cutting the deficit in half by 2012 and by two-thirds by 2014, it is clear that more will be needed to address the long-term fiscal imbalance confronting the nation beyond the five-year budget window," said Conrad. President Obama gathered his Cabinet members last week and challenged them to cut a total of $100 million in the next 90 days. In the context of the federal budget, $100 million in savings is a tiny amount, critics said. It is the equivalent, according to one example, of having a car dealer offer to shave $1 from the cost of a $36,700 vehicle. "Any amount of savings is obviously welcome," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said at the time. "But ($100 million is) about the average amount we'll spend every single day just covering the interest on the stimulus package that we passed earlier this year." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said ordinary Americans would nevertheless appreciate the savings effort. "Only in Washington, D.C., is $100 million dollars not a lot of money. It is where I'm from. It is where I grew up. And I think it is for hundreds of millions of Americans." CNN's Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.	[ "What are they voting for?", "When do senate and house vote?", "When are they voting?" ]	[ [ "budget resolution" ], [ "Tuesday." ], [ "Tuesday." ] ]	House and Senate Dems say President Obama's goals addressed in resolution . Democratic leaders urge pay-as-you-go system that Obama has emphasized . Senate and House are each expected to vote on the budget resolution this week .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hundreds of investigations of online child sexual exploitation and child pornography have been significantly delayed by backlogs at FBI cybercrime labs, according to a Justice Department report released Friday. FBI Inspector General Glenn Fine says processing time for digital evidence can take up to nine months. An audit conducted more than a year ago by the department's inspector general found 353 requests awaiting digital evidence analysis. FBI computer forensic personnel on average took about 60 days to examine evidence needed by investigators, the report says. "The processing time for the digital evidence in some cases could take up to nine months, which we concluded was too long," Inspector General Glenn Fine said. The digital evidence involves online communications in which potential child predators and sex offenders target juveniles for sexual exploitation or produce cyber-based child pornography. The FBI acknowledged the challenge of keeping up with the growing problem, but said it has made improvements since the audit was conducted. "The pervasiveness of the Internet has resulted in the dramatic growth of online sexual exploitation of children, resulting in a 2,000 percent increase in the number of cases opened since 1996," FBI Executive Assistant Director Stephen Tidwell said. From 2003 to 2007, the number of crimes against children reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's hot line rose from 7,038 to 20,760, the report states. Since its inception in 1995, the Innocent Images Unit has investigated more than 20,000 online cases resulting in 7,000 convictions. Tidwell said the FBI has begun implementing a series of procedural and technical recommendations made by the inspector general to reduce the lab backlogs and improve efficiencies in other programs designed to combat crimes against children. The other programs include wide-ranging investigations of child abductions and kidnappings by parents as well as strangers. The report says the largest number of missing children cases involve runaways from juvenile homes. The most recent government study says 99.8 percent of children reported missing were located or returned home alive. The number of child abductions investigated by the FBI during this decade has topped 2,000. Abductions by strangers amount to only a fraction of 1 percent of total kidnapping cases.	[ "How many online cases has FBI's Innocent Images Unit handled?", "How many requests are awaiting digital evidence analysis?", "What is the average processing time for FBI cases?", "What finds 353 requests awaiting digital evidence analysis?", "How many requests finds audit?", "How many images has handled by the FBI's?" ]	[ [ "20,000" ], [ "353" ], [ "up to nine months." ], [ "An audit" ], [ "353" ], [ "Hundreds" ] ]	Audit finds 353 requests awaiting digital evidence analysis . Processing time in some cases is up to nine months, FBI Inspector General says . FBI's Innocent Images Unit has handled more than 20,000 online cases since 1995 . FBI acknowledges problems with caseload, says improvements are in place .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hundreds of thousands of visitors to the National Mall crowded Metro stations around Washington on Tuesday, slowing movement to a crawl after the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. A security tower stands over the crowd that came to watch Barack Obama's inauguration. "All of our stations are overcrowded," said Lisa Farbstein, spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. "It's taking hours for people to get back into the stations." Police were holding people outside some Metro stations until there was room for them to get in, Farbstein said. But as evening fell and celebrations moved indoors, observers said crowd flow on the Metro system was smoother, if still an effort in patience. As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Metro had counted 973,285 passenger trips, setting a record with several hours and many miles yet to go. "Throughout the weekend, we've effectively dealt with record-breaking crowds," said Metro General Manager John Catoe. "By 5 p.m., people had taken nearly 874,000 trips, breaking yesterday's ridership record with nine more hours of service to go." Monday's 866,681 passenger trips had been the Metro record. The Metro numbers were just one record-setting tally in a day that lived up to expectations in sheer crowd size alone. Crowds on the National Mall were so large that the National Park Service began closing portions of it by 9 a.m., three hours before Obama took his oath of office. A crowd of 1.5 million people packed the Mall for the inauguration, according to an analysis of satellite imagery provided to CNN by IHS Jane's, a leading information provider on defense, international risk and national security. Officials said the massive security for the event was running smoothly, although there had been what they described as minor miscommunications, such as a Metro station entrance being closed when it was not supposed to be. The crowd was orderly, and there had been no reports of major incidents or concerns. FBI spokesman Jason Pack said there had been no arrests related to the inauguration so far. FBI and partner agencies investigated about a dozen reports of suspicious incidents or people, but none was anything serious. About 957 people visited the medical tents on the mall for various first-aid needs. Some security screening lines ran slowly, officials said, but there had not been any major systemic problems. Earlier in the day, federal officials were reviewing an unspecified threat to disrupt the inauguration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The FBI was investigating two "streams of intelligence" suggesting that Somalia-based terrorist organization Al Shabaab may have been plotting an attack timed to coincide with the event, the FBI and Homeland Security said in a joint threat advisory obtained by CNN. Security officials made some readjustments to inauguration security as a precaution and did not change the threat level, an administration official said. The ceremony went off without incident. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice designated al-Shabaab, also known as the Mujahedeen Youth Movement, a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" in February. The State Department calls it "a violent and brutal extremist group with a number of individuals affiliated with al Qaeda. Many of its senior leaders are believed to have trained and fought with al Qaeda in Afghanistan." Also Tuesday, a false alarm prompted police to temporarily close a 25-mile stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said. Investigators had received a tip that a man headed to Washington was threatening the inaugural, but they eventually determined "there is no danger to the public," FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver said. Two law enforcement sources said the man's mother phoned in a tip to authorities saying her son was traveling in a vehicle containing a bomb. New Jersey State Police stopped a man in a vehicle on the highway Tuesday afternoon, questioned him and searched his vehicle, several law enforcement sources said. Officials said he never posed a threat. It's unclear what, if any, action might be taken against the mother. Tuesday in Washington, tens of	[ "What was packed?", "What is the wait time for some?", "What city is this?", "What time does the mall close off?", "What is the change in threat level?" ]	[ [ "the Mall" ], [ "several hours" ], [ "Washington" ], [ "9 a.m.," ], [ "did not" ] ]	Metro stations packed; some wait hours to get home . Possible plot from Somali group; threat level remains same . 58 agencies are involved in the massive inaugural security effort . Because of crowding, parts of National Mall were closed off at 9 a.m.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If he knew then what he knows now, he might have made some different decisions before the start of the Iraq war in 2003, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters Friday. Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace says he now thinks more troops were needed at the war's start. "One of the mistakes I made in my assumptions going in was that the Iraqi people and the Iraqi Army would welcome liberation, that the Iraqi Army, given the opportunity, would stand together for the Iraqi people and be available to them to help serve the new nation," Gen. Peter Pace said. But "they disintegrated in the face of the coalition's first several weeks of combat, so they weren't here," Pace said. Had he known that would happen, he would have recommended more troops be sent at the outset of the Iraq war, he said. In addition, Pace said, if he had been asked in January 2006 whether the United States should build up its Army and Marine Corps contingents in Iraq, he would have said no, because the plan at the time was to build and equip an Iraqi Army and turn over security duties to it. The force was built and equipped, Pace said, but the February bombing of the Golden Mosque -- one of the holiest Shiite sites -- ignited long-simmering tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, further destabilizing the region and cutting short any plans for U.S. troop reduction. Thousands of people have died in reprisal killings and bombings since the attack. Still, Pace said, "Given what I knew at the time, I'm comfortable with the recommendations that I made." Any errors that were made are to be learned from, he added. Watch how Pace details the mistakes made at Iraq war's start » And he continued to voice his support for the Iraq invasion. "Twenty-six million Iraqis have the opportunity now," he said. "They are working their way through 3½ decades of being trod upon, held down, no opportunity at all for freedom of expression, for living their lives the way they wanted to, for picking [their] leaders." Pace will retire when his two-year term ends this month. Also Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- in his first public comments since President Bush announced Thursday night he was accepting the Iraq troop level recommendation of Gen. David Petraeus -- noted all Bush's senior military advisers are in agreement with those recommendations. Gates said he asked Pace and Adm. William Fallon, the head of U.S. Central Command, to begin examining U.S. options in Iraq months ago, knowing that Petraeus -- the top U.S. commander in Iraq -- was doing the same. "I wanted the president this month to have the benefit of more than one senior military voice as he considered the next steps in Iraq," Gates said. "I also did not want Gen. Petraeus hanging out there all by himself. "While the analyses of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CentCom and Gen. Petraeus varied in emphasis and approach, all of the president's senior military advisers are in full agreement with the recommendations made by Gen. Petraeus," he said. The United States' next steps in Iraq, among other things, "had to avoid even the appearance of American failure," Gates said. "Extremist Islam was dramatically empowered by defeating the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The first attack against us by the extremists, the World Trade Center in 1993, was launched from Afghanistan just four years after the last Soviet soldier left there. "Should the jihadists be able to claim a victory in Iraq over the United States, the sole remaining superpower, I believe it would empower them worldwide far, far more than their victory over the Soviets," Gates said. "The regional consequences would be significant and highly destabilizing." E-mail to a friend	[ "When does the term end?", "Who wanted to use their voice?", "when will the term end?", "What joint Chiefs of Staff chairman says he thought Iraqis would welcome liberation?", "What were the joints?" ]	[ [ "this month." ], [ "Pace" ], [ "this month." ], [ "Gen. Peter Pace" ], [ "Chiefs of Staff" ] ]	Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman says he thought Iraqis would welcome liberation . Gen. Peter Pace continues to voice his support for the Iraq invasion . Pace's two-year term ends this month . Defense secretary says Pace, other Bush military advisers agree with Petraeus .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If one hardened cockpit door is good, would two barriers be even better? Many airline pilots believe the answer is "yes," and are hoping to reinvigorate efforts to require so-called "secondary barriers" on every commercial plane in the country. Pilots praise the hardened cockpit doors mandated after 9/11, saying they have done as much as anything to protect aircraft from terrorist assaults. But planes remain vulnerable for short periods of time during some flights when pilots go to the lavatory, get meals or, on long flights, change out crews. Currently, flight attendants sometimes block the aisle with beverage carts to prevent possible terrorists from rushing the cockpit. But pilots believe the barriers -- relatively inexpensive gates that would be deployed before pilots come out of the cockpit -- would solve that vulnerability. "This is an absolute no-brainer," Capt. Bob Hesselbein of the Air Line Pilots Association said. "Of all the things we could do, the most cost-effective thing we could do right now is put the device in." ALPA this summer published a position paper calling on the U.S. and Canadian governments to require secondary flight deck barriers on all airliners by January 1, 2010. The barriers would be designed to delay anyone trying to attack the cockpit by at least five seconds, giving pilots time to retreat to the cockpit, ALPA said. Hijackers have attempted to gain access to flight decks on planes overseas four times in the past year, according to ALPA. The airline industry has fought efforts to require the barriers, saying airlines should be allowed to decide for themselves if the barriers would improve security. The barriers would not be useful on short hauls where pilots don't ordinarily leave the cockpit, and the airline industry claims other layers of protection are sufficient on longer flights. Hesselbein disagrees. "You can never guarantee that you're going to have an armed pilot protecting that cockpit from inside that cockpit. You can never guarantee that you're going to have a federal air marshal, or federal air marshal team, in the cabin to defend that cockpit. "But the secondary barrier, once installed, will always be there," Hesselbein said. The government has classified the number of federal air marshals and armed pilots, but it is widely known that they cover a small percentage of flights in the U.S. In a June 2005 report to Congress, the Transportation Security Administration said the barrier "appears to be a simple solution that offers greater security at a relatively low cost." "Valuable time is gained in deterring the movement of an unauthorized individual towards the flight deck," the report said. But the TSA recommended against mandating secondary barriers, citing "the costs of engineering and installation that would be incurred by the [airlines] to retrofit" aircraft. "The economic fragility of the industry due to increasing costs, including persistently rising fuel prices, makes this a decisive recommendation." The Air Transport Association, which represents the nation's major airlines, said hardened cockpit doors and other measures provide effective security and that mandating other measures should not be done "in the absence of appropriate risk analysis." Rep. Steve Israel, D-New York, said he is again introducing a bill to require barriers on passenger planes. "Everybody recognizes the vulnerability," he said. "The airline industry recognizes the vulnerability and thinks that the federal government ought to pay for the secondary barriers. The federal government recognizes the vulnerability and thinks that the airline industry should pay. "Meanwhile, for as long as the debate continues, the flying public is less safe." E-mail to a friend	[ "Which industry fights mandatory secondary barriers?", "Do pilots support the mandation of secondary cockpit barriers?", "What does the TSA recommend", "Who did the pilots praise?", "How many mandating secondary barriers do we need?", "What do many pilots support?", "Who recommends against mandating secondary barriers?" ]	[ [ "airline" ], [ "\"yes,\"" ], [ "against mandating secondary barriers," ], [ "the hardened cockpit doors mandated after 9/11, saying they have done as much as anything to protect aircraft from terrorist assaults." ], [ "two" ], [ "\"secondary barriers\"" ], [ "airline industry" ] ]	Pilots praise the hardened cockpit doors mandated after 9/11 . Many pilots support efforts to mandate secondary cockpit barriers . The airline industry has fought efforts to require the barriers . The TSA recommended against mandating secondary barriers .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If you have a stash of pistachios in your house, pistachio ice cream in your freezer or trail mix in your backpack, don't eat any of it. The FDA says it and the California Department of Public Health are taking "a proactive approach." Wait until an inquiry into possible salmonella contamination is further along, advises FDA Associate Commissioner David Acheson. Kraft Foods Inc. notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last Tuesday that it found salmonella in roasted pistachios during routine testing. The nuts were traced to Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California, about 75 miles south of Fresno. Setton announced a recall, Kraft removed its Back To Nature Trail Mix from store shelves, and Kroger -- a grocery chain with stores in 31 states -- recalled Private Selection shelled pistachios from its retail stores. See the FDA's complete recall list "Ultimately, the question is what should consumers do, and our advice to consumers is that they avoid eating pistachio products and keep checking the FDA Web site for the latest information," Acheson said. Watch why it's important not to eat the nuts » An investigation is under way into how the pistachios came to carry the bacteria. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Acheson stressed at a news conference Monday that the potential problems with pistachios were unrelated to this year's recall of peanut products, including peanut butter. The pistachio investigation also involves the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Setton Farms told the FDA that it anticipates recalling about 1 million pounds of products nationally in the next few days, which covers its crop output last year. Several people have told the FDA that they suffered gastrointestinal illnesses after eating pistachios, and the CDC was doing a genetic analysis, looking for any link between the people and salmonella strains, Acheson said. He said there could be some results by the end of the week. He said the FDA is "ahead of the curve" in the current investigation. "I want to emphasize that this recall was not triggered because of an outbreak, in contrast to some of the previous situations, for example, like the peanuts where people were getting sick and it was determined that peanuts, peanut butter was the likely cause," Acheson said. "This is a situation that the recall is being triggered because of ... action taken on the part of the food industry," he added. "What we're doing here is getting out ahead of the curve. It's a proactive approach by the FDA and the California Department of Health." Jeff Cronin, spokesman for the advocacy organization Center for Science in the Public Interest, had a mixed reaction to Acheson's comments. "I think it's partly the case," Cronin said. "It's good that the FDA is proactively issuing advice to consumers." But "this still begets the question of 'how did this contamination happen in the first place?' Is this an isolated problem, or are we going to be hearing the same kind of horror stories that we heard about ... the company that produced the peanuts?" He said he wondered when was the last time the FDA visited Setton Farms and whether it had known of problems there. In February, the Texas Department of State Health Services ordered the recall of all products shipped from the Peanut Corporation of America's plant in Plainview, Texas, after discovering dead rodents, rodent excrement and bird feathers in the plant. The company's peanut butter and peanut paste products produced at its plant in Blakely, Georgia, were linked to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning that affected 600 people, nine of whom died. According to state health officials and many experts, the deadly outbreak of salmonella was fueled by poor oversight by food safety regulators and a slow response by federal agencies. The first problem is that almost nothing can stop companies from shipping contaminated food, William Hubbard, a former FDA associate commissioner	[ "When was the salmonella found?", "when the matter will solve?", "who conduct routine testing?", "who will investigate?", "Where were the tainted nuts traced to?", "What should not be eaten?", "How many pistachio products were recalled?", "What did the FDA say?" ]	[ [ "last Tuesday" ], [ "by the end of the week." ], [ "U.S. Food and Drug Administration" ], [ "FDA" ], [ "Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California," ], [ "pistachios" ], [ "1 million pounds" ], [ "it and the California Department of Public Health are taking \"a proactive approach.\"" ] ]	FDA: Don't eat pistachios until possible salmonella contamination is investigated . Kraft Foods notified FDA of salmonella found during routine testing . The tainted nuts were traced to Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California . Setton Farms announced a recall of 1 million pounds of pistachio products .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If your organization has the right stuff, it could display one of the U.S. shuttles that NASA plans to retire from service in 2010. Space Shuttle Endeavour comes in for a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California last month. The space agency sent a notice this week to museums, schools and similar institutions to gauge their interest and qualifications for properly housing Discovery, Atlantis or Endeavour. The shuttles are to be retired by September 30, 2010, but they won't be available until about a year later, NASA spokesman Michael Curie said Thursday. "These are national assets, national treasures and something that NASA feels the public would want to see displayed publicly for years to come," Curie said. Space shuttle Discovery already has been offered to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington. "We have the information, and of course, we're thrilled to be considered for this artifact," said Claire Brown, director of communications for the museum. But no action has been taken at this point, and the institution doesn't have a plan for incurring the cost, she added. The privilege of showing off a shuttle won't be cheap -- about $42 million. This figure will include $28.2 million for the removal of hazardous chemicals -- such as ammonia, used as a coolant, and nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine, used as fuel; $5.8 million for moving the shuttle via a carrier aircraft to its new location; and $8 million for preparing the shuttle for display, Curie said. A carrier aircraft will be the only way to deliver a shuttle to a landlocked location, and such aircraft will no longer be in NASA's budget once the shuttle program ends. After chemicals are drained from the shuttle, its estimated weight will be about 170,000 pounds, Curie said. Whatever facility receives a shuttle must have experience in displaying space hardware and major historical artifacts, NASA said. The shuttles will be released without their engines, which, along with other components, will be offered separately. The deadline for responding to NASA is March 17. NASA emphasizes that it will pay special attention to ensuring that the shuttles will retire to "appropriate places." The agency wants them to remain in the United States, and private collectors likely would not meet NASA's goal to have the orbiters and engines displayed publicly, Curie said. "We really feel that these are artifacts that are important to the history of the country and that as many people as possible should have the opportunity to see them if they can," Curie said. Asked whether NASA had considered trying to sell the shuttles on eBay, he laughed: "No, that probably wouldn't be the prudent thing to do with something paid for by taxpayers' money." In January 2004, President Bush called for an eventual shift in focus from the space shuttle program to the new Vision for Space Exploration program, which NASA describes as "a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system." Bush has said he wants astronauts to return to the moon by 2020. However, President-elect Barack Obama has a team reviewing options for the direction of space exploration. CNN's A. Pawlowski contributed to this report.	[ "Where will discovery go?", "How much will a shuttle cost?", "where has discovery been offered to?", "what will retire by 2010?", "how much will it cost to show off a shuttle?" ]	[ [ "Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington." ], [ "about $42 million." ], [ "Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum" ], [ "Space Shuttle Endeavour" ], [ "about $42 million." ] ]	NASA gauges interest of museums and schools for properly housing shuttles . Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour will be retired by 2010 . Discovery has been offered to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum . The privilege of showing off a shuttle won't be cheap -- about $42 million .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In 1994, universal health care was a key policy plan for then-President Bill Clinton. It eventually failed. In 1993, President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton listen to a man's story about health care problems. Now, 15 years later, another Democratic president is taking on the challenge, but facing an uphill battle from not only from Republicans, but from members of his own party. Will failing to reform health care have the same consequences for Obama's administration as it did for Clinton's? Like Obama, Clinton came into office with reforming the nation's health care system as one of his top priorities. Then-first lady Hillary Clinton, who headed the administration's task force on reforming the system, delivered a 1,000-page plan that was dubbed "Hillary Care," which required Americans and permanent resident aliens to enroll in a health plan. Other provisions included Americans below a certain income level paying nothing for care. Republicans decried the plan as overcomplicated and used it to tag the administration as big government-loving, tax-and-spend liberals. The plan's failure emboldened Republicans and led to huge Democratic losses in the 1994 midterm elections, allowing the GOP to take control of Congress and stymie other Clinton initiatives. Now, 15 years later, Obama potentially faces a similar fate. Obama seeks the overhaul to ensure that health insurance is available to the 46 million Americans currently without coverage while preventing costs to both the government and individuals from continuing to climb. Watch more on the health care debate » The president had set a deadline for passage of a bill before the August congressional recess, but in an interview Monday with PBS's Jim Lehrer, the president said that if Congress tells him it's "going to spill over by a few days or a week," that's fine. iReport.com: Weigh in on the health care debate A senior White House official adds that while there is a "long way to go" in coming up with legislation, there is a true effort being made to devise a bipartisan plan. See how the plans compare » "[The Senate] is working in a bipartisan way and despite all of the cacophony of attacks you've heard from some Republicans, I think you've got to give some credit to the Republicans on the finance committee who are making right now a good faith effort, despite pressure, probably from their own party, to work with Democrats to try to come up with something that people can get behind," said White House Communications Director Anita Dunn on Wednesday. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, says in order for health care reform to get passed, it will take a well-coordinated bipartisan effort. "I think the president is right. He really does want a bipartisan effort. And that's what it's going to take for it to be for the American people. But the approach to it is kind of like a doctor practicing bad medicine where you fix only symptoms and don't treat the disease. ... the disease is only going to get worse." But the battle over health care reform is weighed down by complex problems, competing interests, a $1 trillion price tag, conservative Democrats in sticker shock and Republicans sensing an opportunity to regain some of the power they lost in the 2006 congressional elections. Conservative Bill Kristol wrote in his blog that there is an opportunity to inflict political damage to the president and that opponents shouldn't compromise: "My advice, for what it's worth: Resist the temptation," Kristol wrote. "This is no time to pull punches. Go for the kill." The White House has so far resisted another idea for raising revenue -- creating a tax on the medical benefits provided by employers. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said he likes the idea, but Obama said it could be too disruptive to a system in which 180 million Americans have health coverage provided by their employers. But while Obama has remained mostly popular in national polls so far, support for his health care plan has	[ "What is Obama urging Congress to do?", "How many Americans are Obama and the Democrats seeking coverage for?", "What year did Clinton make his push for reform?", "what are the similarities", "who are seeking coverage for 46 million Americans", "When did Clinton propose a health plan?", "What is Obama seeking?", "How many people do Obama and top Democrats want to cover?", "What is the number of Americans this would help?", "What coverage is obama seeking" ]	[ [ "reform health care" ], [ "180 million" ], [ "1994," ], [ "Like Obama, Clinton came into office with reforming the nation's health care system as one of his top priorities." ], [ "Obama" ], [ "1994," ], [ "the overhaul to ensure that health insurance is available to the 46 million Americans currently without coverage while preventing costs to both the government and individuals from continuing to climb." ], [ "46 million Americans" ], [ "46 million" ], [ "universal health care" ] ]	President Obama is urging Congress to come up with a health care reform plan . CNN analyst sees similarities between Obama's push and Clinton's in 1994 . Obama and top Democrats are seeking coverage for 46 million Americans .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In Paul Syverson's photo album, there is only one family picture, taken right after his little sister was born. Paul, then 7, and his father beam with an identical grin. Amy Syverson visits the Iwo Jima memorial with mentor Kohn Fisher as part of a camp for kids of fallen soldiers. Two months later, his father, Army Maj. Paul Syverson III, was killed in action in Balad, Iraq. Five years after his loss, the pain still reverberates with sickening suddenness. To help cope, Paul headed out to spend the Memorial Day weekend with a young military volunteer mentor instead of his dad. "I try not to think about the bad stuff," Paul said. "I just try to remember him as an awesome guy and what a great dad he was." Paul, 12, and his sister, Amy, now a cheeky and rambunctious 5-year-old in pigtails, joined 350 other grieving children at a camp for military families in Washington this Memorial Day. For many, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, camp is a yearly tradition, a time for kids to play together and pay homage to their loved ones' sacrifices. Watch as the children share losses and joy » "It's just a great way to come and be together and acknowledge the loss, and learn coping mechanisms and ways to get through the loss," said Paul's mother, Jackie. "The kids, they love it. It's just a great way they can talk about their dads but still have a great time and still just be together." TAPS is a nonprofit funded by private donations that has helped military families for 15 years. Families pay for their hotel rooms and a small registration fee for the camp. Donations usually cover the airfare. Military families often learn about the survivor camps in the casualty packet they receive when they are notified of a parent's death. Each child at the camp gets assigned a military mentor who is at his or her side throughout the weekend. The mentors -- many of whom are in their early 20s -- seem to form instant and deep connections with their charges. Some play touch football in the workshop rooms, the young children wildly tackling their muscular military escorts. Others color together or play board games. And sometimes they talk about pain and loss. "They even ask me questions. They go, 'I don't know what a landmine is. What is a landmine?' " said Matt Thibodeau, an active-duty soldier who was assigned to mentor Paul for the weekend. "There were a couple children who didn't understand how their parents had passed away, and we try to just help to be there to support them if they need it, kind of a shoulder to cry on." Thibodeau said volunteering for TAPS seemed almost like a duty, an extension of the brotherhood of the military. "I thought, if I were to have children and I were to go and pass away, that I would want somebody to do the same for me," he said. "A lot of people don't realize what their parents have done for the country, and we're to try to support that and give them a little of what they're missing." During the weekend, the children take in the sights of the nation's capital. The mentors accompany them to the Fort Myer military base in Virginia to visit the horses that pull the caisson wagons during military funerals. At the Iwo Jima and Washington monuments, the groups pause to contemplate the sacrifices that generations of service members have made for the country. The groups also planned to attend President Obama's speech and wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day. "This is their chance to reconnect with the military culture, learn coping strategies, learn how, on Memorial Day, America honors those who have served and died, and that their family is part of this national legacy," said Bonnie Carroll, founder of the TAPS program. For some campers	[ "What does his son try to remember?", "What is the camp offering?", "When was Syverson killed?", "When was Army Maj. Paul Syverson killed?", "what are the camps offering", "what does his son say", "What rank did Syverson hold?" ]	[ [ "him as an awesome guy and what a great dad he was.\"" ], [ "a time for kids to play together and pay homage to their loved ones' sacrifices." ], [ "Two months later," ], [ "Two months later," ], [ "time for kids to play together and pay homage to their loved ones' sacrifices." ], [ "\"I try not to think about the bad stuff,\"" ], [ "Army Maj." ] ]	Camp offers refuge to military families, kids adjusting to loss of loved ones . Army Maj. Paul Syverson III killed in action in Balad, Iraq, in 2004 . "I just try to remember him as an awesome guy," his son says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a dramatic break from previous policy, the United States will join direct talks between U.N. and European powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, the State Department announced Wednesday. Wednesday's announcement is the latest step by the Obama administration to engage Iran diplomatically. The Obama administration has asked the European Union's international policy chief, Javier Solana, to invite Iran to new talks with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany, State Department spokesman Robert Wood said. "If Iran accepts, we hope this will be an occasion to seriously engage Iran of how to break the logjam of recent years and work in a cooperative manner to resolve the outstanding international concerns about its nuclear program," Wood said. Iran so far has refused Security Council demands to halt its production of enriched uranium, which it has said will be used to fuel nuclear power plants. The United States has accused Tehran of concealing efforts to develop a nuclear bomb, and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency said it has failed to resolve questions about the aim of Iranian program. Watch how U.S. policy on Iran is changing » The Bush administration had insisted that Iran first stop its nuclear program before any talks with the United States or its allies could go forward. Wednesday's announcement is the latest step in the Obama administration's efforts to engage the Islamic republic diplomatically after nearly three decades without formal ties. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, briefly addressing the administration's decision Wednesday, told reporters that "pursuing very careful engagement on a range of issues that affect our interests and the interests of the world with Iran makes sense." "And there's nothing more important than trying to convince Iran to cease its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon," Clinton said at the State Department, where she was meeting Panama's foreign affairs minister. Her comments came in response to a reporter's question about engaging Iran. Washington, which has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980, has participated in previous talks only as an observer. Wood would not speculate about whether a meeting involving Iran and the rest of the group might lead to direct one-on-one meetings of U.S. and Iranian officials. "It's a little early to talk about that right now," he said. Iran has so far responded coolly to the American overtures. In a statement carried on Iranian state television Wednesday evening, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Washington "has no right to suggest how other nations should live." "Those who have nuclear bombs are backward nations, because the time for threats is over," Ahmadinejad said. And in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency, Ahmadinejad said Iran was "ready to cooperate" toward nuclear disarmament, as long as those efforts did not create obstacles for countries that wish to produce nuclear fuel for civilian power. No date has been set for the next meeting of the "P-5 plus 1" group, which includes the five Security Council permanent members -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- as well as Germany. But Wednesday's announcement comes amidst a variety of signals from both sides that a major diplomatic shift was in the winds. In March, President Obama delivered a televised message to the Iranian people offering new diplomatic engagement. And Clinton sat down with an Iranian official at a recent conference in the Netherlands on Afghanistan, but the two diplomats had no one-on-one contact. During his presidential campaign, Obama called for talks with Iran without pre-conditions -- a proposal sharply criticized by Clinton, then his chief opponent for the Democratic nomination, among others. Big obstacles to a U.S.-Iranian thaw remain, including reports from Tehran on Wednesday that Iranian authorities have charged an American journalist with espionage. Clinton told reporters that the the U.S. had asked the Swiss -- who represent U.S. interests in Iran -- for up-to-date information about Roxana Saberi, who has been jailed for nearly three months. During the March 31 meeting in the Netherlands, the United States delivered a note to Iran that asked	[ "What did Clinton say of the \"Engagement\" with Iran?", "what did Ahmadinejad say", "what is new with iran", "who has no diplomatic relations with iran?", "who was invited?", "What did Ahmadinejad say about the U.S.?" ]	[ [ "\"pursuing very careful engagement on a range of issues that affect our interests and the interests of the world" ], [ "Washington \"has no right to suggest how other nations should live.\"" ], [ "talks" ], [ "Washington," ], [ "Iran" ], [ "\"has no right to suggest how other nations should live.\"" ] ]	NEW: "Engagement" with Iran "makes sense," Secretary of State Clinton says . NEW: Ahmadinejad says U.S. "has no right to suggest how other nations should live" E.U. official asked to invite Iran to new talks with Security Council members, Germany . U.S., having no diplomatic relations with Iran, has stayed out of those talks to date .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In his final public address from the White House, a reflective President Bush on Thursday recalled the ups and downs of his eight-year tenure and said he was willing to make the tough decisions. President Bush touts what he considers his foreign policy achievements Thursday at the State Department. "I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions." Bush, who as president has become known for adamantly sticking to positions even when they've come under criticism, acknowledged setbacks and said he would have done some things differently. "Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks," Bush said. "There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. Watch Bush's final address » Bush also said he is "filled with gratitude," and characterized Obama's inauguration as a "moment of hope and pride for our whole nation." Bush predicted a bright future. "We have faced danger and trial and there is more ahead," Bush said. "But with the courage of our people and confidence in our ideals, this great nation will never tire, never falter and never fail." Recalling the defining moment of his presidency, Bush said the September 11, 2001, attacks forever altered the way he approached his job. "As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11," Bush said. "But I never did." iReport.com: Share your thoughts on Bush's farewell "Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe," he said. He cited the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and changes in the military and intelligence communities as part of the reason the United States has not seen another significant terrorist attack since 2001. "There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions," he said, an allusion that could refer to constitutional challenges to the administration-backed U.S. Patriot Act, controversy over the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo, Cuba, and the decision to invade Iraq before Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda had been vanquished in Afghanistan. View iconic moments in Bush's presidency » "But there can be little debate about the results -- America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil." He warned that America's "enemies are patient, and determined to strike again" and urged against isolationism and protectionism in the face of economic and other challenges from abroad. Watch Bush's exit interview with King » As he exits the world stage, Bush's approval rating, battered by a tanking economy and an unpopular, lingering war in Iraq, hovers just above all-time lows. A USA Today/Gallup poll released Wednesday indicates that, even with a 5-point "lame duck bounce" from last month, only 34 percent of Americans approve of the job he's doing as president. View key moments in Bush's presidency » The roughly 13-minute address was delivered in front of about 40 people "with stories to tell" invited by the White House. Bush mentioned several -- from the principal who opened a New Orleans, Louisiana, charter school in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to a Marine sergeant decorated for charging into an ambush to rescue three of his comrades. The presidential farewell address is a tradition dating to George Washington's departure from office in 1797. Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan, Carter and Clinton -- among others -- all delivered farewell speeches.	[ "who heard the speech", "Would Bush do some things differently?" ]	[ [ "40 people" ], [ "said he" ] ]	Bush says he has always acted with country's "best interests" in mind . "There are things I would do differently if given the chance," Bush says . President Bush delivers speech before invited audience in White House East Room . Tradition of farewell presidential address dates to George Washington .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the wake of a highly publicized chimpanzee attack, the U.S. House made its first official move to ban humans from owning primates as pets. Travis, seen here as a younger chimp, was fatally shot by police after attacking a woman, authorities say. The House overwhelmingly voted in favor of passing the Captive Primate Safety Act on Tuesday, which prohibits people from buying or transporting primates across state lines to keep as pets. This legislation amended the Lacey Act, which had only applied to wildlife and fish. The Humane Society of the United States applauded the bill, which passed by a vote of 323 to 95. "There is no reason for any private citizen to keep a primate as a pet, and this trade is driven by unscrupulous dealers who sell primates across state lines for thousands of dollars," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS. Last week, Charla Nash, 55, was left with severe trauma to her face, scalp and hands after her neighbor's pet chimpanzee, Travis, mauled her in Stamford, Connecticut. Police shot Travis to halt the attack, and he later died of gunshot wounds. Nash was brought to the famed Cleveland Clinic, where the nation's first face transplant was performed. Doctors there are contemplating whether to offer her a similar procedure. The bill was introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, and Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, who said it would protect animals and humans from similar attacks. "As the tragic attack in Connecticut shows us, The Captive Primate Safety Act is necessary, common-sense legislation for the welfare of humans and animals," Blumenauer said. "Make no mistake, this bill will protect communities and ensure the humane treatment of these animals." "It is inhumane to cage primates in private homes. Besides the animal cruelty concerns, the interstate movement of pet primates creates serious public health and safety risks. The Captive Primate Safety Act takes important steps to address these concerns," Kirk said. As cute as they can be, primates can inflict serious injuries and spread life-threatening disease, according to the Humane Society. The average pet owner cannot provide for their basic social and physical needs in captivity, says the organization, which estimates 15,000 monkeys and other primates are living as either pets or in private zoos. "As infants, they are fascinating," said Beth Preiss, who directs the organization's Exotic Pet Campaign. "But they grow up and become dangerous to manage." The bill moves now to the Senate, where Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana will lead the effort to pass the legislation. CNN's Lauren Kornreich contributed to this report.	[ "did the bill pass", "What does the Bill prohibit?", "who is selling them", "When did the mauling occur?" ]	[ [ "voted in favor of passing" ], [ "people from buying or transporting primates across state lines to keep as pets." ], [ "unscrupulous dealers" ], [ "Last week," ] ]	Bill prohibits purchase, transportation of primates across state lines . Trade driven by "unscrupulous dealers" who sell primates, Humane Society says . Primates can inflict serious injuries, spread disease, group says . Bill comes 8 days after woman left in serious condition after chimpanzee mauling .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In what he called a "defining moment for our nation," Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party. Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday told supporters he will be the Democratic nominee. Obama's steady stream of superdelegate endorsements, combined with the delegates he received from Tuesday's primaries, put him past the 2,118 threshold, CNN projects. "Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America," he said. "Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States." Watch Obama say he'll be the nominee » Obama's rally was at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota -- the same arena which will house the 2008 Republican National Convention in September. Speaking in New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton, congratulated Obama for his campaign, but she did not concede the race nor discuss the possibility of running as vice president. "This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight," she said. Watch Clinton congratulate Obama » There were reports earlier in the day that she would concede, but her campaign said she was "absolutely not" prepared to do so. Two New York lawmakers also told CNN on Tuesday that during a conference call Clinton expressed willingness to serve as Obama's running mate in November. Watch the latest on a possible joint ticket »' One source told CNN that Clinton told those on the call that if asked by Obama, she would be interested in serving as his running mate. One of the lawmakers said Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, has been pushing the idea privately for several weeks. The Clinton campaign maintains the New York senator merely said she would do whatever is in the party's best interest, and that her comments Tuesday are no different than what she has been saying for weeks. Clinton said she would meet with supporters and party leaders in the coming days to determine her next steps. She also asked people to go to her Web site to "share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can." Watch what could be in store in Clinton's future » CNN has projected that Clinton will win the primary in South Dakota and Obama will take Montana. Those states marked the final contests in the primary season. Obama praised Clinton's campaign. He has been speaking favorably of the New York senator as his focus has turned toward the general election and his battle against John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. "Sen. Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she's a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight," he said. Diving into general election mode, Obama turned his attacks to McCain, saying it's "time to turn the page on the policies of the past." "While John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign," he said. "It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush 95 percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year." Earlier Tuesday night, McCain portrayed himself as the candidate of "right change." "No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically. But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change, between going forward and going backward," he said in Kenner, Louisiana. CNN's Candy Crowley, Jim Acosta, Suzanne Malveaux, Paul Steinhauser and Robert Yoon contributed to this report.	[ "what does cnn projects", "What will Clinton win?", "Who says she's not making any decisions tonight?", "What does Obama pass?", "what does clinton say" ]	[ [ "Obama's steady stream of superdelegate endorsements, combined with the delegates he received from Tuesday's primaries, put him past the 2,118 threshold, CNN projects." ], [ "primary in South Dakota" ], [ "Sen. Hillary Clinton," ], [ "2,118 threshold," ], [ "\"This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight,\"" ] ]	NEW: Clinton says she's not making any decisions tonight . NEW: CNN projects Clinton wins South Dakota; Obama takes Montana . Obama passes delegate threshold . Clinton tells New York lawmakers she would be Obama's No. 2 .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Inauguration revelry began Sunday afternoon as thousands of people packed the National Mall in Washington for a free concert featuring big stars. Thousands gather Sunday afternoon on the National Mall in Washington. President-elect Barack Obama addressed a roaring crowd after 90 minutes of high-energy acts such as U2, Mary J. Blige, Usher and Beyonce. "Welcome to this celebration of American renewal," he said. "In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now." "I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure," Obama said. "That it will prevail; that the dream of our founders will live on in our time." Watch Obama address the crowd » Obama spent the morning visiting Arlington National Cemetery and attending church before heading to the "We are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial. It was nothing but good vibes -- a brief respite for an incoming president who will face huge problems after he takes office Tuesday. Bruce Springsteen opened the concert with his song "The Rising," singing, "How far I've gone/How high I've climbed/On my back's a 60 pound stone/On my shoulder a half mile line." Along the National Mall, between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, people watched the concert on massive screens and sang along with "America the Beautiful" and "This Land is Your Land." During U2's performance of "Pride (In the Name of Love)," a tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., frontman Bono referenced the civil rights leader's "I Have a Dream" speech, saying that it was also, "an Irish dream, a European dream, and African dream, an Israeli dream, and a Palestinian dream." Watch performances from the concert » Obama mentioned the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, and also referred to King's "I Have a Dream" speech, which took place in the same spot where he was standing. "Directly in front of us is a pool that still reflects the dream of a King and the glory of a people who marched and bled so that their children might be judged by their character's content," he said. Obama said what gives him "the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us, but what fills the spaces in between. It is you -- Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there." Vice President-elect Joe Biden also spoke, pointing to those "marble domes" and towers of Washington surrounding the crowd which represent the "majesty of a great nation -- all built stone by stone by American men and women." Work is about "dignity" and "respect," he said, praising the ethic of hard-working Americans. "We owe them the chance to go to work each day knowing they have the thanks of a grateful nation." Comedians and actors such as Steve Carell and Jamie Foxx brought some comic levity to the inauguration of a president who will face some serious problems in just a few days. Foxx, always the showman, urged "Chi-town" to "stand up!" Joined by his wife Michelle and their children, the President-elect stood up, laughing and clapping. Foxx did an impression of Obama's speech election night, as Obama laughed. Stevie Wonder belted out "Higher Ground" with Shakira and Usher. Herbie Hancock backed Sheryl Crow and will i. am. as they sang Bob Marley's "One Love." Garth Brooks sang the 1971 folk rock classic "American Pie" followed by a choir-backed version of "We shall be free." Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Jack Black and Rosario Dawson also addressed the crowd. The celebration caps Obama's shortened	[ "who speaks at inaugural concert?", "who is Vice President-elect?", "who is the vice president elect?", "Where do they visit?" ]	[ [ "President-elect Barack Obama" ], [ "Joe Biden" ], [ "Joe Biden" ], [ "National" ] ]	President-elect Barack Obama speaks at inaugural concert . Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden visit Tomb of Unknowns . The concert is being streamed live for free on HBO.com .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Internet-based rip-offs jumped 33 percent last year over the previous year, according to a report from a complaint center set up to monitor such crimes. The report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men. The total dollar loss from those crimes was $265 million. That's $26 million more than the price tag in 2007, the National Internet Crime Center said. For individual victims, the average amount lost was $931. "This report illustrates that sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish as financial data migrates to the Internet," said Shawn Henry, the FBI's assistant director of the Cyber Division. Americans filed 275,284 reports claiming to be ripped off on the Internet, the highest number reported since the center began keeping statistics in 2000. The dollar loss has been on a steady increase since 2004, while the number of cases referred to law enforcement has decreased steadily since that same year. Complaints to the center have resulted in several arrests, the center said, although information comes only from agencies that voluntarily provide the results of investigations. Henry said the figures show the need for computer users, in businesses and in homes, to be wary and use sound security practices while using the Internet. The center said the top three most frequent complaints were about merchandise that wasn't delivered or payment that wasn't received, Internet auction fraud and credit/debit card fraud. Other scams include confidence frauds such as Ponzi schemes, check fraud, the Nigerian letter fraud and identity fraud. One popular identity fraud scam used during 2008 involved sending e-mails crafted to appear as if they'd been sent by the FBI. Sometimes the scammers went so far as to say the mailings were from FBI Director Robert Mueller himself, according to the center. The e-mails would ask the recipient for personal information, such as a bank account numbers, claiming the FBI wanted the information to look into an impending financial transaction. One variation of the scheme, according to the center, was to send an e-mail saying the recipient is entitled to lottery money or an inheritance and the funds can be moved as soon as bank account information is supplied. The FBI has issued warnings about such scams in the past, and Monday's report included a new one: "The FBI does not contact U.S. citizens regarding personal financial matters through unsolicited e-mails." The report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men, and about half lived in either California, New York, Florida, Washington, Texas or the District of Columbia. More than 55 percent of those who filed complaints were men. But the report noted that anyone who uses the Internet can be a victim, and that the ages of victims have ranged from 10 to 100. Internet crime offers unique challenges to investigators. The report said the offender and victim often live in different states and sometimes different countries, requiring multiple law enforcement agencies to cooperate and conquer any issues of jurisdiction. Another big problem is the anonymity of using the Internet. In most instances, a victim never meets the criminal. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.	[ "How many perpetrators are men?", "How many Americans filed record?", "What does the FBI have to say about it?", "What amount of money was lost to the scams?", "What percent of the perps were male?", "What percentage of perpetrators were men?" ]	[ [ "77.4 percent" ], [ "275,284" ], [ "sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue" ], [ "$265 million." ], [ "77.4" ], [ "77.4 percent" ] ]	Internet users said they were scammed out of a total of $265 million last year . FBI: Report shows "sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish" Americans filed record 275,284 reports claiming to be ripped off . Report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators had a "significant break" in tracking the salmonella outbreak when they found the bacteria on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico at a Texas food supplier, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. The FDA has discouraged all consumers from eating raw jalapeño peppers. The FDA also warned consumers not to eat fresh jalapeños and products made with fresh jalapeños. The discovery may provide a clue to the source of a recent outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul. The bacteria have sickened more than 1,200 people in 42 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "One of the jalapeño peppers has tested positive with a genetic match to the Saintpaul strand," said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Consumer Tips Blog: Hold the jalapeños He said officials are "looking at the chain that the peppers would have passed through to decide if any of them are a point of contamination." Watch more on the salmonella outbreak » Tauxe called the discovery a "significant break." "While this one sample does not give us the whole story, this genetic break is very important," he said. "This will hopefully help us pinpoint the source of this outbreak." The bacteria were found at a distribution center in McAllen, Texas, and the distributor has agreed to recall the products. Although the pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, Tauxe said, investigators are not yet certain where the bacteria originated. Read food safety tips » "This does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico," he said. "We aren't only looking for the source, but the reason for the spread [of the outbreak]." The news comes just days after the FDA lifted its ban on consumption of certain raw tomatoes. The FDA has not ruled out tomatoes as the source of the original outbreak, but investigators have determined that tomatoes currently in fields and stores are safe, Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, said Thursday. Learn about the differences between salmonella and E. coli » The FDA is still investigating fresh tomatoes as a possible source of the outbreak. It is possible that tomatoes were paired with another food that was contaminated, Tauxe said. Watch more on the FDA investigation » Before Monday's warning, the agency had discouraged high-risk people -- elderly people, infants and those with impaired immune systems -- from eating serrano and jalapeño peppers. Two elderly men with pre-existing conditions died while infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, and the FDA said the infection could have contributed to their deaths.	[ "The discovery is called a what?", "Where is the Bacteria?", "Where pepper grows?", "what cause the outbreak", "What is the strain?", "What was found at the distribution center?" ]	[ [ "a \"significant break.\"" ], [ "on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico" ], [ "Mexico" ], [ "bacteria on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico" ], [ "salmonella outbreak" ], [ "bacteria on a jalapeño pepper" ] ]	NEW: Discovery called a "significant break" in outbreak investigation . Strain is Salmonella Saintpaul, which has sickened hundreds recently . CDC: Pepper grown in Mexico, but origin of bacteria uncertain . Bacteria were found at distribution center in McAllen, Texas .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators had a "significant break" in tracking the salmonella outbreak when they found the bacteria on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico at a Texas food supplier, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. The FDA has discouraged all consumers from eating raw jalapeño peppers. The FDA also warned consumers not to eat fresh jalapeños and products made with fresh jalapeños. The discovery may provide a clue to the source of a recent outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul. The bacteria have sickened more than 1,200 people in 42 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "One of the jalapeño peppers has tested positive with a genetic match to the Saintpaul strand," said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Consumer Tips Blog: Hold the jalapeños He said officials are "looking at the chain that the peppers would have passed through to decide if any of them are a point of contamination." Watch more on the salmonella outbreak » Tauxe called the discovery a "significant break." "While this one sample does not give us the whole story, this genetic break is very important," he said. "This will hopefully help us pinpoint the source of this outbreak." The bacteria were found at a distribution center in McAllen, Texas, and the distributor has agreed to recall the products. Although the pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, Tauxe said, investigators are not yet certain where the bacteria originated. Read food safety tips » "This does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico," he said. "We aren't only looking for the source, but the reason for the spread [of the outbreak]." The news comes just days after the FDA lifted its ban on consumption of certain raw tomatoes. The FDA has not ruled out tomatoes as the source of the original outbreak, but investigators have determined that tomatoes currently in fields and stores are safe, Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, said Thursday. Learn about the differences between salmonella and E. coli » The FDA is still investigating fresh tomatoes as a possible source of the outbreak. It is possible that tomatoes were paired with another food that was contaminated, Tauxe said. Watch more on the FDA investigation » Before Monday's warning, the agency had discouraged high-risk people -- elderly people, infants and those with impaired immune systems -- from eating serrano and jalapeño peppers. Two elderly men with pre-existing conditions died while infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, and the FDA said the infection could have contributed to their deaths.	[ "What strain has caused hundreds to fall ill?", "What kind of produce was the cause of the outbreak?", "Where did the bacteria originate?", "Where was the pepper grown?", "Which strain of salmonella has sickened hundreds?", "Where was the bacteria found?", "What was found at a distribution center?", "What strain has sickened hundreds?", "What city was the distribution center in, that caused the outbreak?", "What strain of bacteria was found?" ]	[ [ "Salmonella Saintpaul." ], [ "jalapeño pepper" ], [ "on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico" ], [ "Mexico" ], [ "Saintpaul." ], [ "on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico" ], [ "bacteria" ], [ "Salmonella Saintpaul." ], [ "McAllen, Texas," ], [ "salmonella" ] ]	NEW: Discovery called a "significant break" in outbreak investigation . Strain is Salmonella Saintpaul, which has sickened hundreds recently . CDC: Pepper grown in Mexico, but origin of bacteria uncertain . Bacteria were found at distribution center in McAllen, Texas .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators with bomb-making components in their luggage and on their person were able to pass through security checkpoints at 19 U.S. airports without detection, according to the Government Accountability Office. Passengers pass through security at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. GAO officials are expected to testify about the investigation Thursday before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The investigators reported that most of the time security officers followed Transportation Security Administration policies and procedures, but investigators were able to take advantage of "weaknesses in TSA procedures and other vulnerabilities." "These weaknesses were identified based on a review of public information," the planned GAO testimony says. Investigators concluded that if they had attempted the same test at other airports, they would have evaded detection. But the GAO did not detail the weaknesses because they "are sensitive security information." The investigators obtained the bomb-making components at local stores and over the Internet for less than $150, according to testimony. Watch a tester point out a TSA mistake » The GAO said its investigators also tested the devices that could be built with the components they smuggled and discovered that "a terrorist using these devices could cause severe damage to an airplane and threaten the safety of passengers." The GAO investigators devised two types of devices: an "improvised explosive device" made of a liquid explosive and a low-yield detonator, and an "improvised incendiary device" that could be created by combining commonly available products prohibited in carry-on luggage. The GAO said it found the instructions for creating the devices "using publicly available information," including Internet searches. According to the testimony, a transportation security officer barred one of the investigators from bringing an unlabeled bottle of medicated shampoo through the checkpoint. But the security officer allowed a liquid component of the improvised explosive device to pass through undetected, although that item is prohibited by the TSA. In another test, the investigator put coins in his pockets to assure he would get a secondary inspection. But the officer, using a hand-wand and a pat-down, failed to detect any of the prohibited items the investigator was carrying. The GAO said it had briefed the TSA on its findings "to help them take corrective action." In testimony to be provided to the same congressional committee, TSA chief Kip Hawley defends the administration's policies and procedures, saying that the screening checkpoints are but one of a "multilayered approach to security." "We recognize that, despite our efforts to make each layer as strong as possible, a concerted effort may target any one layer," according to the testimony. "Our ongoing success is a result of the tremendous power in the reinforced, multiple layers. Truly, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts -- and together, they are formidable." Hawley sketches for members of Congress 19 security steps the TSA employs before, during and after checkpoint screening. "Each and every one of these 19 security layers is important and strong in its own right," he says. "Linked together, they are effective and daunting." Although it would not discuss the specific nature of its recommendations, the GAO said it recommended establishing special screening lines based on risk and passengers with special needs. The TSA should introduce more "aggressive, visible and unpredictable" measures to detect concealed items and develop new technology for screening at checkpoints. Hawley's said the TSA concurs with the GAO's recommendations and specifically discussed several "new technology" items that he said were "greatly improving our effectiveness in detecting prohibited items." Among the new technology, he said, were whole body imagers, bottled liquids scanners, hand-held explosives scanners and advanced technology X-rays. And, he added, "our pursuit of new technology is not limited to what I described today." He also said the TSA is constantly conducting covert tests of the screening process, including detection of prohibited liquids and IEDs. "The nation's aviation system remains secure," he said, "but requires	[ "what did terrorists use?", "who took advantage of weaknesses?", "what did GAO say about terrorists?", "Were the weaknesses detailed?", "What does GAO stand for?", "What did the investigators take advantage of?", "what does TSA stand for?", "What wasn't detailed because of security reasons?" ]	[ [ "\"improvised explosive device\"" ], [ "investigators" ], [ "\"a" ], [ "the GAO did not detail the" ], [ "Government Accountability Office." ], [ "\"weaknesses in TSA procedures and other vulnerabilities.\"" ], [ "Transportation Security Administration" ], [ "the weaknesses" ] ]	GAO: Investigators took advantage of "weaknesses in TSA procedures" GAO: Those "weaknesses" were not detailed for security reasons . GAO said terrorists using same items could seriously compromise a flight . Transportation Security Administration: Checkpoints only part of total security .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iran may be holding a former FBI agent in a bid to exchange him for Iranians seized by U.S. troops in Iraq in 2007, a U.S. senator suggested Tuesday. Christine Levinson, wife of Robert Levinson, went to Tehran in 2007 to try to learn her husband's fate. Robert Levinson disappeared from Iran's Kish Island in March 2007. Iranian authorities have repeatedly said they don't have any information on him, but that is widely doubted in the United States. "On several diplomatic occasions when Bob Levinson's name has been brought up to Iranian officials, the standard answer is, 'We don't know anything about that.' But the next thing out of the Iranian officials' mouths are to discuss the matter of the Iranians held by the Americans in Irbil, Iraq," Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, told reporters. "You can draw your own conclusions." U.S. troops arrested five Iranians accused of being members of an elite Iranian military unit during a January 2007 raid in the Kurdish city of Irbil. They were accused of supporting Shiite militias in Iraq, but Iran said they were diplomats and accused the United States of violating international law by raiding a consulate. The United States said the men were taken at a liaison office that lacks diplomatic status. Two were released the next November. Nelson and Florida Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler, whose district includes Levinson's Coral Springs home, are trying to jump-start efforts to find the missing man. Wexler said Iranian authorities have not assisted the Levinsons, saying they have "zero knowledge" of his whereabouts and are stonewalling "any effort to gain pertinent information." Levinson's wife, Christine, said her husband was working as a private investigator on a cigarette smuggling case when he disappeared. "It's been extremely difficult for my family," she said. "We hope to resolve this as soon as possible." Wexler and Nelson said they plan to introduce legislation in their respective houses calling on Iran to cooperate with the United States and come up with information about Levinson. Nelson said Iran could use Levinson's case as a show of good will toward the incoming Obama administration, which has said it wants to engage Iran after three decades without diplomatic relations. "We hope that Iran will take this moment in time to show a change in the relationship with the United States by doing this humanitarian gesture for this family," he said. In a January 22 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Wexler asked that the case be raised "at the highest levels." Nelson raised Levinson's status during Clinton's confirmation hearing. Nelson said the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations has discussed Levinson's case with him under the "fiction" that he represents the people of Florida, not the U.S. government. But he said the Iranians have never acknowledged holding the former federal agent. Levinson had been working as a private investigator in Dubai and was last heard from on March 8, 2007. His family said he checked into a hotel on Kish Island and then checked out the next day to go back to the United States, but he never boarded his flight. Levinson family members have met with local Iranian officials and have traveled to Iran to retrace his steps. Christine Levinson also flew to the United Nations in September to ask questions about her husband, whom she says suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. The family has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his safe return. The State Department and FBI have consistently denied Levinson was working for the government and have demanded Iran free Levinson -- if it is holding him. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the U.S. government has called on Iran to provide more information about the matter "for some time." "His family's extremely concerned, as you can understand, that no information has been forthcoming," Wood said. "So, again, we call on the Iranians to provide whatever information they have on Mr. Levinson so that we can hopefully return this gentleman to his family."	[ "Who has been missing nearly two years?", "Who disapeared almost two years ago?", "Who seeks new attention from Obama administration?", "What does the Florida congressman and senator seek?", "Who disappeared almost two years ago?", "Where did Levinson vanish from?", "How long ago did Levinson disappear?", "Where did Levinson disappear from?", "What did the Iranians say?", "How much knowledge do Iranians say they have about Levinson's whereabouts?", "What senator is seeking attention from the White House?", "What did the Iranians say about missing man?" ]	[ [ "Robert Levinson" ], [ "Robert Levinson" ], [ "Christine Levinson," ], [ "bid to exchange him for Iranians" ], [ "Robert Levinson" ], [ "Iran's Kish Island" ], [ "March 2007." ], [ "Kish Island" ], [ "'We don't know anything about that.'" ], [ "\"zero knowledge\"" ], [ "Sen. Bill Nelson," ], [ "\"zero knowledge\"" ] ]	Robert Levinson disappeared almost two years ago from Iranian island . Florida congressman, senator seek new attention from Obama administration . Senator says Iranians caught in Iraq always mentioned in conjunction with Levinson . Iranians say they have "zero knowledge" of missing man's whereabouts .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iraq is raking in more money from oil exports than it is spending, amassing a projected four-year budget surplus of up to $80 billion, U.S. auditors reported Tuesday. Oil accounted for 94 percent of the Iraq's revenue from 2005 to 2007, a U.S. report says. Leading members of Congress, noting that Washington is paying for reconstruction in Iraq, expressed outrage at the assessment. One called the findings "inexcusable." "We should not be paying for Iraqi projects while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank, including outrageous profits from $4-a-gallon gas prices in the U.S.," said Sen. Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We should require that U.S. taxpayers be reimbursed for the cost of large projects." Baghdad had a $29 billion budget surplus between 2005 to 2007. With the price of crude roughly doubling in the past year, Iraq's surplus for 2008 is expected to run between $38 billion and $50 billion, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The United States has put about $48 billion toward reconstruction since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, auditors reported. About $23 billion of that was spent on the oil and electricity industries, water systems and security. Iraq spent $3.9 billion on those sectors from 2005 through April 2008, according to the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress. The ongoing fighting there, a shortage of trained staff and weak controls have made it difficult for the Iraqi government to spend its surplus on needed projects, the agency's report concluded. Levin, a Michigan Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of the slow progress of reconstruction and an advocate of a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. His criticism Tuesday was echoed by Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican who is the former chairman and now a leading member of Levin's committee. "Despite Iraq earning billions of dollars in oil revenue in the past five years, U.S. taxpayer money has been the overwhelming source of Iraq reconstruction funds," Warner said in a joint statement with Levin. "It is time for the sovereign government of Iraq, using its revenues, expenditures and surpluses, to fully assume the responsibility to provide essential services and improve the quality of life for the Iraqi people." In its written response to the audit report, the Treasury Department said U.S. officials are working with Iraqis to address the issue, "and we believe progress is being made." "The report shows Iraq's budget surplus is likely to grow significantly over the course of 2008, but it is equally important to realize that spending in Iraq is also increasing," Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Andy Baukol wrote to the GAO. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government submitted a $22 billion supplemental budget to the Iraqi parliament in July, including $8 billion in proposed capital expenditures, Baukol wrote. The issue raised the hackles of several members of Congress earlier this year -- particularly because Bush administration officials said on the eve of the war that Iraqi oil money would pay for reconstruction. In 2003, then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz told the House Appropriations Committee: "We're dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.'' Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, said Tuesday's report "is going to make a lot of American families very angry." "The record gas prices they are paying have turned into an economic windfall for Iraq, but the Iraqi government isn't spending the money on rebuilding," said Waxman, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Levin spokeswoman Tara Andringa said the senator hopes to tighten rules governing U.S. expenditures on Iraqi reconstruction efforts in the next Pentagon authorization bill. The Iraqi surplus has piled up even though the country's oil production has only recently matched prewar levels, according to the Brookings Institution's latest Iraq Index. The country spent about 80 percent of its $29 billion operating budget in 2007, including public services and salaries, but only 28 percent	[ "What is the estimate of Iraq's budget surplus?", "What did the report say?", "What could Iraq's surplus hit?", "What could Iraq's budget surplus hit?", "What are the lawmakers upset over?", "Who should be reimbursed?", "What surplus angered US lawmakers?", "What senator said taxpayers ought to be reimbursed?" ]	[ [ "$80 billion," ], [ "Oil accounted for 94 percent of the Iraq's revenue from 2005 to 2007," ], [ "up to $80 billion," ], [ "up to $80 billion," ], [ "paying for Iraqi projects" ], [ "U.S. taxpayers" ], [ "$80 billion," ], [ "Sen. Carl Levin," ] ]	U.S. lawmakers upset over surplus, noting Washington is footing reconstruction . U.S. taxpayers should be reimbursed, senator says . Report says Iraq's budget surplus from 2005 to 2008 could hit $80 billion .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iraq's smaller religious groups have been facing "ongoing severe abuses," and the situation requires a response from the United States, a religious freedom watchdog said Tuesday. In late November, members of a Christian Iraqi family sit in a home in Lebanon after fleeing violence in Mosul. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a report citing "threats and intimidation" against Chaldo-Assyrians and other Christians, Sabean-Mandaeans and Yazidis. The commission wants the U.S. State Department to designate Iraq as a "country of particular concern" -- a status that would allow policy responses, including public condemnations, the denial of state visits, and even sanctions. Spokeswoman Judith Ingram said such a designation would draw attention to the abuses and "encourage a robust policy response." There has been "reconciliation" between Iraq's dominant Shiite and Sunni religious groups, but tensions continue to reverberate and that's a concern, the commission said. But the smaller groups don't have "militia or tribal structures to protect them" and they "do not receive adequate official protection." "Iraq's non-Muslim religious minorities -- particularly Christians, Mandaeans and Yazidis -- have suffered religiously-based attacks and other abuses, and have fled the country, at rates far disproportionate to their numbers, seriously threatening these communities' continued existence in Iraq," the report said. "Lacking militias, and in the case of the Mandaeans unable to defend themselves for religious reasons, they are easy prey for extremists and criminals, and they do not receive adequate protection from the authorities. As in earlier years, they also are caught in the middle of a Kurdish-Arab struggle for control of disputed northern areas where the minorities are concentrated and have been targeted because of this." Examples include Christian protest over provincial election legislation and anti-Christian violence in Mosul this autumn and election intimidation of non-Muslims in Nineveh province in 2005. The Iraqi Constitution also "gives Islam a preferred status, providing a potential justification for abuses and discrimination against non-Muslims." The commission is recommending that the incoming Obama administration ensure "safe and fair provincial elections" and "security and safety for all Iraqis." It calls for making prevention of religious abuse a "high priority" and urging the Kurdish region to support "minority rights." It also urges addressing the displaced persons' and refugee problem. CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.	[ "What do smaller religious groups in Iraq lack?", "Who urges protection of Irag's minority religions?", "Who doesn't have any militias or tribal structures?", "Who is urging that these religious minorities be protected?", "What is the U.S administration urged to ensure?", "Which US President is incoming?", "What don't smaller groups have?", "Who urged the incoming U.S. administration to ensure safety for all Iraqis?" ]	[ [ "\"Lacking militias," ], [ "The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom" ], [ "the smaller groups" ], [ "Judith Ingram" ], [ "\"safe and fair provincial elections\" and \"security and safety for all" ], [ "Obama" ], [ "\"militia or tribal structures to protect them\"" ], [ "Commission on International Religious Freedom" ] ]	Religious freedom watchdog group urges protection of Iraq's minority religions . Situation severe enough to merit response from United States, group says . Smaller groups don't have militias or tribal structures to protect them . Incoming U.S. administration urged to ensure "safety for all Iraqis"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Is the United States the "greatest country on earth"? You hear that a lot, or phrases like that, during this presidential campaign. Candidates may attack other candidates, or the sitting president, but they never attack the idea that America is special, a "city upon a hill." "The last, best hope of Earth." It's part of America's ideology and its tradition of political rhetoric. To many Americans' ears, it sounds normal. But to citizens of other countries it's sometimes jarring, as if Americans put their country ahead of any other, as if the United States thinks it has the right to tell the rest of the world what to do. We went to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. and asked visitors if they agree America "knows best" and the United States has an obligation to spread its values around the world. Almost everyone we talked with did not agree. Rachel Army, a teacher with a Washington, D.C. non-governmental organization, said: "I have a lot of pride in our government however, at the same time, it is ours and I don't think that it is right to force it on other people." Jermane Bonilla, from Los Angeles, said he thinks the United States is a special country, "the most powerful nation on earth and the most beautiful country on earth, in my mind." But, he told us "it might not be the same model that everybody should be using." They're not the exception, it turns out. In their book, "America Against the World," Pew Research Center President Andrew Kohut and journalist Bruce Stokes say it's more often U.S. leaders who want to impose American values in other countries -- not the American people. The authors analyzed international surveys of people around the globe going back to the 1980's as well as more than 100,000 interviews in 60 countries. Their conclusion? "Contrary to widespread misconceptions, Americans' pride in their country is not evangelistic. The American people, as opposed to some of their leaders, seek no converts to their ideology." Citizens of many other countries, too, may think their national way of life is the best but, these authors say, "they don't dominate the globe." Americans may not be that different from others but the differences that do exist are magnified, fueling resentment around the world. E-mail to a friend	[ "What is the USA described as in political rehetoric", "In what way are these views described in relation to other countries", "who are proud about the country", "what is a staple of political rhetoric", "what is the view" ]	[ [ "\"city upon a hill.\"" ], [ "as if Americans put their country ahead of any" ], [ "Americans" ], [ "America is special, a \"city upon a hill.\" \"The last, best hope of Earth.\"" ], [ "Americans' pride in their country is not evangelistic." ] ]	"U.S.A. the special" is a staple of political rhetoric . Authors find citizens are proud but not evangelistic about the country . View is similar to citizens of other countries but it's magnified by U.S. power .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in President Obama what might be a new chapter in the 60-year relationship between Israel and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama visit at the White House on Monday. Based on interviews with U.S., Israeli and Arab diplomats, no one expects a drastic change in the relationship -- the Obama administration won't waiver from the traditional unshakable commitment to Israel's security. But the Obama administration seems to have a different view from Israel -- and previous U.S. administrations -- on how that security is best achieved. Observers think this administration -- Obama, National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones and Middle East envoy George Mitchell in particular -- are predisposed to be tougher on Israel than the Bush administration was. Israelis are concerned the special strategic relationship between the United States and Israel could be in jeopardy. Because Obama has made clear he thinks a Palestinian state better serves Israel's and the United States' security, there were expectations of a showdown between him and Netanyahu. Netanyahu came to Washington refusing to commit to a two-state solution and instead talked of a "Palestinian entity" with promises of beefed-up economic development. Arab states and the United States have said that's not a substitute for a true Palestinian state. Because of the good will and enhanced credibility the election of Obama has brought the United States around the world, he can ask for more, and expect more, on this issue. The United States is working with Jordan's King Abdullah to "sequence" the Arab initiative, a plan proposed by then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah in 2003 and endorsed by the Arab League. Under the plan, all Arab states would normalize relations with Israel after it returns former Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories. The United States wants Israel and the Arab countries to take simultaneous steps toward peace. For instance, if Israel halts settlement activity or removes outposts, the Arabs could take any number of steps, such as opening trade offices in Israel or allowing telecommunications or air travel between Israel and Arab countries. There is a long list of potential moves and different Arab countries are considering steps from the list. Some are more willing to participate than others. We will probably hear more about this in the coming weeks as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visit Washington later this month. Netanyahu has also made clear one of his main priorities is dealing with the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program; he's said that if the United States can't eliminate the threat through talking, Israel will do so militarily. He also has threatened to halt progress on the Palestinian issue until the United States takes meaningful steps to curb Iran. The United States has made clear that such threats are a nonstarter. Netanyahu's position is to solve Iran first and then Israel can deal with Palestinian peace. The United States wants the Israelis to make peace with the Palestinians and it will deal with Iran at the same time. In fact, Washington believes progress on the Palestinian issue could rally Arab support for dealing with Iran. Israeli diplomats said Netanyahu is not going to provoke a confrontation with Obama and they expected him to announce some immediate steps to improve the quality of life for Palestinians in the West Bank, including removing illegal settlement outposts. However, Netanyahu made no such announcement during a brief photo opportunity with Obama. Netanyahu was expected to make a statement supporting the idea of a Palestinian state, but most analysts said he would stop short of a full endorsement. Again, sitting next to Obama, Netanyahu spoke of a scenario in which "Israel and the Palestinians live side by side in dignity, security and in peace," but he didn't mention a Palestinian state. No breakthroughs were expected. Monday's meeting was largely expected to be a chance for the two sides to discuss their positions rather than iron out differences. Some might see this as Obama being tougher on Israel, but others say it's an evenhandedness that hasn't been seen from recent U.S. administrations. In short, it seems the Obama administration is going to use more of	[ "What do observers say about the Obama team?", "Who is Obama with?", "What does Obama have?" ]	[ [ "are predisposed to be tougher on Israel than the Bush administration was." ], [ "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu" ], [ "a different view from Israel" ] ]	No one expects a drastic change in U.S.-Israel relationship . But Obama has different approach from past administrations . Observers think Obama team is predisposed to be tougher on Israel . Whether Palestinians or Iranians get attention first is at issue .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his concern over the potential of a nuclear-armed Iran during meetings with top congressional leaders Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walks Tuesday with Reps. John Boehner, left, and Nancy Pelosi. He met with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee first, followed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner. An Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons "is a great danger to all of us, to Israel specifically and to the moderate Arab regimes, [and] to America," Netanyahu said after his meeting with Pelosi and Boehner. "Especially if this regime were to arm itself or arm terrorists with nuclear weapons, the consequences could be unimaginable." Netanyahu also reiterated his call for normalizing relations between Israel and the "broader Arab world" while moving forward on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Watch where Mideast flash points could be » "We have to do this in tandem," he said. "That's going to be our policy. ... If we do it together, we'll get a lot further, a lot faster." Pelosi said she endorsed a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, but emphasized that it "must be a solution that provides for a democratic Jewish state of Israel living side by side with her Palestinian neighbors." "The question of Iran is one that is of concern to us in Congress," she said. "... It is an issue for the world. It is important for all of us to work together to be sure that Iran does not develop a weapon of mass destruction." Netanyahu is on his first visit to Washington since becoming prime minister earlier this year -- his second time as head of Israel's government. He met Monday with President Obama at the White House and dined with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Obama offered the hawkish Israeli leader a small diplomatic victory, warning that he would not allow Iran to drag out talks as a way of buying time while it develops nuclear weapons. Speaking at an Oval Office news conference, Obama again refused to commit to an "artificial deadline" for Iranian negotiations. But he also warned that he would not allow such talks, which he expects to accelerate after the Iranian presidential election in June, to be used as an excuse for delay. Watch Obama start the clock on Iran » "We're not going to have talks forever. We're not going to create a situation in which the talks become an excuse for inaction while Iran proceeds with developing ... and deploying a nuclear weapon," he said. He said the United States is not "foreclosing a range of steps, including much stronger international sanctions, in assuring that Iran understands that we are serious." The issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions has become increasingly urgent in recent months. Netanyahu wanted a time limit for negotiations relating to such ambitions, with the threat of military action if no resolution is reached. Both Israel and the United States believe Iran is seeking nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear energy program; Tehran denies the accusation. Israeli leaders have pointed to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's calls for the end of Israel as a Jewish state, and argue that quick action is needed. Clinton and Netanyahu also talked about Iran, among other issues, during a 90-minute working dinner Monday night, according to a senior State Department official. "Clinton's messages were entirely consistent with President Obama's," the official said. "She reiterated our support for a two-state solution, and explained our strategy for direct engagement as a means to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability." In his appearance at the White House, Netanyahu emphasized that while "the common goal is peace ... the common threat we face are terrorist threats and organizations that seek to undermine [that] peace and threaten both our peoples." The prime minister called Iran the biggest threat to peace in the region. "If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, it could give a nuclear	[ "What concerns did U.S leaders have?", "Who said it was a great danger to us all?", "Who does Netanyahu say is a great danger to all of us?", "What does Netanyahu say?", "Who does the Israeli PM meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi?", "Who is also concerned about Iran's nuclear intentions?" ]	[ [ "An Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons" ], [ "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu" ], [ "An Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons" ], [ "An Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons \"is a great danger to all of us, to Israel specifically and to the moderate Arab regimes, [and] to America,\"" ], [ "House Minority Leader John Boehner." ], [ "Congress,\"" ] ]	Israeli PM meets with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader John Boehner . Iranian regime with nuclear weapons "is a great danger to all of us," Netanyahu says . He calls for normalized relations with Arab world, peace process with Palestinians . U.S. leaders also express concern over Iran's nuclear intentions .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It was an odd collection of vehicles on display on Capitol Hill, ranging from a bucket truck used for repairing power lines to something resembling an enclosed golf cart to a pair of hot-looking, two-seater sports cars. Lawmakers eyeball one of several alternative-energy vehicles parked this week on Capitol Hill. What they had in common was alternative energy: The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline. Tuesday's display attracted some U.S. senators who couldn't resist taking the vehicles for a spin. "I'm about to have claustrophobia!" laughed Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Delaware, as he folded himself into a yellow, low-slung vehicle known by the initials ENVI, developed by the Chrysler Corporation. "Evan Bayh [Democratic senator from Indiana] and I were talking about taking a road trip in the van down there," said Carper, pointing to a nearby offering from General Motors. "That's probably better for a road trip than this!" Carper then spotted Democratic colleague Tom Harkin, and joked that the sports car might draw too much attention in the Iowa senator's corn country. Undeterred, Harkin climbed in next and asked to take a test drive. But instead of starting with a growling engine and a roar of exhaust, the little yellow coupe simply rolled quietly out of its parking space. It is an electric vehicle. The display, titled "The Energy and Environmental Showcase," was intended to demonstrate for lawmakers actual production models of vehicles that may cut the nation's reliance on petroleum-based fuels. An unusual aspect of the show was that traditional Detroit nameplates such as General Motors sat next to competitors from other countries. The event was organized by Bright Automotive, a small carmaker from Anderson, Indiana, to showcase its IDEA, a new, 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that it hopes to market for government and commercial fleets. In a statement, the company said it has applied for funding through the federal Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program. Other manufacturers took advantage of the opportunity to bring their own vehicles to the public display, in a parking lot near the Russell Senate Office Building. During the Bush administration, Japanese automakers complained they weren't invited to a similar demonstration near the Treasury Department, despite having brought their alternative-energy cars more swiftly to the U.S. market than the Detroit automakers. But neither the competition nor the threat of bankruptcy held back the enthusiasm of a General Motors product spokesman at Tuesday's display. "If anything, it's just a little bit of noise in the background," said Tony Posawatz, a GM vehicle line director. He told CNN the automaker places high on its recovery agenda the line of Volt electric cars expected to come to market by November 2010. A silver GM sedan on display nearby uses electric batteries and a self-contained recharging engine powered by a variety of fuels. "I would like people to stop talking mpg," Posawatz said, leading a reporter toward a van powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The Chevy Equinox on display is one of 100 now in private hands. Instead of miles per gallon, the energy plant supplies electricity and a calculation of cruising range while driving. For now, however, drivers might still be impressed by the ZENN, a little car claiming 280 miles per gallon. The car's cruising range of about 40 miles translates to about 280 miles per gallon, according to the Canadian automaker. "ZENN" stands for Zero Emission No Noise, said a worker who was buffing away some tree pollen that had settled on the car during the breezy afternoon. The car's top speed is about that of a strong gust of wind -- 35 mph. "It's supposed to be your third car in the driveway," explained ZENN spokesman Daniel Stiller. "Most people drive less than 20 miles from home on streets with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less." He acknowledged that the car may qualify as street-legal only on local, low-speed roads.	[ "What did the display attract?", "Who organised the event?", "What hit Capitol Hill this week?", "Where is the carmaker who organized the event from?", "Which members of Congress tried out the cars?", "Where was eclectic assortment of alternative-energy vehicles seen this week?", "Did the display attract anyone?", "who was the event organized by", "who took the cars for a spin", "What is happening on Capitol Hill this week?", "Who organized the event?", "Who couldn't resist taking the cars for a spin?" ]	[ [ "The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline. Tuesday's" ], [ "Bright Automotive," ], [ "alternative-energy vehicles" ], [ "Anderson, Indiana," ], [ "U.S. senators" ], [ "Capitol Hill," ], [ "some U.S. senators" ], [ "Bright Automotive," ], [ "U.S. senators" ], [ "\"The Energy and Environmental Showcase,\"" ], [ "Bright Automotive," ], [ "U.S. senators" ] ]	An eclectic assortment of alternative-energy vehicles hit Capitol Hill this week . The display attracted U.S. senators who couldn't resist taking the cars for a spin . The event was organized by a carmaker from Indiana to showcase its plug-in hybrid . Display included cars from GM, ZENN, Bright Automotive and Smart, among others .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It was the U.S. government's version of the ticker in New York's Times Square, blasting Havana's main seaside strip with anti-Cuba slogans in 5-foot high crimson letters. It symbolized the tit-for-tat diplomatic row between Washington and Havana. Cuban flags flutter in front of the U.S. interests section building in Havana in 2007. But the ticker at the top of the U.S. interests section in Cuba has gone blank, yet another signal the past half-century of animosity between the two countries is easing. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the ticker was turned off in June because it was not considered "effective" as a means of delivering information to the Cuban people. The scrolling electronic sign, fitted across 25 windows of the U.S. interests section, ran quotes from American heroes, such as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up," and Abraham Lincoln's "No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent." It also streamed news and political messages that blamed Cuba's everyday problems on the communist regime led by Fidel Castro and the island's socialist economy. The island's transportation woes, for example, were the topics of jabs such as, "Some go around in Mercedes, some in (Russian-built) Ladas, but the system forces almost everyone to hitch rides." The sign -- erected in 2006 by the Bush administration and billed as a way to circumvent censorship and, the administration said, offer hope and freedom to Cubans oppressed by a brutal regime -- fueled a propaganda war with Fidel Castro, who referred to the U.S. interests section as "the headquarters of the counterrevolution." Calling the ticker an assault on Cuba's sovereignty by an imperialist bully, an infuriated Fidel Castro marched 1 million Cubans past the interests section in protest, dug up the U.S. mission's parking lot and blocked the ticker by erecting anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags to commemorate victims of so-called U.S. aggression. He promised there would be no contact between U.S.-based diplomats in Havana and Cuba's foreign ministry until the sign came down. Fidel's brother Raul Castro, who now rules Cuba, took down the anti-U.S. billboards this year as ties between the two countries improved. In April, President Obama lifted restrictions on Cuban-Americans traveling to the island and sending remittances to relatives there. And this month, U.S. and Cuban diplomats held their first talks since 2003 on Cuban migration to the United States. The State Department's Kelly acknowledged most Cubans couldn't read the ticker because of the counter-propaganda erected by the Cubans. The "dueling billboards," Kelly said, were not promoting a productive U.S.-Cuba relationship. Kelly said measures also announced by Obama in April to allow U.S. cell-phone networks and other telecommunication technology to operate on the island would do more to allow a free flow of information to the Cuban people.	[ "What did Cuba erect to block the sign?", "When were the signs erected", "what Electronic sign was put on U.S. interests section?", "Where was the electronic sign put?", "What did Cuba erect", "What has been deactivated" ]	[ [ "anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags" ], [ "2006" ], [ "scrolling" ], [ "across 25 windows of the U.S. interests section," ], [ "erecting anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags to commemorate victims of so-called U.S. aggression." ], [ "the ticker" ] ]	Sign's deactivation comes as relations between U.S., Cuba improve . Electronic sign was put on U.S. interests section building in Havana in 2006 . Sign ran quotes from U.S. heroes, blasted Cuban government's policies . Cuba erected billboards to block the sign; billboards were taken down this year .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's a frightening scenario, almost a staple of action movies: Someone has fallen onto subway tracks, and a train is rumbling into the station. iReporter Stuart Gordon spotted rescuers after a woman fell onto subway tracks in Washington. For a heart-stopping moment, the train is certain to strike the fallen person, until rescue comes at the last possible second. But at a Washington Metro station near the National Mall on Tuesday, it was an all-too-real scenario, and all the more frightening. A 68-year-old woman from Nashville, Tennessee, in Washington for the inauguration of Barack Obama, fell off the platform at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop. Houston Metro Officer Eliot Swainson, deputized to assist with the huge crowds for the inauguration, was aiding another rider when he heard shouts that someone was on the track. Watch Swainson describe what happened » "I turned around and saw a lady standing in the track area," Swainson said. The former Houston police officer rushed into action. He and another Metro rider tried to pull the woman to safety, but with a Red Line train bearing down on the station, they didn't have the time. iReport.com: See photos of the rescue operation "The train was coming down the tunnel there," Swainson said. "It was coming in closer. I pushed her down and got her tucked down under the platform." Swainson cited training from Metro staff for giving him the information he used to get the woman out of danger. The woman, who was not identified, huddled beneath the lip of the granite platform as the train passed. An emergency response crew brought her back up onto the platform and took her to Washington Hospital Center, where hospital staff said she was treated and released. No further details were provided. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokeswoman Taryn McNeil said Tuesday that the woman had sustained cuts and bruises from the fall. The agency said transit officers from 18 locations across the country were in Washington to assist with the inauguration crowds. Ridership records were shattered Tuesday: There were more than 1.5 million trips across all the authority's platforms, including more than 1.1 million on the subway system. The Tennessee woman's accident was the only one reported on the transit line, the authority said. iReport.com: Are you there? Send your photos As for Swainson, Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn said he did exactly the right thing. "Due to Officer Swainson's quick response, the woman was not seriously injured," Taborn said. "He did exactly what was expected, and we are enormously grateful for his actions." McNeil said the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro stop was reopened not long after the accident and trains were moving through it, although there were delays. CNN's Larry Lazo and Kelly Marshall contributed to this report.	[ "What did the woman huddle beneath?", "Where the women huddled from the train?", "What did the woman fall off?", "Who is Metro Officer?" ]	[ [ "the lip of the granite platform" ], [ "lip of the granite platform" ], [ "the platform" ], [ "Eliot Swainson," ] ]	Woman, 68, fell off platform at Metro's Gallery Place-Chinatown stop . Houston Metro Officer Eliot Swainson, another rider tried to pull her up . When they couldn't grab her, Swainson helped tuck her under platform . Woman safely huddled beneath platform lip as train passed .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met with President Barack Obama on Tuesday making him the first head of state to be hosted by the new administration. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso steps off his Boeing 747 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland Monday. It was a long trip -- 6,800 miles (11,000 km) -- for a short meeting -- one hour -- and happened as Obama was preparing his first address to a joint session of Congress. Sitting next to Aso in the White House, Obama said: "The friendship between the United States and Japan is extraordinarily important. "It is for that reason that the prime minister is the first foreign dignitary to visit me in the Oval Office." Obama said the U.S.-Japanese alliance would be crucial in solving international problems including climate change. "We think we have to work together, not only on issues relating to the Pacific Rim, but throughout the world," Obama added. Aso said the global economy was also on the agenda at their meeting. "We are the number 1 and second biggest economies of the world. We will have to work hand in hand. "I think we are the only two nations which are powerful enough to solve those very critical, vital issue," Aso said. Japan's Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said that being the first to visit the Obama White House was an indication of the priority the new president placed on the relationship. Another topic likely to have been on the agenda was Japan's Asian neighbor North Korea, which U.S. intelligence says is preparing to test a long-range missile. Pyongyang has denied the charge, instead saying it is making preparations to launch a satellite. A test-fire by North Korea in 2006 failed 40 seconds after launch. The missile is thought to have an intended range of about 4,200 miles (6,700 kilometers), which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking Alaska or Hawaii. Aso's visit to Washington comes, as his approval rating stands at a meager 11 percent, the second lowest ever recorded for a Japanese prime minister. Yoshiro Mori, a former prime minister, resigned after his rate bottomed out at 9 percent. Last week his finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa announced he will step down after coming under fire for appearing intoxicated at a weekend news conference during the G-7 meeting in Rome. CNN's Chie Kobayashi contributed to this report.	[ "What country is Aso associated with?", "What is Aso's approval rating?", "Who will Obama give his first address to?", "What distinction does Aso hold?", "Aso is the first head of state hosted by what?", "What was Aso's approval rating?", "What foreign leader was hosting Aso?", "Who is the first head of state hosted by Obama administration?" ]	[ [ "Japanese" ], [ "11 percent," ], [ "a joint session of Congress." ], [ "the first head of state to be hosted by the new administration." ], [ "the new administration." ], [ "11 percent," ], [ "President Barack Obama" ], [ "Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso" ] ]	Aso's approval rating at 11 percent, the second lowest ever for a Japanese PM . Aso is first head of state hosted by Obama administration . Obama will give his first address to joint session of Congress hours later .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- John McCain's fight for the White House was a microcosm of his political career and broader life -- full of near-death experiences, stunning comebacks and close calls. Sen. John McCain gestures as he delivers his concession speech Tuesday night. The former Navy fighter pilot, who'd been shot down over North Vietnam and held as a POW, had been able to battle back every time until Tuesday night. He regained respect in the Senate after being accused of improperly helping fraudster savings and loan chief Charles Keating in the 1980s; he got back on speaking terms with the Republican Party base after his primary defeat against George W. Bush in 2000; and he revitalized his campaign after its near-death last summer from lack of cash and power struggles to capture the nomination. What would have been his greatest political comeback -- to seize the White House -- proved to be too difficult. A Republican win in what is being seen as a "Democratic year" was always a long shot. Whoever was the GOP nominee was going to have to fight against the legacy of the previous eight years of a Republican president who became highly unpopular because of the Iraq war, administration gaffes such as the handling of Hurricane Katrina, and what turned from a credit crunch into a global economic crisis. The Arizona senator even managed to make the race appear competitive, soaring in the polls on the back of a polished convention and popular VP pick, Gov. Sarah Palin. But he made mistakes, too. Combined with the electorate's disenchantment with his party, it ensured defeat. Turning points New Hampshire: McCain's great high point came in January, amid the snows of New Hampshire, when primary voters boosted him from long shot to top-tier candidate, just as they had eight years earlier. He stunned a crowded GOP field -- including Mitt Romney, the well-funded former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, and Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee -- and proved himself a force to be reckoned with. Not Hillary: Democrats weren't the only ones who expected Hillary Clinton to put a quick end to the primary season -- the Republican machine had spent years honing plans to fight the New York senator in a general election. Not only were those plans ruined, but suddenly the challenger was a fresh face with little baggage who captured the public's imagination. And as the epic Democratic primary season gave many headlines to Barack Obama, it also helped him develop networks of supporters in traditionally red states. And millions of new Obama supporters also became donors, financing a record-breaking fundraising effort. George W. Bush: McCain may never have been a great friend of the president, but he could hardly turn down an endorsement from him at the White House. It was a photo-op that launched a thousand attack ads. Even if the unpopular president was a virtual no-show on the campaign trail, it was easy for the Democrats to remind voters who McCain's party colleague was. Straight talk: One of McCain's strengths had been his relationship with news groups, gaining appreciation by answering reporters' questions until there were none left. But when asked whether he agreed with campaign supporter Carly Fiorina that health insurance plans that covered Viagra should cover birth control as well, he had no answer. Cameras rolled on his Straight Talk Express campaign bus as he sat silently, looking awkward -- long moments of video that would be replayed again and again. Virtually overnight, news conferences disappeared from McCain's agenda as advisers who believed that an open-door media policy did not help persuaded their man they were right. McCain was left to repeat the rehearsed lines of his stump speech, losing the opportunity to impress in candid moments and his likability numbers began to slip. VP pick: McCain made his "Hail Mary" pick -- privately acknowledged by some advisers as his only shot of winning -- with the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. For a few weeks, it looked like that game-winning touchdown could happen as the base-rousing running mate burst onto the national scene with such power that the GOP ticket took the lead in	[ "Why did the seneator have a tough fight?", "What sullied voters' opinons of the senator?", "Where is the senator from?", "What was his career full of?", "Who has a tough fight?" ]	[ [ "the legacy of the previous eight years of a Republican president who became highly unpopular" ], [ "being accused of improperly helping fraudster savings and loan chief Charles Keating in the 1980s;" ], [ "Arizona" ], [ "near-death experiences, stunning comebacks and close calls." ], [ "John McCain's" ] ]	Arizona senator had tough fight in a "Democratic year" In career of stunning comebacks, win eludes him this time . Missteps and circumstances sullied voters' opinions of him .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Jordan's King Hussein sent a secret message to President Richard Nixon in 1970 pleading with him to attack Syria, according to declassified documents released Wednesday by the former president's library. President Nixon works at his desk in the Oval Office in a June 1972 photograph. The papers are among about 10,000 documents released by the Nixon Presidential Library, some of which offer harbingers of present-day events, such as concerns about terrorism and Saudi Arabia. Library director Timothy Naftali said the documents describe challenges such as how to get the Saudis more involved in solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, how to get them more engaged against terrorism, how to address the Arab view that the United States always sides with Israel and how to build up moderate Palestinians to counter extremists. A 1973 diplomatic cable cites this objective: "isolate and undermine terrorisms [sic] and commandos [sic] by establishing another, more stable and respectable Palestinian political entity and political personality." Documents detail U.S. efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to move away from Fatah, the military wing of the Palestine Liberation Organization, because U.S. officials believed the PLO was supporting the terrorist-linked, anti-Israel group Black September, referred to as BSO. The document, a U.S. State Department telegram from the embassy in Jeddah to Washington reads, "BSO and Fatah [are] now linked together in vicious effort to create chaos and uncertainty. One might wonder whether central objective BSO conspiracy was not to erase any slight progress toward Middle East peace." The document release was intended to coincide with Mideast peace summit among Palestinian, Israeli and other Mideast leaders in Maryland, Naftali said. The Nixon White House also was adjusting to Israel's acquisition of a nuclear weapon. "We are declassifying the records today that laid the basis for Richard Nixon's decision in 1969 to accept the fact, a fact of life, that Israel had a bomb, a nuclear device," said Naftali. "That, of course, is very important with what's going on in Annapolis." "Even though it is clear from the documents that the United States government did not encourage Israel to acquire a nuclear deterrent, it became a fact of life," Naftali said. "There are materials here that show how our government, 30 years ago, dealt with this very, very difficult problem." Rather than openly declare itself as a nuclear power, Israel still maintains a strategic ambiguity over its nuclear weapons capability. In 1970, as King Hussein dealt with threats by both Palestinian refugees in his country and Syrian military forces crossing Jordan's border, the king asked "the United States and Great Britain to intervene in the war in Jordan, asking the United States, in fact, to attack Syria," Naftali said. "Syria had invaded Jordan and the Jordanian king, facing what he felt was a military rout, said please help us in any way possible." The telegram indicates that Hussein himself called a U.S. official at 3 a.m. to ask for American or British help. "Situation deteriorating dangerously following Syrian massive invasion...," the document said. "I request immediate physical intervention both land and air ... to safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Jordan. Immediate air strikes on invading forces from any quarter plus air cover are imperative." The library has withheld the Nixon documents from public access until Wednesday and have been reviewed for release and/or declassified, Naftali said. Nixon served as president from January 20, 1969, to August 9, 1974, when he resigned under political pressure during the Watergate scandal -- the only U.S. president to do so. He died in 1994 after suffering a stroke at the age of 81. E-mail to a friend	[ "What were the documents about?", "When was this strike wanted?", "What do the papers discuss the Israeli's acquiring?", "Which person wanted the US to strike Syrian troops?", "What did papers say the Israelis wanted to acquire?", "Who wanted a strike on invading Syrian troops?", "What papers discussed the acquisition?", "Which library released the papers?", "What is the PLO's and its Fatah organization?" ]	[ [ "describe challenges such as how to get the Saudis more involved in solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, how to get them more engaged against terrorism, how to address the Arab view that the United States always sides with Israel and how to build up moderate Palestinians to counter extremists." ], [ "1970" ], [ "nuclear deterrent," ], [ "Jordan's King Hussein" ], [ "a nuclear deterrent," ], [ "Jordan's King Hussein" ], [ "documents released by the Nixon Presidential Library," ], [ "Nixon Presidential" ], [ "the military wing of the Palestine Liberation" ] ]	Telegram: King Hussein wanted U.S. strike on invading Syrian troops in 1970 . Nixon White House urged Saudis to distance from PLO's Fatah organization . Papers also discuss Israeli acquisition of nuclear weapon . Documents among 10,000 papers released Wednesday by Nixon Library .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession, made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. Sonia Sotomayor, 55, will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court. Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote. Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness. Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge, will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice. She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday. President Obama, who selected Sotomayor on May 26, said he was "deeply gratified" by the Senate vote. "This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it's a wonderful day for America," Obama said at the White House. Watch Obama's remarks » Watching the final vote with friends and family at the federal courthouse in Manhattan, Sotomayor was confirmed after senators spent a final day of debate rehashing arguments for and against her. Democrats continued to praised Sotomayor as a fair and impartial jurist with an extraordinary life story. Many Republicans portrayed her as a judicial activist intent on reinterpreting the law to conform with her own liberal political beliefs. Among other things, Republican opponents emphasized concerns over her statements and rulings on hot-button issues such as gun control, affirmative action and property rights. See how Sotomayor measures up with her new colleagues » They also raised questions about some of her most controversial speeches and statements, including her hope that a "wise Latina woman, with the richness of her experiences" would reach a better conclusion than a white man "who hasn't lived that life." Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped close the debate by stressing the historic nature of the nomination. "It is distinctively American to continually refine our union, moving us closer to our ideals. Our union is not yet perfected, but with this confirmation, we will be making progress," Leahy said on the Senate floor. "Years from now, we will remember this time, when we crossed paths with the quintessentially American journey of Sonia Sotomayor, and when our nation took another step forward through this historic confirmation process." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, took aim at what he claimed was Sotomayor's inability to refrain from bringing her personal political opinions to bear on her rulings. "This is the most fundamental test for any judge and all the more so for those who would sit on our nation's highest court, where a judge's impulses and preferences are not subject to review. Because I'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor would keep this commitment, I cannot support her nomination." Several Republicans, however, bucked party leadership by voting in favor of Sotomayor. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, announced Thursday morning that he had decided to back Sotomayor after weighing a range of factors, including her education, experience and temperament. "Judge Sotomayor is not the nominee I would have selected if I were president, but making a nomination is not my role here today," Voinovich said. "My role is to examine her qualifications to determine if she is fit to serve. ... Based on my review of her record, and using these factors, I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a justice on the Supreme Court." Voinovich was joined by Maine's Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, New Hampshire's Judd Gregg, Indiana's Richard Lugar, Missouri's Kit Bond, Florida's Mel Martinez, South Carolina's Lindsey Graham and Tennessee's Lamar Alexander. Watch the Senate vote » In a telling political sign, none of the Republicans who voted for Sotomayor is seeking re-election in 2010. Conservative activists,	[ "Who supported the nomination?", "How many Republicans supported the nomination?", "who win with 68 vote?", "Who wins the confirmation?", "Who won confirmation" ]	[ [ "Ted Kennedy," ], [ "Nine" ], [ "Judge Sonia Sotomayor," ], [ "Judge Sonia Sotomayor," ], [ "Judge Sonia Sotomayor," ] ]	NEW: Abortion opponent praises 31 Republican senators who voted "no" Sonia Sotomayor wins confirmation by 68-31 vote . She will be the 111th justice, the third woman and first Hispanic on high court . Nine Republicans join unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting nomination .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Justice Department officials blocked liberals and people with Democratic Party ties from a highly selective program that funneled young lawyers into government jobs, according to an internal investigation released Tuesday. A bias against liberals existed in a Justice program meant to hire young lawyers, an investigation found. Esther Slater McDonald, a political appointee at the Justice Department, "wrote disparaging statements about the candidates' liberal and Democratic Party affiliations on the applications she reviewed and ... she voted to deselect candidates on that basis," said the report by Inspector General Glenn Fine. McDonald, who has left the department, refused to be interviewed for the investigation. The report, the first official investigation to document politicization of the Justice Department during the Bush administration, is an offshoot of the larger investigation of Justice Department politics triggered by the furor over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. It found two of three members of a screening committee considered political views and experience when choosing new lawyers for the Justice Department Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program. The report found that McDonald and Michael Elston, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, engaged in misconduct, an administrative violation. The third member of the screening committee, career lawyer Dan Fridman, was cleared of any involvement in the politicization of the process. Elston was interviewed by the investigators, who asked him about the role of former Justice Department official Monica Goodling in politicizing the selection process. Elston told investigators he could not recall Goodling telling him to select lawyers who appeared to share Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' philosophy. Goodling testified before a House panel last year that she had told Elston he should identify such candidates. Goodling directed Elston to lead the selection committee in 2006. She and Elston have both left the Justice Department. She refused to be interviewed for the inspector general's report. As a result of the controversy, the hiring process was changed in 2007 to insulate hiring decisions from political considerations. Both Justice Department policy and federal law prohibit discrimination in hiring for career positions on the basis of political affiliations. The report did not find clear evidence that an earlier screening committee took political considerations into account. It says data from 2002 shows a disparity in the hiring of liberal and conservative candidates, but there were no complaints about the committee's work from 2003 to 2006, when Goodling put Elston in charge of the process. The report Tuesday is the first of perhaps several to be issued as the broad-ranging investigation into the role partisan politics has played in the Justice Department during the Bush administration. Goodling is expected to be a central figure in later inspector general reports examining efforts to increase the influence of conservatives in the department. The Justice Department Office of Professional Responsibility, a separate watchdog office that monitors prosecutorial conduct, joined in the inspector general's investigation. CNN's Terry Frieden contributed to this report.	[ "Who is seleced for the program?", "Who changed the hiring process?", "What stems from firing of U.S. attorneys in 2006?", "Who did the selections committee screen out?", "Who screened out liberals and Democrats?", "When was the hiring process changed?" ]	[ [ "lawyers" ], [ "Elston" ], [ "larger investigation of Justice Department politics" ], [ "people with Democratic Party ties" ], [ "Justice Department officials" ], [ "2007" ] ]	Programs used to select young lawyers for summer interns and honors program . Investigation stems from firing of U.S. attorneys in 2006 . Members of selection committee screened out liberals and Democrats, report says . Hiring process changed in 2007 to stop political bias from occurring .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Justice John Paul Stevens is approaching his 40th year on the federal bench -- the last 34 on the Supreme Court, deciding thousands of cases. But he said his love of the law was nurtured decades earlier by a professor's dedication and the enduring power of a political dispute that blossomed into a landmark decision known as Marbury v. Madison. Justice John Paul Stevens swears in Vice President Joe Biden. Stevens has been on the court for 34 years. "It was the beginning, well, of my whole legal career," Stevens told CNN in a recent exclusive interview. "You read it today and you will find some current value in it. For me, that case inspired a lasting appreciation and respect for the rule of law." The 88-year-old justice, who sources said has no plans to step down anytime soon, is not alone in citing the 1803 high court ruling as a cornerstone of federal court authority. The landmark decision for the first time established the power of the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional. It also helped codify the idea of separation of powers as a lasting hallmark of the American system of government. The case is the subject of a new book, "The Great Decision: Jefferson, Adams, Marshall and the Battle for the Supreme Court" (PublicAffairs Books), which includes Stevens' analysis of the opinion's impact over the years. Written by Clifford Sloan -- a former Stevens law clerk -- and David McKean, it offers an inside look at how the federal judiciary, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, muscled itself into equal footing with the other two branches of government. It is a struggle, Sloan noted, that continues to affect issues today, such as the president's authority in the war on terror, federal bans on late-term abortion and church-state disputes. "There is a view of an enduring role for our courts that rises above the political pressures and cross-currents of the moment," said Sloan. "There are imperfections, there are problems, but it's been the most protective regime for rights and liberties of any country in the world. And it's really attributable to the special role of the [Supreme] Court in safeguarding our rights and liberties that Marbury established." Immersed from the start in Marbury v. Madison Stevens still has his law school notes from Northwestern University, which he entered in 1945. It was just months after leaving the Navy, where he served as an intelligence officer during World War II. At the time, he was thinking of becoming an English teacher, but Stevens said his brother Richard asked him to think about a law career. "At the time I was trying to decide what to do, and it seemed like a sensible move," Stevens said, with his characteristic Midwestern modesty. It was as a freshman that he met his early mentor, Nathaniel Nathanson, who immersed his students in Marbury v. Madison from the start. "I knew nothing about it before I went to law school, but it was a major part of our constitutional law course," Stevens recalled. "We began with the case and we were still on it six or eight weeks later. We spent most of the first semester studying that one case, and the different issues that come out of it." Something must have stuck, because when he graduated two years later, Stevens had the highest GPA in the history of the law school. The justice gives credit for much of his budding success to Nathanson, a former Northwestern dean and faculty member for 47 years. "He was very brilliant, he could ask good questions and get people to think about issues," said Stevens. "He was a very decent and inspiring teacher." From political pot-boiler to legal treatise One thing Stevens admires about Marbury v. Madison is "there are a whole bunch of issues that are discussed in it. When is executive privilege something that the president can rely on; when should there be a remedy for a wrong?" It was	[ "What is John Paul Stevens' position?", "What is the analysis part of?", "What is the age of the justice?" ]	[ [ "Justice" ], [ "Stevens'" ], [ "88-year-old" ] ]	Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says case inspired his career . 88-year-old justice's analysis of case is part of a new book . Marbury v. Madison is 1803 high court case dealing with separation of powers .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg plans to undergo a "precautionary" course of chemotherapy following her surgery last month for pancreatic cancer, the Supreme Court announced Tuesday. President Obama greets Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on her arrival for his February 24 address to Congress. The treatments will begin later this month at the National Institutes of Health outside Washington, the court said. In a statement, the justice said the treatment is "not expected to affect my schedule at the court. Thereafter, it is anticipated that I will require only routine examinations to assure my continuing health." Ginsburg, who turned 76 on Sunday, has consistently signaled her health outlook is positive. She termed the February 5 removal of her cancer "successful," and was back on the bench 18 days later when the high court resumed oral arguments. Ginsburg's post-op recovery has gone well, and doctors and the family are cautiously optimistic, court sources said. The disease was caught early and had not spread beyond her pancreas, doctors have said. "Cancer patients with no evidence of disease after surgery but who have a statistical chance that there is microscopic spread often get chemotherapy to kill off that disease," explained Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. Getting back into her regular routine was important to the justice, and it would help her cope with future medical treatment, sources close to her said. She successfully fought colorectal cancer a decade ago. Almost 35,000 Americans are estimated to have died from pancreatic cancer in 2008, making it the fourth leading cause of cancer death overall, according to the American Cancer Society. For all ages combined, the one-year survival rate is 24 percent; the five-year survival rate is 5 percent. The low survival rate is a result of the disease commonly going undetected until it has reached an advanced stage. Ginsburg -- the only woman on the Supreme Court -- entered a New York hospital after a CT scan in January "revealed a small tumor, approximately one centimeter across, in the center of the pancreas," a previous news release said. She has kept a busy schedule, on and off the bench. Since her diagnosis, she has released three opinions, attended President Obama's February 24 address to Congress, gone to an opera production in the company of Justice David Souter, and traveled for several speeches. She told an audience last week in Boston, Massachusetts, that she had no plans to retire, but on the subject of court retirements she hinted cryptically, "We haven't had any of those for some time, but surely we will soon." Ginsburg, Souter and Justice John Paul Stevens frequently have been mentioned as likely to step down in the next few years. Ginsburg also said her former colleague, retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- herself a cancer survivor -- had offered her some good advice. "She said when you're up to chemotherapy, you do it on Friday, Friday afternoon. You'll get over it over the weekend, and you'll be able to come to the court on Monday," said Ginsburg, who noted O'Connor returned to work nine days after her breast cancer diagnosis. "So I've been following her advice meticulously." Ginsburg has been on the Supreme Court since 1993.	[ "Is Ginsburg's health outlook good?", "Where was the tumour?", "What treatment is she going to recieve?", "What was removed from her pancreas?", "who is Ruth Bader Ginsburg?" ]	[ [ "positive." ], [ "pancreas," ], [ "chemotherapy" ], [ "cancer" ], [ "Justice" ] ]	Supreme Court justice, 76, will receive chemotherapy treatments . Doctors removed small tumor from her pancreas in February . Ruth Bader Ginsburg consistently signals her health outlook is good . Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor gave Ginsburg advice on chemotherapy .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recovering from pancreatic cancer surgery, plans to be back on the bench when the Supreme Court resumes oral arguments in 17 days. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also had surgery for colorectal cancer in September 1999. Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Friday that the 75-year-old justice is expected to be on hand for the next public session February 23, when the court will hear appeals in two cases. Ginsburg remains hospitalized at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center a day after undergoing surgery for the disease. Sources close to Ginsburg say that she continues to do well after surgery and that doctors and family remain cautiously optimistic. Those sources said she was resting comfortably and speaking with her staff about the court's upcoming caseload. Watch friends talk about Ginsburg's resilience » The justice could be released from the hospital next week. A court statement Thursday said she will probably remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days, according to her attending surgeon, Dr. Murray Brennan. "Justice Ginsburg had no symptoms prior to the incidental discovery of the lesion during a routine annual check-up in late January at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland," the court said. The justices are on a month-long recess but return for a closed door conference February 20. There is no word on whether Ginsburg will attend that meeting, among just the nine members of the court, to go over pending appeals. President Obama was hoping to speak with Ginsburg by phone later Friday, said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Ginsburg underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in September 1999. Court sources said she continued to work on pending cases while in her hospital bed and her subsequent recovery. Less than a month later, she appeared in public to give a speech and said, "I am still mending but have progressed steadily." She never missed a day on the bench. The Brooklyn, New York, native has been on the federal bench since 1980, the past 15 on the high court, where she is the he only female justice.	[ "Who is expected to return to the bench by February 23?", "When was she last treated for colon cancer?", "What is Ruth Bader Ginsburg's current occupation?", "When was she last treated for cancer?", "What kind of cancer did she develop?", "When does Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expect to return to the bench?", "What is Ruth Bader Ginsburg treated for?" ]	[ [ "Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg" ], [ "September 1999." ], [ "Justice" ], [ "September 1999." ], [ "pancreatic" ], [ "February 23," ], [ "pancreatic cancer" ] ]	Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expects to return to the bench by February 23 . The only woman on the Supreme Court is hospitalized with pancreatic cancer . It is her second bout with cancer . She was treated for colon cancer in 1999-2000 .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Kenneth Bacon, a former reporter and Pentagon spokesman who later served as a top advocate of displaced people all over the world, died Saturday, according to Refugees International. He was 64. Kenneth Bacon was "one of the great voices in humanitarian advocacy," says Joel Charny of Refugees International. Bacon had served as the president of Washington-based Refugees International since 2001, the group said in a statement Saturday. The former Wall Street Journal reporter died Saturday morning from an aggressive melanoma that spread to his brain, the statement said. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Bacon, who was Pentagon spokesman during the Clinton administration, a "great humanitarian leader." "Most Americans remember Ken as the unflappable civilian voice of the Department of Defense, where he served with distinction as spokesperson for many years," Clinton said in a statement. "But for millions of the world's most vulnerable people -- refugees and other victims of conflict -- Ken was an invaluable source of hope, inspiration and support. Refugees International credited Bacon for doubling the group's size under his leadership and helping it get increased protection and assistance for displaced people in Sudan's Darfur region, Iraq, Pakistan and other troubled areas. In the last months of his life, Bacon shifted his focus toward the issue of climate displacement, the group said. "Ken would walk the corridors of power one day and then meet with refugees in the most remote areas of Darfur the next. His unique mixture of expertise in the media, military affairs, and U.S. government policy, added to his compassion for vulnerable refugees, made him one of the great voices in humanitarian advocacy," said Joel Charny, acting president of Refugees International. "Ken always saw the best in people. His ability to connect with nearly everyone he met made it possible for him to convince officials at the highest levels of government and the United Nations to make the necessary changes to save lives and protect people from harm." In 1994, Bacon became the Defense Department's assistant secretary of public affairs and Pentagon spokesman. He was known for his no-nonsense manner and his signature bow ties. "I first got to know Ken Bacon several years ago when he was the chief Pentagon spokesman. Ken did the job the way its supposed to be done: holding press conferences, answering questions, providing facts, information and context," said CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr. "I know he was often bemused to watch the new era of spin and message, since he so passionately believed that facts stand on their own merit. "Later, Ken became an extraordinary advocate for refugees and displaced persons around the world," she added. "I could ring him up to ask a question about any remote area of the world where people were suffering and he could explain with breadth and depth what was going on." Before working at the Defense Department, Bacon for more than 25 years served as a reporter and editor at the Wall Street Journal, where his assignments included the covering the Pentagon, the newspaper reported. "He came to the Journal in 1965 and scored a rare (for an intern) page-one story about an automated car-repair system that one overheated mechanic described as 'the greatest thing since girls,' " the newspaper said in a story posted on its Web site. He is survived by his wife, Darcy, two daughters, two grandchildren, his brother and his father. Refugees International said a memorial service would be held in September.	[ "What did he do before going to the Pentagon?", "what did bacon die of", "who was a reporter at the wall street journal", "What presidential administration was Bacon a spokesperson of?", "What did Bacon die from?", "Hw old was Bacon?", "Who died from an aggressive melanoma that spread to his brain?", "What did Bacon do before going to the Pentagon?" ]	[ [ "reporter and editor at the Wall Street Journal," ], [ "aggressive melanoma" ], [ "Kenneth Bacon," ], [ "Clinton" ], [ "an aggressive melanoma that spread to his brain," ], [ "64." ], [ "Kenneth Bacon," ], [ "former reporter" ] ]	Bacon, 64, died from an aggressive melanoma that spread to his brain . He was Pentagon spokesman during the Clinton administration . Bacon also had been president of Refugees International since 2001 . Before going to Pentagon, he was reporter and editor at Wall Street Journal .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Key members of Congress from both parties want NASA's internal watchdog fired, arguing he can't be trusted to oversee the $1 billion in additional money the space agency is getting under the Obama administration's economic stimulus package. Lawmakers say NASA's inspector general cannot be trusted and must go. Government reports dating back to 2006 have accused NASA Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb of ineffectiveness, of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency's leadership. Calls for his ouster have intensified in the past month, since NASA is getting additional stimulus money for space exploration, research, and aeronautics. "Apparently, Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog, rather than the watchdog, of NASA," Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tennessee, told CNN. Gordon, chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, has asked President Obama to remove Cobb. In a letter co-authored by Rep. Brad Miller, D-North Carolina, who leads the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, the lawmakers argue that "NASA cannot afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general." Watch NASA watchdog under fire » "It's incredibly ironic for members of Congress who have scolded the inspector general for lousy oversight to dump a billion dollars into the agency," said Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog group that monitors government spending. "The first thing you do when you're digging a hole is to stop digging. Congress doesn't seem to get that message." Cobb declined two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints. In December 2008, the Government Accountability Office released a report that criticized how Cobb was running the inspector general's office. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, "found that Mr. Cobb is one of the least productive IGs in the federal government," Gordon and Miller wrote. "His monetary accomplishments reflect a return of just 36 cents for every dollar budgeted for his office. This compares with an average of $9.49 returned for every dollar spent on other IGs' offices. The main reason for this failure is that NASA's audit operation is not working." Gordon told CNN that Cobb's "own peers said he wasn't doing his job, that he didn't understand the audit process and that he was not carrying out the investigation process. As a matter of fact, he was slowing it down, or even stopping it." And Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, agreed that Cobb must be replaced. "Inspectors general are the first line of defense against the waste of taxpayers' money," Grassley told CNN. "And, if he's not doing his job, and you stick another billion dollars into it, then you just know there's another billion dollars that there could be a lot of waste of it." A 2006 investigation by a presidential integrity council found Cobb "engaged in abuse of authority" and had a "close relationship" with former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe that "compromised" his independence. The two played golf together and took official trips together on NASA aircraft. Read investigative integrity report (Warning: Report contains explicit language) The committee also found that Cobb "engaged in an abuse of authority" through his "habitual use of profanity," and recommended disciplinary action "up to and including removal," Gordon and Miller wrote. Cobb defended himself at a 2007 congressional hearing, arguing that he had upheld his oath of office. "At NASA, I have taken the responsibilities of office under the Inspector General Act seriously and without compromise to root out and prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and to promote the economy and efficiency of the agency," he said. "I've worked with NASA management in the manner contemplated by the Inspector General Act." But former staffers told the committee that Cobb created a disturbing work environment. "One of my early experiences with Mr. Cobb was so disturbing that I considered	[ "Who won't speak to CNN?", "What do they do at NASA?", "who declined two requests to speak to CNN?", "who says NASA watchdog can't be trusted?", "Who is Robert Cobb?", "Who can't be trusted?", "Who is too close to the agency?" ]	[ [ "Cobb" ], [ "space exploration, research, and aeronautics." ], [ "Cobb" ], [ "Key members of Congress from both parties" ], [ "NASA Inspector General" ], [ "NASA's inspector general" ], [ "General Robert \"Moose\" Cobb" ] ]	Lawmakers say NASA watchdog can't be trusted to oversee $1B in stimulus funds . Government reports say NASA inspector general is too closely tied to the agency . IG Robert Cobb "thought he was supposed to be the lap dog," congressman says . Cobb declined two requests to speak with CNN for this report .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Key members of Congress from both parties want NASA's internal watchdog fired, arguing he can't be trusted to oversee the $1 billion in additional money the space agency is getting under the Obama administration's economic stimulus package. Lawmakers say NASA's inspector general cannot be trusted and must go. Government reports dating back to 2006 have accused NASA Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb of ineffectiveness, of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency's leadership. Calls for his ouster have intensified in the past month, since NASA is getting additional stimulus money for space exploration, research, and aeronautics. "Apparently, Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog, rather than the watchdog, of NASA," Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tennessee, told CNN. Gordon, chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, has asked President Obama to remove Cobb. In a letter co-authored by Rep. Brad Miller, D-North Carolina, who leads the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, the lawmakers argue that "NASA cannot afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general." Watch NASA watchdog under fire » "It's incredibly ironic for members of Congress who have scolded the inspector general for lousy oversight to dump a billion dollars into the agency," said Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog group that monitors government spending. "The first thing you do when you're digging a hole is to stop digging. Congress doesn't seem to get that message." Cobb declined two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints. In December 2008, the Government Accountability Office released a report that criticized how Cobb was running the inspector general's office. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, "found that Mr. Cobb is one of the least productive IGs in the federal government," Gordon and Miller wrote. "His monetary accomplishments reflect a return of just 36 cents for every dollar budgeted for his office. This compares with an average of $9.49 returned for every dollar spent on other IGs' offices. The main reason for this failure is that NASA's audit operation is not working." Gordon told CNN that Cobb's "own peers said he wasn't doing his job, that he didn't understand the audit process and that he was not carrying out the investigation process. As a matter of fact, he was slowing it down, or even stopping it." And Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, agreed that Cobb must be replaced. "Inspectors general are the first line of defense against the waste of taxpayers' money," Grassley told CNN. "And, if he's not doing his job, and you stick another billion dollars into it, then you just know there's another billion dollars that there could be a lot of waste of it." A 2006 investigation by a presidential integrity council found Cobb "engaged in abuse of authority" and had a "close relationship" with former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe that "compromised" his independence. The two played golf together and took official trips together on NASA aircraft. Read investigative integrity report (Warning: Report contains explicit language) The committee also found that Cobb "engaged in an abuse of authority" through his "habitual use of profanity," and recommended disciplinary action "up to and including removal," Gordon and Miller wrote. Cobb defended himself at a 2007 congressional hearing, arguing that he had upheld his oath of office. "At NASA, I have taken the responsibilities of office under the Inspector General Act seriously and without compromise to root out and prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and to promote the economy and efficiency of the agency," he said. "I've worked with NASA management in the manner contemplated by the Inspector General Act." But former staffers told the committee that Cobb created a disturbing work environment. "One of my early experiences with Mr. Cobb was so disturbing that I considered	[ "What did Cobb decline?", "Who can't be trusted to oversee stimulus funds?", "What is the amount of stimulus funds?", "What is the sum of stimulus funds?", "Lawmakers say what about NASA watchdog?", "Who declined two requests to speak with CNN about the report?", "Who did Cobb decline to speak with?", "Who is the NASA inspector general?", "Government reports say what about NASA inspector?" ]	[ [ "two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints." ], [ "NASA's internal watchdog" ], [ "$1 billion" ], [ "$1 billion" ], [ "inspector general cannot be trusted and must go." ], [ "Cobb" ], [ "CNN" ], [ "Robert \"Moose\" Cobb" ], [ "ineffectiveness, of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency's leadership." ] ]	Lawmakers say NASA watchdog can't be trusted to oversee $1B in stimulus funds . Government reports say NASA inspector general is too closely tied to the agency . IG Robert Cobb "thought he was supposed to be the lap dog," congressman says . Cobb declined two requests to speak with CNN for this report .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Leading Republicans warned Sunday that the Obama administration's $800 billion-plus economic stimulus effort will lead to what one called a "financial disaster." The country will "pay dearly" if it executes the president's stimulus plans, Sen. Richard Shelby says. "Everybody on the street in America understands that," said Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee. "This is not the right road to go. We'll pay dearly." Shelby, of Alabama, told CNN's "State of the Union" that the package and efforts to shore up the struggling banking system will put the United States on "a road to financial disaster." But Lawrence Summers, the head of the administration's National Economic Council, said Republicans have lost their credibility on the issue. Watch Republicans criticize the stimulus bill » "Those who presided over the last eight years -- the eight years that brought us to the point where we inherit trillions of dollars of deficit, an economy that's collapsing more rapidly than at any time in the last 50 years -- don't seem to me in a strong position to lecture about the lessons of history," Summers told ABC's "This Week." President Barack Obama, his advisers and the Democratic leaders of Congress argue the roughly $830 billion measure will help pull the U.S. economy out of its current skid. Much of the package involves infrastructure spending, long-term energy projects and aid to cash-strapped state and local governments. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported last week that the measure is likely to create between 1.3 million and 3.9 million jobs by the end of 2010, lowering a projected unemployment rate of 8.7 percent by up to 2.1 percentage points. But the CBO warned the long-term effect of that much government spending over the next decade could "crowd out" private investment, lowering long-term economic growth forecasts by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent by 2019. In a concession to Republicans, about a third of the bill involves tax cuts. But the measure is expected to have only minimal GOP support when it goes to a scheduled vote early this week. Watch South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford warn of "disastrous consequences » The version of the bill that passed the House of Representatives had no Republican votes. "We need to spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work. But this is not it," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, last year's GOP presidential nominee. Senators reached a tentative agreement Friday on a compromise bill largely negotiated by a handful of moderate Republicans whose votes are needed to prevent a filibuster. But McCain told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the package should have been about half the size of the one now before senators, and should be balanced between tax cuts and spending. "We're going to amass the largest debt in the history of this country, by any measurement, and we're going to ask our kids and grandkids to pay for it," he said. The stimulus bill includes about $45 billion in transportation spending, much of which can be spent on projects "that can be implemented immediately," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told CNN. LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, said he would talk to his former colleagues on Capitol Hill "and do all that I can to persuade them that this bill really will put people to work." He said he invited state transportation chiefs to Washington for a Wednesday meeting on how to create jobs using funding from the stimulus bill. "There aren't going to be any boondoggles. This money will be spent correctly, by the book, with no shortcuts," LaHood said. The administration is also readying a second phase of the financial bailout program launched by the Bush administration last fall. Shelby said Obama and his advisers need to address the staggering problems in the U.S. banking system first. "Until we straighten out our banking system, until there is trust in our banking system,	[ "What channel did Shelby talk to?", "What needs to be addressed or the economy \"will continue to tank\"?", "What does McCain state?", "What did Senator McCain say we need?", "What will put the U.S. on \"a road to financial disaster\" ?", "What will happen to the economy unless the banking system is addressed?", "What did McCain say about the US economy?", "What do we need to spend money on?", "What state does Shelby represent?", "What will put the US on a road to financial disaster?" ]	[ [ "CNN's" ], [ "staggering problems in the U.S. banking system" ], [ "\"We need to spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work. But this is not it,\"" ], [ "spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work." ], [ "struggling banking system" ], [ "financial disaster.\"" ], [ "immediately put people to work." ], [ "infrastructure" ], [ "Alabama," ], [ "economic stimulus effort" ] ]	Sen. Shelby: Package plus bank bailout will put U.S. on "a road to financial disaster" Shelby: Economy "will continue to tank" unless banking system is addressed first . Crisis will deepen without significant economic boost, Democratic senator tells CBS . Sen. McCain: We need to spend money to create jobs, but not this way .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Leon Panetta, chief of staff in President Bill Clinton's White House, will be President-elect Barack Obama's choice to be CIA director, two Democratic officials told CNN on Monday. Leon Panetta, who has a strong background in economics, was chief of staff for President Bill Clinton. The officials also said retired Adm. Dennis Blair, who formerly headed the U.S. Navy's Pacific Command, will be tapped as director of national intelligence. Panetta, 70, has had a long political career, beginning in 1966 when he served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Thomas H. Kuchel. R-California. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1977, serving California's 16th (now 17th) District until Clinton appointed him to head the Office of Budget and Management in 1993. He was chief of staff from 1994 to 1997. Panetta and his wife, Sylvia, founded and co-direct the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy at California State University, which provides study opportunities for students there and at several other schools. He serves on several boards and committees, and lectures internationally on economics. With a strong background in economics, Panetta has little hands-on experience in intelligence. But he is known as a strong manager with solid organizational skills. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who will be the new chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she had not been told in advance of Panetta's selection. "My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time," the California Democrat said. But Sen. Ron Wyden, a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, said he was consulted on the pick and praised Panetta. "I believe he has the skills to usher in a new era of accountability at the nation's premier intelligence agency," said Wyden, D-Oregon. "For too long our nation's intelligence community has operated under a policy of questionable effectiveness and legality in which consulting two members of the Senate Intelligence Committee counted as 'consulting with Congress.' " Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri, the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee, also questioned Panetta's lack of intelligence experience, as did outgoing committee chairman Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, wouldn't comment until Obama makes an announcement, but his spokesman said that Hoekstra "has called for a new direction and a change in the culture a the CIA for some time." "Whether it is Leon Panetta or someone else, it is important the agency move in a new direction," Jamal Ware said. Blair, 61, was a 1968 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and attended Oxford University in Britain as a Rhodes scholar at the same time as Clinton. Blair retired from the Navy in 2002. He was the CIA's first associate director of military support and served on the National Security Council. He has been sharply critical of U.S. policy in terms of strategic long-term planning. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on Obama's cabinet picks "I am in awe of the sophisticated strategies that American politicians can devise and pursue over many years," he told a House panel in July. "They involve very public activities -- speeches, programs, alliances -- but also backroom deals, and stratagems, tactical flexibility but strategic constancy, investment in intellectual and organizational capabilities that will not pay off for years. "I have yet to see these same brilliant politicians come up with similar strategies to advance the national interest when they come into national office. Our national strategies show little of the depth, brilliance and effectiveness of the domestic political strategies this country produces." Blair also is known in Navy circles for once trying to water-ski behind the destroyer he skippered, the USS Cochrane.	[ "What did Feinstein say is the best way the CIA can be served?", "who said she wasn't told Panetta was picked?", "Who says she wasn't told Panetta was picked?", "What is best served by \"an intelligence professional in charge\"?", "Who is to be the directory of national intelligence?", "who is Barack Obama's choice for CIA director?", "Who is the top choice by Obama for CIA director?", "Who is to be tapped as director of national intelligence?" ]	[ [ "having an intelligence professional in charge at this time,\"" ], [ "Sen. Dianne Feinstein," ], [ "Sen. Dianne Feinstein," ], [ "the agency" ], [ "Adm. Dennis Blair," ], [ "Leon Panetta," ], [ "Leon Panetta," ], [ "Adm. Dennis Blair," ] ]	Next Senate intelligence chairwoman says she wasn't told Panetta was picked . Sen. Feinstein: CIA best served by "an intelligence professional in charge" Panetta is Barack Obama's choice for CIA director, two Democratic officials say . Officials: Retired Adm. Dennis Blair to be tapped as director of national intelligence .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Libya has paid $1.5 billion to the families of terrorism victims, overcoming the final obstacle to full relations with the United States, the State Department said Friday. Police officers survey the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988. The payment ends Tripoli's legal liability in U.S. terror cases and paves the way for increased U.S. involvement in the oil-rich nation. President Bush signed an executive order Friday restoring Libyan immunity from terrorism-related lawsuits and dismissing pending cases over compensation as part of a deal reached this summer. David Welch, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, who negotiated the agreement, called Libya's rehabilitation from a terrorist nation to a U.S. ally "historic." The pact closes the book on a contentious period in U.S.-Libyan relations, which began in the 1980s with a series of attacks involving the two countries, including the bombings of Pan Am flight 103, a German disco and U.S. airstrikes over Libya. U.S. business executives hope the new relationship will lead to billions of dollars of new investment in Libya, a country rich in petroleum reserves but lacking a developed infrastructure. This summer, the United States and Libya signed a deal for the State Department to create a $1.8 billion compensation fund to finalize the claims for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the 1986 bombing of La Belle disco in Berlin, Germany. It also compensates Libyan victims of U.S. airstrikes in the 1980s. Congress unanimously adopted the Libyan Claims Resolution Act, sponsored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, which cleared the way to end the feud and created the victim compensation fund. Under the agreement, Libya pays more than $500 million to settle remaining claims from the Lockerbie case and more than $280 million for victims of the disco bombing. It will also set aside funds to compensate victims of several other incidents blamed on Libya, although Libya has not accepted responsibility. In exchange, Libya will now be exempt from legislation passed this year enabling terrorism victims to be compensated using frozen assets of governments blamed for attacks. Tripoli sought the protection to encourage U.S. companies to invest in Libya without fear of being sued by terrorism victims or their families. An initial payment of $300 million was received this month, after the opening of a U.S. trade office in Libya and a historic visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Another $600 million was received Thursday and the remaining $600 million Friday, Welch said, adding that the families could start receiving payments within days. The remaining $300 million will go to Libyan victims of the bombing in Libya by U.S. warplanes in 1986. Libyans say dozens of people died in the U.S. air attack, including an adopted daughter of Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi. President Reagan ordered the attacks on Tripoli and Benghazi after two U.S. soldiers were killed and 79 Americans were injured in the 1986 Berlin disco bombing. The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 killed 270 people, including 189 Americans. Of the dead, 259 people died on board the plane and another 11 on the ground. Libya has paid 268 families involved in the Pan Am bombing $8 million each of a $10 million settlement. But it withheld the remaining $2 million owed to each family over a dispute regarding U.S. obligations to Tripoli. A group of relatives of Pan Am victims said in a statement Friday that they applauded Libya's fulfillment of the agreement. "The Pan Am 103 families deeply appreciate Sen. Lautenberg's work to urge the administration to take every step to bring the agreement to fruition," spokeswoman Kara Weipz said in the statement. "While our loved ones will never be forgotten, we are glad this chapter in our efforts is finally over." Ties between the two countries began to improve in 2003, when Libya gave up its weapons of mass destruction program and began compensating Lockerbie victims. But lingering lawsuits prevented the two countries from fully normalizing ties. The State Department has said the deal was pursued on a "purely humanitarian basis and does not constitute	[ "What Middle Eastern country is referred to?", "Payment is part of what?", "What ends Libyan liability?", "What is the result of the deal?", "What do the tensions go back to?", "Who is now exempt from legislation?", "Country that is exempt from legislation allowing victime compensation?", "The airstrike attack was on what aircraft?", "What specific Pan Am flight is mentioned?", "What does the deal end?" ]	[ [ "Libya" ], [ "ends Tripoli's legal liability" ], [ "The payment" ], [ "Libya has paid $1.5 billion to the families of terrorism victims," ], [ "attacks involving the two countries," ], [ "Libya" ], [ "Libya" ], [ "Pan Am Flight 103" ], [ "103" ], [ "Tripoli's legal liability in U.S. terror cases" ] ]	Payment is part of multitiered plan to normalize relations between the two countries . Tensions go back to attacks on Pan Am 103, German disco, U.S. airstrikes . Libya now exempt from legislation allowing victim compensation from frozen assets . Deal ends Libyan liability in terror cases, paves way for U.S. investment .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Libya will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of terrorist attacks involving Americans in an agreement signed and finalized Thursday, the U.S. State Department said. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, left, and Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmad Fitouri sign the deal. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch signed the deal in Tripoli, Libya, on Thursday. If implemented, the deal will end Libya's legal liability in numerous lawsuits from families of victims of what the United States considers Libyan terrorist acts. It also paves the way for stronger ties between the two nations and increased U.S. involvement in the oil-rich nation. "This resolves the last major historical issue that has stood in the way of a more normal relationship between our two countries," Welch said. The deal had hinged on congressional approval. Last month, just before leaving for summer recess, Congress unanimously adopted the Libyan Claims Resolution Act, sponsored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-New Jersey. The legislation cleared the way to end the feud with Libya over terrorist attacks and creates a fund for victim payments. "The Libyans didn't believe that Congress would ever be helpful, and Congress didn't think Libya would ever do it," Welch said Thursday. "We found a diplomatic way to accommodate both sides by turning suspicion into an asset." Under the new law, Congress gives the Bush administration the authority to restore sovereign immunity for Libya only when the United States receives the agreed-upon money to pay American claimants in the fund and the secretary of state certifies it. See a timeline of events following the Pan Am attack » Once the money is received into the fund, Libya would be exempted from legislation passed this year enabling terrorism victims to be compensated from frozen assets of governments blamed for attacks. The 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killed 270 people, including 189 Americans. The 1986 La Belle disco bombing in Berlin, Germany, killed two American servicemen and injured 79 Americans. Libya has paid 268 families involved in the Pan Am bombing $8 million each of a $10 million settlement. It was withholding the remaining $2 million owed to each family over a dispute regarding U.S. obligations to Tripoli. Under the deal, Libya would pay more than $500 million to settle remaining claims from the Lockerbie case and more than $280 million for victims of the La Belle disco, according to Jim Kreindler, the lead attorney for the Pan Am families. It would also set aside funds to compensate victims of several other incidents blamed on Libya but for which Libya hasn't accepted responsibility. The total settlement could exceed $1 billion. The pact, supported by the victims' families, closes the book on a contentious period in U.S.-Libyan relations. Ties between the two countries began to improve in 2003, when Libya gave up its weapons of mass destruction program and began compensating Lockerbie victims. But lingering lawsuits prevented the two countries from fully normalizing ties. A joint U.S.-Libya statement issued Thursday in Tripoli said "both parties welcomed the establishment of a process to provide fair compensation for their respective nationals, and thereby turn their focus to the future of their bilateral relationship." This spring, Libya made a proposal to the Bush administration that held some promise in settling the dispute, Welch said. Over the next several months, he and State Department lawyers held closed-door negotiating sessions with the Libyan delegation in London, England; Paris, France; Berlin; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he finally secured a tentative agreement in late July. The afternoon he came back from Abu Dhabi, Welch met with Lautenberg and urged passage of the legislation. Welch said Libya would expect an end to the claims and put the longstanding dispute with Libya to rest, despite the lingering mistrust of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. "This could not have worked without a great deal of honesty on everyone's part," Welch said. On Thursday, Lautenberg issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the agreement. "For too many years, Libya has	[ "Who will be exempt from law allowing terror victims to be paid with frozen assets?", "What does the deal end?", "What did the deal end?", "How much does Libya have to pay to settle?", "How much will libya pay?" ]	[ [ "Libya" ], [ "Libya's legal liability in numerous lawsuits" ], [ "Libya's legal liability in numerous lawsuits" ], [ "hundreds of millions of dollars" ], [ "hundreds of millions of dollars" ] ]	Deal ends Libya's liability in lawsuits from families of victims of terrorist acts . Libya to pay more than $700 million to settle Lockerbie, La Belle disco cases . Libya will be exempt from law allowing terror victims to be paid with frozen assets .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is set to deliver the Republican response to President Obama's upcoming joint address to Congress, a high-profile slot the party often gives to one of its rising stars. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, 37, will give GOP response to President Obama's address to Congress this month. "Gov. Jindal embodies what I have long said: The Republican Party must not be simply the party of 'opposition,' but the party of better solutions," House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a Wednesday statement. Jindal, a former congressman in his first term as Louisiana's governor, was widely believed to be on Republican presidential nominee John McCain's short list for vice president, and he often served as a campaign surrogate on the Arizona senator's behalf. The 37-year-old son of Indian immigrants also was given a prime-time speaking slot at the GOP convention last September, though he ultimately decided not to attend the four-day event as Hurricane Gustav headed for landfall in his state. An Ivy League grad and Rhodes Scholar, and his state's first nonwhite governor, Jindal has long been on the GOP's radar screen as a potential future leader and likely presidential candidate. And as the GOP is launching full-scale efforts to appeal to nonwhite voters, Jindal has become one of the party's most high-profile minorities. "His stewardship of the state of Louisiana, dedication to reforming government and commitment to bringing forth new and innovative ideas make him a leader not just within the Republican Party, but in our nation as a whole," Boehner also said of Jindal on Wednesday. Jindal, who became governor two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana, has drawn praise for spearheading the ongoing recovery efforts. "When you look at major statewide offices Republicans have won over the past three years, there is one, Louisiana," said Alex Castellanos, a CNN contributor and Republican strategist. "In a state where we lost confidence in government, perhaps more than any other state, he restored it and cut taxes." Though he is often mentioned as a likely contender for the 2012 Republican presidential race, Jindal has said his current focus is on winning reelection in 2011. Jindal also said late last year that even if he were considering running for president, now is the time to support the sitting president. "It doesn't matter whether you're Republican, Democrat or independent, it doesn't matter whether you voted for him or not, President-elect Barack Obama is our president," he said. The White House announced on Tuesday that Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address to both houses of Congress on February 24. In 2008, Democrats tapped Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius -- then considered to be a possible vice presidential candidate -- to give the rebuttal speech to former President Bush's final State of the Union address. Other Democrats who delivered responses to Bush's State of the Unions include Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, and former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, the nation's first Chinese-American governor. The last Republican to deliver a response to a State of the Union address was Maine Sen. Susan Collins in 2000.	[ "When will President Obama will deliver it?", "What will President Obama will deliver?", "What will Obama deliver?", "He has drawn praise for what?", "What does Jindal embody?" ]	[ [ "February 24." ], [ "the annual State of the Union address" ], [ "joint address to Congress," ], [ "spearheading the ongoing recovery efforts." ], [ "The Republican Party must not be simply the party of 'opposition,' but the party of better solutions,\"" ] ]	Jindal embodies image as "party of better solutions," House Minority leader says . The Ivy League grad and Rhodes Scholar is viewed as a likely presidential candidate . The first-term governor has drawn praise for spearheading Katrina recovery efforts . President Obama will deliver The State of the Union address on February 24 .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Margie Brandquist wears a framed photo of her sister, who died in a plane crash three months ago. Flowers are left at a makeshift memorial near the site of a plane crash in Clarence Center, New York, in February. Her sister, Mary Pettys, 51, was engaged to be married when her Continental Connection Flight 3407 went down in icy conditions near Buffalo, New York. The flight, operated by regional carrier Colgan Air, plunged into a house in Clarence Center, killing all 49 people on board and one man in the house. Brandquist is one of several of the victims' family members attending this week's National Transportation Safety Board hearing on Capitol Hill. Brandquist wants to know why the pilot, who failed several flight tests before joining the airline, never received hands-on training with the emergency equipment that was activated before the crash. "We put our lives in the hands of people that we assume that the [Federal Aviation Administration] and the airlines are properly training," she told CNN's Randi Kaye. The safety board resumed its three-day hearing Wednesday. Watch hearing consider whether crash could have been avoided » At Tuesday's hearing, Colgan Air acknowledged that Capt. Marvin Renslow never trained on the "stick pusher" emergency system in a flight simulator. But in a written statement, the carrier said that both Renslow and First Officer Rebecca Shaw had received other specific training about how to handle situations like those that preceded the crash. It said that the company provides FAA-approved ground training and that "Captain Renslow and First Officer Shaw had thorough initial and recurrent training" on how to handle a stall. "Captain Renslow and First Officer Shaw did know what to do, had repeatedly demonstrated they knew what to do, but did not do it," the statement said. "We cannot speculate on why they did not use their training in dealing with the situation they faced." Anne Marie Russo, whose daughter Madeline died in the crash, watched Tuesday's televised hearing at a hotel in Newark, New Jersey, with other families who lost loved ones on the flight. "This should not have happened," she said. "These 50 people should be enjoying their life right now." She said she believes that cost-cutting measures by airlines may have been a factor in the crash. "Maybe the training has to be more safer, more satisfactory for the public," she said. "This is tragedy that happened to these 49, 50 people, it could happen to any one of us." Dan Marzolf, who also lost a loved one in the crash, said the hearing was very technical, but he hopes "to get to some conclusions." "I really do hope good will come from these meetings," he told CNN's affiliate in Buffalo, WGRZ. On Tuesday, the safety board investigators released a transcript of the cockpit voice recording from moments before the crash. The last sounds heard were Shaw saying, "We're" and then screaming at 10:16 p.m. Seconds earlier, Renslow said, "Jesus Christ" as a sound "similar to stick shaker," an emergency warning system, was heard, the transcript said. Renslow said, "We're down," and a thump was heard. About five minutes before the crash, Shaw had shared with Renslow her fear of flying in icy conditions. "I don't want to have to experience that and make those kinds of calls. You know, I'd've freaked out. I'd've had like seen this much ice and thought, 'oh, my gosh, we were going to crash,' " Shaw told Renslow. The safety board's preliminary investigation determined that there was some ice accumulation on the Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft but that "icing had a minimal impact on the stall speed of the airplane." At Tuesday's hearing, Colgan Air said Renslow, though not training physically on the "stick pusher," received more training	[ "What training did the pilot have?", "When was the accident?", "who is the pilot?", "Who is in charge of the investigation?", "What are the families doing?", "What information received the safety board about the pilot?" ]	[ [ "with the emergency equipment" ], [ "three months ago." ], [ "Capt. Marvin Renslow" ], [ "National Transportation Safety Board" ], [ "attending this week's National Transportation Safety Board hearing on Capitol Hill." ], [ "a transcript of the cockpit voice recording from moments before the crash." ] ]	NEW: Airline says officers "did know what to do ... but did not do it" Families of victims of February crash near Buffalo, New York, watch hearing . Safety board hears that pilot got no simulator training on one safety device . FAA doesn't require such training; airline says pilot had classroom training .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill lost both his legs above the knees when a bomb exploded under his Humvee while on patrol in Iraq on October 15, 2006. He has 32 pins in his hip and a 6-inch screw holding his pelvis together. Joshua Bleill, pictured here with his girlfriend, is walking again with the aid of prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth. Now, he's starting to walk again with the help of prosthetic legs outfitted with Bluetooth technology more commonly associated with hands-free cell phones. "They're the latest and greatest," Bleill said, referring to his groundbreaking artificial legs. Bleill, 30, is one of two Iraq war veterans, both double leg amputees, to use the Bluetooth prosthetics. Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion. Bleill's set of prosthetics have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it's doing, how it's moving, whether walking, standing or climbing steps, for example. "They mimic each other, so for stride length, for amount of force coming up, going uphill, downhill and such, they can vary speed and then to stop them again," Bleill told CNN from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he's undergoing rehab. "I will put resistance with my own thigh muscles to slow them down, so I can stop walking, which is always nice." Watch Bleill demonstrate his legs » Bluetooth is the name for short-range wireless technology that can connect computers to printers, MP3 players to speakers and -- perhaps the most well-known use -- cell phones to ear pieces. Older models of computer-controlled legs have to be "programmed" via wire by laptop computers before the amputee can use them. Those legs required more movement from the amputee's remaining thigh muscle to generate motion in the prosthetic leg. Because of built-in motors, the Bluetooth legs allow Bleill to walk longer before he tires. "We've compared walking several laps in both sets of legs and one, your legs come out burning and tired and these, you know, you sometimes are not even breaking a sweat yet." Bleill says the technology also means he spends less time in a wheelchair. The Marine uses canes to walk with them. He's hoping to get to the point where he can use one cane regularly, and eventually lose the cane altogether. "I can walk without canes, but it's not real pretty," he said. This new generation of prosthetic technology was originally conceived to help amputees who had lost only one leg. But it's working for Bleill and Army Lt.Col. Gregory Gadson, who is also using the Bluetooth devices in his legs. What they are experiencing will help future amputees. "We are the first ever to try this, so it's learning day-to-day. The [prosthetics] company comes down on a regular basis and checks in with us," Bleill said. Gadson, a former linebacker at West Point, said they are breaking new ground for amputees. "I think we are kind of pioneering and hopefully blazing a trail for others to try the technology also," he said. But the technology is not without some problems. "It's only going to react to how I move," Bleill said. "Unfortunately, sometimes I don't know those reactions, I don't know what I'm doing to make it react. So sometimes the leg kicks harder than I want it to, or farther, and then I start perpetuating, and I start moving faster than I really want to." Aside from the Bluetooth technology, Bleill's legs have one other thing in common with a cell phone. They need to be charged overnight. Currently, there are no spare batteries available. What are his long-range plans? He just wants to make it back to his home state	[ "What kind of legs do they have?", "Who are using prosthetics outfitted with bluetooth?", "For what reason do they use bluetooth?", "Altogether how many artificial legs do the two vets have?", "What is Bluetooth?" ]	[ [ "prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth." ], [ "Joshua Bleill," ], [ "prosthetics" ], [ "Iraq war veterans, both double" ], [ "short-range wireless technology that can connect computers to printers, MP3 players to speakers and" ] ]	2 wounded Iraq veterans are using prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth . Their artificial legs communicate via Bluetooth to coordinate movements . Both vets are testing the legs for what could become more widespread use .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Members of the military may get expedited treatment at airport security checkpoints under a law signed Tuesday by President Obama. The law, authored by Rep. Chip Cravaack, R-Minnesota, requires the Transportation Security Administration to study ways to speed up screening of service members and, to the extent possible, their families, when the service members are in uniform and traveling on orders. Cravaack, a 24-year Navy veteran and former Northwest Airlines pilot, was inspired to introduce the bill after witnessing a soldier remove his boots while going through security at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. "It seemed way too excessive for someone who was obviously a patriot serving his country," said the congressman's spokesman, Michael Bars. The new law was signed just days after two incidents involving the same soldier at airports in North Carolina and Texas. According to court records, Trey Scott Atwater, a 30-year-old Army Green Beret, had a military smoke grenade in his bag when he was leaving Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Christmas Eve headed for Texas. He was allowed to continue on his trip. On Saturday, he was arrested at Midland International Airport in Texas on his return trip when TSA screeners found an undisclosed amount of C-4 explosives in his bag. Authorities said Atwater did not have a detonator and initiator, that it would not have been possible to detonate the explosives, and that it did not appear he was up to anything nefarious. It was not immediately clear how any checkpoint changes would impact cases like Atwater's. Bars said the new law is intended to expedite screening, but not reduce security. Currently, the TSA expedites screening for trusted travelers by dedicating a special line for them, and by allowing them to keep their shoes on and keep laptops in their carry-on bags. The new law says the TSA should establish guidelines for screening travelers in military uniforms and combat boots, and consider incorporating military personnel into trusted traveler programs that give preference to passengers who undergo pre-screening. Nothing in the law prohibits additional screening of the service member if intelligence or law enforcement information indicates that additional screening is necessary. In November, TSA Administrator John Pistole told CNN that he was already working on ways to expedite screening for service members. The TSA was starting to tests its ability to scan military ID cards, known as "Common Access Cards," at a regional airport in Monterey, CA. Pistole said the TSA test would not immediately result in quicker screening for service members. But if tests are successful, "we hope to expand that to airports that would have a large number of military personnel traveling through them," he said. Supporters of the initiative said that by expediting the screening of military personnel, the TSA will have more time to focus on unknown travelers who could present a higher risk."	[ "When do President obama sign the Bill?", "who signed the law?", "what is going to study the TSA?", "What the new law required?" ]	[ [ "Tuesday" ], [ "President Obama." ], [ "ways to speed up screening of service members and, to the extent possible, their families," ], [ "the Transportation Security Administration to study ways to speed up screening of service members and," ] ]	A new law requires the TSA to study ways of speeding screening of military personnel . President Obama signed the law on Tuesday . The already is testing card scanning for military personnel . Expediting military means the TSA can focus on higher-risk travelers, supporters say .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Michelle Rhee says she runs at 100 miles per hour. As the chancellor of one of the nation's lowest-performing school districts, she says she has no choice -- too much bureaucracy to cut through, too many problems to fix after decades of neglect. Michelle Rhee says a sense of urgency has been missing for years in the District of Columbia's schools. Rhee closed 23 schools in her first year as the head of the District of Columbia's public schools, fired 36 principals and cut 15 percent -- about 121 jobs -- from the central office staff. And she's making no apologies. "I think it's that sense of urgency that has been lacking for far too long in our public schools," Rhee told CNN as she began her second year on the job in late August. "We are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights, privileges and priorities of adults." Watch fighting for "radical changes" » Rhee said "radical" changes are needed because only 12 percent of the District's eighth graders are proficient in reading and just 8 percent are proficient in math, but was quick to add that they're already seeing improvement. She highlighted gains in elementary reading and secondary level math and reading in the past year that outstripped all of the four prior years put together. An annual report card by Education Week, a newspaper that follows the nation's education system, earlier this year ranked the District's school system last, giving it a D+ overall and an F for student achievement in kindergarten through 12th grade. Those grades were based on data prior to Rhee's arrival. "We need to see radical changes because the outcomes for kids that are happening right now are robbing them of their futures," said Rhee, a Democrat who supports President Bush's landmark education law known as No Child Left Behind. Watch Rhee describe telling employee: "You need to find another job" » "We have scores of kids in this city who don't have the advocates that they need in their lives who are able to maneuver and jockey through the public school system. And we can't allow those children to languish in classrooms where teachers are not performing." Her plan is ambitious: To completely transform the District's system within eight years for its 50,000 children. The plan focuses on top-down accountability, quantitative results like standardized test scores and, ultimately, working to close what she describes as "the achievement gap between wealthy white kids and poor minority kids." "I think it's absolutely possible within an eight-year period," she said. Watch D.C. schools need "urgency" » Rhee, who is Korean-American, is operating in a largely African-American district. It is a district where 57 percent of the students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. Rhee said when she first arrived on the job in 2007 she first heard whispers of: "She's not from D.C., she's not African-American: Is she going to be able to relate to students and their families?" "I think that all dissipated quite quickly after I started getting out into the community and talking to people," said Rhee, a 38-year-old mother of two children attending local public schools. "I think one of the things that comes across very clearly is the fact that I'm very passionate about this work. I'm very focused on it." But her plan to turn the failing school district on its head has met protest every step of the way, even from teachers. "I think the people who view her aggressive actions as a positive thing, I think they are missing the boat because if it results in more chaos and more dysfunction, it's not the solution that we need," said Kerry Sylvia, a teacher at Cardozo Senior High School in her ninth year. Sylvia says the District has seen far too many superintendents over the years and fears Rhee is just another in the long list of those who come in touting	[ "Who closed the schools?", "Whose best interests are placed above others?", "Who closed schools?", "what schools were closed?" ]	[ [ "Michelle Rhee" ], [ "of kids" ], [ "Rhee" ], [ "District of Columbia's" ] ]	D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee closed 23 schools, fired 36 principals in first year . "We are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights ... of adults" Critic says Rhee has created "more chaos and more dysfunction" Mayor backs his appointee, says when schools fail, "you need to shake things up"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Military hardware that can be used in nuclear devices and ground fighting can be easily purchased In the United States and shipped overseas, a government investigation revealed Thursday. This inclinometer, which can be used in homemade bombs, was easily bought and shipped overseas. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) watchdog agency set up fake companies to obtain military and dual use items -- which have both military and commercial use -- in the United States and ship them overseas, according to a report made public at a House subcommittee hearing. The domestic purchases allow buyers to avoid U.S. restrictions on sales to foreign entities, it noted. Items purchased in the bogus transactions included parts for making nuclear devices and guiding missiles that could carry nuclear warheads, as well as night-vision devices, body armor and other hardware for ground combat, said the report provided to the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. "There appears to be a gigantic loophole within our laws that makes it easy for our enemies to get hold of our superior military technology and use it against us," said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michigan. Gregory Kutz, a GAO managing director who led the 13-month investigation, said it found "sensitive dual-use and military technology can be easily and legally purchased from manufacturers and distributors within the United States and illegally exported without detection." He stressed that no laws were broken by any of the companies that sold items to the undercover GAO operation, and that the magnitude of trying to check all overseas travelers and shipments made it impossible to halt illegal export of the items under current law. Committee members said the lack of regulation or export controls made the situation particularly troubling. "The scandal here may be what is legal, not what is illegal," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon. However, he warned against excessive regulations that could stifle necessary commerce in items used by law enforcement, medical and other industries. Kutz held up some of the items purchased by undercover investigators, including a small device that looked like a spark plug called a triggered spark gap. The item has medical applications and can also be used to detonate a nuclear weapon, he said. Kutz also displayed a small device called a gyro chip that can be used to steer guided missiles. Other items on display in the committee room included some used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that target U.S. soldiers in Iraq, as well as sophisticated body armor and night-vision devices. Undercover investigators complied with all required checks in purchasing the equipment, Kutz said, including the submission of end-user agreements that forbid exporting the equipment or using it in any nuclear, biological and missile weapons. Such documents amount to an "honor system" pledge, rather than any enforcement mechanism, he said. The only further checks involved are confirming the validity of credit cards and the existence of Web sites, Kutz said. Most of the transactions took place by e-mail and telephone calls. "The kind of front company we used and the kind of scheme we used is the kind being used by terrorist organizations today," Kutz said. "This was not a hypothetical situation; this is being done." The investigation shipped some of the dual-use items to "a country that is a known trans-shipment point for terrorist governments and foreign governments attempting to acquire sensitive technology," Kutz said. He declined to name the country, but said it was in southeast Asia and that the shipments were simple packages labeled documents and sent by regular mail. "As GAO proves, a cardboard box and the U.S. Postal Service is all it takes to move dual-use items out of the country," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts. One of those duped by the investigation -- Nicholas Fitton, a technology dealer in Georgia -- told the committee he complied with all required checks in selling an F-16 engine computer to what he thought was a legitimate U.S. buyer. Asked by Stupak why anyone other than the military would need such a device, Fitton said his customers	[ "What is the hardware used for?", "What did GAO buy?", "What does the gigantic loophole do?", "What was purchased?", "What is the cause of enemies getting U.S. technology, according to a lawmaker?" ]	[ [ "in nuclear devices and ground fighting" ], [ "military and dual use items" ], [ "makes it easy for our enemies to get hold of our superior military technology and use it against us,\"" ], [ "Military hardware that can be used in nuclear devices and ground fighting" ], [ "easily purchased In the United States and shipped overseas," ] ]	Watchdog agency GAO buys military hardware, ships it overseas with ease . Lawmaker: "Gigantic loophole" allows enemies to get U.S. technology . Hardware that can be used in nuclear devices and ground fighting purchased . "The scandal here may be what is legal, not what is illegal," representative says .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 170 people around the globe, including at least 61 in the United States, have been arrested in a major operation targeting international child pornographers, officials said Friday. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and European Union representatives announced the sting's results Friday. Operation Joint Hammer has rescued 11 girls in the United States, ages 3 to 13, who were sexually abused by child pornography producers, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and representatives of the European Union said at the Justice Department. Dozens more were located in Europe, including several young female victims in Ukraine. Authorities found connections between producers, distributors and customers in nearly 30 countries as a single investigation grew to a global inquiry into the dark corners of brutality and child abuse. The investigation, code-named Operation Koala in Europe, was developed when investigators determined that a pornographic video found in Australia had been produced in Belgium. "This joint EU-U.S. coordinated effort began with the discovery in Europe of a father who was sexually abusing his young daughters and producing images of that abuse," Mukasey said. Further investigation showed a number of online child porn rings. Some included dangerous offenders who not only traded child pornography but also sexually abused children, the officials said. Agents are still attempting to locate child victims whose images have appeared in photos and videos, and more arrests are expected as the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Postal Inspection Service continue the investigation. A Postal Service official said ringleaders primarily targeted prepubescent female victims to satisfy their customers but noted that other groups produce photos and videos of boys and girls of all ages -- or even infants. "For this subset, that's what turns them on," the official said.	[ "Who has been arrested?", "What was the sting on?", "What is the number of girls rescued in the US?", "Where was the video found?", "who was rescued", "What are US and European officials joining up for?" ]	[ [ "More than 170 people around the globe, including at least 61 in the United States," ], [ "child pornographers," ], [ "11" ], [ "Australia" ], [ "11 girls in the United States, ages 3 to 13," ], [ "major operation targeting international child pornographers," ] ]	U.S., European officials join for child pornographer sting . 11 girls ages 3 to 13 rescued in the United States, dozens more found in Europe . Arrests turn up people who traded child porn, sexually abused children, officials say . Inquiry began with pornographic video found in Australia that came from Belgium .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 3,000 U.S. troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq won't go after all, as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country, a Pentagon spokesman said Saturday. U.S. troops speak to an Iraqi child in Baghdad on Monday. The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will not replace a North Carolina National Guard unit already in Iraq, Lt. Col. Eric Butterbaugh told CNN. The 3,500-troop combat team, based in Fort Drum, New York, was to leave in January, he said. "[The cancellation] reflects a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq and continued improvement in the ability of the Iraqi security forces to safeguard Iraqi citizens and institutions," Butterbaugh said. The National Guard unit is still on schedule to return home, which will speed up the drawdown of forces, he said. The troop withdrawal in Iraq coincides with a debate in the Obama administration on whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. As of Friday, 250 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of the year, according to a CNN tally based on Pentagon numbers. The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August, leaving 50,000 in advisory roles. Those advisers are to leave by the end of 2011. Concerns that a delay in the upcoming Iraqi elections could put a dent in scheduled withdrawals was rejected Friday by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill. "As for our schedule of troop withdrawal, we've been pretty clear about when the troops would be withdrawn," he told CNN. "So our plan is to draw down the troops as we've said we're going [to] do." The polls are scheduled to open January 16, but both the United States and the United Nations are worried because Iraq still has no election law. If a new law isn't adopted, the government may have to change the election date or rely on the law used in the 2005 elections, some officials say. A vote on the new law is expected Monday. Pentagon officials also must weigh the impact of continuing violence in the country. Hill said the violence is a concern, as are insurgent efforts to undermine attempts at reconciliation in the divided country. "Reconciliation is a tough business. I mean I've been in some of these meetings with people, you know, they don't like each other, you have to get them to work together, get them to understand their futures are together, and then you get a bombing, which makes it even tougher," Hill said. "Again, I think the Iraqi people have really signaled that they are really sick and tired of this stuff." Meanwhile, violence continued in Iraq on Saturday. Four soldiers were killed and 10 people, including civilians and security forces, were wounded when a bomb targeting an Iraqi army checkpoint exploded in Falluja, an Anbar province town, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. Elsewhere in Anbar, a suicide truck bomb hit a police checkpoint on a bridge west of Ramadi, wounding a police officer. The blast badly damaged the bridge, which carries a highway linking Iraq with Jordan and Syria, the official said. Traffic had to be rerouted to an another road. Anbar province, a massive region populated mostly by Sunni Arabs, had been a major front in the Iraqi war. The al Qaeda in Iraq militant group once held great sway in Anbar, but its influence lessened with the advent of U.S.-backed groups called Awakening Councils. CNN's Scott Spoerry and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.	[ "What is the name of the U.S. ambassador?", "What does the United States plan?", "What won't Iraqi elections delay?", "By when is the United States planning to withdraw all its combat troops?", "What do cancellations reflect?", "What do the cancellations reflect in Iraq?" ]	[ [ "Chris Hill." ], [ "to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August," ], [ "schedule of troop withdrawal," ], [ "August," ], [ "a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq" ], [ "a thorough assessment of the security environment in" ] ]	Cancellation reflects improved conditions in Iraq, official said . Iraqi elections won't delay scheduled withdrawals U.S. says, Ambassador Chris Hill . "Our plan is to draw down the troops as we've said we're going [to] do," says Hill . The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 35,000 fugitives across the United States were arrested in June as part of an annual sweep that teams the U.S. Marshals Service with local law enforcement in a summer push to clean up the streets, U.S. Marshals said Thursday. U.S. Marshals director John F. Clark says unregistered sex offenders were a major target. Among the 35,190 fugitives apprehended during Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Operating Nationally) were 2,356 fugitive sex offenders, the service said. "This might be considered the cream of the crop for the most violent felons that are out there. For example, we arrested 433 murder suspects," said U.S. Marshals director John F. Clark at a Chicago, Illinois, news conference. In the course of the operation, the marshals also confiscated 582 firearms and 2,400 kilograms of narcotics. "Often when we find fugitives in hiding, we have other fruits of their crimes: firearms, drugs, some other evidence of some type of criminal activity," Clark said. Unregistered sex offenders were a major target, Clark said. "We highlighted one [case] here in the Chicago area. It involved an individual who was alleged to have molested a 9-year-old girl. He had violated his parole, and after an investigation he was located," he said. "There's evidence of further crimes that happened since he didn't register as a sex offender. This is typical of the type of individual who is out there, somewhere on the streets of America, and is often harming children or others." One operation involved a Cleveland, Ohio, Police SWAT team and the U.S. Marshals, who were following a lead on Jeremiah Jackson, 29, who was wanted for murder, accused of shooting a woman in the back during a robbery. On June 9, the team surrounded a house where an intelligence surveillance team said Jackson might be. Jackson was reported to be armed and dangerous. But Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Koerbel said once Jackson saw the team, it had its man. "When he saw he really had nowhere to go, he gave himself up," said Koerbel. "He made the statement, 'I'm the guy you're looking for and I'll come right down.' " In Cleveland, Koerbel said, the program was a success. "We were able to arrest 1,211 people in a 30-day period. Five were for homicides," he said. Typically, the U.S. Marshals office in Cleveland arrests about 100 fugitives in any given month. "This is just the type of operation that brings us all together and shows we're a force of one and shows the community we're here and this is a safe place to raise a family," Koerbel said. Jackson was jailed on $10 million bond. He has not entered a plea on the murder charge, but his father, Willie James Jackson, told CNN affiliate WJW the police have the wrong man.	[ "Who have U.S. marshals teamed with for annual sweep?", "how many arrested", "Who assisted the marshals", "who were arrested in cleveland", "how many were arrested in cleveland", "Raids netted what quantity of narcotics?", "who teams up for sweep" ]	[ [ "local law enforcement" ], [ "35,000" ], [ "local law enforcement" ], [ "Jeremiah Jackson," ], [ "1,211" ], [ "2,400 kilograms" ], [ "U.S. Marshals Service with local law enforcement" ] ]	U.S. marshals team with local law enforcement for annual sweep . Nationwide operation apprehends 2,356 fugitive sex offenders, officials say . Raids also net 433 murder suspects, 2,400 kilograms of narcotics . In Cleveland, Ohio, officials arrest 1,211 people in 30 days .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than two dozen guests joined first lady Michelle Obama at the president's speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Leonard Abess Jr. was recognized by President Obama during Tuesday's State of the Nation speech. One person on the first lady's guest list was Leonard Abess Jr., a Miami banker who received a $60 million bonus from the proceeds from the sale of shares of City National Bank in Florida and gave it out to his 399 workers and 72 former workers. During his speech, President Obama said Abess didn't tell anyone about his generosity, but when the local newspaper found out, Abess simply said, "I knew some of these people since I was 7 years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself." Abess demonstrates the kind of "responsibility" the president has called for from high-profile financial CEOs, the White House said. Obama contrasted Abess' story with the greed that he said got the country into the problems it faces now. "CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks, or buy fancy drapes, or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over," Obama said. Obama also referenced in his speech an eighth-grader who wrote a letter to members of Congress appealing for help in rebuilding her deteriorating school. Ty'Sheoma Bethea, a student at the J.V. Martin Junior High School in Dillon, South Carolina, was invited after a letter she sent lawmakers appealing for help rebuilding her school made its way to President Obama. Obama talked about the school during his first news conference earlier in February as evidence of crumbling schools across the country. Other guests of the first lady Tuesday night included injured Afghanistan veteran Spc. Jonathan N. James, equal pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter and Blake Jones, the co-founder and president of a solar electric company. The president and first lady also invited Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas -- one of the president's key Republican allies among the nation's governors in passing the massive $787 billion stimulus bill -- and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a key Democratic governor whose state is among the hardest hit by the economic downturn. The practice of inviting guests to sit in the House Gallery is a tradition dating back to 1982 when president Ronald Reagan recognized Lenny Skutnick -- a good Samaritan who pulled a survivor out of the frozen Potomac River in Washington after an Air Florida plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge. Since then, presidential administrations steadily increased the number of invitees to the first lady box, often including prominent athletes and celebrities, citizen heroes, members of the military, and individuals likely to benefit from policies proposed by the president. It has also become customary for the president to acknowledge a handful of guests sitting in the box during his speech, especially those who have a particularly compelling story or illustrate a point he is trying to make. Earlier Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an expansive guest list of her own, including hero-U.S. Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and several other crew members of flight 1549. CNN's Alexander Mooney contributed to this report.	[ "What is the name of the banker?", "What did Abess demonstrate?", "Who got a prime seat at the Obama speech?", "Where was Abess from?", "What is the amount of money that Abess received?", "What did Abess do with his bonus?", "How large was Abess' bonus?", "What politician did Abess apparently support?", "Where did Abess demonstrate responsibility?", "How much was Abess bonus?" ]	[ [ "Leonard Abess Jr., a Miami banker" ], [ "the kind of \"responsibility\" the president has called for from high-profile financial CEOs," ], [ "Leonard Abess Jr." ], [ "Miami" ], [ "$60 million" ], [ "gave it out to" ], [ "$60 million" ], [ "President Obama" ], [ "Miami" ], [ "$60 million" ] ]	Miami, Florida, banker Leonard Abess gets prime seat at Obama speech . Abess received $60 million bonus, gave it to employees . White House: Abess demonstrates "responsibility" Obama has called for .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More troops, new legislation, improved troop training and added civilian expertise highlight President Obama's strategy to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. President Obama, here with Hillary Clinton on Friday, calls the situation in Afghanistan "increasingly perilous." Obama on Friday announced his plan to tackle what he called an "international security challenge of the highest order." Stressing soberly that "the safety of people around the world is at stake," Obama said the "situation is increasingly perilous" in the region in and around Afghanistan, where the United States has been fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban for more than 7½ years after attacks in New York and at the Pentagon. "The United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan. Nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on September 11, 2001, for doing nothing more than going about their daily lives," said Obama, who has vowed to make Afghanistan the central front in the fight against terrorism. "So let me be clear: Al Qaeda and its allies -- the terrorists who planned and supported the 9/11 attacks -- are in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Multiple intelligence estimates have warned that al Qaeda is actively planning attacks on the U.S. homeland from its safe haven in Pakistan. Watch how the U.S. will target terrorist safe havens » "And if the Afghan government falls to the Taliban -- or allows al Qaeda to go unchallenged -- that country will again be a base for terrorists who want to kill as many of our people as they possibly can." Obama said it is key Americans understand that Pakistan "needs our help" against al Qaeda. "Al Qaeda and other violent extremists have killed several thousand Pakistanis since 9/11. They have killed many Pakistani soldiers and police. They assassinated [former Pakistani Prime Minister] Benazir Bhutto. They have blown up buildings, derailed foreign investment and threatened the stability of the state. Make no mistake: Al Qaeda and its extremist allies are a cancer that risks killing Pakistan from within." Watch Obama's speech on Afghanistan, Pakistan threats » Flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Obama called on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, and Richard Lugar, R-Indiana. The legislation authorizes "$1.5 billion in direct support to the Pakistani people every year over the next five years -- resources that will build schools, roads and hospitals and strengthen Pakistan's democracy," he said. He also urged Congress to pass legislation that would create opportunity zones in the border region. The goal is to develop the economy and bring hope to places plagued by violence. Obama said, "We will ask our friends and allies to do their part," including at a donors conference next month in Tokyo, Japan. "After years of mixed results, we will not provide a blank check. Pakistan must demonstrate its commitment to rooting out al Qaeda and the violent extremists within its borders. And we will insist that action be taken -- one way or another -- when we have intelligence about high-level terrorist targets. " Obama said the United States must work with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and others to help Pakistan get through the economic crisis. "To lessen tensions between two nuclear-armed nations that too often teeter on the edge of escalation and confrontation, we must pursue constructive diplomacy with both India and Pakistan." Afghan President Harmid Karzai watched the speech on CNN from Kabul, said Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Karzai "is extremely grateful and will issue his statement of support," Holbrooke said. Obama stressed that "Afghanistan has been denied the resources that it demands because of the war in Iraq" and now a commitment must be made. Obama said he is sending another 4,000 troops to Afghanistan, along with hundreds of civilian specialists, such as agricultural experts, educators and engineers. The troops -- which are in addition to the 17,000 announced earlier -- will be charged with training and building	[ "How much aid is being sent to Pakistan?", "how many specialists are to be deployed?", "How much more troops U.S will send to Afghanistan?", "How much will costs Afghan strategy?", "how many more troops is the US sending?", "who is al queda planning attacks against?" ]	[ [ "\"$1.5 billion" ], [ "hundreds of civilian" ], [ "4,000" ], [ "\"$1.5 billion" ], [ "4,000" ], [ "U.S." ] ]	Intelligence shows al Qaeda planning attacks on U.S., President Obama says . Part of Afghan strategy is $1.5 billion annually for five years in aid for Pakistan . U.S. to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan as well as 17,000 announced earlier . Hundreds of civilian specialists also to be deployed .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Most of the Supreme Court justices piled up a lot frequent flyer miles in 2007, jetting to such exotic locales as Austria, India and Hawaii, according to financial disclosure reports released Friday. The U.S. Supreme Court justices at a shoot for their 2006 "class photo." And they generally have a good bit of spending money for their travels, based on reported investment income. The records, which were released Friday by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, confirm what has been known for some time: that most of the justices are relatively well-off financially. The eight associate justices make $208,100 in annual wages plus income from a variety of resources. Federal judges are not required to publicly release exact income figures, just a general range. The wealthiest justice may be David Souter, with a wise investment he made years ago in a Vermont bank paying off handsomely. His assets in Chittenden Corp. are valued from $5 million to $25 million. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's asset totals are boosted by the fact that her husband, Martin, is a respected private tax attorney in Washington. Justices Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and Antonin Scalia are also millionaires. Justice Samuel Alito, the newest member of the high court, also reported income ranging from $700,000 to $2 million. In the area of reported gifts, Alito cited about $500 in "Italian food and wine" given to him by a friend, about whom the justice helpfully noted it "is not likely that he will appear before this court." The latest financial records continue to show Justices Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas reporting assets under $1 million, not including homes and judicial salaries. Thomas received a one-time boost to his income when his best-selling memoir was released in October. He received the remaining half of a reported million-dollar book advance and traveled extensively on a book promotion and signing tour. Scalia also received an advance for his book on how to be a better appellate lawyer. The amount was relatively paltry compared to his colleague's: $33,000. The annual records show that Breyer, Ginsburg, Kennedy and Scalia were the busiest travelers. Each made multiple visits overseas to teach, give speeches or attend judicial seminars. Airfare, lodging and meals were generally paid for by the organizations that invited the justices, but under federal law, they must report it. Europe was a favorite destination for several justices. Breyer reported 21 out-of-town trips for which he was reimbursed, including to Paris, France; Rome, Italy; New Delhi, India; and Palm Springs, California. Ginsburg went overseas to France, Belgium, Ireland and Canada and made at least nine other domestic trips. In the same week in July, Kennedy and Chief Justice Roberts were in France and Austria, respectively. But the Most Traveled Award goes to Scalia, who made 33 expense-paid trips, including eight overseas, and visited at least 17 states. Only Souter and Stevens reported no trips for which they were reimbursed by sponsoring groups. Souter also reported no outside teaching gigs, trustee or board memberships, or any gifts received. The 68-year-old bachelor generally spends his extended time away from the high court at his isolated farm in rural New Hampshire. Chief Justice John Roberts may have the most diverse investment portfolio. He recorded 63 investments and trusts, including stock in Time Warner (parent company of CNN), Citicorp, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard. The estimated value is from about $2.4 million to more than $6 million. Before becoming a federal judge, Roberts was a high-paid Washington lawyer. His judicial salary is $217,400. Roberts, 53, continued to sell off small amounts of common stock, including in Cisco and Citigroup. When he took over as chief justice in 2005, he was forced to sell stock in several companies. A bill passed two years ago in Congress allows federal judges to defer paying capital gains taxes on securities they sell to avoid conflicts of	[ "Who is the busiest traveller?", "Who is the wealthiest member?", "What is Souter's job?", "In what year did Alito make the trips?", "Who is chief justice?" ]	[ [ "Breyer, Ginsburg, Kennedy and Scalia" ], [ "David Souter," ], [ "U.S. Supreme Court justices" ], [ "2007," ], [ "John Roberts" ] ]	Reports show David Souter may be the wealthiest member of Supreme Court . Samuel Alito, the busiest traveler, made 33 expense-paid trips in 2007 . Chief Justice John Roberts recorded 63 investments and trusts .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Mountainous terrain and harsh weather in remote parts of Afghanistan have proven a deadly combination for the U.S. military in its push to reduce mounting violence in the country. CNN obtained this photo of a U.S. helicopter above Forward Operating Base Keating in the Nuristan province. On Saturday, Taliban militants attacked American and Afghan troops in the Nuristan province in eastern Afghanistan. Eight American troops and two members of the Afghan national security forces were killed, according to the Pentagon. It was the largest number of Americans killed by hostile action in a single day since July 13, 2008, when nine troops died, according to CNN records. The fighting was so fierce that at one point U.S. forces "had to collapse in on themselves," a U.S. military official with knowledge of the latest intelligence reports on the incident told CNN. These revelations about the battle that engulfed Forward Operating Base Keating are a further indication of how pinned down and outmanned the troops were. Watch more on the attack in rural Afghanistan » The base was scheduled to be closed in the next few days, CNN has learned. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, wanted to cede remote outposts and consolidate troops in more populated areas to better protect Afghan civilians. It's a point he reiterated over the summer. "Practically speaking, there are areas that are controlled by Taliban forces," he told the Los Angeles Times in late July. Over time, McChrystal said, the command would "reduce" those areas, but the first priority will be to make sure populated areas are free of insurgent influence. The deadly attack over the weekend and the July 2008 attack in Wanat, just 20 miles away, serve to underscore, some say, that the reduction isn't happening. View an interactive map of the two attacks » It's an assessment that one veteran military observer discussed in a column earlier this year. "Screwups are inevitable in war. But there are serious questions to be addressed," Foreign Policy magazine's Tom Ricks wrote in a January 2009 online article. "As one Army source put it to me, 'The paratroopers sent to Wanat knew they were in big trouble. ... [The soldiers] ran out of water and had little material to build up their defensive positions,' " Ricks wrote. Peter Bergen, a CNN terrorism analyst, called the repetition "a huge problem." "It is suposed to be a lessons-learned exercise," Bergen said. "And then, exactly 20 miles away from the event about a year ago, exactly the same kind of attack happened." In the Wanat fight, 49 U.S. troops were attacked by nearly 200 Taliban fighters, and the base was later abandoned. "So, you have to ask yourself, what were the lessons learned? Or were the lessons not implemented? And these remote combat outposts, you know, are obviously sitting ducks," Bergen said. The Nuristan and Wanat fights add to the growing list of problems facing the Obama administration. The White House is in the midst of a comprehensive review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. McChrystal, who took over four months ago as the top U.S. commander in the country, has submitted an assessment in which, sources have told CNN, calls for additional forces to carry out a successful counterinsurgency strategy. But some in the administration, including Vice President Joe Biden, are advocating a counterterrorism strategy focusing on combating al Qaeda and the Taliban through the use of unmanned drones and special forces without involving additional troops. Watch more on the varying advice Obama is getting » Others believe that a broader counterinsurgency approach -- requiring a larger military operation in the country -- is needed. Several top military leaders and opposition Republicans are pressing Obama to act quickly to increase the present 68,000-troop level by as many as 40,000. In March, Obama announced a plan to send more than 20,000 additional troops to the country to provide security for a national election. "If we don't add more troops, you're going to see more of what happened	[ "Who had to collapse in on themselves?", "Who says lessons haven't been learned in operating in rural Afghanistan?", "How many U.S. soldiers were killed?", "How many soldiers killed in attack in nuristan province?", "How many U.S. soldiers killed in attack in Nuristan province?", "Soldiers died in what province?", "What analyst says?", "How many Afghan soldiers died?" ]	[ [ "U.S. forces" ], [ "Peter Bergen," ], [ "Eight" ], [ "Eight American troops and two members of the Afghan national security forces" ], [ "Eight" ], [ "Nuristan" ], [ "called the repetition \"a huge problem.\"" ], [ "two" ] ]	8 U.S. soldiers, two Afghan soldiers killed in attack in Nuristan province . Source: Fighting so fierce that U.S. forces "had to collapse in on themselves" Analyst says lessons haven't been learned in operating in rural Afghanistan .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Mozart is trying to win a million dollars for New Orleans recovery efforts. But the charitable effort by the 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel may be derailed by a dog named after the satirical TV anchorman Stephen Colbert. Mozart's owner says if he wins, all the prize money will go to charities aiding New Orleans. Both canines are contestants in a dog beauty pageant -- but only one pup can take home the big money. The first round is under way, with a hairy finalist selected each week by the number of fan votes. Mozart, or MoMo as friends and family know him, came in second last week in the Cutest Dog Competition with 2,780 votes. This week he is running neck and neck with a new challenger, Stephen Colbert el dos, a Pomeranian Chihuahua mixed-breed puppy from Atlanta, Georgia. MoMo's owner is crying foul. "It's just coming out of nowhere," Cara McCool said. "It's just unfortunate. MoMo is named after a famous person too, but he's dead." The Cutest Dog Competition is run by All American Pet Brands. Over 60,000 people have uploaded photos of their adorable dogs to the contest's Web site. The final 12 pooches will get to compete for the grand prize, a cool million in cash. "It's a fraternity or sorority with people who don't just have pets, these are their family members, their best friends," said All American Pet Brands CEO Barry Schwartz. "He's my furry child," said McCool, a New Orleans piano teacher who named her dog Mozart after her favorite composer. "Sometimes I pull up chairs for him to sit next to me when I play or teach. He has been known to jump on the bench and actually has put his paws on the keys." McCool has been active with several nonprofits working in New Orleans. If Mozart wins she said all the money will got to several charities: Redeemer Presbyterian Disaster Relief, Desire Street Ministries, Louisiana Teachers Save Our Students fund, Cavalier Rescue USA, Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, the Louisiana SPCA, and Teach for America. "I already support them, but I can't afford that much because I'm a piano teacher," she said. If Mozart wins, all that could change. Colbert el dos' owners did not want to be identified. They told CNN they have only mentioned the contest to a few friends and family members. However, they did post a note about the doggie competition on a Colbert fan site. The owners have not heard from the show but one of the fan sites says Colbert el dos will appear on "The Colbert Report" if he makes the top 12. Renata Luczak, a spokesperson for Comedy Central, could not confirm or deny the pet's booking, saying, " 'The Colbert Report' refrains from commenting on upcoming guests appearing on the show." Even without a television appearance, Colbert el dos appears to be benefiting from the famous Colbert name bump. Colbert has wreaked havoc in other online competitions -- from a Hungarian bridge-naming contest to a NASA competition to name a room in the International Space Station. In both cases Colbert won the popular vote. However, NASA pushed back and instead of naming the room in his honor, the agency sent a treadmill to space with the Colbert honorific. In both of those contests, the competitions received heavy promotion during the show, with Colbert urging his viewers to participate. However, in this dog photo fight, Colbert is having an impact without any direct participation. Schwartz said the competition recognizes the outside influence of the Colbert bump. "If there are those Colbert-named dogs that can get those thousands of votes, we don't want to leave anyone out, so we added a new daily contest." The voting for this week ends at midnight on Saturday. Schwartz said the grand prize winner will be named on Thanksgiving Day.	[ "Who is the dog named after?", "What type of dog is Mozart?", "What is the cute dog contest?", "Who is causing some snapping over cute dog contest?", "Who is in Cutest Dog Competition?", "What breed is Mozart?", "What is the title of the competition?" ]	[ [ "Stephen Colbert." ], [ "Cavalier King Charles spaniel" ], [ "beauty pageant" ], [ "Stephen Colbert." ], [ "Stephen Colbert el dos, a Pomeranian Chihuahua mixed-breed puppy" ], [ "Cavalier King Charles spaniel" ], [ "Cutest Dog" ] ]	"Stephen Colbert El Dos" is causing some snapping over cute dog contest . The dog, named after the satirical TV anchorman, is in Cutest Dog Competition . Mozart, a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, had been winning . Mozart's owner says Colbert came out of nowhere and "it's unfortunate"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Mumia Abu-Jamal sits on Pennsylvania's death row, perhaps the most recognized of the 228 condemned inmates at the Greene Correctional Facility, an hour south of Pittsburgh. Former radio host and convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal during a 1994 interview Abu-Jamal, inmate AM8335, awaits three milestones. His new book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," will be released next month. He's also awaiting a pair of Supreme Court decisions, which could come in the next two weeks. The former Black Panther was sentenced to die for gunning down a Philadelphia police officer 28 years ago. The high court will decide whether he deserves a new hearing to determine whether his execution should go forward. The state is appealing a federal appeals court ruling on the sentencing question that went in Abu-Jamal's favor last year. The case has attracted international attention. Abu-Jamal's lawyers filed a separate appeal claiming that racism led to his 1982 conviction. That petition is scheduled for consideration by the Supreme Court on April 3. If either case is accepted by the justices for review, oral arguments would be held in the fall. The former radio reporter and cab driver has been a divisive figure, with many prominent supporters arguing that racism pervaded his trial. Others counter that Abu-Jamal is using his skin color to escape responsibility for his actions. They say he has divided the community for years with his provocative writing and activism. He was convicted for the December 9, 1981, murder of officer Daniel Faulkner, 25, in Philadelphia. Faulkner had pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother in a late-night traffic stop. Witnesses said Abu-Jamal, who was nearby, ran over and shot the police officer in the back and in the head. Abu-Jamal, once known as Wesley Cook, was also wounded in the confrontation and later admitted to the killing, according to other witnesses' testimony. Abu-Jamal is black, and the police officer was white. Incarcerated for nearly three decades, Abu-Jamal has been an active critic of the criminal justice system. On a Web site created by friends to promote his release, the prisoner-turned-author writes about his fight. "This is the story of law learned, not in the ivory towers of multi-billion dollar endowed universities but in the bowels of the slave-ship, in the hidden, dank dungeons of America." His chief defense attorney, Robert Bryan, has filed appeals asking for a new criminal trial. "The central issue in this case is racism in jury selection," he wrote to supporters last month. "We are in an epic struggle in which his life hangs in the balance. What occurs now in the Supreme Court will determine whether Mumia will have a new jury trial or die at the hands of the executioner," Bryan said. Ten whites and two blacks made up the original jury panel that sentenced him to death. A three-judge panel of the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals kept the murder conviction in place a year ago but ordered a new capital sentencing hearing. "The jury instructions and the verdict form created a reasonable likelihood that the jury believed it was precluded from finding a mitigating circumstance that had not been unanimously agreed upon," Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica wrote in the 77-page opinion. The federal appeals court ultimately concluded that the jury was improperly instructed on how to weigh "mitigating factors" offered by the defense that might have kept Abu-Jamal off death row. Pennsylvania law at the time said jurors did not have to unanimously agree on a mitigating circumstance, such as the fact that Abu-Jamal had no prior criminal record. Months before that ruling, oral arguments on the issue were contentious. Faulkner's widow and Abu-Jamal's brother attended, and demonstrations on both sides were held outside the courtroom in downtown Philadelphia. If the Supreme Court refuses now to intervene on the sentencing issue, the city's prosecutor would have to decide within six months whether to conduct a	[ "Were is Jamal incarcerated?", "Who is Jamal's attorney?", "What was Abu-Jamal convicted of?", "Who was convicted of killing a police officer?", "When was Abu-Jamal convicted of killing a police officer?", "Which case has become an international cause?" ]	[ [ "Greene Correctional Facility," ], [ "Robert Bryan," ], [ "murder of officer Daniel Faulkner," ], [ "Mumia Abu-Jamal" ], [ "for the December 9, 1981, murder of" ], [ "Mumia Abu-Jamal" ] ]	Mumia Abu-Jamal's case has become an international cause . He has two appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court . Racism responsible for his conviction, death sentence, appeal says . Abu-Jamal convicted in 1981 killing of Philadelphia police officer .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- National Hurricane Center director Bill Proenza left his position Monday, just days after nearly half of the NHC staff signed a petition calling for his ouster. Hurricane Center Bill Proenza left his job as director Monday. Proenza is still employed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- a parent organization of the NHC -- but he is currently on leave, said NOAA spokesman Anson Franklin. Deputy Director Ed Rappaport has been temporarily placed in charge. Proenza, 62, became the director in January after the retirement of Max Mayfield. Proenza caused an uproar last month with comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikSCAT. The satellite is five years beyond its life expectancy and operating on a backup transmitter. Proenza said if it were to fail, forecast tracks could be thrown off by as much as 16 percent. He said Washington reprimanded him for the remarks: "They wanted me to be quiet about it." But one of the center's longtime forecasters said Proenza's comments were misguided. "QuikSCAT is another tool that we use to forecast," Lixion Avila said. "The forecast will not be degraded if we don't have the QuikSCAT." Last week, the Commerce Department launched an unscheduled review of the hurricane center after word of the staff's dissatisfaction started to become public. His staffers on Thursday issued a petition calling for him to step down. Watch how Proenza lost the confidence of his staff » The petition said the center's "effective functioning" is at stake as the Atlantic hurricane season heads toward its peak. "The undersigned staff ... has concluded that the center needs a new director, and with the heart of the hurricane season fast approaching, urges the Department of Commerce to make this happen as quickly as possible," said the petition, which was signed by twenty-three people, including four of five senior hurricane specialists. Hurricane center staffers told CNN's John Zarella they were unhappy not only about his comments about the QuikSCAT, but also about the environment at the center -- one characterized by closed doors and the public airing of dirty laundry. Proenza on Friday told CNN he had contacted his superiors in Washington about "ways to move forward," but added, "I am not going to resign." Proenza told CNN he did not think the staff should dictate the leadership through "signing petitions." Proenza graduated from Florida State University with a degree in meteorology. He began his career in tropical meteorology in the mid-1960s at NHC and as a meteorologist on the "hurricane hunter" aircraft, according to his biography posted on the agency's Web site. He continued within the National Weather Service for more than 35 years, "receiving numerous performance commendations and awards, including recognition from the NWS Employees' Organization as the NWS manager of the year for his collaborative leadership," the bio said. E-mail to a friend	[ "Who made comments about the QuikSCAT satellite?", "What position did Bill Proenze hold?", "What was signed asking him to leave", "What is the name of the satelite", "WHO HAS LEFT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE?", "What percentage of the NHC signed the petition?", "Which company was Bill Proenza director of?", "what did proenza come under fire for?", "Who left their position at the National Hurricane Center", "Who is the National Hurricane Center director?", "What does NHC mean?", "what were staff unhappy with?", "What organisation did Bill Proenza work for?", "What did Proenza came under fire for?", "What did Proenza cone under fire for?", "What did bill proenza do", "What was the petition for", "What is the NHC petition for?", "who is national hurricane center director?", "What has Proenza been criticized for?", "What did NHC sign a petition for?", "What size part of the NHC signed the petition?", "What are the staff unhappy about?", "Who signed a petition?", "what is quickScat satellite?" ]	[ [ "Proenza" ], [ "National Hurricane Center director" ], [ "petition" ], [ "QuikSCAT." ], [ "Bill Proenza" ], [ "nearly half" ], [ "National Hurricane Center" ], [ "comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikSCAT." ], [ "Bill Proenza" ], [ "Bill Proenza" ], [ "National Hurricane Center" ], [ "not only about his comments about the QuikSCAT, but also about the environment at the center" ], [ "National Hurricane Center" ], [ "comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikSCAT." ], [ "caused an uproar last month with comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikSCAT." ], [ "left his position" ], [ "his ouster." ], [ "calling" ], [ "Bill Proenza" ], [ "comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikSCAT." ], [ "him to step down." ], [ "half of the" ], [ "his comments" ], [ "nearly half of the NHC staff" ], [ "hurricane" ] ]	National Hurricane Center director Bill Proenza has left his position . Nearly half of the NHC signed a petition calling for him to step down . Proenza came under fire for comments he made about the QuikSCAT satellite . Staff unhappy with environment of closed doors, public bickering .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly 40 years after members of a U.S. cavalry unit put their lives in peril to save 100 fellow soldiers trapped under blistering enemy fire in Vietnam, they received the Presidential Unit Citation on Tuesday. Veterans watch Tuesday's ceremony, which recognized members of a U.S. cavalry unit. It's an honor their captain says is long overdue. President Obama awarded the citation for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry to 86 members of the Army's Troop A, First Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. "These soldiers defined the meaning of bravery and heroism," Obama said at a White House reception honoring the group's heroics. "It's never too late. You can never say it enough. ... We honor your service, and America is forever grateful." On March 26, 1970, the 120-member Troop A volunteered to rescue an American infantry company surrounded by an overwhelming enemy force at a site on the Cambodian border called the Dog's Face. The enemy had survived hours of aerial and artillery bombardment and was expected to kill or capture the 100 American infantrymen in Company C within hours. The Americans were running out of ammunition and could not move because of heavy casualties. There were no available landing zones for medical and rescue helicopters to touch down. Alpha Troop heard of their plight on a radio and rode in with an infantry company to rescue their comrades. "Troop A skillfully penetrated four kilometers of nearly impassable jungle terrain and unhesitatingly mounted a fierce assault directly into the heavily fortified North Vietnamese army position," the presidential proclamation states. When the battle was over, more than 70 Americans lay dead or wounded. For retired Capt. John Poindexter, who led the rescue, the award is for all Vietnam veterans, many of whom came home to an unwelcome and sometimes hostile reception. "The veterans of Alpha Troop feel very strongly that we stand in the stead of all veterans of the war of Vietnam," Poindexter told CNN before the ceremony. "The fact is that we're being singled out for a very distinct honor, a very rare one, but it is our conviction that on any day in any other jungle in Vietnam, nearly every Vietnam veteran would have been willing to assume the task that we assumed on March 26, 1970, when we earned the Presidential Unit Citation." Poindexter had been trying to gain recognition for his men for the past seven years. Initially, he felt deep disappointment. In 2003, he discovered that the men he had recommended for decorations for their valor had not received those citations. Eventually, 14 men received individual decorations. That was not enough. "My role in obtaining the PUC [Presidential Unit Citation] -- or in helping to obtain the PUC -- among the 200 persons who were involved in this matter over a seven-year period, was to be in the unhappy position of discovering that the men who I had recommended for decorations had not been recommended, had not been awarded those decorations," the retired captain said. "The result of that was that we got 14 men decorated for their valor, but 14 men out of more than 120 who were engaged in the battle on that fateful day were only a pittance, only a minority, of those who might have been honored. Only a unit citation could honor all equally and impartially, and it was that task we set ourselves on nearly seven years ago. " He believes lack of popular support for the war had much to do with it taking so long for Alpha Troop to be recognized. "There's little question in our minds that the unpopularity of the war in Vietnam is a major contributing factor to the reception these men received when they returned to the United States and a major factor, in my opinion, in the silence that most of them have assumed since then," Poindexter said. "Why talk about something that most people don't have a very high opinion of in all likelihood? And if that isn't true, nevertheless, it's what most of these men think. They were engaged in an	[ "Which Armored Cavalry Regiment was recognized?", "How many soldiers did the Cavalry Regiment save?", "What did the cavalry save?", "How many soldiers did the calvalry save during the 1970 rescue?", "What was recognized?", "The leader of the 1970 rescue says award is for all veterans of which war?", "Presidential Unit Citation recognizes extraordinary heroism against who?", "What presidential unit recognized the extraordinary heroism?", "What was the heroism against?" ]	[ [ "Army's Troop A, First Squadron, 11th" ], [ "100 fellow" ], [ "100 fellow soldiers" ], [ "100" ], [ "members of a U.S. cavalry unit." ], [ "Vietnam" ], [ "overwhelming enemy force" ], [ "President Obama" ], [ "save 100 fellow soldiers trapped under blistering enemy fire in Vietnam," ] ]	86 in Army's Troop A, First Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment recognized . Cavalry saved 100 fellow soldiers trapped under enemy fire in Vietnam . Leader of 1970 rescue says award is for all Vietnam veterans . Presidential Unit Citation recognizes extraordinary heroism against armed enemy .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly seven years after the remains of federal intern Chandra Levy were found in a Washington park, a jailed laborer from El Salvador faces a murder charge in her death, authorities said Tuesday. Ingmar Guandique is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in the park where Levy's body was found. A judge on Tuesday signed an arrest warrant for Ingmar Guandique, 27, who is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in Rock Creek Park that occurred around the time of Levy's disappearance. Her remains were found in Rock Creek Park about a year after she was reported missing. "We believe Levy was a random victim of Guandique, who attacked and killed her as she jogged in Rock Creek Park," said Jeffrey Taylor, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Guandique's public defenders said the case was far from over, and urged the public not to jump to conclusions. "This flawed investigation, characterized by the many mistakes and missteps of the Metropolitan Police Department and every federal agency that has attempted to solve this case, will not end with the simple issuance of an arrest warrant against Mr. Guandique," the federal public defender's office said in a statement ... We look forward to trying this case before unbiased jurors who will not rush to judgment." Guandique faces a first-degree murder charge. A conviction on the charge would bring a mandatory sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison, Taylor said. The massive publicity surrounding the Levy case was largely a result of her romantic affair to then-Rep. Gary Condit, a California Democrat. Police questioned Condit many times in connection with the slaying, but the congressman was never considered a suspect. Watch the police announce arrest » A California native working as an intern for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Levy, 24, disappeared May 1, 2001. Her remains were found in May 2002 by a man walking his dog in a remote area of the park. Guandique has been imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution-Victorville, a medium-security facility northeast of Los Angeles, California. Officials hope to transfer him from California to the nation's capital in 45 to 60 days. He's serving his sentence on the two assault convictions in California because there are no prisons in the District of Columbia. Those convicted of federal crimes in the capital are sent to various federal prisons across the country. Guandique was considered a person of interest in 2002 in connection with Levy's death, authorities said Tuesday. Before the new charges, his projected release date from prison was October 5, 2011. According to officials at Tuesday's news conference -- and the affidavit supporting the arrest warrant for Guandique -- circumstantial evidence played a large role in the case. Authorities presented no evidence Tuesday of anyone seeing Guandique and Levy together. Timeline of Levy's disappearance » But the affidavit said a witness reported seeing and running from a man in the park, and she said she believed that occurred on the same day as Levy disappeared. Upon seeing a photograph of Guandique in the interim, the woman thought he looked like the man who followed her in the park, the affidavit said. Another witness reported seeing Guandique with "a fat lip and scratches on his face" about the time of Levy's disappearance, the affidavit said. The witness added that Guandique said he was injured by his girlfriend during an argument. Interviewed by police, Guandique's girlfriend at the time said that while he was violent with her on occasion, "at no time during any of the arguments or fights did [she] ever strike Guandique or cause any injuries to his face or neck." Two other witnesses reported that Guandique told them he committed crimes against women, including rape and murder, according to the affidavit. And another witness last month told police Guandique admitted his involvement in Levy's killing, as well as that he tried to rape two other women in the park at knifepoint, the affidavit said. When news emerged last month that Guandique's arrest was imminent in the Levy case, the same witness	[ "when did they disappear?", "How long is the prison sentence?", "how many years is being served?", "who was seen in the park?", "What did the witness see?", "Who is serving a 10 year sentence?", "When did Levy disappear?" ]	[ [ "May 1, 2001." ], [ "10-year" ], [ "10-year sentence" ], [ "Ingmar Guandique" ], [ "seeing Guandique with \"a fat lip and scratches on his face\"" ], [ "Ingmar Guandique" ], [ "May 1, 2001." ] ]	NEW: Affidavit says suspect told fellow inmate last month "They got me now" NEW: Witness told police she saw man resembling suspect in park, affidavit says . Ingmar Guandique is serving a 10-year prison sentence for two assaults . Levy disappeared in May 2001; her body was found a year later .
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly two decades after the first Gulf war and six years after Saddam Hussein was removed from power, Iraq still is subject to 73 United Nations resolutions. A March 1991 photo shows burning oil wells in Kuwait damaged by Iraq military forces. Now Iraq's foreign minister says his country "will not regain full sovereignty and independence without getting rid of these resolutions." Speaking to reporters in Washington, Hoshyar Zebari said Monday that Iraq has paid "billions" of dollars under Chapter 7 of the U.N. sanctions placed on Iraq as a result of the 1990 Iraq invasion of Kuwait and subsequent war. The U.N. Security Council is reviewing the sanctions, and Zebari said he had "intensive discussions" in New York with members of the Security Council. He said "I think the outcome is positive." "We felt a great deal of good will that, really, time has come for Iraq to get rid of all these restrictions and to regain its international standing and position as a normal country." The Iraqi foreign minister said bringing Iraq out of Chapter 7 is an "American commitment also" since Iraq signed the status of forces agreement with the United States, which governs the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq, based on its understanding that the U.S. would help Iraq to come out of Chapter 7. Foreign Minister Zebari said the sanctions impose a heavy burden on Iraq -- it continues to pay 5 percent of its oil revenues to Kuwait, down from the initial 30 percent. Iraq's security forces, he told reporters, have "proven they are capable of defending themselves and the country." In the next six months, however, he said, the country faces some risks. "What can be seen as problems could become crises unless this administration keeps its focus and support to push the situation forward; otherwise this overall strategy of responsible redeployment could be undermined." If that happens, Zebari said, it "will impact what the U.S. is doing in the Middle East, in the Arab peace process, with Iran, even in Afghanistan because Iraq is such a crucial player in the region."	[ "What were held with Security Council members?", "Who said his country won't be fully independent until U.N. sanctions end?", "How much has Iraq paid?", "How much has Iraq paid under the UN's Chapter 7?", "What did Iraq'a FM say?", "What won't be fully independent until U.N. sanctions end?" ]	[ [ "\"intensive discussions\"" ], [ "Hoshyar Zebari" ], [ "\"billions\" of dollars" ], [ "\"billions\" of dollars" ], [ "\"will not regain full sovereignty and independence without getting rid of these resolutions.\"" ], [ "Iraq" ] ]	Iraq's FM says his country won't be fully independent until U.N. sanctions end . Iraq has paid "billions of dollars" under U.N.'s Chapter 7, foreign minister says . "Intensive discussions" held with Security Council members, minister says .

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