WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai discussed his sometimes-turbulent relationship with the United States on Friday as more details emerged about U.S. airstrikes in his country that killed dozens of people this week. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said his government does not tolerate corruption. Karzai reflected on the past seven years of his leadership of Afghanistan and characterized his relationship with the United States as having "serious bumps along the way, especially in the conduct of the war on terror." The theme he emphasized Friday was the problem of Afghan civilian casualties caused by American airstrikes. Karzai said he has raised the issue repeatedly since 2007. "We have complained bitterly about civilian casualties," he said. "We needed to get Washington's attention." The issue of civilian deaths has been at the foreground of Karzai's trip to Washington, where he's meeting with President Obama and other top officials. Afghan officials say that more than 100 civilians were killed in a U.S. airstrike Wednesday in Farah province, on the western border with Iran. If that death toll is confirmed, it will be the single deadliest incident involving Afghan civilians since the American-led invasion of the country in 2001 to oust the Taliban from power. A senior U.S. military official said Friday that 30 to 50 people were killed in the strikes, most of them insurgents. But the rest were civilians, including women and children. The U.S. military thinks some civilians were killed when they were caught up in the ground fighting and others in the airstrikes. The Taliban held some civilians against their will in the buildings that were attacked, according to the official. Karzai said senior Obama administration officials immediately and personally apologized to him about the incident when he met with them this week.  Watch Karzai discuss U.S. airstrikes that allegedly killed civilians » At the White House on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari that she "deeply regretted" the death of Afghan civilians and pledged that  the United States "will work very hard with your governments and with your leaders to avoid the loss of innocent civilian lives." In response to recent suggestions by U.S. military officials that the civilian deaths in Farah province might have been staged by the Taliban, Karzai said that an Afghan government team was investigating the incident and that "there was no doubt that the casualties were caused by bombings... and the use of air power." As the president grapples with the latest incident, he's also dealing with criticism of his administration by American officials for its perceived tolerance of corruption. An independent assessment by the non-governmental organization Transparency International rated Afghanistan as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Karzai said his government does not tolerate corruption. "That is not right! That is not right!" he said firmly. The president pointed out that Afghan courts had recently convicted 600 people on corruption charges or on counts of major drug dealing. Karzai used the issue of corruption to segue into a critique of the way in which aid has been disbursed to Afghanistan. He asserted that of the $32 billion the international community had given his country since 2001, only $6 billion -- or 20 percent -- has been funneled through the Afghan government. The other $26 billion has been spent by the donor countries themselves, and Karzai implied that the Afghan government should not be held accountable for how those funds have been spent. Support for Karzai's critique came last year in a study by the leading British charity Oxfam that concluded that a large portion of the money the international community has given to Afghanistan does not end up in the country itself. The report estimated that 40 percent of the money spent is returned to donor countries, such as the United States, in the form of consultants' salaries and corporate profits. Turning to the election, to be held August 20, the Afghan president said that if he wins another five-year term, he will put a special emphasis on building dams and bringing electricity to the Afghan people. The U.S. government assesses that less than 10 percent

Who is critical of how aid money is distributed to his nation?

What is said to have killed 100 civilians Wednesday?

Answer: Afghan President Hamid Karzai

Answer: U.S. airstrike

Answer: more than 100

Summary:
Afghan president says airstrikes have strained dealings with Washington .
Latest incident is said to have killed 100 civilians Wednesday .
Karzai critical of how aid money is distributed to his nation .
He emphasizes importance of "peace process" with Taliban .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- After a town hall meeting on health-care reform in Belgrade, Montana, President Obama will escape to Big Sky country on Friday evening where he'll spend time with family and go fly-fishing for the first time. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel carries fly-fishing tackle  to Marine One on Friday. Fly-fishing requires a singular focus, much like golf. Having newly discovered the sport myself, it occurred to me as I watched Marine One lift off the South Lawn on Friday that there are probably some lessons on the river that could apply to Obama's presidency. Thinking like a producer, I called an expert -- fly-fishing instructor Tony Derosier, who described the evolution most fishermen go through. "Usually, when you first go fishing, all you want to do is catch a fish, and then all you want to do is catch a lot of fish, and then you just want to catch the larger fish. After you've caught a lot of large fish, you kind of go back to square one and catch just one fish," said Derosier, manager at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Aspen, Colorado. "You basically just want to go fishing -- the numbers, the size, it doesn't matter any more." Obama is in the "big fish" stage of his presidency: He's trying to get health-care reform legislation passed hook, line, and sinker. If he's successful, anything else he gets passed will be icing on the cake. Learning the fundamentals of fly-fishing can serve as a metaphor for health care reform. Obama just needs to look at hooking and landing Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans like he would trout. The first step -- learn how to cast. "Fly-casting is all about maximizing the energy you put in your rod and you lose energy if you wait too long," Derosier said. "And conversely, if you don't wait long enough, your line will crack like a whip." Obama has to strike the right balance between rushing things through and losing momentum; and maintaining support while bringing others over to his side. The second step -- reading the water: "Instead of blindly casting anywhere in the river you want to understand where you might find fish," Derosier explained. Obama zeroed in on a fairly conservative state, Montana, where he faces a land full of skeptics about his health care reform plan. Third -- hook and land the fish: Derosier said once you hook the fish you have to know how to play the fish, which is a delicate balance between applying pressure but not so much that the line breaks -- much like the delicate balance of Obama's courting members of Congress. "The ultimate goal is to gain an advantage over the fish so that you can land him," he said. "It's the hardest thing to teach when it comes to fly-fishing," he said. Out in Montana, the game is catch-and-release trout. But in Washington, Obama is trying to hook Congress and take home health care reform, or risk it being the big one that got away.

Which sport is used as a metaphor for Obama's presidency?

Who wrote Obama is in the "big fish" stage?

What do beginning anglers what to catch?

What is a metaphor for obama's presidency?

What stage is Obama in, according to Shawna Shepherd?

CNN White House producer uses what as a metaphor that fits Obama's presidency?

Who is in  the "big fish" stage of his presidency?

Answer: Fly-fishing

Answer: Tony Derosier,

Answer: "big fish"

Answer: all you want to do is catch a fish,

Answer: Fly-fishing

Answer: "big fish"

Answer: President

Answer: Obama is in the "big fish" stage of his presidency:

Answer: "It's the hardest thing to teach when it comes to fly-fishing,"

Answer: "big fish"

Answer: Learning the fundamentals of fly-fishing

Answer: Obama

Answer: presidency.

Answer: health care reform.

Summary:
CNN White House producer: Fly-fishing is a metaphor that fits Obama's presidency .
Beginning anglers desire to catch bigger and bigger fish, expert says .
Obama is in the "big fish" stage of his presidency, Shawna Shepherd writes .
Delicate processes of political success are like casting, reading the water, etc.


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- An Army staff sergeant will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor after he sacrificed his own life in an effort to save another soldier in Afghanistan, the White House said Friday. By acts of "immeasurable courage," Staff Sgt. Jared Monti earned the Medal of Honor, the White House said. Staff Sgt. Jared Monti will receive the medal, the nation's highest military honor, on September 17 for his actions in combat, the White House said in a statement. His parents, Paul and Janet Monti, "will join the president at the White House to commemorate their son's example of selfless service and sacrifice." Monti, of Raynham, Massachusetts, died June 21, 2006, while deployed with the 10th Mountain Division, according to a Web site set up by family and friends to announce a scholarship in his honor. He was 31 when he died. Monti's reconnaissance team occupied a surveillance position when they were attacked near Gowardesh, Afghanistan, and he was killed by enemy fire, the Web site says. The White House statement said Monti "displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor -- eventually sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his comrade," but did not provide details of his actions. Monti's military decorations already included the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals and three National Defense Service Medals, the White House statement said. He is survived by his parents, his sister and brother and a niece. Monti was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class. The Medal of Honor is awarded to U.S. soldiers who distinguish themselves with "gallantry above and beyond the call of duty," the White House said. "The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life."

What will a president present to soldier's parents in September

Answer: the president

Answer: Medal of Honor

Answer: Staff Sgt. Jared Monti

Answer: Staff Sgt. Jared Monti

Answer: Army staff sergeant

Answer: in an effort to save another soldier in Afghanistan,

Answer: Medal of Honor

Answer: to save another soldier in Afghanistan,

Answer: immeasurable courage and uncommon valor

Summary:
White House: President will present medal to soldier's parents in September .
Staff Sgt. Jared Monti showed "immeasurable courage" in Afghanistan .
White House says Monti gave his life for comrade in combat, but no other details .
Much-decorated soldier was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class.


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- An attorney for convicted Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad, who is scheduled to be executed November 10, will seek clemency from Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine on October 22. John Allen Muhammad listen to testimony from victims' relatives during his 2004 sentencing. Jonathan Sheldon said he will also file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on November 2. He posted the dates Tuesday on his law firm's Web site. During a three-week period in October 2002, police say, Muhammad and young accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo shot 13 people, killing 10. Malvo, who was 17 at the time, was convicted in one shooting and was sentenced to life in prison. Muhammad is to be executed for the murder of Dean Harold Meyers at a Manassas, Virginia, gas station. Meyers was killed by a single bullet, which became the signature of the two-person sniper team. Kaine told CNN affiliate WTOP Radio during its "Ask the Governor" program last month that he couldn't imagine a circumstance under which he would grant clemency. "I know of nothing in this case that would suggest that there is any credible claim of innocence or that there was anything procedurally wrong with the prosecution," Kaine said. Under Virginia law, condemned prisoners can choose to die by electric chair or by lethal injection. If the inmate does not state a preference, he or she is executed by lethal injection.

Who  says he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court?

Where did John Allen Muhammad commit his crime?

Answer: John Allen Muhammad,

Answer: Jonathan Sheldon

Answer: shot 13 people, killing 10.

Answer: dates

Answer: 10.

Answer: Manassas, Virginia,

Answer: November 10,

Summary:
John Allen Muhammad is to be executed November 10 for a Virginia slaying .
Police say Muhammad and an accomplice killed 10 people in October 2002 .
Gov. Tim Kaine has said he couldn't imagine a circumstance for clemency .
On his firm's Web site, attorney says he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- An emotional Nancy Reagan helped unveil a statue of her late husband, President Reagan, on Wednesday, calling the 7-foot figure "a wonderful likeness." Nancy Reagan, with House Minority Leader John Boehner, wipes away tears at Wednesday's event. "I know Ronnie would be deeply honored to see himself with a permanent home in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol and very proud to be representing his beloved California," Nancy Reagan said. She appeared to battle emotions as she mentioned her last visit to the marbled hall for Reagan's memorial in June 2004. "It's nice to be back under happier circumstances," she said.  Watch Nancy Reagan unveil the statue » The statue is one of two from California in the National Statuary Hall Collection donated by states to honor significant figures. Nancy Reagan stood arm-in-arm with House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio to pull down the curtain from the statue. She thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California for making the event possible. In her remarks, Pelosi noted that the former president's statue contains pieces of the Berlin Wall, "as a symbol of his commitment to national security and to his success." The wall was torn down shortly after Reagan left office. "I'm so grateful to Californians for giving him this honor," Nancy Reagan said. "Artist Chas Fagan has captured his likeness so well, and I think the addition of the pieces of the Berlin Wall in the pedestal reflects my husband's commitment to freedom and democracy for everyone." The former president is credited with polices that led to the break-up of the former Soviet Union and the dismantling of the wall that divided Berlin as a symbol of Cold War politics. James Baker, a longtime Republican who served in the Cabinets of Reagan and President George H.W. Bush, recalled that Reagan inherited some major problems when he took office in 1981. Citing the former president's trademark optimism, he quoted from Reagan's first inaugural address that "we are not, as some would have us believe, doomed to an inevitable decline." Nancy Reagan attended a White House ceremony Tuesday marking Barack Obama's signing of legislation authorizing a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission. The 11-member commission will plan activities marking Reagan's 100th birthday on February 6, 2011. Reagan was president from 1981 to 1989.

The commission was planning events to mark what?

Answer: Reagan,

Answer: California

Answer: Berlin Wall,

Answer: Reagan,

Answer: Reagan's 100th birthday

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Answer: the former president's statue contains pieces of the Berlin Wall, "as a symbol of his commitment to national security and to his success."

Answer: pieces of the Berlin Wall,

Answer: California

Answer: "as a symbol of his commitment to national security and to his success."

Answer: Reagan's 100th birthday

Summary:
NEW: Former first lady touts husband's "commitment to freedom"
California donated figure for Capitol Rotunda to honor former president .
Pelosi says statue contains pieces of Berlin Wall .
Commission planning events to mark 100th birthday in 2011 .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- An independent research group predicts that cyberwarfare will accompany future military conflicts and is recommending international action to blunt its impact. Computers can become victims in future military conflicts, a nonprofit group says. The nonprofit U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit studied the cybertactics used against the country of Georgia during its military conflict with Russia last year. Cyberattacks in August 2008 shut down the Web sites of crucial Georgian government agencies, the media and banks. "The Russians have developed a model here that is very effective," said Scott Borg, director of US-CCU. "We can expect to see the Russians use it in the future, and other countries as well." Because of the sensitive nature of much of the information, the full 100-page report is being released only to U.S. government officials and selected cybersecurity professionals. CNN was provided a nine-page summary. The study concludes that the cyberattacks against Georgian targets were carried out by civilians, many of them recruited via social networking forums devoted to dating, hobbies and politics. "There was a large-scale collaboration on these forums," said US-CCU's chief technical officer, John Bumgarner. "They were used to recruit potential actors to launch attacks, to collaborate on what types of attacks worked and what types of attacks didn't work. They were used to collaborate on how to bypass security controls and share attack codes." As a result, Borg said, Russian sympathizers who were not hackers, and who didn't even know much about computers, could participate. The report says the civilian cyberattackers were aided and supported by Russian organized crime. Although they found no evidence of direct involvement by the Russian government or military, the report concludes that the organizers were tipped off about the timing of Russian military operations. "There was a lot of information being passed on, but at what level it was being passed on was hard to say," Borg said. The report says that "the necessary reconnaissance and the writing of attack scripts had to have been done in advance ... and suggests that cyber attacks against Georgia had been on the Russian agenda for some time." The hackers did not carry out physically destructive cyberattacks, although they probably had the technical expertise to do so, suggesting that "someone on the Russian side was exercising considerable restraint," the report says. It also notes that media and communications facilities, which might have been attacked by missiles and bombs in a conventional war, were spared that, "presumably because they were being effectively shut down by cyberattacks." Because the cybercampaign against Georgia presents a pattern that can be expected in future conflicts, the report says, there is an "urgent need" for an international organization to provide risk advisories when preparations for a cybercampaign are detected. It also says there should be an international cyber-response force to provide quick assistance to member countries, advising them on how to thwart an attack and setting up operations to do so. The report also recommends that every country conduct cyber-response exercises, otherwise "the relevant officials will waste precious time trying to figure out whom they should be contacting and what they should be doing." Bumgarner said that cyberwarfare "is a global chess game in which citizens, governments and corporations are the pawns." Borg added, "Right now, the international community has no idea how to deal with this."

When were the cybertactics used?
Who carried out most attacks?

Answer: August 2008

Answer: by civilians,

Summary:
Study looked at cybertactics used during Russia-Georgia conflict .
Civilians recruited from social networks carried out most attacks, report says .
International agency needed to advise about risks, group says .
Another recommendation is creation of cyber-response force .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Are circus elephants abused? Or are the elephants under the big top healthy and thriving in a caring environment? Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey elephants pass the U.S. Capitol in a parade this week in Washington. That's the issue a federal judge must decide in a 9-year-old legal dispute pitting four animal rights groups against the nation's most famous circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Closing arguments will be heard Wednesday in the case in which the circus is accused of mistreating its 54 Asian elephants, which are protected under the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Under the law, endangered species cannot be "harmed, harassed, wounded, injured or killed." The circus "is in fact in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act as a result of their routine practices that they use on the elephants," according to Tracy Silverman, general counsel for the Animal Welfare Institute. Silverman alleges that the circus uses "bull hooks" and electrical prods called "hot shots" to train and manage the elephants and that handlers chain the elephants for extended periods of time. These practices violate federal law, Silverman says. But the circus says that no evidence was presented at the six-week trial that such tools as bull hooks and hot shots are used on elephants. "Ringling Bros.' practices are well known to the federal government who regulates their business," says Ringling Bros. attorney Michelle Pardo. The tools the circus uses to handle animals "are time-tested, approved and commonly used," she added. Pardo insists the trial evidence "showed the elephants are healthy, well cared for and they're thriving in Ringling Bros. care." Besides the Animal Welfare Institute, other groups involved in the suit are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Fund for Animals and Born Free USA, acting with the Animal Protection Institute. While the animal rights groups allege the circus "severely mistreats and abuses" elephants, the circus says the animals are not only healthy but "really do benefit from the enrichment that the circus provides." No immediate ruling is expected from the judge.

How many Asian elephants are Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey accusesd of mistreating?

Who are Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey?

Answer: Under the law,

Answer: a federal

Answer: 54

Answer: the nation's most famous circus,

Answer: 54 Asian elephants,

Summary:
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey accused of mistreating 54 Asian elephants .
Judge is set to hear closing arguments in nearly decade-old legal dispute .
Animal rights groups say circus violating 1973 Endangered Species Act .
Circus attorney says elephants "thriving in Ringling Bros. care."


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- As Washington gears up for January's presidential inauguration with high-priced tickets to fancy affairs, one businessman is making sure that some of the less fortunate will have a chance to share in the festivities.

Earl Stafford is a Virginia businessman helping the disadvantaged see the inauguration.

Virginia businessman Earl Stafford has spent $1 million to give hundreds of poverty-stricken and terminally ill Americans, along with wounded men and women in uniform, an inauguration experience that won't cost them anything.

The zero-dollar price tag is even more shocking, considering that tickets to the inaugural events are going for hundreds of dollars, the city's remaining hotel rooms are edging into four-figure territory, and even basements and couches miles from the National Mall are going for a premium on Craigslist.

Tickets for the inauguration are distributed through members of Congress, and just 240,000 seats are available for the swearing-in ceremony. The tickets are supposed to be free, but with demand outpacing supply, some people have been trying to scalp tickets for thousands of dollars.

Stafford's event is one of the splashiest inauguration packages out there. It includes high-end hotel rooms and luxury suites, food and drinks, a heated viewing spot right above the parade route, even gowns and tuxedos to wear to celebratory balls and a beautician to help attendees get ready.

Hours after the election, Stafford, a 60-year-old businessman and son of a Baptist minister, invested in what the JW Marriott billed as its $1 million "build-your-own-ball" inaugural hotel package.

His family's nonprofit foundation, the Stafford Foundation, is footing the bill for what it is calling the People's Inaugural Project, but it is also hoping to get money from sponsors.

Stafford said Thursday that he hopes the balcony terrace is filled "with those who are disadvantaged, those who are distressed, mingling with those who aren't so. And we hope to see on their faces a sense of excitement."

"I was inspired to do this by the Lord. ... It's not about us but about us helping other people," he said.

At least third of the tickets to the event will go toward people who are needy or underprivileged, and the rest of those participating could be people from sponsoring foundations, companies or volunteers.

Everything, he said, will be taken care of: transportation, evening gowns and tuxedos for the ball.

He hopes that providing a front row seat to history will inspire those invited to do good things in their communities.

Stafford said he began thinking about the project in March. He voted for Barack Obama, and records show he contributed $4,600 to the Democrat's campaign, according to the Washington Post.

Stafford, a retired Air Force officer, noted that he does not agree with all of Obama's positions. But, he told the paper, he decided the inauguration would be "a transition in history, if you will ... and everyone should be included."

CNN's Samantha Hayes and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.

What was billed as "build-your-own-ball"?

How much did Stafford pay to see the inauguration?

Who paid for the needy to see the event?

Who paid 1 million dollars so needy could the inauguration?

Answer: hundreds of dollars,

Answer: $1 million

Answer: inaugural hotel package.

Answer: $1 million

Answer: Earl Stafford

Answer: inspired to do this by the Lord.

Answer: tickets to the inaugural events

Answer: $1 million

Answer: Earl Stafford

Answer: that he hopes the balcony terrace is filled "with those who are disadvantaged, those who are distressed, mingling with those who aren't so. And we hope to see on their faces a sense of excitement."

Answer: Virginia businessman Earl Stafford

Summary:
Earl Stafford paid $1 million so needy could see inauguration .
Packages for some inaugural events going for hundreds of dollars .
Stafford said his effort was rooted in his faith, good fortune .
Package offered by JW Marriott billed as "build-your-own-ball"


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Attorney General Eric Holder was decidedly noncommittal Thursday as he was buffeted on Capitol Hill by alternating demands to release -- or not -- more secret documents related to alleged torture, and to prosecute -- or not -- Bush administration officials who wrote and approved those documents. Attorney General Eric Holder testifies before a U.S. House subcommittee on Thursday. Holder was scheduled to appear before a House committee to discuss the Justice Department budget, but lawmakers threw away the script and overwhelmed him with pointed questions about the memos and accountability for the interrogation policies. The toughest exchanges were with the top Republican in the session, Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia. Wolf insisted Holder provide still-secret documents which former Vice President Dick Cheney says detail valuable intelligence gained from the use of the harsh techniques against captured suspected terrorists. "You have an obligation to release the rest of the memos," Wolf demanded. But Holder said he had no knowledge of documents that might contain the information to which Cheney referred. "I'm not familiar with those memos. I frankly have not seen them. I don't know that they exist," Holder said. When Holder said he doesn't control all of the documents, Wolf complained Holder was trying to duck responsibility "just because the documents might be in a different building." "It is certainly the intention of this administration not to play hide and seek, or not to release certain things," Holder replied. "It is not our intention to try to advance a political agenda or to try to hide things from the American people," he said. As Republican lawmakers complained about the administration's release of four documents last week that had authorized waterboarding and other controversial methods, Democrats praised the release. Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wisconsin, said torture is illegal and those responsible for its use have to be held personally accountable. Representatives of liberal organizations including MoveOn.org, Democrats.com and the American Civil Liberties Union were in the hearing room seeking to cajole Holder and other administration officials to appoint a special prosecutor to press charges against Bush administration officials. "The Justice Department is obligated to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate these crimes," said Mandy Simon of the ACLU. She said representatives of the groups had provided to Assistant Attorney General Lee Loftus a disk containing the signatures of about 260,000 individuals demanding the outside prosecutor be appointed. Holder was not asked whether he would seek an outside counsel, but indicated he was waiting for more information from pending reports. He said a key report on the actions of Bush Justice Department officials involved in drafting the controversial legal guidance would be completed "soon" and he hopes to make it public.

What groups want prosecutor to press charges

Answer: administration's release of four documents last week that had authorized waterboarding

Answer: more secret documents related to alleged torture,

Answer: Attorney General Eric Holder

Answer: liberal organizations including MoveOn.org, Democrats.com and the American Civil Liberties Union

Summary:
On Capitol Hill, Republicans criticize initial release of four interrogation memos .
They say memos referenced by Dick Cheney should be released for complete picture .
Liberal groups demand special prosecutor to press charges against Bush officials .
Attorney general remains noncommittal on additional releases or any prosecutions .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Beginning Saturday, many air travelers will be asked their birth dates and genders when making airline reservations. The new travel rules are the latest "visible" expansion of the Secure Flight program. It's the latest "publicly visible" expansion of Secure Flight, a program that transfers responsibility for checking air passengers' identities from the airlines to the federal government, the Transportation Security Administration said. The change keeps the agency on track to assume responsibility for ID checks on all domestic flights by early next year, according to the TSA. Currently, the airlines check passenger identifications against lists of suspected terrorists. But the 9/11 Commission said the job was better suited for the federal government, which compiles the "terror watch lists." Government control increases security, according to the TSA, while reducing the number of instances in which innocent people are mistakenly confused with possible terrorists having similar or identical names. In May, the federal government began the first public phase of "Secure Flight" when four small airlines began asking passengers to provide their names, as the names appeared on the government-issued IDs they would be traveling with, when making reservations. Since then, additional airlines have begun asking for full names, TSA spokeswoman Sterling Payne said, though she declined to say how many airlines are participating for security reasons. The new change requires travelers to provide three pieces of information when making reservations: the passenger's full name as it appears on the government-issued ID they will be using, their birth date and their gender. The airline will transmit that information to the TSA, which will compare it to a "no-fly" list of people prohibited from flying or a list of "selectees" who can fly after they pass additional physical screening. If passengers are not asked for this addition information, they should not be concerned, as it will not affect  their travel, the agency said. Early efforts to create the Secure Flight program were beset by problems, including program delays and complaints of privacy breaches. Finally, in 2006, after the TSA spent more than $130 million and four years on the system, then-TSA Director Kip Hawley ordered a complete overhaul of the program and dropped plans to check passengers' names against commercial databases, one of the most contentious features of the program. "Secure Flight is a key tool in confirming that someone identified as a 'No Fly' does not receive a boarding pass," TSA acting Administrator Gale Rossides said in a statement Wednesday. "Secure Flight will make travel safer and easier for passengers." The TSA says it plans to vet 100 percent of passengers on all domestic commercial flights by early next year and 100 percent of passengers on all international commercial flights by the end of 2010.

Who takes responsibility for identity checking?

What organization expects to check all domestic passengers?

Who is taking over responsibility for checking identities?

Answer: federal government,

Answer: compare it to a "no-fly" list of people prohibited from flying

Answer: TSA.

Answer: their birth dates and genders

Answer: federal government,

Answer: birth dates and genders

Answer: the federal government,

Answer: their birth dates and genders

Summary:
Many travelers will be asked for birth dates, genders on reservation .
Federal government taking over responsibility of checking identities .
TSA expects to check all domestic passengers by early next year .
If you aren't asked for information, agency says, don't be concerned .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Bernie McDaid was an 11-year-old altar boy when his priest began molesting him, one of 50 boys who have said they were molested by the same man. Olan Horne, from left, Faith Johnston and Bernie McDaid met with the pope Thursday. Like with so many victims of abuse, McDaid's young life spiraled. He turned to drugs and alcohol in his teen years, struggling to cope with what "Father B" had done to him. On Thursday, he finally got a chance to do something he'd hoped for decades: He met with the Holy Father and told him about the abuse he had suffered. "I basically told him that I was an altar boy ... a young boy praying to God at the time that I was abused," McDaid said. "It wasn't just sexual abuse, it was spiritual abuse, and I want you to know that."   "And then I told him that he has a cancer growing in his ministry and needs to do something about it. And I hope he hears me right, and I touched his heart. And he nodded."  Watch victims describe abuse and pope's apology » McDaid was part of a small group of victims of the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Roman Catholic Church who met with Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday. They shared their stories with the pope in a Washington chapel in what the victims called an emotional, frank and ultimately hope-filled meeting. Faith Johnston clutched her mother's rosary beads as she tried to speak to the pope. But her emotions took over. "I didn't end up saying anything. I got up to him, and I burst into tears," said Johnston, who at 14 was molested by her priest. "I think just my tears alone spoke -- just spoke so much." She added, "I hope that other survivors can hear about this, see this and get the same hope that we've gotten from it." Olan Horne said the pope first apologized to them in what he called an "unscripted" and "free-flowing" meeting. "We were all able to answer all of the questions that needed to be asked and for him to respond to. And he did -- and he did forthright," Horne said. "He seemed to intrinsically understand what we were talking about. And he spoke to those issues to each one of us in a spiritual way, in a pastoral way. And he also was very respectful of where and what we wanted to talk about." Horne added, "My hope was restored today from what I heard. And I believe we received a promise." Horne and McDaid both accused the same priest, the Rev. Joseph Birmingham, of molesting them. Birmingham died in 1989. The Rev. Federico Lombardi, a papal spokesman, said the pope listened to everyone's "personal accounts and offered them words of encouragement and hope." The surprise meeting came during the pope's visit, the first trip to the United States by the Holy Father since the abuse scandal rocked the church in the early 2000s. The meeting is believed to be the first between a pope and the victims of clergy sexual abuse. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims, said it was pleased that the pope met with the victims but hopes the church will do more. "This is a small, long overdue step forward on a very long road. We're confident the meeting was meaningful for the participants, and we're grateful that these victims have had the courage to come forward and speak up," the group said. "But fundamentally, it won't change things. Kids need action. Catholics deserve action. Action produces reform, and reform, real reform, is sorely needed in the church hierarchy." Earlier Thursday, celebrating Mass in center field at Washington's new ballpark, the pope gave a 20-minute homily that focused on hope, repentance

what support the victim?
What says victim?
who is responsible for all this
Who abuse victims?
Who met with the pope?

Answer: The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,

Answer: "It wasn't just sexual abuse, it was spiritual abuse, and I want you to know that."

Answer: Joseph Birmingham,

Answer: priest

Answer: Olan Horne,

Summary:
Victim: I was "a young boy praying to God at the time that I was abused"
Group of sex abuse victims met with pope Thursday; pope apologized .
"He seemed to intrinsically understand what we were talking about," victim says .
Victim support group says "real reform is sorely needed in the church hierarchy"


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Boys may soon be able to get Gardasil, the vaccine given to girls and young women to prevent infection by four types of human papillomavirus.

Gardasil, a vaccine against human papillomavirus, would be given to boys exactly as it is to girls.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted Wednesday to recommend that the vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV.

The vaccine protects against four types of HPV, and two of those are believed to be responsible for 70 percent of cervical and anal cancers, and HPV-associated penile and throat-and-neck cancers. The other two cause 90 percent of genital warts cases, researchers say.

At Wednesday's advisory committee meeting, pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., maker of Gardasil, presented data from three clinical trials that the company claims supports broadening the distribution of the vaccine to include males. The trials included more than 5,400 boys and men from six continents and 23 countries.

According to Anna Giuliano, an independent scientist at Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, and the trials' principal investigator, "The data clearly demonstrates that there was a benefit to men in receiving Gardasil. Overall, we saw a 90 percent reduction in disease -- genital warts and pre-cancerous lesions -- caused by HPV in men and an 89 percent reduction in genital warts incidence.

"Essentially, we have a really fantastic opportunity to extend the benefit of the vaccine to men," Giuliano said. "This is a sexually transmitted infection; if we can reduce infection and related diseases in men, we have the potential to have a much broader public health impact by reducing the overall burden of infection and disease in the community at large."

Giuliano said there were no serious adverse events related to the vaccine. There were some minor side effects such as pain at the injection site and low-grade fever.

The vaccine would be administered in boys and young men exactly as it's been given to girls and young women: three doses over a period of six months. Merck spokeswoman Pam Eisele said the cost will be $130 per dose.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20 million Americans are infected with HPV. There are 6.2 million new infections each year.

The CDC says that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women get an HPV infection at some time in their life. The American Social Health Association says HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus and puts that number at 75 percent or more.

The CDC says that although HPV is very common in both sexes, most men won't develop symptoms or serious health problems, and there is no test to detect the virus in men. The only approved HPV test on the market is for women, for use in cervical-cancer screening.

The advisory committee also voted that Cervarix, a new HPV vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline, appeared to be safe and effective for girls and young women 10 to 25 years of age. Cervarix has been approved in Europe.

"This is an important step in cancer prevention for the millions of girls and young women at risk for cervical cancer," said Barbara Howe, vice president and director of North American vaccine development for GlaxoSmithKline.

"If approved, Cervarix will provide protection against cervical cancer, a devastating disease that is responsible for thousands of deaths in U.S. women each year."

Still, the panel recommended that Glaxo do more studies that would monitor miscarriages and other problems reported by patients.

In a final review, both applications will be considered by the FDA, which usually -- but not always -- follows the recommendations of its advisory committees.

what does the shots can prevent according to a committee?

Answer: the vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV.

Answer: infection at some time in their life.

Answer: infection by four types of human papillomavirus.

Answer: Gardasil,

Answer: HPV.

Answer: infection by four types of human papillomavirus.

Answer: vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV.

Summary:
Committee says shots could prevent genital warts in males 9 to 26 .
Vaccine's maker claims studies show 90 percent less HPV-caused disease .
HPV common in both sexes, CDC says, but men develop fewer problems .
Committee also favors Cervarix, new vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Brand new runways are opening at three major airports Thursday, giving the aviation community something to cheer about in a year of dismal economic and travel news. Washington Dulles International Airport's new runway opens Thursday ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Washington Dulles International Airport will get a fourth runway, its first runway addition since the airport opened in 1962. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport's new runway is part of a massive, multi-billion dollar modernization program. Previously, six of the airport's seven runways intersected. When the entire project is completed in 2014, the airport will have eight runways in parallel configurations considered safer and more efficient. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's new runway is being especially welcomed because of the region's notoriously wet climate. The airport's third runway will allow planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather. The current runways are too close to allow simultaneous operations in foul weather. Airport officials claim the new runway will cut delays in half. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said travelers will benefit from coast to coast.  See runways at the three airports » "It is going to make a difference," Peters said. "It is going to allow us to conduct more operations, meaning more takeoffs and landings per hour at these airports and will help move passengers efficiently through. "That, we hope, will give travelers a good experience this holiday season," she said. President Bush, this week, touted the arrival of the three new runways, noting that 14 new runways will have opened during his administration. However, aviation experts warn airport infrastructure still lags behind demand, and that real estate realities in the New York area, perceived to be the epicenter of aviation delays, mean that new runways are least likely to be built where they are most needed.  Watch what Web sites offer best travel deals » "It would really be nice if we had even one new runway" at each of the nation's most congested airports, namely LaGuardia, Newark and JFK," aviation consultant Darryl Jenkins said. "It would do an enormous amount to relieve congestion throughout the entire nation." iReport.com: What are your holiday travel plans? Jenkins said new runways in New York are pipe dreams because of land constraints and local opposition. "Local opposition wins. There's no opposition that is as tough to beat down as local opposition," he said. Chicago O'Hare's International Airport, which has purchased more than 500 single-family homes to make room for expansion, remains in court battles with several property owners. Aviation experts argue the experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia demonstrate that new runways are invaluable to airlines and travelers. A new runway that opened there in 2006 has increased operations by 25 to 30 flights an hour, shaved minutes off average flight delays and saved airlines $10 million a week in fuel costs, airport officials said. Air traffic controllers are generally happy with the added concrete they will lord over. "There's no greater supporter of runways than controllers," said Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). "It's reason to shout and celebrate from the rooftops." However, the new Dulles airport runway may not be of much benefit at the start. Controller Chris Sutherland, the NATCA representative for the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), explained that because only one taxiway has been completed, planes that land heading north must roll to a stop, turn around and taxi more than a mile and a half to the taxiway, costing the airlines both time and money. "Bottom line, the users are going to fight us tooth and nail if we try to land them on that runway out there," Sutherland said. The airport also does not have the technology necessary to use all three parallel runways in inclement weather, he said. "We're actually creating delays with additional new concrete and that's kind of going against why we built it in the first place,

In which city is the airport located?
When does the new airport runway open?
What lags behind demand?
What still lags behind
What will make airports safer?
What opens Thursday?
What day does the new runway open
What will the new runways allow?

Answer: Washington

Answer: Thursday

Answer: airport infrastructure

Answer: airport infrastructure

Answer: runways in parallel configurations

Answer: Brand new runways are opening at three major airports

Answer: Thursday,

Answer: planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather.

Summary:
New airport runways open Thursday in Seattle, Chicago and Washington .
Officials say new runways will make airports safer, more efficient .
However, aviation experts caution airport infrastructure still lags behind demand .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Cell phone images are providing evidence that a large number of civilians may have been mistakenly killed by U.S. troops operating in Afghanistan last month, two NATO officials said Sunday. The grainy cell phone video shows blankets and quilts covering bodies inside a building. The Afghan government, a United Nations review and other reports from the region state that as many as 90 civilians were killed in an August 22 airstrike, but the Pentagon has adamantly disputed the death toll. Another U.S. military official, who has seen the cell phone imagery but asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said Monday there were about 30 bodies, some covered and some in blankets. There were "several children who appear to be pulled from the rubble," he said. The grainy cell phone video, viewed by CNN, shows rows of blankets and quilts inside a building. In the video, someone lifts the blankets to show the heads of those slain. People who appear to be mourners sit by their loved ones and wail.  Watch: Video prompts Pentagon probe » Though CNN has confirmed the military is reviewing the video, CNN has not independently verified the authenticity of the imagery. The U.S. military source, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, said the initial U.S. assessment was based largely on comparisons of satellite imagery of a 10-square-kilometer area from before the attack, taken August 14, and imagery captured after the attack, on August 24. Officials viewing the satellite imagery looked for fresh graves after the attack and found only 18 new plots, just in the village area, he said. A U.S. patrol then went to the area August 26. The patrol confirmed those graves but found no others, the source said. The cell phone images were recently shown to Gen. David McKiernan, the top NATO commander, who over the weekend asked for a high-level review of the previous military investigation. That probe concluded the United States was only responsible for a handful of civilian deaths. One of the NATO officials said it appears there were a number of villagers buried in the rubble that the U.S. troops did not see when they were searching the compound targeted in the airstrike. It is believed that after the U.S. troops left the compound, villagers pulled the bodies from the rubble and buried them. Locals apparently took cell phone images and showed them to U.N. investigators, who recently showed them to McKiernan, leading him to request a review. McKiernan learned of the cell phone imagery only after it was shown to him at the U.N. headquarters in Kabul a few days ago. "In light of emerging evidence pertaining to civilian casualties in the August 22 counter-insurgency operation in the Shindand District, Herat province, I feel it is prudent to request that U.S. Central Command send a general officer to review the U.S. investigation and its findings with respect to this new evidence," McKiernan said Sunday in statement. "The people of Afghanistan have our commitment to get to the truth," he said. Afghanistan's government and the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan concluded that 90 civilians were killed in the August 22 airstrike in the western Afghan province of Herat. UNAMA said it found "convincing" evidence that 60 children, 15 women and 15 men were killed in the strike. But the initial investigation by the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan found that 30 to 35 Taliban militants and five to seven civilians were killed. The findings have been handed over to McKiernan. After the Afghan government concluded its investigation, ministers demanded a review of international troops within its borders. On August 25, Afghanistan's Council of Ministers called on the Defense and Foreign Affairs ministries to start negotiating a "status of forces" agreement with international forces -- which include U.S. and NATO troops. The council also asked that the ministries demand the international forces halt airstrikes on civilian targets, as well as house searches not coordinated with Afghan authorities and the illegal detention of civilians. That same day, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that he had fired two military commanders, including Gen. Jalandar Shah,

How many militants were killed according to the U.S?

Reports say how many civilians were killed in the strike?

What is the number of dead in the strike?

Answer: 30 to 35

Answer: 90

Answer: blankets and quilts covering bodies inside a building.

Answer: 90

Answer: "several children

Answer: as many as 90 civilians were killed in an August 22 airstrike,

Summary:
NEW: Video shows rows of blankets, apparent mourners wailing by loved ones .
Locals apparently pulled bodies from rubble after U.S. troops left compound .
Reports say as many as 90 civilians killed in strike; Pentagon disputes death toll .
U.S. says it killed at least 30 militants, uncovered cache of weapons in strike .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Control tower tapes reveal that the pilot of presidential hopeful Barack Obama's plane told air traffic controllers there was an emergency when he made an unscheduled landing last month in St. Louis, Missouri. Barack Obama's plane had to make an unscheduled landing on July 7 in St. Louis, Missouri. On July 7 the Midwest Airlines MD-81 made an unscheduled landing during the flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Charlotte, North Carolina. The owner of the plane initially said the landing was not caused by an emergency. However the tapes, released to ABC News through a Freedom of Information Act request, contradict that report. ABC first reported on the tapes on Thursday. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown told CNN Thursday evening that preliminary information for incidents is often incomplete or incorrect.  Watch what the tapes revealed » According to the tapes, the pilot told an FAA air traffic controller that he had limited ability to move the plane's nose up and down. "We have limited pitch authority at flight levels; we're descending to see if we can regain pitch authority," the pilot told the air traffic controller. "At this time we would like to declare this an emergency and also have CFR (fire and rescue equipment) standing by in St. Louis," the pilot said. The pilot remained calm throughout the recording. Midwest Airlines acknowledged at the time that the pilot had detected a control problem in the pitch of the plane after an emergency evacuation chute opened in the aircraft's tail cone while in flight. Normally, the chute deploys only after landing and after the tail cone pops off. The pitch, or angle of the nose of an airplane, affects the pilot's ability to control the plane. The airline said the pilot had "full authority of the aircraft." According to the tapes, the pilot said he regained control as the plane began to descend into St. Louis. "We had a pitch authority problem, now that we have come down to a lower altitude it seems to have rectified itself. We do have pitch control of the aircraft at this time," he said. Fire trucks met the aircraft when it landed at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. After the plane landed, Obama told reporters the plane landed because of a mechanical problem and noted it marked the first time he had had to do so. "Just thought we'd spice things up a little bit today," he joked. "Anytime a pilot says that something's not working the way its supposed to, then, you know, you make sure you tighten your seat belt. Everything seemed under control, the pilots knew what they were doing." The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident, said last month that there was no evidence of tampering. An "examination of the hardware did not reveal any evidence of missing components, nor any evidence of tampering," the board said. CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

What made officials declare it was not an emergency?

Who obtained audio tape in Freedom of Information Act request?

Who says he has limited ability to move plane's nose up and down?

Answer: preliminary information for incidents is often incomplete or incorrect.

Answer: St. Louis, Missouri.

Answer: the pilot had "full authority of the aircraft."

Answer: move the plane's nose up and down.

Answer: ABC News

Answer: The owner of the plane

Answer: ABC News

Answer: the pilot

Summary:
On tape pilot says he has limited ability to move plane's nose up and down .
ABC obtained audio tape in Freedom of Information Act request .
When incident occurred, officials had said it was not an emergency .
Pilot says on tape he was able to regain control during descent into St. Louis .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities do not consistently offer the level of services and infrastructure necessary to properly treat the growing number of female veterans, a government investigation concludes. One official says the VA can offer women better medical care than they would get in private practice. The report by the Government Accountability Office found wide variation in the medical centers' facilities and programs for female veterans. Investigators visited 18 veterans' facilities and found that basic services, like pelvic examinations, were being provided and that patients had access to female providers for gender-specific care. But the facilities were lacking in some simpler accommodations, such as the configuration of exam rooms and privacy in check-in areas. The department says it is taking comprehensive steps to improve, including programs for primary care and mental health care for female veterans, along with having a female veterans' program manager in each of its medical facilities. But Veterans Affairs faces hurdles in its efforts to improve its services and facilities, the department's chief consultant for women's medical care testified before Congress on Tuesday. "Moving to a more comprehensive primary care delivery model could challenge VA clinicians, who may have dealt predominantly with male veterans and sometimes have little or no exposure to female patients," said Patricia Hayes of the department's Women's Veterans Health Strategic Healthcare Group. Only one-third of veterans' facilities offer a separate space for women to receive gynecological, mental health and social work services, according to Hayes. There is a goal to have a gynecologist available at every facility by 2012, she said. And Dennis Cullinan, national legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, noted that Veterans Affairs has contracted out to provide female veterans care in the facilities where there are not in-house providers. He said the department is fighting an aging infrastructure that is making it tougher to improve facilities. "The facilities to provide the level of care and privacy just aren't there," he said. "The VA is pursuing this. They are absolutely not dodging it." There are more than 1.8 million female veterans in the United States, 8 percent of the veteran population. In 2008, more than 281,000 female veterans received care from Veterans Affairs, according to the department's statistics. The number of female veterans enrolled for medical care with the department is expected to increase by 30 percent in the next five years, it predicts. The median age of female veterans is much lower than their male counterparts: 47, compared with 61, according to Veterans Affairs data. Hayes said the department can offer female veterans better care than they would receive in private practices. "Women are screened for unique health concerns like cervical cancer or breast cancer at higher rates than non-VA health care programs," she noted. While noting that the department has taken steps to upgrade its services and facilities to meet the needs of female veterans, investigators found that it stumbled on some more basic elements. None of the facilities visited was fully compliant with the department's standards for privacy, investigators found, including privacy in the check-in area. "In most clinical settings, check-in desk or windows were located in a mixed-gender waiting room or on a high-traffic public corridor," the report explained. In a majority of the clinics, "check-in desk were located in close proximity to chairs where other patients waited for their appointment." In one facility, it said, investigators observed other patients lining up immediately behind the patient trying to check in. The government investigators also found that exam tables were not oriented away from the door or shielded properly by curtains, as is required, and there was a lack of toilets near the facilities where gynecological examinations were conducted. And only two of the facilities provided sanitary napkin dispensers in at least one public restroom for women.

How much is the number of enrolled women expected to rise?

What is the number of women enrolled ¡for care expected?

Answer: wide variation in the medical centers' facilities and programs for female veterans.

Answer: the Government Accountability Office

Answer: by 30 percent

Answer: the Government Accountability Office

Answer: found wide variation in the medical centers' facilities and programs for female veterans.

Answer: to increase by 30 percent in the next five years,

Summary:
GAO report finds centers lacking in simple accommodations .
Veterans' agency says it is working hard for improvement .
Aging infrastructure expected to complicate efforts .
Number of women enrolled for care expected to rise 30 percent over five years .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Federal and state health officials said Monday that salmonella linked last week in Minnesota to King Nut peanut butter was caused by the same strain of bacteria responsible for an ongoing outbreak of 410 salmonella cases in 43 states.

Salmonella bacteria are transmitted to humans by eating contaminated foods.

The infection may have contributed to three deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.

"Preliminary analysis of an epidemiologic study conducted by CDC and public health officials in multiple states comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has suggested peanut butter as a likely source," the disease agency said in a written statement. "To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores."

A spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration said Monday that the agency has been collaborating with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and public health officials in many states to investigate the outbreak of infections due to Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium.

"This new information from Minnesota will not change what we are currently doing as part of the investigation," said FDA spokesman Michael Herndon.  What you need to know about food poisoning Â»

The Minnesota bacteria were linked last week to institutionally distributed peanut butter, sold under the King Nut brand name.

In one of the Minnesota patients, a 70-year-old female nursing home resident, the infection proved fatal, said Doug Schultz, a Minnesota public health department spokesman.

"We do not know to what extent the salmonella contributed to the death," said Schultz, who added that the patient had other underlying illnesses.

Virginia Health officials confirm that two of the three deaths linked to the salmonella outbreak were from their state. Although she could not provide a lot of information due to privacy laws, Michelle Peregoy, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health tells CNN that one person who died was over age 65 and from the Southwest part of the state, the other person who died was a younger adult between the ages of 25-64.

As with the Minnesota patient, both Virgina patients had underlying illnesses, which means they had weakended immune systems. Very young people, older people and those with compromised immune systems are the most vulnerable to severe side effects, including death.

Late last week, King Nut Companies, based in Ohio, recalled King Nut peanut butter. President and CEO Martin Kanan said the product is manufactured by a Lynchburg, Virginia-based company, Peanut Corporation of America.

"King Nut took this action as soon as it was informed that salmonella had been found in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter," the company said Saturday in a posting on its Web site.

King Nut, which distributes peanut butter through food service accounts, does not sell directly to consumers.

Kanan said King Nut has asked customers to stop distributing peanut butter with lot codes beginning with "8" and has canceled orders with the manufacturer.

The first cases nationwide were reported September 3, but most occurred between October 1 and December 31, the CDC said last week. About 18 percent of cases were hospitalized as a result of their illness, and patients have ranged from 2 months to 98 years of age.

California has reported the highest case count with 55, followed by Ohio with 53, Massachusetts with 39, Minnesota with 30 and Michigan with 20.

The other 37 states are each reporting from one to 19 cases.

The seven states that have reported no cases connected to the outbreak are Montana, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida and Alaska.

Strains of salmonella linked to outbreaks in the past have been traced to contaminated eggs, meat, poultry, vegetables, pet food and peanut butter.

Contaminated tomatoes were blamed for an outbreak in the fall of 2006 caused by salmonella Typhimurium, which sickened at least 183 people in 21 states. Most people suffered from diarrhea and fever for about a week. No one is known to have died in that outbreak.

Salmonella infections can be treated with antibiotics, though some strains are resistant

What product is associated with the King Nut brand?

How many people are sick from salmonella?

According to the CDC, how many have been sickened by the outbreak?

Where is King Nut peanut butter manufactured?

How many states were affected by salmonella-related illness?

How man salmonella deaths have been confirmed in Virginia?

According to the CDC, how many states have been affected?

How many people died of salmonella in Virginia?

Answer: Centers for Disease Control

Answer: peanut butter

Answer: 410

Answer: 410

Answer: Minnesota

Answer: 43

Answer: two of the three deaths linked to the salmonella outbreak were from their state.

Answer: two

Answer: 43

Answer: three deaths

Summary:
New: Virginia officials confirm two salmonella-related deaths in the state .
CDC: Salmonella outbreak sickens at least 410 people in 43 states .
Officials link salmonella in Minnesota to same strain responsible for outbreak .
Minnesota bacteria traced to institutionally distributed King Nut peanut butter .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Federal authorities have charged seven men in North Carolina with supporting terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder abroad, the Justice Department announced Monday. Daniel Patrick Boyd, left, and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan are two of the seven men charged. Officials said one of the men, identified as North Carolina resident and U.S. native Daniel Patrick Boyd, had traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he trained in terrorist camps to carry out "violent jihad." Boyd, 39, who went by the name Saifullah, was charged along with two of his sons: Dylan Boyd, 22, also known as Mohammed, and Zakariya Boyd, 20. The four others also are residents of North Carolina, and all seven are accused of engaging in weapons training and military tactics in their home state, the Justice Department said. "We consider this significant. We've been watching them for some time, and we think they were dangerous," said a federal law enforcement official who asked not to be identified. The Boyd family and defendant Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan are identified as U.S.-born citizens. Defendant Hysen Sherifi is identified as a native of Kosovo who is a legal permanent resident of the United States, and Hiyad Yaghi and Anes Subasic are said to be naturalized U.S. citizens. Officials did not immediately identify their native countries. The indictment, made public by the Justice Department, says Daniel Boyd and others left the United States for Israel in June 2007 to "engage in violent jihad but ultimately returned to the United States after failing in their efforts." The defendants, with a substantial cache of weapons, had "practiced military tactics and use of weapons on private property in Caswell County, North Carolina, in June and July 2009," the indictment says. The documents make no reference to a direct threat to individuals or property in the United States. In a written statement, the Justice Department's top counterterrorism official, David Kris, said that Daniel Boyd, "a veteran of terrorist training camps" had conspired with others to recruit and help young men travel overseas in order to kill." The U.S. attorney in Raleigh, George E. B. Holding, said, "These charges hammer home the point that terrorists and their supporters are not confined to the remote regions of some far-away land, but can grow and fester right here at home." The defendants made an initial appearance in federal court in North Carolina. Officials said they are expected to return to court Thursday for detention hearings.

Who are among suspects?
Where are the suspects from?
What was a man accused of?
Where did the man train at?
Who are the suspects?
How many practiced military tactics?

Answer: Daniel Patrick Boyd,

Answer: North Carolina

Answer: engaging in weapons training and military tactics in their home state,

Answer: terrorist camps

Answer: Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan are two of the seven men charged.

Answer: seven

Summary:
U.S. native and two sons are among suspects .
Man accused of attending training camps in Pakistan, Afghanistan .
Seven "practiced military tactics" in North Carolina, indictment says .
No mention of direct threats to individuals or property in United States .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Federal safety investigators said Tuesday they fear flaws found in Washington's Metro subway system after a deadly crash this summer may endanger other transit systems, and they sent out an urgent recommendation asking that other rail operators check for similar problems. Investigators are shown at the crash scene in Washington. Nine people were killed in the June 22 wreck. In letters to federal regulators, the National Transportation Safety Board said "all rail transit operators and railroads should be informed" about system flaws that could cause a track circuit to fail to detect a train. It was not clear how many rail systems have similar train detection systems. Neither the NTSB nor the Federal Transit Administration had a list of systems that use the "audio frequency track circuits" that are the focus of the probe. But an FTA spokesman said that because it doesn't know how many operators use the systems, "we are sending today's urgent recommendation to all rail transit operators, and will identify the pertinent operators through a later survey." Meanwhile, the Federal Railway Administration, which regulates Amtrak and more than a dozen commuter rail systems, said it also will follow the NTSB guidance but believes the number of impacted systems will be "limited." Nine people were killed and 52 taken to hospitals June 22 when a southbound Metrorail train struck the rear end of stopped train just north of the Fort Totten station. Investigators say an automatic train protection system did not detect the stopped train, so the moving train did not receive a command to slow or stop. The NTSB said it is continuing its investigation into the precise causes of the crash, but it said the investigation has raised concerns that the track circuit is susceptible to errant signals. In its letter to regulators, the NTSB said it discovered one circumstance in which an unintended signal path could be created, resulting in a track relay remaining energized even though a stopped train was occupying the circuit. "After only three months, this complex investigation is far from complete, so we are not ready to determine the probable cause of the [Metro] accident," NTSB Chairwoman Deborah A.P. Hersman said. "However, our findings so far indicate a pressing need to issue these recommendations to immediately address safety glitches we have found that could lead to another tragic accident." The NTSB sent letters to Metro, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration and Alstom Signaling Inc., which acquired General Railway Signal, the manufacturer of some of the equipment.

Is it clear how many rails has this system?

How many rail systems have this type of detection system?

Answer: precise causes of the crash,

Answer: National Transportation Safety Board

Answer: Washington.

Answer: June 22

Answer: was not

Answer: Nine people were killed and 52 taken to hospitals June 22 when a southbound Metrorail

Answer: It was not clear

Summary:
NTSB, investigating fatal D.C. train crash, cites flaw in train detection system .
NTSB tells other transit systems to look for flaw .
It's not clear how many rail systems have this type of detection system .
Causes of June 22 D.C. Metro crash still under investigation .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Federal safety officials want the Federal Aviation Administration to immediately ground a type of small sports aircraft, saying six of the planes have broken up in flight in the past three years, killing 10 people.

The National Transportation Safety Board questions the safety of the Zodiac CH-601XL.

In an urgent letter to the FAA, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board says there is "substantial circumstantial evidence" that aerodynamic "flutter" preceded some, if not all, of the fatal accidents, and that more accidents are likely to occur if action isn't taken.

Flutter is a condition in which airflow around the plane causes unsafe structural vibrations. The vibrations can quickly cause the plane to break up if it is not sufficiently dampened, the safety board said.

The aircraft involved is the Zodiac CH-601XL, a single-engine, two-seater that was designed by Zenair Inc. It is built by various manufacturers and also sold as a kit.

In making its recommendation, the safety board said it reviewed six fatal accidents, including crashes in Spain and the Netherlands, and said flutter is the likely cause of the accidents. The board said it also considered other incidents that did not result in deaths.

The NTSB said two other countries, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, have grounded the aircraft.

The FAA had no immediate response to the safety board's recommendation.

A Zenair official did not immediately return a reporter's phone call. But the NTSB letter says Zenair contends that the flutter problem can be addressed by proper cable tension, and asserted that a November 2005 certification flight test confirmed the plane is protected from flutter.

But the safety board said the type of testing used may not be adequate to uncover all susceptibility to flutter.

The NTSB said the FAA certified the CH-601XL as a Special Light Sport Aircraft in 2005. This type of certification does not require that the FAA approve the airplane's design. Instead, the airplane model is issued an airworthiness certificate if the manufacturer asserts that the plane meets industry-accepted design standards and has passed a series of ground and flight tests.

The safety board is asking the FAA to prohibit further flight of the Zodiac CH-601XL until the board can determine that the airplane is no longer susceptible to aerodynamic flutter.

"The NTSB does not often recommend that all airplanes of a particular type be prohibited from further flight," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said in writing comments. "In this case, we believe such action will save lives.

"Unless the safety issues with this particular Zodiac model are addressed, we are likely to see more accidents in which pilots and passengers are killed in airplanes that they believed were safe to fly."

The safety board also found that the stick-force gradient -- a measure of the force applied to the control stick and the increase in lift that results -- was not uniform throughout the range of motion, particularly at high vertical accelerations or increased gravitational forces.

The lessening of the gradient at high gravitational force could make the airplane susceptible to being inadvertently over-controlled by the pilot, which could create a condition in which the airplane is stressed beyond its design limits, leading to an in-flight structural failure.

CNN's Mike M. Ahlers contributed to this report.

How many planes have broken up in flight?

where Six planes have broken up in flight?

what Zenair, designer of plane, has said?

Answer: six

Answer: Spain

Answer: The

Answer: Zenair Inc.

Answer: contends that the flutter problem can be addressed by proper cable tension,

Answer: Zenair Inc.

Summary:
National Transportation Safety Board questions safety of the Zodiac CH-601XL .
Officials: Six planes have broken up in flight in past three years, killing 10 people .
Zenair, designer of plane, has said proper cable tension addresses issue .
FAA had no immediate response to the safety board's recommendation .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- First lady Michelle Obama's father is not buried in the Chicago-area cemetery where investigators say hundreds of graves have been dug up in a scheme to resell the burial plots, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. First lady Michelle Obama's father is not buried in the Chicago-area cemetery where graves were disturbed. The announcement followed an earlier, mistaken statement by the first lady's communications director, Camille Johnston. Johnston later said that Obama's father, Fraser Robinson III, was buried in Lincoln Cemetery in suburban Alsip, Illinois, not the Burr Oak graveyard now at the center of a criminal investigation. "There has been some confusion that has been cleared up," Johnston said. Robinson, who worked as a pump operator for the Chicago water department, died in 1991 after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis. Lincoln Cemetery is about 2 miles from Burr Oak. Four people face felony charges in the investigation surrounding Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. Authorities said last week that about 300 graves had been disturbed as part of the scheme, but that number is expected to rise. Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart said his office has received more than 55,000 requests for information from families with loved ones buried in Burr Oak. But he said many of the cemetery's records are in rusted cabinets filled with decaying file cards. "Most of the file cards have rotted together," he said. "They're covered in mold, and they've rotted together." In addition, some of the cemetery's books are missing pages, and others are known to have been altered, "So this has made it incredibly difficult for us to give accurate information," Dart said. His office asked a court Tuesday to appoint a receiver to manage the graveyard, which he said has been run by his office since last week. Among others buried in the 150-acre graveyard are civil rights martyr Emmett Till, blues pioneer Willie Dixon, jazz and blues singer Dinah Washington and several Negro League baseball players. Cemetery groundskeepers told investigators that Till's grave was not among those disturbed, but the identities of other remains dug up have not been disclosed. Carolyn Towns, an office manager for the cemetery, and gravediggers Keith Nicks, Terrance Nicks and Maurice Daley have each been charged with dismembering a human body. The felony charge carries a sentence ranging from six to 30 years, authorities said. Authorities began investigating the cemetery about six weeks ago after receiving a call from its owners, who said they suspected "financial irregularities" regarding the business, Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart told CNN last week. He said the owners are not believed to be involved in the alleged scam. CNN correspondents Dan Lothian and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

where Authorities said last week about 300 graves?

what Official corrects confusion, says Michelle Obama's dad?

Answer: hundreds of

Answer: mistaken statement by the first lady's communications director,

Answer: Burr Oak Cemetery

Answer: Lincoln Cemetery in suburban Alsip, Illinois,

Answer: about 300 graves had been disturbed as part of the scheme, but that number is expected to rise.

Answer: first lady's communications director, Camille Johnston.

Summary:
NEW: Official corrects confusion, says Michelle Obama's dad not buried at cemetery .
Fraser Robinson III buried at Lincoln Cemetery, about two miles from Burr Oak .
Four people face felony charges in an investigation regarding cemetery scheme .
Authorities said last week about 300 graves had been disturbed .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Five security guards from Blackwater Worldwide have been indicted on charges related to a 2007 shooting in which 17 Iraqis were killed in a Baghdad square, two sources said Friday.

An Iraqi woman looks at a blood-stained car of two women killed in the 2007 Nusoor Square shooting.

A sixth security guard is in plea negotiations, the sources told CNN. The exact charges handed up by a federal grand jury were not revealed.

The sources requested anonymity because the indictment remains under court seal. It is expected to be made public by Justice Department officials as early as Monday.

The Justice Department had no comment on the development, and defense attorneys for the men could not be reached for reaction.

The State Department, which employed Blackwater to protect U.S. diplomats and other employees, also had no comment.

Blackwater said it wouldn't comment until there's an official announcement.

Iraqi authorities accused Blackwater guards of killing 17 civilians and wounding nearly 30 in the September 2007 shootings in Nusoor Square in western Baghdad.

Blackwater said its guards were protecting a U.S. diplomatic convoy when they came under attack from armed insurgents. The guards returned fire, Blackwater said.

But an Iraqi investigation called the killings "premeditated murder" and accused the guards of firing on civilians indiscriminately. The first U.S. soldiers to arrive on the scene also told investigators they found no evidence the guards were fired upon, sources told CNN.

The complex legal case has been dogged by difficulties and may present a major challenge to federal prosecutors.

Among the potential problems is the uncertain limit of a law passed by Congress that prevents prosecution of military personnel or others working for the military and leaves open the question of those working for other U.S. government departments and agencies abroad.

The incident heightened tensions between U.S. and Iraqi government officials and contributed to a protracted debate over the extent of immunity that U.S. military personnel and civilian contractors have from Iraqi laws.

Security contractors have had immunity from Iraqi law under a provision put into place in the early days of the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. But starting next year, under a U.S.-Iraq security agreement that Iraq approved Thursday, Iraq will have the "primary right to exercise jurisdiction" over U.S. contractors and their employees.

The State Department renewed Blackwater's contract this year over strong objections from the Iraqi government.

How many did they kill?
when charges will be made public
What is sixth guard in?

Answer: 17

Answer: as early as Monday.

Answer: plea negotiations,

Summary:
Sources: Five Blackwater guards charged in 2007 shooting that killed 17 Iraqis .
Sixth guard in plea negotiations, sources say .
Charges are not publicly known because indictment is under seal .
Charges could be made public as early as Monday .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Flowers arrived at Capt. Marissa Alexander's office at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on June 3, 2005. Arlington's Section 60 is the final resting place for many casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her husband, Staff Sgt. Leroy Alexander, was half a world away fighting with the Special Forces in Afghanistan, but he had found a way to send a floral arrangement to his wife, who was five months pregnant with twins. "He called me and asked me what building I worked in. He said he had to update some records," Alexander said. The flowers lifted her spirits. But a few hours later, her emotions would be thrown into a tailspin. Alexander saw two Army officers in dress uniforms knock on her front door. One of the officers started to talk: "We regret to inform you..." If he said any more, Alexander doesn't remember. "The next memory I have is in my kitchen, banging on the floor. I just couldn't believe it," she said. The good feelings from flowers delivered a few hours before were gone, replaced by shock, pain and mourning. A roadside bomb had made her a widow. Staff Sgt. Alexander now lies in Arlington National Cemetery's Section 60, where 500 soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. For years Section 60 has been the one of busiest parts of the cemetery. Every day new burials bring precision marches, the somber tones of taps and the nerve-rattling three-gun salutes.  Watch how widows connect at Section 60 » Then there are family and friends who come to the graves to make an emotional connection to their lost loved ones. Memorial Day weekend brings even more activity and more visitors. Adults, even some uniformed generals, walk slowly between the rows and rows of headstones, looking for a familiar name. But small children often seem to find the cemetery a place to explore, even play. Their smiles and curiosity remind grown-ups that even in a place synonymous with death, life goes on. A sense of community has emerged in Section 60. "I've come here at times and I've met people who were paying remembrances to their loved ones. You become friendly," Capt. Alexander said. "You see each other sometimes and you make a friendship because you know that your loved ones died for the same cause." Angie Capra's husband is buried a few yards from Leroy Alexander. Air Force Tech Sgt. Anthony Capra was an explosive ordnance disposal expert, killed trying disarm a bomb in Iraq. "Other widows will come by and put something on there for me if they don't see me. They'll put down flowers. It's kind of a community," Capra said. More than flowers adorn the graves in Section 60. Visitors of all faiths have picked up the ancient Jewish tradition of leaving a small stone on the headstones to show that a visitor had been to the grave. In most cases these are pebbles found near the grave. But some people have taken to leaving colored glass beads or elaborately painted stones with shamrocks or words like "hero."  View images from Section 60 » Capra recently found a small Yoda figure on her husband's grave. She doesn't know who left it, but it must have been a friend, because her husband loved "Star Wars." "We never know who puts stuff" on the headstone, she said. Some mementos leave one to wonder about the story behind them. Like the headstone topped by a tiny bottle of Tabasco hot sauce. Or a set of dog tags with a name that didn't match the name on the headstone.  Watch how friends say goodbye to a fallen soldier » There is another topped by a small Lego toy, perhaps left by a child whose father died in a far-off land before they even knew each other. Or the grave adorned with an empty bottle of

Where do visitors take up Jewish  tradition of leaving stones as  grave markers?

Which culture leaves stones on grave markers?

The national cementary's Section 60 contains dead people from which wars?

Answer: Arlington National Cemetery's Section 60,

Answer: Jewish

Answer: in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Answer: walk slowly between the rows and rows of headstones, looking for a familiar name.

Answer: many casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Summary:
National cemetery's Section 60 holds dead from Iraq, Afghanistan wars .
Visitors take up Jewish tradition of leaving stones on grave markers .
Some mourners leave tokens such as toys, empty liquor bottles .
Families of fallen service members meet at cemetery, form bonds .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan and a co-defendant lost another legal round at the Supreme Court on Tuesday and will remain in prison on federal racketeering and fraud convictions. Ex-Gov. George Ryan walks out of a Chicago, Illinois, courthouse after his April 2006 conviction. Ryan and businessman Larry Warner claimed they did not receive a fair trial, but the justices, without comment, refused to intervene in the case. Justice John Paul Stevens refused last fall to grant bail for the 74-year-old Ryan, a move that would have kept him out of jail to file more appeals. The disgraced ex-governor reported to a federal prison in Wisconsin in November to serve a 6½-year sentence. The men were convicted in April 2006 for fraud in a case stemming from bribes paid for various state licenses. Their lawyers claimed the trial judge improperly removed two jurors while deliberations in the case had commenced, but a federal appeals court upheld the convictions. Ryan, a Republican, served as governor from 1999 to 2003. He retired following investigations into political corruption in his administration. He also was noted for issuing a moratorium on capital punishment in his state in 2000 over concerns innocent inmates might be executed. The case decided Tuesday is Warner and Ryan v. U.S. (07-977).

will anything happen because of this?
what did the justices do
what did ryan do

Answer: remain in prison

Answer: refused last fall to grant bail

Answer: lost another legal round at

Summary:
George Ryan, co-defendant claim they didn't get fair trial in 2006 .
Justices refuse to intervene in case, give no reason why .
The men were convicted on charges related to bribery .
Ryan, a Republican, served as Illinois governor from 1999-2003 .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former President Carter warned members of Congress on Tuesday that America's failure to achieve energy independence is threatening the country's national security, undermining its long-term potential for economic growth and contributing to global warming. Former President Carter said Tuesday that the United States must end its energy-based vulnerability. "Collectively, nothing could be more important than this question of energy," Carter said during a rare presidential appearance before a congressional committee. "I would guess that our entire status as a leading nation in the world will depend on the role that we play in energy and environment in the future." Carter, who in 1977 famously declared the fight for energy independence to be "the moral equivalent of war," told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that reaching that goal is crucial to ending the country's "vulnerability to possible pressures and blackmail." Right now, he noted, "whether we admit it or not, we are very careful not to aggravate our major oil suppliers."  Watch Carter talk about energy and security » He also asserted that more jobs will be gained than lost by transitioning the country away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner, renewable energy sources. Carter's testimony came as Congress continues its consideration of broad-reaching energy legislation with the potential to dramatically tighten emissions controls while reshaping America's environmental standards. Among other things, the American Clean Energy and Security Act would create a controversial "cap-and-trade" system establishing steadily declining limits on greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades. Under the bill, polluters would be able to buy and sell emissions credits while utilities would be required to generate an increasing amount of power from renewable sources. Congressional attention to the issue is being driven by President Obama, who, like Carter, has placed energy near the top of his domestic agenda. Carter suggested that energy reform advocates craft an omnibus proposal that could be considered collectively by Congress in order to minimize "adverse influence of special interest groups" opposed to any major changes. Powerful entrenched interests ultimately helped derail his administration's energy agenda, he said. Carter noted that his administration nevertheless succeeded in reducing net oil imports by 50 percent, from 8.6 to 4.3 million barrels per day. But after "a long period of energy complacency," he said, daily imports to the United States are now almost 13 million barrels. America consumes 2.5 times more oil than China and 7.5 times more than India, he noted. On a per capita basis, the United States consumes 12 times more oil than China and 28 times more than India. "Although our rich nation can afford these daily purchases, there is little doubt that, in general terms, we are constrained not to alienate our major oil suppliers, which puts a restraint on our nation's foreign policy," Carter said. The former president reminded committee members that, as part of his drive for renewable energy, he had ordered 32 solar panels to be placed on the roof of the White House in 1979. But the panels were removed "almost instantaneously after [Ronald Reagan] moved into the White House, with assurances to the American people that such drastic action would no longer be necessary." Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, opened the hearing by noting that the price of a barrel of oil has fallen $90 below the record high hit in summer 2008. Unfortunately, Kerry added, the "political will to take decisive action has dissipated" as each past energy crisis has subsided. Carter "had the courage to tell the truth to Americans [and] set America on the right path in the 1970s," Kerry said. "Regrettably, the ensuing years saw those efforts unfunded [and] stripped away." Richard Nixon was the first president to set a goal of energy independence, Kerry noted. Nixon called for that goal to be reached by 1980.

What does the ex-president claim energy independence will do?

What does Congress continue to consider?

Answer: national security,

Answer: ending the country's "vulnerability to possible pressures and blackmail."

Answer: dramatically tighten emissions controls while reshaping America's environmental standards.

Answer: broad-reaching energy legislation

Summary:
"Our entire status as a leading nation" will depend on energy role, ex-president says .
Energy independence would protect national security, create jobs, he claims .
Congress continues to consider broad-reaching energy legislation .