WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Sheila Wash greets her son and daughter, 13-year-old Cecil and 9-year-old Sheliah, every day when their school buses arrive "home."

Sheila Wash says being homeless has been an "eye-opening experience" for her.

They talk about the school day, their homework and even joke that Sheliah can't remember what she ate for lunch. The fourth-grader wonders aloud, "What did we have? We had something good."

But it's hardly a homecoming for any of them.

The Wash family has been homeless since 2007, after Sheila lost her government job. She says unemployment benefits quickly ran out and, as she searched for a job, the family was forced to move six times in the last two years. They're now living in the Family Forward Shelter in Washington.

"I just thank God we have a roof over our head right now. You have to accept the things that come to you. You don't like them but, you know, until you can get your foot forward, you do what you have to do. We just keep going," Wash said.

Wash's situation was only made worse as the economic recession set in. Jobs became harder and harder to find with more competition for each position. She says she's still searching.

The Washes are part of the changing face of homelessness in America today. For years, homelessness has been depicted as that of an individual man or woman living on the street and begging for money. But with the perfect storm of the foreclosure crisis and the faltering economy, more and more families are becoming homeless. According to a recent count by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the number of homeless families in the Washington region alone has jumped 15 percent since last year.

There are several national estimates of homelessness, but many are dated or based on dated information. TheU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development points to a study done in 2007 -- before the brunt of the foreclosure crisis hit --which stated that about 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. That study was conducted by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty

"People lose their jobs. Their monthly household expenses spiral out of control because maybe their car broke down that month, and when you have such a tight budget with high rental costs, there is no room for error. And so that is what really leads families to the shelter door," said Mary Cunningham, author of "Preventing and Ending Homelessness - Next Steps."

Reflecting on their struggles over the last few years, Sheila calls it "eye-opening." "It's like they say you never know [someone] until you walk in their shoes, so truly I know now and if I ever get out [of] this situation, I will always give back to people less fortunate than I am because I know their struggles," Wash said.

School officials in Prince George's County, Maryland, where the two Wash children go to school, say a day doesn't go by without the need to enroll another child as homeless. Denise Ross, supervisor for the school district's Homeless Education Office, said they've been inundated with requests.

"Some of them are embarrassed, some of them are scared, some of them are sad. They're just not sure what's going to happen next," Ross said. "Students who are displaced or homeless students feel that school is a safe haven. They really want to come to school. They really want to attend school."

For homeless students, Prince George's County Schools offers free transportation to and from school, free breakfast and lunch, help with school supplies and also clothing. "Either in the shuffle of being evicted or moving from shelter to shelter or place to place, their clothes may not have followed them. Or may have been set out and somebody may have taken them. So they may only have [the] clothes that are on their back.

Where has homelessness increased by 15%?

Answer: a day doesn't go by without the need to enroll another child as homeless.

Answer: 2007,

Answer: after Sheila lost her government job.

Answer: since 2007,

Answer: lost her government job.

Answer: Washington region

Answer: Sheila Wash

Answer: really leads families to the shelter door,"

Summary:
Sheila Wash and her two kids have been homeless since 2007, after she lost her job .
School officials in the Washes' district say more of their students are homeless .
Author: Having "no room for error" on finances often sends families to shelter door .
By one count, homelessness in the D.C. area has jumped by 15% over last year .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Shortly before President Obama departs for a trip to the Middle East, a new national poll suggests that one in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries. President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit an Istanbul mosque in April. That view compares with 46 percent of the people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey who say they have an unfavorable opinion of Muslim countries. That's up 5 percentage points from 2002, when 41 percent indicated that they had an unfavorable view. Meanwhile, three in 10 say they have a neutral opinion of Muslim countries. The poll also suggests that most Americans suspect people in Muslim countries don't think highly of the United States. Nearly eight in 10 questioned say people in Muslim countries have a unfavorable opinion of the United States, with 14 percent saying Muslims hold a favorable view. iReport.com: Your perspectives on the Muslim world But the poll indicates Americans seem to be split on whether such negative opinions by Muslims matter. Fifty-three percent of those questioned say they think Muslim views of the United States matter greatly or moderately, with 47 percent saying that Muslim opinions of the United States don't matter very much or at all. The poll's release comes hours before the president flies to Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah. Following the stop in Saudi Arabia, Obama will head to Egypt, where he'll deliver a long-awaited speech Thursday on relations between the United States and the Muslim world.  Watch the challenges Obama faces with the speech » At a town hall in Turkey earlier this year, the president declared that "the United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam." Many Americans seem to agree with the president: Sixty-two percent of those surveyed say they don't think the United States is at war with the Muslim world, with 36 percent indicating that the country is at war with Muslim countries. Those numbers have remained stable since CNN's 2002 poll. But the poll suggests that six out of 10 think that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the United States. "The feeling seems to be mutual. We distrust Muslims. They distrust Americans. Views of Americans have not changed very much over the past seven years. There are some indications that Muslims' views of Americans have improved a bit since Barack Obama took office, but they are still not positive," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst. The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted May 14-17, with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

who has a favorable view of muslim countries?

Who will be the primary audience of Obama's speech?

Does the average American have a favorable view of Muslim countries?

Answer: one in five Americans

Answer: the Muslim world.

Answer: Egypt,

Answer: Egypt,

Answer: one in five

Summary:
Poll: One in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries .
Poll released on eve of President Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt, to Muslim world .
Poll: Americans say they aren't at war with Muslims but think Muslims at war with U.S.


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Six life insurance companies have qualified to receive billions of dollars in bailout money under the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Allstate is one of six life insurance companies who are qualified to receive TARP money. Treasury Department spokesman Andrew Williams said Allstate, Ameriprise Financial, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Lincoln National Corp., Principal Financial and Prudential Financial Inc. have qualified for TARP money. "These life insurers met the requirements for the Capital Purchase Program because of their bank holding company status and each applied for CPP capital investments by the deadline of November 14, 2008," Williams said. Williams also said other financial institutions in the Capital Purchase Program "will be reviewed and funded as appropriate on a rolling basis." In April, about $135 billion remained from the original $700 billion allocated for the bailout last October. No current figures were immediately available. No funding amounts were announced by the Treasury Department, but Hartford said it had been preliminarily approved for $3.4 billion. "We are pleased that we received preliminary approval to participate in (the) Treasury's Capital Purchase Program," said Ramani Ayer, chairman and chief executive officer of Hartford. "These funds would further fortify our capital resources and provide us with additional financial flexibility during one of the most volatile market climates in our nation's history." Investors have been increasingly worried about the health of life insurers, which have been hit hard by worries about capital requirements and growing losses. A number of insurers that are also bank holding companies or thrifts have been eligible for funds from TARP since last fall. Last year, the Office of Thrift Supervision approved applications from Hartford and Lincoln to become bank holding companies, because of their planned bank purchases. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Lincoln is buying Newton County Loan & Savings FSB in Goodland, Indiana. Hartford, based in Hartford, Connecticut, is buying Federal Trust Bank in Sanford, Florida.

how many insurance companies will receive money?

How many insurance comapnies received TARP money?

How much money was allocated for the bailout?

How much money remained in the fund as of April?

Answer: six life

Answer: six

Answer: $700 billion

Answer: about $135 billion

Answer: Six life insurance companies

Answer: November 14, 2008,"

Answer: $135 billion

Answer: Troubled Asset Relief Program,

Summary:
Six life insurance companies to receive TARP money, U.S. Treasury says .
As of April, about $135 billion remained from original $700 billion allocated for bailout .
Industry has suffered amid concerns with capital requirements, growing losses .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Smoking cessation programs make up $75 million of the economic stimulus bill making its way through the Senate, according to Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who sponsored the funding. Sen. Tom Harkin's office says smoking causes $110 billion in health costs each year. Harkin said the programs were an attempt to bolster the economy by lowering the soaring health-care costs smoking causes each year. The money will be used to bolster existing anti-smoking campaigns run by the Department of Health and Human Services and to buy new equipment at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tests the contents of cigarettes. Harkin's office cited figures that smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths and causes $110 billion in heath costs every year. Harkin believes prevention will go a long way to boosting the health of Americans while boosting health of the American economy.  Watch Harkin describe how anti-smoking programs help economy » The U.S. House on Wednesday evening passed the $819 billion economic stimulus package on a party-line vote, despite President Barack Obama's efforts to achieve bipartisan support for the bill, CNNMoney.com reports. The final vote was 244 to 188. No Republicans voted for the bill, while 11 Democrats voted against it. The Senate is likely to take up the bill next week.

What amount would go toward smoking cessation programs?

What programs are going to receive $75million?

What is the intended result of the smoking cessation programs?

what amount  would go toward smoking cessation programs?

Who made the annoucement about smoking cessation programs?

Answer: $75 million

Answer: Smoking cessation

Answer: lowering the soaring health-care costs

Answer: the economy

Answer: $75 million

Answer: $819 billion economic stimulus package on a party-line vote,

Answer: $819 billion economic stimulus package

Answer: Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa,

Answer: soaring health-care

Summary:
$75 million would go toward smoking cessation programs, says Sen. Tom Harkin .
Programs are effort to bolster economy by lowering soaring health-care costs .
U.S. House passes $819 billion economic stimulus package .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Some $700 million in economic stimulus money intended to upgrade baggage screening systems at airports will go further than originally expected, Department of Homeland Security officials said Wednesday. The new systems can process up to 500 bags an hour, compared to the 150 to 160 bags per hour on the older machines, the TSA said. The DHS said the money will now upgrade systems at 10 additional airports. Earlier this year the DHS announced funding for baggage screening at airports in 15 cities. The money will be used to speed up construction of in-line baggage screening systems, which take advantage of the airline's existing conveyor belt systems to check bags, eliminating the need for minivan-size bomb detection systems now found in many airport lobbies. Government auditors have long complained about existing systems, which the Transportation Security Administration rushed into place to meet congressional deadlines after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. At airports with in-line systems, airline workers at the ticketing counters place the bags on conveyor belts, which pass through explosive detectors on their way to the aircraft. That is more efficient than stand-alone systems, which the TSA employees must staff. In addition, in-line systems can process up to 500 bags an hour, compared to the 150 to 160 bags per hour processed by stand-alone machines, the TSA said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement that DHS was able to "stretch our resources" by managing the recovery money and by negotiating with airports. In addition to the $700 million intended for checked baggage systems, $300 million is being allocated for checkpoint technology, such as new X-ray machines, "whole body imaging" technology and bottled liquid scanners. The new airports expected to get stimulus money for in-line explosive detection systems are: • Washington Dulles International Airport (Chantilly, Virginia) • Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (St. Louis, Missouri) • Yellowstone Regional Airport (Cody, Wyoming) • William P. Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas) • St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport (St. Petersburg, Florida) • Gallatin Field Airport (Bozeman, Montana) • Little Rock National Airport (Little Rock, Arkansas) • Tulsa International Airport (Tulsa, Oklahoma) • Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, North Carolina) • Colorado Springs Airport (Colorado Springs, Colorado) Earlier this year, DHS announced funding for airports in the following cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Honolulu, Hawaii; Huntsville, Alabama; Jackson, Wyoming; Maui, Hawaii; New Orleans, Louisiana; Orange County, California; Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Maine; and Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose, California. To learn more about the DHS Recovery Act projects, visit www.dhs.gov/recovery.

What does the Department of Homeland security say?

How many additional airports did DHS identify to receive in-line baggage screening systems?

Are updated screening processes more efficient than stand-alone machines?

What makes this process more efficient than stand-alone machines?

What does the department of Homeland security say can happen with stimulus money?

Which airports will receive in-line baggage screening systems?

Answer: systems at airports will go further than originally expected,

Answer: 10

Answer: systems,

Answer: airline workers at the ticketing counters place the bags on conveyor belts, which pass through explosive detectors on their way to the aircraft.

Answer: will be used to speed up construction of in-line baggage screening systems,

Answer: Washington Dulles International

Summary:
Department of Homeland security says stimulus money can be stretched .
DHS identified 10 additional airports to receive in-line baggage screening systems .
Updated screening process is more efficient than stand-alone machines .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Somewhere, it's engraved in stone: "Thou shalt remove thy laptop from thy bag." Beginning Saturday, travelers will be able to leave laptops in bags that meet TSA screening requirements. But savvy travelers can begin ignoring that commandment of air travel beginning Saturday, when the Transportation Security Administration begins recognizing the latest innovation in aviation security -- checkpoint-friendly computer bags. The TSA said it has worked with bag manufacturers to address one of the biggest frustrations of air travelers, the need to remove computers from carry-on bags and place them in bins. It asked manufacturers to design bags that give X-ray machines a clear, unobstructed view of the laptops. Some 60 manufacturers responded to the TSA's solicitation, with 40 of them submitting prototypes for testing. About a dozen manufacturers are currently advertising checkpoint-friendly bags. Many of the bags are deceptively simple. One common design resembles a clam shell. The case unzips into two, with one side holding the computer and the other holding computer peripherals, keys and other personal items. All of the bags are devoid of metal zippers, clips and buckles on the side of the bag that holds the computer.  Learn about the TSA's laptop bag requirements » Travelers at Reagan National Airport near Washington had different opinions on the hassles of carrying computers but were uniformly supportive of having checkpoint-friendly bags. "Sign me up," said traveler Seth Robertson, who was carrying a computer bag and a large, stuffed pony, a present for a friend in Nicaragua. Getting the computer through the checkpoint was more difficult than the stuffed animal, he said. "The laptop, I have to take out of the bag and put it separately," Robertson said, whereas the pony, he could "just stuff right through." Screeners didn't even look the gift horse in the mouth. The TSA says about one-third of all air travelers carry laptops. And the current screening procedures are cumbersome for travelers who sometimes leave laptops at the checkpoints in their haste.  Watch a screening demonstration with a new laptop bag » In fact, about 4,800 laptops are lost at airport checkpoints every day, according to a study conducted this year by the Ponemon Institute for the Dell computer company. It is not known how may are quickly recovered, an institute official said. But a checkpoint-friendly carrying case could potentially alleviate problems caused when folks grab the wrong computer by mistake, or grab the bag and forget the computer, he said. TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe said the bags may even improve speed at checkpoints. "Less time (is) spent putting things in the bin and putting things back in at the other end, so it may help the process along," she said. For a bag to meet TSA requirements, it must meet the following five standards: The TSA says it is not approving or endorsing any bag design, but it says manufacturers have stepped up to the plate, providing a number of bags that qualify.

What kind of checkpoints will be available from Saturday?

What shouldn't there be on laptop bags according to the TSA?

Which items can be placed in the new bags?

When will the bags be eligible for screening?

Answer: checkpoint-friendly bags.

Answer: able to leave laptops in bags that meet TSA screening requirements.

Answer: metal zippers, clips and buckles

Answer: laptops

Answer: bags

Answer: Beginning Saturday,

Answer: Transportation Security Administration

Summary:
Checkpoint-friendly computer bags will be eligible for TSA screening Saturday .
Travelers must use bags with a designated laptop-only section .
There must be no metal snaps, zippers or buckles obstructing the view .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Taken alone, a California woman's 20-minute video "scrapbook" is basically a collection of photographic memories spanning her 19-year-old daughter's all-too-brief life. Birthday parties, picnics, graduations -- all set to evocative music and narrated matter-of-factly by the mother.

John Paul Stevens was one of three justices who wanted to grant further review of the defendant's case.

What makes this video unusual is that it was presented at a California murder trial as "victim impact evidence."

The Supreme Court on Monday gave an indirect endorsement to such videos when it rejected an appeal from a defendant who argued that the presentation violated his right to a fair trial.

The high court also rejected a similar capital case, also from California, involving a woman who narrated a video montage of her slain parents. With the court's refusal to intervene, the death sentences imposed by the juries in the two cases were upheld.

At issue was not whether any testimony can be used showing the impact a crime victim's loss had on family, friends and society at large. The question for the justices was how that testimony is presented. Some trial courts, but not all, have allowed such videotapes to be played in court, while often placing limitations on the content.

One case involved Douglas Oliver Kelly, convicted in the 1993 slaying of Sarah Weir. The teenager had befriended Kelly at a Burbank gym. Her body was found stabbed 29 times, probably by a pair of scissors.

During the penalty phase of the trial, the prosecution presented just one witness to provide victim impact evidence: the victim's mother, Martha Farwell, a Los Angeles-area attorney. She had prepared the video, describing how her daughter had been adopted from Canada and was a Blackfoot Indian. In the background is the music of Enya, an Irish singer and composer.

Most of the video simply describes the photos and home movies, but near the end is a shot of Weir's grave and Farwell's narration: "As time goes by, I try very hard not to think of Sarah in terms of this terrible tragedy that we've had to deal with here in court, but rather of her in a place like this."

Over photos of the Canadian landscape, Farwell concludes, "This is filmed in southern Alberta, the land where Sarah's people lived for so many generations. This is the kind of heaven she seems to belong in."

The trial judge had allowed the video to be presented, calling it a "very compelling tape" and adding that "it has more probative value than any prejudicial effect."

Kelly appealed, saying the video so influenced the jury that the panel was unable to render a fair assessment of the penalty. California's highest court allowed the verdict and death penalty to stand, but urged judges to use caution in allowing such video evidence.

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, in a brief statement, said Monday he would have accepted Kelly's appeal of his sentence and held oral arguments on the issue.

"The videos added nothing relevant to the jury's deliberations," he wrote, "and invited a verdict based on sentiment, rather than reasoned judgment."

But it takes four justices to grant further review of a case, and only Justices David Souter and Stephen Breyer joined Stevens.

Breyer called the Kelly video "poignant, tasteful, artistic and, above all, moving," but he noted that was the problem. "Those aspects of the film tell the jury little or nothing about the crime's 'circumstances' " the jury had to consider during sentencing.

The companion case dealt with Samuel Zamudio, convicted in the February 1996 slayings of Elmer Benson, 79, and his wife Gladys, 74, in the South Gate area of Los Angeles. The defendant lived next door to the Bensons and owed money to them. He robbed and stabbed the elderly couple, and a jury sentenced him to death.

The Bensons' daughter, Linda Bouffard, narrated 118 scenes from her parents

what is the name of the defendant of the case?

Answer: California

Answer: Douglas Oliver Kelly,

Summary:
Case involved case of Sara Weir, stabbed to death in California .
Victim's mother, a lawyer, put together moving video scrapbook .
Defendant Douglas Oliver Kelly contended video was prejudicial .
Justices rejected Kelly's appeal, indirectly endorsing victim impact videos .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Terrorists are likely to use a weapon of mass destruction somewhere in the world in the next five years, a blue-ribbon panel assembled by Congress has concluded.

Police watch over travelers at New York's Grand Central Terminal before Thanksgiving.

They are more likely to use a biological weapon than a nuclear one -- and the results could be devastating, the chairman of the commission told CNN.

"The consequences of a biological attack are almost beyond comprehension. It would be 9/11 times 10 or a hundred in terms of the number of people who would be killed," former Sen. Bob Graham said.

He cited the flu virus that killed millions of people in 1918 as an example.

"Today it is still in the laboratory, but if it should get out and into the hands of scientists who knew how to use it for a violent purpose, we could have multiple times the 40 million people who were killed 100 years ago," he said.  Watch how officials worry about a biological terror attack »

The U.S. government "needs to move more aggressively to limit" the spread of biological weapons, the commission said in its report.

Graham warned that such measures would be costly, but were necessary.

"The leadership of this country and the world will have to decide how much of a priority ... they place on avoiding the worst weapons in the world getting in the hands of the worst people in the world," he said.

"It is not going to be cheap. It is not going to be accomplished without some sacrifices. It won't be accomplished without putting this issue ahead of some other competing national and international goals. But I think our safety and security depend upon doing so," he added.

Graham said a biological attack was more likely than a nuclear one because it would be easier to carry out.

Biological weapons "are more available," he said. "Anthrax is a natural product of dead animals. Other serious pathogens are available in equally accessible forms."

"There are so many scientists who have the skills to convert a pathogen from benign, helpful purposes into an illicit, very harmful weapon," he added.

But the commission warned that there is also a threat of nuclear terrorism, both because more countries are developing nuclear weapons and because some existing nuclear powers are expanding their arsenals.

"Terrorist organizations are intent on acquiring nuclear weapons," said the report, which was published Tuesday on the Internet and will be officially released Wednesday.

CNN obtained a copy of the report Monday evening.

It cited testimony before the commission from former Sen. Sam Nunn, who said that the "risk of a nuclear weapon being used today is growing, not receding."

The report recommends a range of measures, including increased security and awareness at biological research labs and strengthening international treaties against the spread of biological and nuclear weapons.

"Many biological pathogens and nuclear materials around the world are poorly secured -- and thus vulnerable to theft by those who would put these materials to harmful use, or would sell them on the black market to potential terrorists," the report warned.

The commission expressed particular concern about the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, and about Pakistan, which it described as "the intersection of nuclear weapons and terrorism."

While observing that Pakistan is a U.S. ally, the report said, "the next terrorist attack against the United States is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas" in Pakistan. The tribal areas lie in northwest Pakistan where the government exerts little control; the United States says it is a haven for militants from both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.

Congress created the commission to investigate and report on WMD and terrorism in line with a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, which compiled a report on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Commissioners heard testimony from more than 250 experts from around the world over the course of their six-month investigation.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.

What's more likely than a nuclear attack?

when Terrorists with biological weapons could kill millions?

Answer: North Korea,

Answer: biological

Answer: to use a biological weapon than a nuclear one

Answer: Terrorists

Answer: biological weapon

Answer: in the next five years,

Summary:
NEW: Next terror attack on U.S. likely to originate in Pakistan tribal areas, report says .
Terrorists with biological weapons could kill millions, panel's chairman says .
Biological attack more likely than nuclear attack, report says .
Number of nations with nuclear weapons also growing, panel says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Terrorists are likely to use a weapon of mass destruction somewhere in the world in the next five years, a blue-ribbon panel assembled by Congress has concluded. Police watch over travelers at New York's Grand Central Terminal before Thanksgiving. They are more likely to use a biological weapon than a nuclear one -- and the results could be devastating, the chairman of the commission told CNN. "The consequences of a biological attack are almost beyond comprehension. It would be 9/11 times 10 or a hundred in terms of the number of people who would be killed," former Sen. Bob Graham said. He cited the flu virus that killed millions of people in 1918 as an example. "Today it is still in the laboratory, but if it should get out and into the hands of scientists who knew how to use it for a violent purpose, we could have multiple times the 40 million people who were killed 100 years ago," he said.  Watch how officials worry about a biological terror attack » The U.S. government "needs to move more aggressively to limit" the spread of biological weapons, the commission said in its report. Graham warned that such measures would be costly, but were necessary. "The leadership of this country and the world will have to decide how much of a priority ... they place on avoiding the worst weapons in the world getting in the hands of the worst people in the world," he said. "It is not going to be cheap. It is not going to be accomplished without some sacrifices. It won't be accomplished without putting this issue ahead of some other competing national and international goals. But I think our safety and security depend upon doing so," he added. Graham said a biological attack was more likely than a nuclear one because it would be easier to carry out. Biological weapons "are more available," he said. "Anthrax is a natural product of dead animals. Other serious pathogens are available in equally accessible forms." "There are so many scientists who have the skills to convert a pathogen from benign, helpful purposes into an illicit, very harmful weapon," he added. But the commission warned that there is also a threat of nuclear terrorism, both because more countries are developing nuclear weapons and because some existing nuclear powers are expanding their arsenals. "Terrorist organizations are intent on acquiring nuclear weapons," said the report, which was published Tuesday on the Internet and will be officially released Wednesday. CNN obtained a copy of the report Monday evening. It cited testimony before the commission from former Sen. Sam Nunn, who said that the "risk of a nuclear weapon being used today is growing, not receding." The report recommends a range of measures, including increased security and awareness at biological research labs and strengthening international treaties against the spread of biological and nuclear weapons. "Many biological pathogens and nuclear materials around the world are poorly secured -- and thus vulnerable to theft by those who would put these materials to harmful use, or would sell them on the black market to potential terrorists," the report warned. The commission expressed particular concern about the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, and about Pakistan, which it described as "the intersection of nuclear weapons and terrorism." While observing that Pakistan is a U.S. ally, the report said, "the next terrorist attack against the United States is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas" in Pakistan. The tribal areas lie in northwest Pakistan where the government exerts little control; the United States says it is a haven for militants from both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Congress created the commission to investigate and report on WMD and terrorism in line with a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, which compiled a report on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Commissioners heard testimony from more than 250 experts from around the world over the course of their six-month investigation. CNN's Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.

What is more likely than an nuclear attack?

what is likely to originate in Pakistan tribal areas?

What is the danger of biological weapons?

Answer: a biological weapon

Answer: Terrorists

Answer: "the next terrorist attack against the United States

Answer: mass destruction

Answer: "risk of a nuclear weapon being used

Answer: Bob Graham

Summary:
NEW: Next terror attack on U.S. likely to originate in Pakistan tribal areas, report says .
Terrorists with biological weapons could kill millions, panel's chairman says .
Biological attack more likely than nuclear attack, report says .
Number of nations with nuclear weapons also growing, panel says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Bush administration hailed North Korea's declaration of its nuclear program as a success for the multilateral diplomacy it engaged in through the six party talks with South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Workers remove fuel rods on the reactor floor at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear facility this year. In fact, North Korea's confessions of many of its nuclear sins -- and its shutdown of its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon -- are the closest the international community has come to curbing North Korea's nuclear program. As a result of Pyongyang's handover of the 60-page declaration document -- and Friday's expected destruction of the cooling tower at Yongbyon -- President Bush ordered some sanctions against North Korea lifted and instructed the State Department to remove the reclusive communist nation from U.S. lists of enemies and nations that support terrorism. But as important as what the document says is what it doesn't say. There is no mention of how many weapons North Korea has or where they are hidden. Nor did North Korea admit to a suspected uranium enrichment program or what nuclear secrets it may have shared with Syria. Both issues are reduced in the declaration to "concerns" Pyongyang promises to address down the road. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have pledged a robust verification process to double-check North Korea's claims. And North Korea has promised to allow U.S. inspectors access to the Yongbyon facility and to interview its nuclear experts. But it is far from clear whether Pyongyang will allow the kind of intrusive inspections of its entire nuclear arsenal that the United States will need to get a complete picture of North Korea's program. Congressional Republicans not so sure about Pyongyang The stiffest opposition to the deal is coming from conservative Republicans. Once considered President Bush's strongest allies in confronting North Korea's nuclear ambition, they feel that the Bush administration has let North Korea off the hook, especially when it comes to its enriched uranium program and suspected proliferation to Syria. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed "profound disappointment" over Bush's announcement that North Korea would be coming off the lists of enemies and state sponsors of terrorism. And Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, the top Republican on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, accused President Bush of sacrificing its principles for a foreign policy success. "A decision seemingly has been made that it is more important for the White House to reach a legacy agreement than to get to the bottom of North Korea's nuclear efforts," Hoekstra said. "Lifting sanctions and removing North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism flies in the face of history and rewards its brutal dictator for shallow gestures." Rep. Ed Royce, R-California, called North Korea's declaration late and incomplete, alleging that North Korea built a nuclear facility for Syria, considered a terrorist state by the United States, while the nuclear negotiations were ongoing. That, he said, was proof that Pyongyang can't be trusted. "How do you have a meaningful declaration of your nuclear program without saying how many bombs you have?" Royce asked. "This is a signal to other proliferating regimes that nuclear weapons will be rewarded without ever having to give them up." Democrats, who once criticized Bush for not talking directly to North Korea about its nuclear program, are cautiously supportive of the deal. Howard Berman, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the North's submission of a declaration "encouraging." Even former presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, praised the Bush administration, saying "engaging our enemies can pay dividends." But Kerry added, "historians will long wonder why this administration did not directly engage North Korea before Pyongyang gathered enough material for several nuclear weapons, tested a nuclear device and the missiles to deliver them." Are we headed down the same road with Iran? In his 2002 State of the Union address, Bush termed Iraq, North Korea and Iran the "axis of evil," saying they were "arming

Who says the Bush administration has let Pyongyang off the hook?

Who may be headed down the same road with Iran?

Answer: conservative Republicans.

Answer: North Korea

Answer: suspected uranium enrichment program

Answer: a suspected uranium enrichment program or

Answer: North Korea

Summary:
Just as important as what the nuclear declaration says is what it doesn't say .
North Korea didn't admit to uranium enrichment or sharing secrets with Syria .
Many Republicans say Bush administration has let Pyongyang off the hook .
U.S. may be headed down the same road with Iran .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Bush administration misused intelligence to build a case for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Senate Intelligence Committee said in a report issued Thursday. President Bush didn't request intelligence reports about the post-war situation, the Senate panel's report says. The White House exploited its ability to declassify intelligence selectively to bolster its case for war, the committee chairman, Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, D-West Virginia, said in the report. Senior officials disclosed and discussed sensitive intelligence reports that supported the administration's policy objectives and kept out of public discourse information that did not, he said. The report also found that the administration misled the American people about contacts between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. "Policymakers' statements did not accurately convey the intelligence assessments" about contacts between the then-Iraqi leader and Osama bin Laden's group, "and left the impression that the contacts led to substantive Iraqi cooperation or support of al Qaeda," the report said. "Statements and implications by the president and secretary of state suggesting that Iraq and al Qaeda had a partnership, or that Iraq had provided al Qaeda with weapons training, were not substantiated by the intelligence," according to the committee's exhaustive report on prewar intelligence. The top Republican on the committee dismissed its findings as "partisan gamesmanship." "It is ironic that the Democrats would knowingly distort and misrepresent the committee's findings and the intelligence in an effort to prove that the administration distorted and mischaracterized the intelligence," said Sen. Christopher Bond of Missouri. The White House also rejected the report as old news. "I know this is another report, and I'm sure that they put a lot of considerable thought into it, but this is a subject that has been gone over many many, many times, and I don't know of anything that's particularly new in it," said spokeswoman Dana Perino, who said she had not yet read it. She said the White House relied on the same information as the rest of the world, admitting that it was wrong but denying that Bush had set out to mislead the country. White House claims that Hussein was seeking weapons of mass destruction were partially backed by available intelligence, the report found, but did not reflect disputes within the intelligence community. The CIA, among others, believed Iraq was trying to acquire nuclear weapons, but the Department of Energy disagreed, the report said. No weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq after the invasion. The report also took the administration to task for its predictions about the aftermath of the invasion, including Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion that U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators. Bush and Cheney did not request intelligence reports about the post-war situation, and their public statements did not reflect doubts and uncertainties in the intelligence community, the report said. The report comes days after former White House press spokesman Scott McClellan published a book saying Bush decided on war with Iraq soon after the September 11, 2001, attacks. "Bush and his advisers knew that the American people would almost certainly not support a war launched primarily for the ambitious purpose of transforming the Middle East. Rather than open this Pandora's Box, the administration chose a different path -- not employing out-and-out deception, but shading the truth," McClellan wrote in his memoir, "What Happened." Current and former White House officials have dismissed McClellan's accusations, saying he was not in a position to know about top-level White House decision-making before the war when he was deputy press secretary. The Senate committee chairman slammed the White House in a statement marking the release of the long-awaited report. "Before taking the country to war, this administration owed it to the American people to give them a 100 percent accurate picture of the threat we faced," Rockefeller said Thursday. "Unfortunately, our committee has concluded that the administration made significant claims that were not supported by the intelligence. In making the case for war,

What does the report say the Bush administration misused?

What spokesperson called the findings "old news"?

What contacts was the public deceived about?

Who did the panel say the public was mislead about contacts between?

Who was mislead about Saaddam Hussein and al Qaeda?

Whose administration misused intelligence?

Answer: President Bush didn't request intelligence

Answer: intelligence

Answer: Dana Perino,

Answer: between the then-Iraqi leader and Osama bin Laden's group,

Answer: contacts between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.

Answer: Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.

Answer: American people

Answer: Bush

Answer: misused intelligence

Summary:
Report says Bush administration misused intelligence in run-up to Iraq war .
Administration selectively declassified information to bolster case, report says .
Panel: Public misled about contacts between Saddam Hussein, al Qaeda .
White House spokeswoman calls findings old news .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Defense Department will release "a substantial number" of photographs showing abuse of prisoners at prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Aggressive techniques to interrogate terror suspects are making headlines again.

The release will be in response to an open-records lawsuit filed by the ACLU, the group said in a written statement. The statement released late Thursday said the photos were taken at facilities other than Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

"These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib," Amrit Singh, an ACLU attorney, said in the release. The photos are to be released by May 28, the ACLU said.

The Department of Defense announced in a letter addressed to the federal court on Thursday that it would release the photos.

In a copy of the letter posted on the ACLU's Web site, acting U.S. Attorney Lev L. Dassin said that 21 photographs would be released and that the government "also is processing for release a substantial number of other images."

The lawsuit was filed in 2004 after the Bush administration denied a 2003 open-records request by the ACLU.

The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled last year that the photos should be released. The Defense Department will not appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Dassin said in the letter.

Attempts by CNN to reach the White House and Department of Defense for comment were not immediately successful.

What did the ACLU file a lawsuit for?
When will the pictures be released?
Where are the abused prisoners?

Answer: was filed in 2004 after the Bush administration denied a 2003 open-records request by the

Answer: May 28,

Answer: prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan,

Summary:
Photos showing abuse of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan to be released, ACLU says .
ACLU filed lawsuit in 2004 against Bush administration for access to photos .
Defense Department says it will not appeal court ruling, will release pictures .
ACLU: Pictures, taken at facilities other than Abu Ghraib, to be released by May 28 .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Department of Homeland Security and FBI have issued security bulletins to raise awareness regarding "terrorist interest" in attacking sports and entertainment venues as well as luxury hotels. The bulletins, which were sent to law enforcement Monday, said that authorities did not know of any credible or specific terrorist plots to attack U.S. stadiums, arenas or luxury hotels. However, it said that terrorist groups such as al Qaeda view crowded stadiums and arenas as potential targets. It said hotels are also attractive targets for terrorists. The Department of Homeland Security said it released the notes to assist law enforcement partners as they go about their daily duties. "While DHS and FBI have no information regarding the timing, location or target of any planned attack, we believe it is prudent to raise the security awareness of our local law enforcement partners regarding the targets and tactics of previous terrorist activity," the department said. The bulletins did not mention the recent arrest of three men in connection with what the Justice Department has said was a plot to detonate bombs in the United States. The men are charged with lying to federal agents during the probe of the alleged plot. The bulletin on stadiums and arenas said that previous attacks against crowd gatherings have included improvised explosive devices and car bombs, "tactics that are also applicable to many stadiums and arenas. ... "Detained terrorists have also discussed the use of aircraft and chemical weapons to attack stadiums and arenas. " It said the al Qaeda training manual lists " 'blasting and destroying the places of amusement, immorality and sin ... and attacking vital economic centers' as a key objective." The bulletins on luxury hotels said analysis of previous attacks abroad and thwarted plots showed that terrorists have used paramilitary and "small unit" tactics, explosives, improvised explosive devices and car bombs. It said hotel owners can protect their properties by installing fencing or walls around the buildings and populated areas; implementing random screening of people and their possessions; and training security staff.

Did Homeland Security and FBI say there were credible or specific terrorist threats?

What type of bulletins did both the department of homeland security and the FBI issue?

What do crowds at stadiums and hotels generate?

Answer: not know of any

Answer: awareness regarding "terrorist interest"

Answer: "terrorist interest"

Answer: The Department of Homeland Security and FBI

Answer: security bulletins

Answer: awareness regarding "terrorist interest" in attacking sports and entertainment venues as well as luxury hotels.

Summary:
Department of Homeland Security and FBI issue security bulletins .
No credible or specific terrorist attack threats at this time, agencies say .
Crowds at stadiums, hotels generate terrorist attention, agencies say .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Director of National Intelligence is replacing the agency's inspector general just days after the public release of a blistering report critical of the DNI's office. DNI head Dennis Blair announced Friday Justice Department official Roslyn Mazer will replace Inspector General Edward McGuire as the DNI's internal watchdog. The inspector general's role is to examine the operations of the office and investigate any allegations of waste, fraud or misconduct. Earlier this week, Maguire testified before Congress about his report on the state of the DNI's office, outlining rampant communication problems, continuing turf battles within the intelligence community and financial mismanagement. All of those problems were supposed to be addressed when the position of DNI was created by Congress in 2004 to look at the intelligence failures associated with the 9/11 terrorism attacks and the claims of Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction. The classified inspector general report was completed in November 2008, but was not made public until this week. DNI spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Maguire's departure has nothing to do with his report. She claimed Blair, who assumed his position two months ago, wanted to bring his own leadership team. "The director appreciates the efforts and work of the previous inspector general and will continue to build on some of the suggested reforms," Morigi said.

Who is being replaced as DNI's internal watchdog?

What is the name of the Inspector General?

What does Magure's Departure come after?

Who was his blistering report critical of?

Answer: Inspector General Edward McGuire

Answer: Edward McGuire

Answer: just days after the public release of a blistering report

Answer: Inspector General Edward McGuire

Answer: DNI's office.

Summary:
Inspector General Edward McGuire is being replaced as DNI's internal watchdog .
Maguire's departure comes after blistering report critical of DNI .
Report details turf battles within intelligence community, financial mismanagement .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The FBI did not participate in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists detained in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan or Iraq, said a Justice Department investigation released Tuesday.

An April 2007 photo shows a room at Guantanamo Bay that had been used for interrogations.

The investigation also concluded that the bureau generally reported potentially illegal actions by the CIA and Defense Department.

In "only a few instances" did FBI agents use techniques that were not approved by FBI policies, according to the report by Inspector General Glenn Fine.

Fine criticized the FBI for being slow in developing and distributing its interrogation policy to its interrogators.

Though the the FBI decided to avoid harsh techniques in August 2002, the decision was not put in writing until 2004, when the bureau also put in writing that the harsh techniques used by other agencies should be reported to FBI superiors.

The 2002 decision by FBI Director Robert Mueller was that the bureau would adhere to restrictions used in interrogations of detainees within the United States. Those techniques prohibit coercion, abuse or threats.

The policy is based on the belief that building a rapport with prisoners is the best way to gain intelligence, according to Tuesday's report.

The FBI issued a statement saying it is "gratified" by the report's findings, and Mueller promised that the bureau will continue to use "rapport-building techniques in interviews" of detainees.

The inspector general's investigators interviewed almost all of the more than 1,000 FBI employees who were deployed to one or more military zones between 2001 and 2004, the report said.

The vast majority of the agents adhered to FBI policies and separated themselves from other agencies' interrogators who were using techniques that the FBI didn't approve of, the report said.

The report listed "a few incidents" that "clearly would not be permissible for FBI agents to use in the United States," including isolating a prisoner from human contact and participating in an interrogation in which detainees were "given a 'drink of water' in a forceful and inappropriate manner."

It also listed incidents that were not "clear violations of FBI policy" but which should have raised questions.

Some agents participated in a program of subjecting detainees to frequent cell relocations, the report said. In another case, two agents joined in an interview in which a detainee's hands and feet were "short-chained" close together for several hours, during which time the prisoner urinated on himself.

FBI agents reported that non-FBI interrogators engaged in sleep deprivation or sleep disruption techniques, which include using bright lights, loud music and extreme temperatures "to keep detainees awake or otherwise wear down their resistance."

No FBI agents witnessed the abuses at Abu Ghraib, the U.S. Army-operated Baghdad correctional facility where some prisoners were physically and sexually abused, sparking outrage when photos of the abuse became public.

However, the report said, an FBI agent said he witnessed a naked Abu Ghraib prisoner forced to roll between rows of cells. He did not report the incident because he didn't know whether it was an acceptable technique.

The report also said FBI personnel did not witness the controversial waterboarding technique, which the CIA has confirmed was used on three prisoners.

The FBI protested when it witnessed techniques used by the military and the CIA in questioning top terror suspects Abu Zubayda and Yousef al-Qarani, according to the report. In one instance, an agent objected to using a snarling dog to interrogate al-Qarani.

Despite some criticism, the inspector general offered the FBI modest praise at the conclusion of his three-year investigation.

"We believe that while the FBI could have provided clearer guidance earlier, and while the FBI could have pressed harder for resolution of concerns about detainee treatment by other agencies, the FBI should be credited for its conduct and professionalism in detainee interrogations in the military zones in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan and Iraq, and in generally avoiding participation in detainee abuse," the report concluded.

The inspector general's investigation did not quiet the FBI's chief critics. The American Civil Liberties Union said FBI leaders failed

How many instances of unapproved techniques by the FBI were found?

What did the investigation find about FBI?

Who looked at interrogations at Guantanamo Bay?

At what places where the interrogations?

Answer: "only a few instances"

Answer: not participate in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists detained

Answer: building a rapport with prisoners is the best way to gain intelligence,

Answer: Justice Department

Answer: the CIA and Defense Department.

Answer: Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan

Summary:
Justice Department investigation finds FBI generally acted responsibly .
Probe looked at interrogations at Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Iraq .
Investigators find "only a few instances" of unapproved techniques by FBI .
FBI "could have provided clearer guidance earlier," report acknowledges .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered its inspectors to make sure regional airlines' training programs are in line with federal regulations, authorities announced Tuesday. Regional airline Colgan Air's Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York, on February 12. "It's clear to us in looking at the February Colgan Air crash in Buffalo that there are things we should be doing now," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said. "My goal is to make sure that the entire industry -- from large commercial carriers to smaller, regional operators -- is meeting our safety standard." Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York, on February 12, killing all 49 passengers and crew members aboard. One person on the ground was also killed. Federal investigators held hearings on Capitol Hill last month on the cause of the crash but have not concluded their inquiry. Several shortcomings of the crew came to light during the National Transportation and Safety Board hearings when it was revealed that Colgan Air Capt. Marvin Renslow failed to reveal two pilot exam failures in his job application. Testimony at the hearings also revealed that fatigue apparently contributed to the failure of Renslow and First Officer Rebecca Shaw to save the plane as it approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport. USA Today newspaper reviewed the safety board's accident reports over the past 10 years and found that in nearly every serious accident involving a regional airline during that time, at least one of the pilots had failed multiple skill tests. "In eight of the nine accidents during that time, which killed 137 people, pilots had a history of failing two or more 'check rides,' tests by federal or airline inspectors of pilots' ability to fly and respond to emergencies," USA Today reported Sunday. "In the lone case in which pilots didn't have multiple failures since becoming licensed, the co-pilot was fired after the nonfatal crash for falsifying his job application." In addition to reviewing regional airlines' training programs, Babbitt and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood have called on representatives from major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor to participate in a "call to action" in Washington on Monday, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation news release. The review will address pilot training, cockpit discipline and other flight safety issues, the release said.

Will FAA examine training at regional airlines?

How many pilot test failures did USA Today find in regional airline crashes?

Where did the fatal crash occur that the NTSB is currently investigating?

who's inquiry found pilot test failures?

Answer: programs are in line with federal regulations,

Answer: eight of the nine accidents

Answer: Federal Aviation Administration

Answer: Buffalo, New York,

Answer: The Federal Aviation Administration

Answer: regional

Summary:
FAA to examine training at regional airlines to make sure it meets federal standards .
NTSB investigation into fatal crash in Buffalo revealed pilot exam failures .
USA Today inquiry found pilot test failures in eight of nine regional airline crashes .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that would make suing for pay discrimination easier by altering a time limit on such suits.

The act is named for Lilly Ledbetter, seen here in 2008. Her discrimination lawsuit victory was overturned in 2007.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which passed 250-177, would give workers alleging unequal pay the right to sue within 180 days of their most recent paycheck.

Current law says such employees must sue within 180 days of receiving their first unfair paycheck. Supporters of the new legislation say that, under the current law, an employer merely needs to hide unfair pay practices for three months before being able to continue them without penalty.

The act, named for a former Goodyear Tire employee who sued the company for gender discrimination in 1998, would effectively overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision on the limit.

Ledbetter was awarded $360,000 in back pay by a federal judge in Alabama, but the verdict was overturned in a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in May 2007.

The court said that even though she filed her complaint within 180 days of when she first learned that she was getting paid less than comparable male employees, she had failed to file within 180 days of the first unequal paycheck.

After Tuesday's House vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the chamber had "taken a bold step" in passing the legislation.

"In doing so, it has injected fairness, reason and common sense back into policy," Pelosi said.

The legislation, which passed the Senate on Thursday, now goes to President Barack Obama, who has promised to sign it into law. It is the first major piece of legislation Congress has sent to Obama for his approval.

On the campaign trail, Obama and Republican nominee Sen. John McCain debated the bill. Obama heavily emphasized what he called the plan's benefits to working women, while McCain criticized it as a boon for trial lawyers.

Pelosi said Obama called to congratulate her on the bill's passage. Obama danced with Ledbetter at one of his inaugural balls, and she spoke at the Democrat National Convention at which he accepted his party's nomination.

"My case is over -- I will never receive the pay I deserve," Ledbetter said in that speech. "But there will be a far richer reward if we secure fair pay for our children and grandchildren, so that no one will ever again experience the discrimination that I did."

What has President Obama promised to sign?

When was the women's discrimination victory overturned?

Answer: give workers alleging unequal pay the right to sue

Answer: Lilly Ledbetter,

Answer: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,

Answer: give workers alleging unequal pay the right to sue within 180 days of their most recent paycheck.

Answer: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,

Answer: in 2007.

Summary:
President Obama has promised to sign Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act .
Act would alter time limit for pay-discrimination suits, makes them easier to file .
Limit would be based on date of most recent unfair paycheck, not the first .
Act named for woman whose discrimination victory was overturned in 2007 .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has been asked to investigate whether Panama tortured an Ecuadorian citizen who was being held as an illegal immigrant, an official hemispheric human rights organization said. Jesus Tranquilino Velez Loor was arrested November 11, 2002, and deported to Ecuador on September 10, 2003. During that time, he was held without receiving procedural guarantees, the right to be heard and the right to present a defense, said the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. "The case also involves the lack of investigation of complaints of torture presented by Mr. Velez Loor before the Panamanian authorities, as well as the inhumane conditions of detention under which he was held in several Panamanian penitentiaries," the human rights commission said in a release Tuesday. The human rights panel, which is part of the 35-nation Organization of American States, said it referred the case to the court last week because Panama did not adopt sufficient measures to address issues raised in a previous commission report. Velez Loor "was sentenced to a prison term for having repeatedly entered Panama illegally. ... Panamanian law provides that foreign nationals, who repeatedly enter Panama, without the necessary papers, will be imprisoned for two years and then deported," Panama said in a 2006 report. Velez Loor admitted he had gone into Panama without proper papers or visas. The commission said it received an e-mailed complaint from Velez Loor on February 10, 2004, "in which he claims to have undergone torture, forced isolation, and mistreatment at the hands of Panamanian police officers at two Panamanian detention centers without being given the opportunity to defend himself, without the benefit of any court of law, without being allowed to make a telephone call and while being deprived of all medical care." Panama denied those allegations in the 2006 human rights commission report. Officials at the Panamanian embassy in Washington did not return a telephone request Tuesday from CNN for comment on the latest development. The human rights commission consists of seven members who act in a personal capacity, without representing any country, and who are elected by the OAS General Assembly.

When did Commission say it received complaint from Velez Loor?

Answer: "The case also involves the lack of investigation of complaints of torture presented by Mr. Velez Loor before the Panamanian authorities, as well as the inhumane conditions of detention under which he was held in several Panamanian penitentiaries,"

Answer: return a telephone request

Answer: having repeatedly entered Panama illegally.

Answer: Officials at the Panamanian embassy in Washington

Answer: February 10, 2004,

Answer: having repeatedly entered Panama illegally.

Summary:
Commission says it received complaint from Velez Loor in 2004 of alleged torture .
Velez Loor sentenced to prison term for illegal entry into Panama, Panama says .
Officials at Panamanian embassy in Washington did not return request for comment .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The National Archives -- a repository of important government documents, including the U.S. Constitution -- has lost a computer hard drive containing large volumes of Clinton administration records, including the names, phone numbers and Social Security numbers of White House staff members and visitors. The National Archives has lost a hard drive containing large volumes of Clinton administration records. Officials at the Archives say they don't know how many confidential records are on the hard drive. But congressional aides briefed on the matter say it contains "more than 100,000" Social Security numbers, including one belonging to a daughter of then-Vice President Al Gore. It also contains Secret Service and White House operating procedures, the staffers said they were told. The hard drive was last seen in the National Archive's complex in College Park, Maryland, sometime between October of last year and the first week of February. It was discovered missing in late March, prompting a thorough search for the small, 2.5 pound device, the Archives said. When it could not be located, the inspector general's office opened a criminal investigation. On Wednesday, the Archives announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to its return. The Archives said no national security information is on the hard drive, nor any original documents. But they said it does contain "personally identifiable information," and they take the loss "very seriously." U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California, whose staff was briefed on the matter, said the House will hold a hearing Thursday on the incident. "If they [the National Archives' staff] can't handle a hard drive that may be sensitive properly, we need to ask the question, will they handle the most secret materials properly?" Issa said. The Archives Wednesday gave the following account of the disappearance: Last October, the hard drive was moved from a "secure" storage area to a workspace where it was being used for routine recopying to ensure preservation of the records. But work was halted last year because archivists "wanted to investigate using automated tools to generate inspection reports." Staffers were moved to other projects until an automated tool was found in mid-March -- that's when they found the hard drive was missing. The device is described as a two terabyte Western Digital MY BOOK external hard drive, measuring 6.5 x 2.1 x 5.4 inches. More than 110 4-millimeter tape cartridges were copied onto the hard drive. The records included records from the Clinton Administration Executive Office of the President. The archives said no original records have been lost, and the Archives has a backup hard drive that will enable them to determine what information is on the missing device. The inspector general said at least 100 people had access to the area where the hard drive was left unsecured, and that janitors, visitors and others also passed through the area. The Archives said it is reviewing the data on a copy of the missing hard drive and compiling a list of people whose personal information may be compromised. It will notify individuals of the potential breach and will provide them with a year of credit monitoring, the Archives said. "Because of the extremely large volume of data on the drive, we do not know yet the number of individuals whose privacy has been affected," the Archives said Wednesday. "As individuals are identified, they will be notified." The Archives also said it has taken steps to improve security, including both physical control of records and the treatment of personal information.

What is on the hard drive?
What reward has been announced?
What do the Congressional aides say?
How many records are on the hard drive?
How much is the reward?
What don't Officials know?
Who has announced the reward?
What is the reward for?

Answer: containing large volumes of Clinton administration records, including the names, phone numbers and Social Security numbers of White House staff

Answer: $50,000

Answer: it contains "more than 100,000" Social Security numbers,

Answer: it contains "more than 100,000" Social Security numbers,

Answer: $50,000

Answer: how many confidential records are on the hard drive.

Answer: The National Archives

Answer: information leading to its return.

Summary:
Officials say they don't know how many confidential records are on the hard drive .
Congressional aides say "more than 100,000" Social Security numbers on drive .
Archives announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to its return .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The National Organization for Women has sharply criticized comedian David Letterman, accusing him of promoting a hostile, uncomfortable work environment. David Letterman's behavior with employees has created "a toxic environment" in the workplace, NOW says. "The latest Letterman controversy sheds new light on the widespread objectification of women in the workplace," NOW said in a statement Tuesday. "Most women can attest to the fact that many workplaces are plagued with inappropriate behavior by men in power." The "Late Show With David Letterman" host admitted last week on his CBS program that he had sex with unnamed employees and had testified about those liaisons before a New York grand jury as part of an alleged extortion attempt. A CBS producer, Robert "Joe" Halderman, is accused of threatening to go public with embarrassing information about Letterman's private life unless the 62-year-old funnyman ponied up $2 million.  Watch NOW's president slam Letteman, CBS » Letterman made a public apology Monday to his wife, Regina Lasko, who, he said, had been "horribly hurt by my behavior." He said he is trying to repair that relationship. "Either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me," Letterman told the audience Monday night. Letterman married Lasko in March, and they have a 5-year-old son together. All the affairs took place before the marriage, Letterman's production company has said. One of the women who engaged in a sexual relationship with Letterman was identified as Stephanie Birkitt, an assistant to the talk show host and also a former live-in girlfriend of Halderman. Letterman spokesman Tom Keaney said that Birkitt is on a paid leave of absence from the show. NOW said Letterman's behavior was inappropriate in the workplace, saying all employees should be respected for their talent and skills. "Recent developments in the David Letterman extortion controversy have raised serious issues about the abuse of power leading to an inappropriate, if not hostile, workplace environment for women and employees," NOW said in Tuesday's statement. Men such as Letterman make decisions on hiring and firing, who gets raises, who advances and who does entry-level tasks, NOW said. "As 'the boss,' he is responsible for setting the tone for his entire workplace -- and he did that with sex. In any work environment, this places all employees -- including employees who happen to be women -- in an awkward, confusing and demoralizing situation," the group said. "The National Organization for Women calls on CBS to recognize that Letterman's behavior creates a toxic environment and to take action immediately to rectify this situation. With just two women on CBS' board of directors, we're not holding our breath." Those board members are Shari Redstone, vice chairwoman of the board and president of National Amusements Inc., which operates motion picture screens, and Linda Griego, president and chief executive of Griego Enterprises Inc., a business management company. CBS airs "Late Show With David Letterman," which Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants Inc., produces.

Who accused in extortion plot against talk-show host?

Who urges CBS "to take action immediately"?

Which group urgs CBS to take action inmediately?

Whose behaviour was inappropriate in the workplace?

Who are urging CBS to take action immediately?

Who admitted to sex with employees, apologized to wife?

Who admitted on air to sex with employees?

Answer: unnamed

Answer: Robert "Joe" Halderman,

Answer: "The National Organization for Women

Answer: National Organization for Women

Answer: David Letterman's

Answer: The National Organization for Women

Answer: David Letterman"

Answer: David Letterman

Answer: David Letterman"

Summary:
NOW calls David Letterman's behavior inappropriate in the workplace .
Letterman on air admitted to sex with employees, apologized to wife .
Feminist group urges CBS "to take action immediately"
CBS producer accused in extortion plot against talk-show host .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The National Transportation Safety Board has released dramatic animation of two runway near-collisions this year to illustrate what the agency says is the need for improvements in runway safety.

The NTSB animation shows two planes nearly colliding at the San Francisco International Airport in May.

The first animation shows a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 and a United Airlines Airbus A320 coming within 230 feet of colliding on the runway at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida in July.

The re-creation was based on radar and flight data recorder information from the planes involved.

The animation includes audio from the air traffic controller, who can be heard yelling, "Stop, stop, stop!" to the United plane as the Delta aircraft attempts to land.  Watch animation, hear controller's pleas »

The second animation shows a May incident at San Francisco International Airport in California in which a Republic Airlines jet takes off, coming within 35 feet of a SkyWest Airlines commuter turboprop that has just landed.

There were no injuries in either situation.

The videos were shown Thursday during the NTSB's annual "most wanted transportation safety improvements" board meeting, where the agency reviews its greatest concerns in transportation safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that serious runway incursions were reduced by 25 percent in 2007, but the NTSB said much work remains on runway safety and systems to notify pilots when they are about to collide with another plane or vehicle.

NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker expressed frustration with the slow progress of implementing new technology, such as the use of a global positioning system-type procedure in cockpits that would help warn pilots of dangers on the runway.

Rosenker told the NTSB-only panel, "It is time to do something before we have to investigate an accident that is catastrophic."

Among the most wanted transportation safety improvements cited on the NTSB's Web site are items to "stop runway incursions/ground collisions of aircraft" with the notations "action needed by Federal Aviation Administration" and "unacceptable response."

The site says systems the FAA has added to airports to warn air traffic controllers of potential collisions aren't "sufficient."

"In recent incidents, [one system] did not alert controllers in time to be effective, and the situations were instead resolved by flight crew actions that sometimes bordered on heroics or just plain luck," the NTSB site says. "Until there is a system in place to positively control ground movements of all aircraft, with direct warning to pilots, the potential for this type of disaster will continue to be high."

Rosenker told Thursday's board gathering that "this must be resolved."

"We've had this recommendation for a number of years -- too many number of years," he said.

Other areas of NTSB concern include fuel tanks on airplanes, pilot and air traffic controller fatigue, and technologies that could help prevent automobile collisions. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Eric Fiegel contributed to this report.

What age are the examples the NTSB is using?

Who is asking the FAA to improve systems?

Who shows dramatic animations of two recent near-collisions on runways?

How many planes were involved in Florida?

Answer: this year

Answer: two planes nearly colliding

Answer: improvements in runway safety.

Answer: The National Transportation Safety Board

Answer: National Transportation Safety Board

Answer: 230 feet

Answer: two

Summary:
NTSB shows dramatic animations of two recent near-collisions on runways .
In a Florida incident, planes came within 35 feet of colliding .
NTSB wants FAA to improve systems to alert pilots to runway danger .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Obama administration is working on a substantial sanctions package against Iran in case current diplomatic efforts to curb its nuclear program fail, top officials told Congress on Tuesday. Treasury Under Secretary Stuart Levy also developed some of the existing financial sanctions against Iran. Under Secretary of the Treasury Stuart Levy, who developed some of the existing financial sanctions against Iran under the Bush administration, said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing that the "comprehensive" plan would target "key vulnerabilities and fissures" in Iran to show Tehran that it would face "serious costs" for thwarting international demands. "It takes into account that no single sanction is a 'silver bullet'; we will need to impose measures simultaneously in many different forms in order to be effective," Levy said. He stressed, however, that the United States would be mindful of actions that would harm the Iranian people or undercut the opposition battling the Iranian government. The hearing comes as some members of Congress push for tougher U.S. sanctions on the Iranian regime in light of the recent revelation that Iran was building a second uranium enrichment facility near Qom, a dramatic development that jacked up tension between Iran and international powers. During talks last week in Geneva, Switzerland, between Iranian officials and representatives of the so-called P5+1 -- the United States, Britain, France, German, Russia and China -- Iran agreed to admit inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to the Qom facility. Tehran also agreed "in principle" to ship its low-enriched uranium produced in Iran to third countries for further enrichment for a nuclear reactor used for medical research. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg told the panel Tuesday that one reason for the Obama administration's engagement toward Iran was to secure international support for sanctions if Iran continued to defy international demands. Last week's talks, he said, shined a "spotlight" on Iran that makes inaction more costly. Levy also stressed that an international coalition was key to keeping pressure on Iran. "Because financial measures are most effective when imposed as part of a broad-based effort with support of the largest possible international coalition, we are working closely with our allies as we put together this strategy," he said. "The less united we are in applying pressure, the greater the risk our measures will not have the impact we seek." Several lawmakers expressed doubt that Iran would negotiate in good faith and threatened legislation to impose tough new sanctions against Tehran. Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut, said he planned to move forward this month on a proposal to expand financial restrictions, impose new sanctions on Iran's oil and gas sectors and ban both the export of refined gasoline products to Iran and the import of Iranian goods. Steinberg said the United States and its allies will judge Iran's seriousness about the talks by whether it makes good on its commitments to ship the uranium out of the country and admit the IAEA inspectors, who are expected to visit the Qom facility October 25. "By the end of the month, we will have some very clear indications of what their intentions are," he said.

What would target "key vulnerabilities,"?

Who would be mindful of actions that would harm Iranian people?

What is the key to keeping the pressure up?

Answer: international coalition

Answer: Iranian people

Answer: "comprehensive" plan

Answer: harm the Iranian people or undercut the opposition

Answer: United States

Answer: Levy also stressed that an international coalition was

Summary:
"Comprehensive" plan would target "key vulnerabilities," official says .
But U.S. would be mindful of actions that would harm Iranian people, he says .
International coalition is key to keeping pressure up, diplomat says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Obama administration will ask Congress for another $83.4 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the end of September, Democratic congressional sources said Thursday.

President Obama's spending measure is likely to be the last supplemental request submitted to pay for the wars.

The request is expected to pay for those conflicts for the rest of the 2009 budget year, two Democratic congressional sources said.

The money would bring the running tab for both conflicts to about $947 billion, according to figures from the Congressional Research Service.

More than three-quarters of the $864 billion appropriated so far has gone to the war in Iraq, the agency estimated.

Since taking office in January, President Obama has announced plans to shift troops out of Iraq and beef up U.S. forces in Afghanistan, where American troops have been battling al Qaeda and Taliban fighters since al Qaeda's 2001 attacks.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama said the situation in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan "demands urgent attention."

"The Taliban is resurgent, and al Qaeda threatens America from its safe haven along the Afghan-Pakistan border," Obama wrote in submitting the funding request.

"There is no question of the resolve of our military women and men. Yet, in Afghanistan, that resolve has not been matched by a comprehensive strategy and sufficient resources," Obama wrote.

About $75 billion of the latest request would pay for military operations, including $9.8 billion for body armor and protective vehicles and $11.6 billion to replace worn-out equipment. The rest would go to diplomatic programs and development aid -- including $1.6 billion for Afghanistan, $1.4 billion for Pakistan and $700 million for Iraq.

The request would also provide about $800 million for the Palestinian Authority, including humanitarian aid for Gaza, the Hamas-ruled territory that was heavily bombarded by Israel in December and January; $800 million to support U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa; and $30 million to the Department of Justice to manage the closure of the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The supplemental spending bill is likely to be the last such request submitted to Congress to pay for the wars, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. While the Bush administration relied on supplemental spending bills to fund the conflicts, Obama began including war spending in his 2010 budget.

The president urged Congress to move quickly on the request "and not to use the supplemental to pursue unnecessary spending."

But Rep. Lynn Woolsey, a prominent anti-war Democrat, said the requested funding would "prolong our occupation of Iraq through at least the end of 2011," when U.S. troops are scheduled to leave the country, "and it will deepen and expand our military presence in Afghanistan indefinitely."

"Instead of attempting to find military solutions to the problems we face in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Obama must fundamentally change the mission in both countries to focus on promoting reconciliation, economic development, humanitarian aid, and regional diplomatic efforts."

Last month, Obama announced the United States plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010. A residual force of between 35,000 to 50,000 troops will remain until December 31, 2011. There are 142,000 American troops in Iraq now.

Obama has ordered the deployment of 17,000 troops to fight the Taliban in the south and east and 4,000 more to train Afghan troops.

who did  says funds would prolong U.S. occupation of Iraq?

How much are the total funds between Iraq and Afghanistan?

Answer: $9.8 billion

Answer: Lynn Woolsey,

Answer: $947 billion,

Answer: wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Summary:
NEW: About $9.8 billion would pay for body armor and protective vehicles .
NEW: More than $2 billion would go to aid for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq .
NEW: Democratic lawmaker says funds would prolong U.S. occupation of Iraq .
Funds would bring tab for Iraq and Afghanistan wars to $947 billion .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Organization of American States suspended Honduras late Saturday because the nation's new leaders refused to reinstate ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya. Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya appears Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly. Zelaya was removed by the military on June 28 and flown to Costa Rica. Congressional leader Roberto Micheletti was sworn in as provisional president later that day. The OAS set a Saturday deadline for Honduras to return Zelaya to power or be suspended from the 35-nation hemispheric organization. Honduran officials told OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza on Friday that they would not allow Zelaya to return to power. Thousands of protesters demanding the return to power of ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya pushed through riot police at Tegucigalpa's airport and surrounded the terminal Saturday, but there were no reports of violence. The airport continued to operate, CNN Correspondent Karl Penhaul reported. Zelaya, a leftist who took office in 2006, says he will return to Honduras on Sunday. Micheletti has vowed to have Zelaya arrested if he returns. "I am simply defending a system," Zelaya told the OAS delegates early Sunday, after the 33-0 vote to suspend Honduras. Among the delegates were two heads of state: Presidents Christina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay. "I am here not only as president of the republic of Argentina, but also as part of a delegation who was the object of coups in Argentina," Fernandez said. Lugo also spoke in favor of restoring Zelaya and democracy to his nation. "I come from Paraguay, a country that has had the long night of dictatorships," Lugo said. "I come here with a pain, but also with a hope." Micheletti repeated in an interview with CNN en Español on Saturday night that a coup did not take place. What happened, he said, was a constitutional transfer of power authorized by the nation's congress. But Micheletti is swimming against world opinion. The U.N. General Assembly condemned the coup last week and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated. The European Union and other nations have recalled their ambassadors from Honduras, and the United States and the World Bank have suspended some aid. Honduran officials have said the Central American nation was prepared to withdraw from the OAS rather than reinstate Zelaya. "If the Organization of American States doesn't deem Honduras worthy of membership of the Organization of American States, then Honduras would renounce with immediate effect the inter-American charter," said Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Lorena Alvarado. At the center of the dispute was a referendum Zelaya had vowed to carry out even after the country's supreme court and congress found it illegal. The nonbinding referendum could have led to the creation of a constitutional assembly to modify the country's charter to allow the president to run for re-election. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a Zelaya ally, won a similar referendum this year, and many Hondurans thought Zelaya was trying to maneuver a way to seek re-election in November. Zelaya has denied that was his intent. Zelaya narrowly won the presidency in 2005, with 49.8 percent of the vote to 46.1 percent for Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo. After 18 years of nearly uninterrupted military rule, Honduras returned to civilian control in 1981. Since then, the military has not seemed interested in holding power in the nation of more than 7 million people, about 70 percent of whom live in poverty. Military interventions were once common in Latin America, but civilian governments have held sway since the 1980s. Before Sunday, the only other barracks revolt this decade was an unsuccessful 2002 coup attempt against Chavez, when the military displaced him but backed down days later and allowed his reinstatement. CNN's Tom Watkins contributed to this report

What does the new President of Honduras say he will do to Jose Zelaya?

Will Jose Zelaya be arrested upon return?

Who wants Zelaya restored to power is Honduras?

Answer: arrested if

Answer: The Organization of American States suspended Honduras

Answer: June 28

Answer: Micheletti has vowed to have

Answer: Thousands of protesters demanding the return

Answer: Jose Manuel Zelaya.

Summary:
Organization of American States suspend Honduras in wake of coup .
Thousands of supporters at airport for return of ousted president Jose Zelaya .
Organization of American States wants Zelaya restored to power .
Newly installed president says Jose Zelaya will be arrested upon return .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Senate on Wednesday narrowly rejected a controversial measure to allow people to carry concealed weapons from state to state. A Miami, Florida, gun store offers concealed weapons training. The measure would have required each of the 48 states that currently allow concealed firearms to honor permits issued in other states. The vote was 58-39 in favor. The amendment needed 60 votes to pass. The vote split the Democrats, with 20 supporting the measure and 35 opposing it. Two of the Senate's 40 Republicans -- Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio -- and both independents, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernard Sanders of Vermont, voted against it. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, all Democrats, did not vote. A coalition of mayors that fought the law welcomed its defeat. "Our bipartisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns fought this amendment tooth-and-nail, because we recognize that the laws of one state may not be best for another," Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston, Massachusetts, said in a statement. "We will continue to work with our members to support common-sense policies and oppose dangerous ones, like the Thune Amendment that was defeated today," he said, referring to Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, who sponsored the proposal. It was the first significant defeat this year for advocates of gun rights, after gun control advocates faced an unexpected setback in May.  Map: See which states allow citizens to carry concealed weapons » Gun rights advocates attached a measure allowing people to carry guns in national parks to credit card legislation. President Obama signed the package into law. The interstate concealed-weapons proposal was an amendment to a larger defense appropriations bill. Supporters of the measure argued it would help deter criminals; opponents claimed it would, in effect, force most of the country to conform to regulations in states with the loosest gun-ownership standards. Opponents of the amendment mounted a huge campaign to stop it. Mayors Against Illegal Guns -- which says it represent more than 450 mayors in 40 states -- took out an ad in USA Today opposing the measure. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a campaign co-chairman, opposed the law on a number of grounds, arguing both that it tramples on states' rights and that guns are dangerous. "There's no evidence that if you have a gun, you're safer," he said on CNN's "American Morning" Wednesday. "Quite the contrary. If you have a gun at home, [you are] something like 20 times more likely to have somebody in your house killed. ... "We have to protect our policemen, protect our citizens. We can't have all these guns, and it's reasonable to have each state make their own laws," he said. "Wyoming shouldn't be subject to New York state laws, and we're going in that direction," he said. "What's right for the people of Wyoming isn't necessarily right for the people of New York and vice versa." Sen. John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican who was a co-sponsor of the amendment, had argued that gun licenses should apply across state lines, like driver's licenses. "People travel," he said on "American Morning." "We have truck drivers on our roads, people traveling for vacation in their vehicles, and if you have a license ... you should be able to use that license in other states. It should apply like a driver's license," he said. He argued that concealed weapons deter crime. "Carrying a concealed weapon is a sign of self-defense, self-protection, and I think it lowers crime," he said. And he said people carrying guns would still have to obey laws wherever they are. "The law of the state where that person happens to be at the time are the laws that apply in terms of if

What would the proposal force states to do?

Answer: a controversial measure to allow people

Answer: honor permits issued in other

Answer: advocates of gun rights,

Answer: The Senate

Summary:
Senate turns down proposal to make permits valid despite differing laws .
Foes said it would force states to honor laws in more gun-permissive states .
First significant defeat for the gun lobby .