(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's life has ended, but the legal battles over his possessions, his debts and his children are likely just beginning. Michael Jackson, seen here with two of his three children, died suddenly on Thursday. Perhaps the biggest and saddest question is what will happen to the late singer's two sons and his daughter: 12-year-old Prince Michael I, 11-year-old Paris and 7-year-old Prince Michael II. Normally in such cases, care of the children would be taken over by the surviving parent or a close relative. But as with many other aspects of Jackson's life, his family situation was complex, unusual and far from normal. Born to two mothers -- Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe and an unidentified woman who reportedly served as a surrogate -- the children lived and traveled the world with Jackson, their faces often covered by veils and masks when appearing in public. Rowe gave up her parental rights to her two kids with the singer, but later battled to have them restored. She may be considered to take over custody for Prince Michael I and Paris, said CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who has followed Jackson's legal woes for years. "Certainly any court that is looking at that sort of question will say, if the father dies who is the mother and would we consider giving the children to the mother?" Toobin said. "As I understand it, in later years after a substantial amount of time when Debbie Rowe didn't see those children at all, she started to have a relationship with them again. So she'd certainly be an obvious candidate for custody of those two children."  Watch Toobin talk about Jackson's legal issues » The question of custody for the third child would be even more up in the air since his mother was likely never involved in his life, Toobin added. The three kids are staying with their paternal grandmother, Katherine Jackson, People magazine reported. She may just wind up keeping them, observers said. "Katherine is the logical choice -- she has all the grandkids and nieces around her but it will be up to the courts," said Brian Oxman, a former Jackson family attorney, according to People. "I wouldn't be surprised if there are more proceedings regarding the children." Complications may already be looming on the horizon. Katherine Jackson may wish to keep the children, but Michael Jackson wanted them to be taken care of by their nanny if anything happened to him, ABC News reported, quoting Stacey Brown, co- author of "Michael Jackson Behind the Mask." Meanwhile, Rowe's former attorney tells People that a judge returned parental rights to Rowe in 2005, so she is the legal parent of her two children with Jackson and can gain custody of them. Chaotic legal life Instructions specifying who should care for children after a parent's death are often left in a will, but it's not known whether Jackson had one prepared before his untimely passing. "Michael Jackson led an extremely chaotic financial and legal life. ... Given how chaotic his life was, did he even have a will?" Toobin said. Beyond the question of Jackson's children, a will may also be key to answering questions about what's left of his estate. The pop star's financial ups and downs have been as well-chronicled as his personal problems, including a near-bankruptcy and the threatened foreclosure of his Neverland ranch. Jackson accumulated almost $500 million in debt by living large over the years, but he also had considerable assets when he died, including his own music royalties and a 25 percent stake in a music publishing library that contained many Beatles songs, Fortune reported. Those assets might prompt new legal battles and it may be a long time before the dust settles. "[Jackson] was surrounded by some of the sleaziest, most unethical advisers who came in and came out and he has had a tremendous amount of litigation in his life," Toobin said. "His death will

Who are the mothers of Michael Jackson's kids?

How many women did Michael Jackson have children with?

How many children has Michael Jackson got?

How many children did Michael Jackson have?

Answer: it's not known

Answer: it's not known

Answer: Debbie Rowe

Answer: Debbie Rowe and an unidentified woman

Answer: two mothers

Answer: three

Answer: three

Summary:
Michael Jackson had three children with two women .
Ex-wife gave up her parental rights, but later fought to have them restored .
She may be considered to take over custody for her two kids with Jackson .
It's not known whether Jackson left a will .


(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's sudden death has thrown the peculiar path of his later life back into the spotlight. Michael Jackson spent 11 months living in Bahrain after his acquittal on child abuse charges in the U.S. He spent much of the past four years flitting from one part of the globe to another, failing to put down permanent roots. However, one of his longest spells in one place was spent in Bahrain. When his life was falling apart at the seams in 2005 he was offered sanctuary in the Persian Gulf kingdom. He had been just been acquitted of 10 child abuse charges at the end of a 14-week trial in the U.S., but there appeared to be no respite from the bad publicity and his spiraling debts which had forced the sale of his Neverland ranch. He suffered health problems during the trial and appeared increasingly frail. Jackson, who died owing an estimated $500 million, had been living beyond his means for years and wanted to flee the spotlight. He had not been seen in the two weeks after the trial before reports emerged from Bahrain that he and his children had landed there on a private jet as the guests of Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the king's son, and a friend of Jackson's brother, Jermaine. It was claimed at the time that Jackson had a large fan base in the kingdom and wider Gulf region.  Watch why Jackson is "as big as it gets" » Indeed Bahrain, a chain of around 30 islands with a population of 766,000 and relaxed social social environment, appeared the perfect escape -- for 11 months anyway. It was made even more enticing by Sheikh Abdulla's generosity. In 2008 he sued Jackson in a Britain's High Court for £4.7 million ($7.7 million), claiming the pop star had reneged on a music contract. Sheikh Abdulla said he had paid all of Jackson's living, travel and other expenses until his departure from Bahrain in May 2006, and advanced funds to retain legal and financial advisers.  Watch Jesse Jackson share memories » Sheikh Abdulla also built a recording studio, which he believed would be used to record albums using material he had helped to write. However, he claimed the singer pulled out of the deal in May 2006 after 11 months. iReport.com: Your Michael Jackson tributes Jackson claimed the payments were gifts. In November last year the High Court in London was told the dispute had ended with an "amicable settlement," the details of which remain confidential.

What is name of person who sued Jackson?

In what year was Jackson offered sanctuary?

Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa sued who?

How many months did he spend in the Persian Gulf kingdom?

Answer: Michael Jackson

Answer: Sheikh Abdulla

Answer: 2005

Answer: Sheikh Abdulla's

Answer: 11 months

Answer: Jackson

Answer: Michael Jackson

Answer: 11

Answer: sanctuary

Summary:
Jackson was offered sanctuary in Bahrain by king's son in 2005 .
He spent 11 months in the Persian Gulf kingdom .
Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa later sued Jackson .


(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's upbringing was shaped by two very different parents. An image of Michael Jackson and his parents was on the big screen during his funeral in Los Angeles. His mother, Katherine Jackson, has been portrayed by her children as the loving glue that bonded the family together, while her husband, Joe, was the harsh disciplinarian whose iron hand not only shaped one of the most successful musical families in the world, but also elicited enough fear in his superstar son that it sometimes made him ill. Now the couple of 60 years stands at the center of a custody drama surrounding their grandchildren. Michael Jackson's will, filed in 2002, designated his mother as caregiver for Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and "Blanket," 7. It is the latest installment in the many trials that have tested the Jackson family, not least of which has been the unexpected loss of its most famous member. "[Katherine's] taking it real hard," Joe Jackson told ABC News about his wife's coping with their son's death. "When you start talking about Michael, she starts crying." By many accounts, Katherine Jackson, 79, shared a special bond with her second-youngest son. In a 1993 interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson spoke glowingly of the matriarch. "My mother's wonderful," he said. "To me, she's perfection." According to a biography posted by A&E Networks, Katherine Jackson was born Kattie B. Screws in 1930 in Barbour County, Alabama. Her family reportedly relocated to East Chicago, Indiana, when she was 4, and her name was changed to Katherine Esther Scruse. A childhood bout with polio left her with a permanent limp. She was a teenager when she met Joe Jackson, an aspiring musician and a boxer whose first marriage dissolved. Katherine said it was love at first sight. "I just had a feeling that he was going to be my husband," Katherine Jackson said in an interview shot last year by Xonger Global Entertainment Networks for a planned reality show about the family. The video was obtained by ABC News. "The first time I saw him, I fell in love with him." Together, they raised 10 children in a modest Gary, Indiana, home, while Joe worked as a crane operator, according to the A&E biography. A devout Jehovah's Witness, Katherine nurtured the children's love of music by singing with them, made her sons' costumes as their father booked local gigs, and served as the family's backbone. "As best as I could tell from both talking to [Michael] and my observations of the family throughout the years, Katherine was the one that had really unconditional love for Michael and was always there, was always supportive and was always comforting," said journalist and CNN contributor Bryan Monroe, who conducted the last major interview with Michael Jackson. "It was the epitome of a mother's love." Joe Jackson's relationship with his famous son was a bit more complicated. Monroe said the hard taskmaster -- who Michael said sometimes held a belt in his hand as he and his brothers rehearsed -- evoked mixed emotions from the singer. "In my interview with him, [Michael] spoke almost in the same breath of the fear he had of Joseph's sternness ... and at the same time the respect he had for Joseph's work ethics and his teachings," Monroe said. "He said [Joseph] taught him and his brothers an awful lot about discipline and performance." According to the biography posted by A&E Networks, Joe Jackson was born in Arkansas in 1929 and pursued fame early on, first as a Golden Gloves contender and later as a member of The Falcons, a band he started in the mid-1950s. When he noticed musical talent in his brood, he formed the Jackson Brothers with his three oldest sons and served as their manager. The group later became The Jackson 5, with young Michael serving as lead singer

Who is seeking custody of Michael Jackson's children?

Who is viewed as the backbone of the family?

Answer: His mother, Katherine

Answer: Katherine Jackson,

Summary:
Joseph and Katherine Jackson had different parenting styles, observers say .
Katherine viewed as family backbone while Joe reportedly a harsh taskmaster .
Author: Katherine Jackson "kept everyone pretty well grounded"
Michael Jackson's mother is seeking custody of his children .


(CNN) -- Michael Jackson, the show-stopping singer whose best-selling albums -- including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" -- and electrifying stage presence made him one of the most popular artists of all time, died Thursday, CNN has confirmed. He was 50. He collapsed at his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California, about noon Pacific time, suffering cardiac arrest, according to brother Randy Jackson. He died at UCLA Medical Center. As news of his death spread, stunned fans began to react and remember one of the most remarkable careers in music.

Who was shocked and numbed  by the news?

Answer: fans

Answer: UCLA Medical Center.

Summary:
Video shows ambulance rushing the pop star to the hospital .
Crowds gather at the hospital where Jackson was rushed .
A.J. Hammer: This "is big as it gets"; Rev. Al Sharpton: He was "a trailblazer"
Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. says he's "numbed and shocked" at the news .


(CNN) -- Michael Jackson, the show-stopping singer whose best-selling albums -- including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" -- and electrifying stage presence made him one of the most popular artists of all time, died Thursday, CNN has confirmed. Michael Jackson, shown in 2008, was one of the biggest pop stars in history. He was 50. He collapsed at his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California, about noon Pacific time, suffering cardiac arrest, according to brother Randy Jackson. He died at UCLA Medical Center. Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said an autopsy would probably be done on the singer Friday, with results expected that afternoon.  Watch crowds gather at Jackson's hospital » "Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color," the Rev. Al Sharpton said. "To say an 'icon' would only give these young people in Harlem a fraction of what he was. He was a historic figure that people will measure music and the industry by." Jackson's blazing rise to stardom -- and later fall from grace -- is among the most startling of show business tales. The son of a steelworker, he rose to fame as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, a band he formed with his brothers in the late 1960s. By the late '70s, as a solo artist, he was topping the charts with cuts from "Off the Wall," including "Rock With You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."  Watch Jackson perform at a 1988 concert » In 1982, he released "Thriller," an album that eventually produced seven hit singles. An appearance the next year on a Motown Records 25th-anniversary special cemented his status as the biggest star in the country.  Timeline: The life of Michael Jackson » For the rest of the 1980s, they came no bigger. "Thriller's" follow-up, 1987's "Bad," sold almost as many copies. A new Jackson album -- a new Jackson appearance -- was a pop culture event. iReport: Share your memories of Michael Jackson The pop music landscape was changing, however, opening up for rap, hip-hop and what came to be called "alternative" -- and Jackson was seen as out of step. His next release, 1991's "Dangerous," debuted at No. 1 but "only" produced one top-ranking single -- "Black or White" -- and that song earned criticism for its inexplicably violent ending, in which Jackson was seen smashing car windows and clutching his crotch. And then "Dangerous" was knocked out of its No. 1 spot on the album charts by Nirvana's "Nevermind," an occurrence noted for its symbolism by rock critics. After that, more attention was paid to Jackson's private life than his music career, which faltered. A 1995 two-CD greatest hits, "HIStory," sold relatively poorly, given the huge expense of Jackson's recording contract: about 7 million copies, according to Recording Industry of America certifications. A 2001 album of new material, "Invincible," did even worse. In 2005, he went to trial on child-molestation charges. He was acquitted. In July 2008, after three years away from the spotlight, Jackson announced a series of concerts at London's O2 Arena as his "curtain call." Some of the shows, initially scheduled to begin in July, were eventually postponed until 2010. Watch the reaction to Jackson's passing Rise to stardom Michael Jackson was born August 29, 1958, to Joe Jackson, a Gary, Indiana, steelworker, and his wife, Katherine. By the time he was 6, he had joined his brothers in a musical group organized by his father, and by the time he was 10, the group -- the Jackson 5 -- had been signed to Motown. Watch Michael Jackson's life in video He made his first television appearance at age

Where does Jackson suffer cardiac arrest?

Where did Michael Jackson suffer cardiac arrest?

What is one of the best-selling albums of all time?

What Michael Jackson album was one of the best selling albums of all time?

Which is one of the best-selling albums?

Where did Michael Jacson suffer cardiac arrest?

Answer: his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California,

Answer: his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California,

Answer: Michael Jackson,

Answer: "Thriller"

Answer: "Thriller"

Answer: Michael Jackson,

Answer: pop

Answer: Jackson,

Answer: He died at UCLA Medical Center.

Answer: "Thriller"

Answer: "Off the Wall,"

Answer: at his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California,

Answer: cardiac arrest,

Summary:
Video shows ambulance rushing the pop star to the hospital .
Crowds gather at the hospital where Jackson was rushed .
A.J. Hammer: This "is big as it gets"; Rev. Al Sharpton: He was "a trailblazer"
Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. says he's "numbed and shocked" at the news .


(CNN) -- Michael Vick turned himself in to authorities on Monday to get a head start on serving his sentence for running a dogfighting ring, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Michael Vick leaves court in Richmond, Virginia, in August after pleading guilty to dogfighting charges. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10 on a federal conspiracy charge of bankrolling the dogfighting operation. Vick, 27, voluntarily turned himself in around noon, said Kevin Trevillan of the Marshals Service, and is being held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia, until the sentencing hearing. The quarterback, who has been suspended indefinitely by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, faces 12 to 18 months in prison on the charge. Vick pleaded guilty in August after three associates admitted their own roles in the operation and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. "From the beginning, Mr. Vick has accepted responsibility for his actions and his self-surrender further demonstrates that acceptance,"  Vick's attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement. "Michael wants to again apologize to everyone who has been hurt in this matter and he thanks all of the people who have offered him and his family prayers and support during this time," Martin's statement said. CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin speculated that Vick started his sentence early "to get it out of the way." Watch Toobin explain why Vick would surrender early » On September 25, a Virginia grand jury indicted Vick and the three co-defendants -- Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Virginia -- on state charges of running a dogfighting ring at Vick's home outside Newport News. The Surry County grand jury brought two charges against the four men: one count of unlawfully torturing and killing dogs and one of promoting dogfights. Each is a felony charge that could result in a five-year prison term. In addition, Taylor faces three additional counts of unlawful torture and killing of dogs. A hearing in that case is set for November 27, but Vick does not have to be in court at that time. In September, Vick was put under tight restrictions by the federal court after he tested positive for marijuana use. Vick tested positive for the drug on September 13, a court document from the Eastern District of Virginia shows. As a result, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson ordered Vick to "submit to any method of testing required by the pretrial services officer or the supervising officer for determining whether the defendant is using a prohibited substance." Those methods could include random drug testing, a remote alcohol testing system "and/or any form of prohibited substance screening or testing," the order said. Vick was also ordered to stay home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., "or as directed by the pretrial services officer or supervising officer," the order said. He was to be electronically monitored during that time. Vick must participate in substance abuse therapy and mental health counseling "if deemed advisable by the pretrial services officer or supervising officer" at his own expense, the order said. E-mail to a friend

When did Atlanta Falcons quarterback plead guilty?

Whose attorney says early surrender shows Vick accepts responsibility?

Answer: Michael Vick

Answer: Atlanta Falcons

Answer: "Michael wants to again apologize to everyone who has been hurt in this matter and he thanks all of the people who have offered him and his family prayers and support during this time,"

Answer: dogfighting

Answer: Monday

Answer: August

Answer: December 10

Answer: December 10

Answer: December 10

Answer: Billy Martin,

Summary:
NEW: Vick's attorney says early surrender shows Vick accepts responsibility .
Sentencing set for December 10 on dogfighting charges against Michael Vick .
Atlanta Falcons quarterback pleaded guilty in August .
Monday, he surrendered to begin whatever sentence he gets on December 10 .


(CNN) -- Michael Vick, recently reinstated to the NFL after being freed from federal prison after a dogfighting-related conviction, has signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to his agent, Joel Segal. Michael Vick is set to join his new team on Friday, according to his agent. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback reports to Philadelphia on Friday, Segal told CNN. Details of the deal were not immediately available Thursday night. The league suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia. Vick, 29, was freed from federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 20 and returned to his home to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement. iReport.com: Is this a good move? The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Thursday night in a statement it was "incredibly disappointed" at the news of Vick's signing. "Philadelphia is a city of dog lovers and most particularly, pit bull lovers," said Susan Cosby, the organization's chief executive officer. "To root for someone who participated in the hanging, drowning, electrocution and shooting of dogs will be impossible for many, no matter how much we would all like to see the Eagles go all the way." However, Ed Sayres, president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said in a statement that "Commissioner Roger Goodell and the Philadelphia Eagles have granted Michael Vick a second chance, and the ASPCA expects Mr. Vick to express remorse for his actions, as well as display more compassion and sound judgment this time around than he did during his previous tenure with the NFL." "We hope that Mr. Vick uses his stature for the betterment of the community and the advancement of the issue of animal cruelty," Sayres said. Eagles head coach Andy Reid told reporters he knows there are some fans that will not accept Vick. "I understand how that works," he said. "But there's enough of them that will, and then it's up to Michael to prove that that change has taken place. I think he's there. That's what he wants to do." He said Vick "seems very focused, and he wants to get his career back on track." It is unclear what role Vick will play in the Eagles' offense. But it was clear that the move had the blessing of current Eagles starting quarterback Donovan McNabb. "I pretty much lobbied to get him here," McNabb said. "Because everybody deserves a second chance." The NFL reinstated Vick on a conditional basis last month. Vick "will be considered for full reinstatement and to play in regular-season games by Week 6 based on the progress he makes in his transition plan," the NFL said in a statement last month. Week 6 of the NFL season is in October. Vick may participate in practices, workouts and meetings and may play in his club's final two preseason games under the conditions of his reinstatement, the league said last month. "I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for [the] opportunity I have been given," Vick said in a statement last month upon his reinstatement. "As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward," he said in last month's statement. Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy has agreed to continue working with Vick as an adviser and mentor, the NFL said. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters last month that Vick underwent tests, including a psychiatric evaluation, after requests from animal rights groups. Vick has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At a hearing in that case, he told the judge he

Animal advocacy group in which city says it was disappointed at signing?

The NFL player was found guilty of what?

Answer: Andy Reid

Answer: Vick's

Answer: Vick.

Answer: bankrolling a dogfighting operation

Answer: Andy Reid

Answer: Vick,

Summary:
NEW: Eagles head coach Andy Reid: I know some fans won't accept Vick .
Agent: Vick to report to Philadelphia Eagles on Friday .
NFL suspended Vick in 2007 after pleading guilty in dogfighting case .
Animal advocacy group in Philadelphia says it is disappointed at signing .


(CNN) -- Michelle Obama, wife of Sen. Barack Obama, is honing her message for the fall, aides say. Sen. Barack Obama and wife, Michelle, have been thrust into the public eye. "Michelle wrote her own stump (speech). And you know, she's refining it now I think as we're going into the general election," said senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. "We have an opportunity for her to kind of step back and think about the message she wants to deliver. So she's really working on it as we speak." Her new speeches will include more details about her family and humble upbringing on Chicago's South Side, aides said. Michelle Obama graduated from Harvard Law School, was a vice president at the University of Chicago and landed a job as a health care executive making $275,000 a year. But along with her success has come criticism -- that's she's too angry, too negative and too sarcastic. Now, the woman who would become the first black first lady is trying to connect with voters on a more personal level.  Watch experts weigh in on how Michelle Obama is perceived » On Wednesday, she made an appearance as a guest co-host on ABC's "The View," and later this week, she and her husband will grace the cover of Us Weekly. The magazine is headlined "Michelle Obama: Why Barack Loves Her," and includes details about her love for Target, "Sex and the City" and her daughters' recitals. Asked Wednesday while on "The View" if she's going through a makeover, she said she realizes "I wear my heart on my sleeve" and that "it's a risk you have to take."  She said she thinks people will change their perception of her as they see her family more. Michelle Obama's spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said earlier there is no "image makeover" in the works.  Watch what Michelle Obama would be like as first lady » "She has staff engaged in simply part of the process of growing to a general election campaign and putting a strategy together to help people get to know her," Lelyveld said. "It's what you do as you move from primary voters to general election voters." Carl Sferrazza Anthony, a first ladies historian, said it's important for Michelle Obama to define herself before others define her. "One comment made off-hand ... might be easily misinterpreted by the opposition," he said. Michelle Obama saw that in February when a Republican ad used a snippet from a campaign event in which, referring to record voter turnout in the Democratic primaries, she said, "for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country." Obama's campaign says she was just excited about the grassroots support, but her words still provided fodder for her husband's opponents. The day after the comments, Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, introduced her husband saying, "I don't know about you, if you heard those words earlier -- I am very proud of my country." Michelle Obama has been a vocal advocate for her husband while on the campaign trail, delivering sometimes impassioned speeches on his behalf. Robin Givhan, fashion editor with the Washington Post, said people see Michelle Obama in different ways. "Some people will see confidence, and others might see cockiness. I think some people will see strength. Others might see arrogance," she said. "She comes across as someone who is extraordinarily independent and very much a force to be reckoned with." Behind the scenes, she maintains that independence. According to the campaign, Michelle Obama picks out her own clothes. She received a lot of attention for the sleeveless purple dress and pearls she wore the night her husband became the presumptive Democratic nominee. Beyond her style, though, a sense of dignity may be what most defines a first lady. It's a job that requires

Who refines her speeches to emphasize family?

what is the Michelle Obama speech about?

Answer: too angry, too negative and too sarcastic.

Answer: Michelle Obama

Answer: Sen. Barack Obama,

Answer: Obama,

Answer: "The View,"

Answer: Michelle Obama

Answer: her family and humble upbringing on Chicago's South Side, aides said.

Answer: Michelle Obama

Answer: details about her family and humble upbringing on Chicago's South Side,

Summary:
Michelle Obama refining her speeches to emphasize family, upbringing .
She has been criticized for coming across as angry, unpatriotic .
She is co-hosting on "The View;" also on cover of Us Weekly .
Her spokeswoman says this is not an "image makeover"


(CNN) -- Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of Springdale, Arkansas, are the parents of 18 children, and their family is the focus of a TLC network reality series. Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar say they are grateful for their 18 children, and may have more. Joy Behar, guest host Thursday night on "Larry King Live," asked the Duggars how they are able to stay debt free with such a large family and what they thought of Nadya Suleman, the single mother who recently gave birth to octuplets after having fertility treatments. Following is a transcript of their conversation. Joy Behar: Let me ask you something. What is your reaction to this octomom? Nadya Suleman, the story. What do you think about that? Michelle Duggar: Well, I just know from my own heart, I can't judge and look at her and judge her situation. I just know from my heart, and personally God changed our heart about children years ago. And so we've kind of gone about it the old-fashioned way. And so we are enjoying each one of the blessings that God has given us, and we're thankful for each one of them. Behar: Right, at least you guys enjoyed having the babies, you went through the sex then the giving birth. This woman didn't have any of that, except the giving birth, which must have been rough, don't you think? Michelle Duggar: Oh, my, I can't imagine. I had twins, but I have -- I just can't imagine having eight at once and the responsibility that that brings. Behar: Why do you suppose this woman has provoked such negativity? They have a "USA Today" Gallup poll saying 70 percent of those surveyed are unsympathetic to this woman. What is going on? Michelle Duggar: Well, you know, I feel like probably more than anything it's just the fact of the responsibility issues from their perspective, and I, you know, I imagine that's probably more of the animosity that's out there. And so -- but I do -- I just can't imagine, you know, her -- how she's going to handle that many little ones under the age of 8. That's a lot of little ones all at once. Jim Bob Duggar: We just need to pray for her. Behar: But you guys haven't experienced that kind of hostility for the children you have. Is that because you're married? Michelle Duggar: I don't know. I think maybe, you know, being that God's given ours one or two at a time and we've kind of done it the old-fashioned way, I don't know. We love them, we're enjoying them, and by God's grace we're taking care of them if he gives us one more. So I just think we're grateful. Behar: I understand that you guys are debt free. I can't even imagine how you pulled that off. ... How did you do that? Jim Bob Duggar: Well, back about 18 years ago, we saw Jim Sammons' financial seminar on DVD, and it was life-changing. At that point, we purposed to try to get out of debt and try to stay out of debt. And our family motto is to buy used and save the difference. We shop a lot at garage sales, thrift stores. Michelle Duggar: Auctions. We bought our industrial kitchen equipment that way, our vehicles that way, and so we really cut corners and we live very frugally. Jim Bob Duggar: That's right, we've never bought a new vehicle. So we do live -- we try to -- we know how to stretch a dollar. Behar: How many cars do you have? Jim Bob Duggar: We actually have probably about, what? Seven or eight right now? Michelle Duggar: We have a lot of drivers, which is great. Behar: Seven or eight cars, well, that's

by buying used and saving difference, the Duggars managed to what?

what does Mcihelle says about octuplets?

how many childrens Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have?

What number of children do the Duggars have?

What do the Duggars do to stay debt-free?

What do the Duggars do to stay debt free?

What did Michelle say about the octuplets' mom?

How many children do Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have?

Answer: get out of debt

Answer: I just can't imagine having eight at once and the responsibility that that brings.

Answer: 18

Answer: 18

Answer: buy used and save the difference.

Answer: buy used and save the difference. We shop a lot at garage sales, thrift stores.

Answer: I just can't imagine having eight at once and the responsibility that that brings.

Answer: they are grateful for their 18 children, and may have more.

Answer: 18

Summary:
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have 18 children, are subject of reality show .
The Duggars have managed to stay debt-free by buying used and saving difference .
Michelle on octuplets' mom: "I just can't imagine having eight at once"
Maybe when octuplets are older, mom could handle doing reality show, Jim Bob says .


(CNN) -- Michigan authorities are investigating whether foul play led to the death of a 9-year-old quadriplegic girl whose body was found inside a public storage facility. Shylea Thomas, 9, of Flint, Michigan, was quadriplegic and used a feeding tube. "This is a very sad and tragic case that hurts all of us involved in the ongoing investigation," Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton said at a news conference Wednesday. Shylea Myza Thomas of Flint, Michigan, hadn't been seen in six weeks, and relatives reported her missing Tuesday, Leyton's office said. Her adoptive mother, who is also her aunt, is in custody as a suspect, special assistant prosecuting attorney John Potbury told CNN. No charges have been filed pending the results of the autopsy, he said. Because of her physical disabilities, Shylea used a feeding tube. She suffered from quadriplegia because of a "suffocation issue" in her crib at 3 weeks of age, Leyton said. On Wednesday, Flint police found her body stuffed inside a garbage bag in a public storage facility in Vienna Township, near Flint, Leyton said. The bag was covered in mothballs "in an apparent attempt to mask odors from the dead body," his office said in a news release. "For her to have to live like that, and then to die and be stuffed into a bag and plastic bin in a storage facility, just breaks my heart," the prosecutor said. CNN affiliate WJRT reported that the suspect could face charges including murder, first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud. The station also reported that investigators are trying to determine why the girl's disappearance wasn't reported until six weeks after she went missing. Relatives told WJRT that they remember Shylea as a happy child, who loved music and whose smile was infectious.  Watch a family in shock » "The last memory I actually have of Shylea is seeing her when she was in my care," said her second cousin, Josette Thomas. "She was on the bed listening to the radio and smiling. Those are actually the memories I want to keep in my head. I don't want that memory to leave me."

where Child's adoptive mother is in custody as a suspect?

what Body was found stuffed in trash bag?

Answer: Her adoptive mother,

Answer: quadriplegic

Answer: stuffed inside a garbage bag

Answer: Flint, Michigan,

Answer: Flint, Michigan,

Answer: Shylea Thomas,

Answer: public storage facility

Answer: murder, first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud.

Summary:
NEW: Child's adoptive mother is in custody as a suspect, official says .
Relatives told police they hadn't seen Shylea Thomas in weeks .
Child had "suffocation issue" in crib at 3 weeks of age, was quadriplegic .
Body was found stuffed in trash bag, covered with mothballs .


(CNN) -- Michigan's Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday allowing lower state courts to "exercise reasonable control" over the appearance of witnesses and parties, a rule change proposed after a Muslim woman refused to remove an Islamic garment in a small claims court. A niqab is a garment that covers the entire face and head, except for the eyes. The order allows courts "reasonable control over the appearance of parties and witnesses" so as to "ensure that the demeanor of such persons may be observed and assessed by the fact-finder and ensure the accurate identification of such person." The order, which amends a rule of the Michigan Rules of Evidence, is effective September 1. The amendment was prompted by a 2006 small claims case in Michigan filed by Ginnah Muhammad, who wore a niqab -- a garment that covers the entire face and head, except for the eyes -- to court, the order said. According to the Detroit Free Press, Muhammad was contesting a $2,750 repair bill from a car rental company because she said thieves broke into the vehicle she was using. As she prepared to testify, Judge Paul Paruk asked her to remove her niqab, saying he needed to be able to see her face to tell whether she was telling the truth, according to court documents. "I can't see certain things about your demeanor and temperament that I need to see in a court of law," Paruk said at the time. Muhammad refused, saying that she was a practicing Muslim and would take off the veil only in front of a female judge. Paruk said a female judge was not available and told Muhammad she could remove the niqab or have her case dismissed -- she chose the latter, according to court documents. She sued the judge in federal district court, which declined to exercise jurisdiction over the case. Muhammad has since appealed to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement saying that if the amended rule was interpreted broadly, it could "not only adversely affect Muslim females who wear the head scarf, but could also be used to violate Jewish, Sikh, and other people of faiths' constitutional rights under the First Amendment while in Michigan courts." It added, "As a civil rights advocacy group, CAIR-MI is concerned about individuals who may be reluctant to report crimes or petition the courts out of fear that their religious rights may be violated." Other religious groups, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union and domestic violence groups, had opposed the rule change, the Detroit Free Press reported. The ACLU had asked that the court add a sentence to the rule saying "that no person shall be precluded from testifying on the basis of clothing worn because of a sincerely held belief," the newspaper reported in May. CAIR also said that it would announce on Wednesday the filing of a federal lawsuit against a Wayne County, Michigan, judge who had asked a Muslim woman to remove her head scarf in court. "The Muslim plaintiff felt so intimidated by the judge's repeated demand that she eventually removed her head scarf," the organization said in a statement released Tuesday. CAIR-MI is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit being filed on behalf of the Michigan woman, who is a member of the group. Last month, the Judicial Council of Georgia adopted a policy allowing religious head coverings in the state's courtrooms, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

Who demanded a woman remove her face-covering?

What does the rule say must be observable?

Answer: The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations

Answer: observed and assessed by the fact-finder and ensure the accurate identification of such person."

Answer: Judge Paul Paruk

Answer: The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations

Answer: a 2006 small claims case in Michigan filed by Ginnah Muhammad,

Answer: demeanor of such persons

Answer: remove her niqab,

Answer: "reasonable control over the appearance of parties and witnesses"

Answer: American Civil Liberties Union and domestic violence groups,

Summary:
Courts allowed "exercise reasonable control" over appearance of witnesses .
Change prompted by case in which judge demanded woman remove face-covering .
Rule says "demeanor" must be observable, "accurate identification" ensured .
Council on American-Islamic Relations, ACLU oppose the change .


(CNN) -- Microsoft founder Bill Gates told CNN on Wednesday that he hopes President-elect Barack Obama and Congress immediately craft a wide-ranging stimulus package, to help jump-start the nation's sputtering economy, and double the United States' commitment to foreign aid.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke exclusively Wednesday with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

"Clearly we need a stimulus that doesn't undermine the incentive for businesses to be careful about their spending and making those correct investments," Gates told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an exclusive interview airing on The Situation Room on Wednesday and Thursday.

Gates, one of the world's richest men and founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is also calling on Obama to increase investments in the nation's education system and spur technological advances to improve agriculture, prevent disease, and promote economic growth in the world's poorest nations.

"The key point I'd make is that in addition to that stimulus, you've got to fund the kind of scientific work and educational investments that could really have us be a much better country as we emerge from the recession," he said.  Watch Gates discuss economy »

On his Web site, Obama has pledged to double the United States' annual investment in foreign aid to $50 billion by the end of his first term, with the goal of fully funding debt cancellation for poor nations and fighting AIDS and global poverty.

In the interview with CNN, Gates said he thinks Obama will live up to that commitment.

"Obviously it's the Congress that gets to actually vote the final decision for how the money is spent, but I do think he will get to that commitment," Gates said. "I am thrilled to be able to see that people are responding to the success stories. Aid from the United States did go up in the last eight years."

The interview came shortly before the Microsoft founder delivered a wide-ranging speech at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., during which he reiterated his call for a major new stimulus package to spur job growth.

"Spending is the only way we'll ever come out of this downturn, and with businesses, state governments and consumers pulling back, the federal government must step forward," Gates told the crowd.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has distributed more than $17 billion in grant commitments in all 50 states and 100 countries. In his interview with CNN, Gates said he had personally given more than $30 billion to the foundation.

What should investments be increased in?

Answer: Bill Gates

Answer: craft a wide-ranging stimulus package,

Answer: the nation's education system

Answer: founder

Answer: craft a wide-ranging stimulus package,

Summary:
Microsoft founder Bill Gates talks to CNN's Wolf Blitzer .
Gates says Obama should craft a wide-ranging stimulus package .
He also wants Obama to increase investments in education, technology .
"Spending is the only way we'll ever come out of this downturn," he says .


(CNN) -- Midway through Jason Dinant's fitness journey to get six-pack abs by June, the 27-year-old had a breakdown. Halfway through his fitness goal,  Jason Dinant said he sees a four-pack gradually forming. After months of eschewing junk food in favor of lean protein -- egg whites, chicken breast and vegetables -- he devoured pie. The slice came from Marie Callender's, drizzled with caramel, loaded with candied apples and layered with cream cheese. Yes, it was delicious, Dinant said. Then he got home and had a Tootsie Roll. Then, he ate a Klondike ice cream bar. The breakdown came late February after months of following a lean diet. It also came with consequences. "When I woke up the next day, I had a horrible stomach  ache," Dinant said. "My trainer said once you're on the diet, you can try to go back and have a day where you binge on bad food and it's going to give you a stomach ache." Since January, CNNhealth has been following the progress of three iReport contributors as they strive to meet their New Year's diet and fitness goals. One of them is Dinant, a Las Vegas, Nevada resident, who wanted to get a six-pack by summer in time for his 10-year high school reunion.  He also wants to show off a chiseled stomach on his blog called "Naked Boy News," where he stands shirtless to give "the naked truth about today's news." The junk food breakdown came after almost two months of staying on a lean diet.  The self-described "candyaholic" often craved his favorite treats like York Peppermint patties, macaroons, Mounds bars and Coca Cola. "The key to falling off the wagon is not to stay off the wagon," said Gregg Avedon, a certified fitness trainer and model whose chiseled six-pack has appeared on the cover of Men's Health magazine 18 times. "If you fall off the wagon for one day, the problem is it could lead to two days, three days, a week, then you fall off completely. Next thing you know, it leads to two weeks of binge eating." Dinant has maintained his diet of 16 egg whites, one and a quarter-pound of meat, four cups of vegetables, potatoes and rice a day. He treats himself to one Tootsie Roll a day, and sometimes indulges in gelato. Dinant's quest for six-pack abs -- which initially included 500 daily crunches  -- brought attention from his neighbors, an egg company that ships him 15 dozen eggs every two weeks and news media such as USA Today and his hometown newspaper, Las Vegas Review-Journal and blogs. Some people left words of encouragement for Dinant's quest for tight abs, but others were less supportive. A picture compared him to a toothpick. Another one showed a kitten shooting a shirtless Dinant. "A lot of people said, 'You need to put on a shirt,'" he said, so Dinant set up a Web site called putonashirt.com where he compiled the comments. The hate mail comes "when they see a thin guy trying to be more fit. They're jealous," Dinant said. The negative comments add fuel to his fire. "I've wanted to do this before and last year, I had the same resolution," Dinant said.  "I did it for two weeks and by January 15, it was time to move on. So I applied for iReport. I wanted people to follow it, so I'm motivated to do it.  So many people are watching, so mentally, I have to do it. I put my mind to it. I have to do it." Watch Dinant's video Dinant doesn't have a six-pack yet. "You can see four," he said.  "It's more defined. The middle two are coming in. I need a tan. I'm so white it's

What did the Men's Health model and fitness expert say?

Answer: six-pack

Answer: bad food

Answer: 16 egg whites, one and a quarter-pound of meat, four cups of vegetables, potatoes and rice

Answer: Dinant has maintained his diet of 16 egg whites, one and a quarter-pound of meat, four cups of vegetables, potatoes and rice a

Answer: "The key to falling off the wagon is not to stay off the wagon,"

Answer: one and a quarter-pound of

Summary:
iReporter Jason Dinant on a quest for six-pack abs has sweet tooth binge .
Men's Health model and fitness expert said falling off wagon is OK if temporary .
Dinant reports that so far, his abs are looking more like a four-pack .
He eats 16 egg whites, 1¼ pounds of meat, 4 cups of veggies, potatoes, rice a day .


(CNN) -- Mike and Missy Wilson sat in a meeting late Tuesday afternoon, planning a ministry trip to Haiti when they were interrupted by a text message. A co-worker read the news: a powerful earthquake had just struck the Caribbean country.

In their Nashville, Tennessee, office, Mike Wilson said, "My heart just dropped" as he listened to the one-line bulletin. The quake's epicenter was a few miles from an orphanage in Carrefour, Haiti, where the Wilsons' 21-year-old daughter Katie was working, and the 5-year-old girl they were about to adopt lived.

"I felt like I couldn't take another breath," Missy Wilson said, "I jumped up and yelled, 'This can't be happening.'"

The first bits of news were discouraging, as sketchy reports came in of buildings collapsing and widespread destruction.

"It was horrible," Missy Wilson said. "We spent hours trying to get any information."

The Brent Gambrell Ministries where she is director frequently works with churches and groups in Haiti. Any phone number they had in the country was quickly written on a board in the office.

"A group of 20 (people) sat and dialed the numbers over and over and over again."

"There are no words to explain that two people I love dearly were in the middle, and I couldn't reach then," Mike Wilson said, his voice cracking.

But it was more than 24 hours before they finally got word. A brief, scratchy call from their daughter Katie came through -- she and 5-year-old Tia had survived the quake that destroyed the orphanage. Missy Wilson said Katie was able to say, "I'm alive. We're safe. Tia's safe. Please just know we're alive," before the 40-second call was cut off.

It would be Thursday before the Wilsons learned the whole story. Mike Wilson, with two ministry officials, was able to travel into Haiti on a medivac plane, and the three made their way to the town.

"There was destruction all around," he said from Haiti, "When I saw what was left of that building, I knew they were protected."

Katie, Tia and 47 other children all made it out, but were living in the parking lot across from the shattered orphanage. When Mike Wilson finally found his daughter, she ran up to him at full speed and hugged him. "I can totally see her knocking him to the ground," her mother said.

The first order of business: a call home to a nervous mom. Wilson was able to get through on a rare working cell phone, and told his wife, "need to you to hear something."

Missy Wilson said the next words were from Tia, barely able to speak English, saying, "'Ma-ma, I love you.' I started screaming at the top of my lungs."

Wilson and his colleagues brought food, water and supplies to the 200 quake victims in the parking lot. He described the injured, including one with a broken leg, being treated for two days in the heat with nothing more than an aspirin.

The group arranged a bus to take the children to a guest house, a trip delayed when the bus broke down. But that news was minor, knowing they would have shelter and supplies.

For the Wilsons, the next struggle is how to bring Tia home. They had been in Haiti just last week finishing paperwork for the adoption, but the office handling the case was destroyed in the quake. "All that paperwork, God knows where it is," Mike Wilson said. "That building was five stories, now it's five feet tall."

For Missy, waiting for news at home, "I feel like I'm floating on top of my body."

"Like I'm living a dream and waiting to wake up," she said. This week has gone "from hopelessness to hope to tears to '

What age was the girl they were about to adopt?

What did Missy Wilson spend hours trying to get?

Answer: Katie

Answer: the Wilsons' 21-year-old daughter Katie

Answer: 5-year-old

Answer: Carrefour, Haiti,

Answer: Katie, Tia and 47 other children

Answer: Haiti

Answer: any information."

Summary:
Wilsons' 21-year-old daughter, and the 5-year-old girl they were about to adopt live in Haiti .
"We spent hours trying to get any information," Missy Wilson says .
Daughters and 47 other children all made it out of orphanage alive .
Father traveled to Haiti on a medivac plane for joyous reunion .


(CNN) -- Mikkel Kessler is the new World Boxing Council (WBC) super-middleweight champion after out-pointing Briton Carl Froch in a bruising encounter in his native Denmark on Saturday night.

Despite being previously unbeaten after 26 fights, the 32-year-old Froch never looked comfortable against his durable opponent, who was given the decision on all three of the judges scorecards after 12 brutal rounds in front of a partisan and passionate crowd at the MCH Messecenter in Herning.

Froch had Kessler on the canvas in the fifth round, but the referee ruled that the Dane had slipped, and the challenger eventually wore the champion down with a combination of hooks and jabs to take the belt by a margin of 117-111, 115-113 and 116-112.

The result means 31-year-old Kessler, who has lost just twice in 45 fights, is a world champion again just five months after losing his World Boxing Association (WBA) title to Andre Ward.

Although gracious in defeat, Froch questioned if the decision would have gone Kessler's way if the fight had taken place in his hometown of Nottingham, England.

"I feel terrible that I lost my title, absolutely gutted," Froch told ringside reporters after the fight.

"I don't want to make a mockery of anything but I feel if it was at home in my town, the decision would have gone the other way."

He added: "I took some big punches off a big puncher and I've got to give Kessler the credit he deserves. He stayed in there and is a strong, proud warrior."

How many rounds were there in the match?

Kessler secures unanimous points decision after what number of rounds?

Answer: Mikkel

Answer: Mikkel

Answer: 12

Answer: Mikkel

Answer: 12

Summary:
Mikkel Kessler defeats Carl Froch to win the WBC super-middleweight title .
Kessler secures unanimous points decision after 12 rounds in Herning, Denmark .
The defeat means Briton Froch loses his unbeaten record in his 27th fight .


(CNN) -- Militants who control parts of Somalia's capital city are beating women in broad daylight for violating their radical brand of Islamic law, according to local officials and witnesses in Mogadishu. "Just today, Al-Shabaab dispatched men with whips to the streets around Bakara market and they are flogging any woman who is found not wearing socks," according to a female maize trader at the Mogadishu market, who spoke Thursday. She did not want to be named for security reasons. In the past two days, more than 130 people, including women who were not wearing headscarves and men chewing dried khat leaves, have been detained for violating Al-Shabaab's interpretation of sharia, or Islamic law, according to witnesses and officials. Hooded Al-Shabaab gunmen rounded up 50 women on Wednesday from Mogadishu's Bakara market for not wearing the veil that is required for women under some interpretations of Islamic law, according to the maize trader. "Most of these women were vegetable traders, so they are poor and can't afford to buy veils for 600,000 shillings [about $23 U.S.]," she said. She said she saw more women being detained Thursday. Another 80 Somali civilians were detained in the southwestern town of Luuq, near the Kenyan and Ethiopian border, "because they turned deaf ear to orders we imposed on the town," said the local Al-Shabaab commander Sheikh Hussien al-Iraqi. Al-Shabaab is considered a terrorist organization by the United States because of its ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. It has been imposing stricter rules on Somali civilians living in the areas it controls. Earlier this month, Al-Shabaab militants whipped women for wearing bras in an area of northern Mogadishu that they control, shocking residents who have been besieged by the ongoing insurgency. The militants believe the female undergarments are a deception to men.

what Militant group Al-Shabaab imposes strict interpretation?

Answer: not wearing headscarves

Answer: stricter rules on Somali civilians living in the areas it controls.

Answer: sharia,

Summary:
Militant group Al-Shabaab imposes strict interpretation of law in areas it controls .
Women violate law by not wearing socks, headscarves and by wearing bras .
"Al-Shabaab dispatched men with whips to the streets," witness says .
Al-Shabaab is considered a terrorist organization by the United States .


(CNN) -- Millions of Californians will duck for cover Thursday morning in one of the largest earthquake drills in the world. Elementary school students in Burbank, California, take part in last year's earthquake drill. "The Great California Shakeout" will kick off at 10:15 a.m. at schools, museums, fire stations and other sites across the state. More than 6 million people have registered to take part in the drill, sponsored by various state agencies. About 5.5 million Californians participated in last year's drill, organizers said. iReport.com: Are you taking part in California's earthquake drill? Senior citizens at the Vallecito Mobile Home Park in Ventura County were among last year's participants. They took cover for three minutes and some pretended to be injured so emergency workers could practice safety procedures. This year's participants also can watch an animated video that shows how much damage a magnitude 7.8 earthquake can cause. iReport.com: Museum undergoes "fake quake" drill Thursday's event comes two days before the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. The magnitude 6.9 quake rocked Northern California in 1989, killing dozens, collapsing a 50-foot section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, damaging thousands of homes, and interrupting baseball's World Series.

The earthquake drill takes place in what US state?

Civilians will feign injuries so first responders can what?

Event comes near 20th anniversary of what quake?

How many people registered to participate in the drill?

6 million in California registered to participate in what?

Answer: California,

Answer: Northern California

Answer: practice safety procedures.

Answer: Loma Prieta

Answer: 6 million

Answer: earthquake drill.

Summary:
6 million in California registered to participate in earthquake drill .
Civilians will feign injuries so first responders can practice rescue techniques .
Event comes near 20th anniversary of Loma Prieta quake .


(CNN) -- Millions of Muslims from around the world were in the holy city of Mecca on Saturday for the first day of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage that every able-bodied Muslim is expected to perform at least once in his or her life.

Dressed in white and following in the footsteps of the prophet Mohammed, pilgrims climbed Mount Arafat, just outside the Saudi Arabian city.

Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage, consists of a series of detailed rituals in Mina, Muzdalifa, Arafat and Mecca.

It is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Will this year's Hajj have an 'Arab Spring' effect?

This year's pilgrimage is unique as it is the first to happen since the Arab Spring began last year.

Some experts are watching for potential flare-ups in Saudi Arabia, a country governed by an unelected royal family and where freedoms are limited.

The pilgrims this year have come from 183 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported. About 54% of the pilgrims are male.

U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement of Saturday to coincide with the start of Hajj. Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, begins on Sunday.

"Michelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid al-Adha to Muslims worldwide and congratulate those performing Hajj. Thousands of Muslim Americans are among those who have joined one of the world's largest and most diverse gatherings in making the pilgrimage to Mecca and nearby sites," he said.

"The Eid and Hajj rituals are a reminder of the shared roots of the world's Abrahamic faiths and the powerful role that faith plays in motivating communities to serve and stand with those in need. On behalf of the American people, we extend our best wishes during this Hajj season."

CNN's Yasmin Amer contributed to this report.

How long does the annual pilgrimage last?

How many countries have the pilgrims come from?

Answer: the annual pilgrimage that every able-bodied Muslim is expected to perform at least once in his or her life.

Answer: five-day

Answer: five-day

Answer: 183 countries,

Answer: 183

Summary:
The pilgrims this year reportedly have come from a total of 183 countries .
President Obama and his wife extend greetings for a happy Eid al-Adha .
Hajj is an annual pilgrimage that lasts about five days .


(CNN) -- Millions of people are expected to go to Washington to celebrate Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20, but with a troubled economy and pocketbook issues on the mind, the president-elect must be careful to set the right tone. Construction of the inaugural stand continues in front of the White House last week. President Bush raised a record $42.8 million dollars for his second inauguration, and according to Public Citizen, more than 90 percent of the donations to that ceremony were from executives or corporations. But this year, some say throwing a multimillion-dollar party would be unseemly in a time when crash, bailout, and foreclosure fill the economic headlines. "A lot of it is about tone and making sure that the celebrations that do take place are not over the top, that they don't appear to be insensitive to the pain people have right now," said Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense. The inaugural committee for Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make sure the ceremony underscores the incoming administration's "commitment to change business as usual in Washington." The Presidential Inaugural Committee has limited individual contributions to $50,000. There is no law restricting the size of donations, but in the past, inaugural committees  have set contribution limits as high as $250,000. The PIC said it will not take contributions from corporations, political action committees, current federally registered lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens or registered foreign agents. Obama has promised to "take power away from the corporate lobbyists" -- a pledge that would be questioned should the president-elect rely on them to foot his inauguration bill. "If he can pay for these parties with small donations, I think there'd be a lot more acceptance of that," Alexander said. Watchdog groups say there are some things Obama can do to take control of the tone. For example, he could make donations to charity, and Michelle Obama could opt for something more reasonably priced than a designer dress. When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office, he also faced a financial crisis. He gave voters a now famous pep talk about the failing economy, then skipped the fancy inaugural balls because they sent the wrong message. But analysts say Obama's not expected to go that far because so many people want to celebrate his historic win. "Washington, D.C., was pro-Obama and had Obama-mania long before November 4. But the moment November 4 occurred, all -- all craziness sort of broke loose," said Anne Schroeder Mullini, a gossip columnist for Politico. As inauguration organizers work to keep the tone in check, they are speaking out against those trying to make money by scalping tickets to the event. Tickets for the inauguration are distributed through members of Congress, and just 240,000 seats are available for the actual swearing-in ceremony. The tickets are supposed to be free, but with demand outpacing supply, a traditional giveaway has turned into a thriving online marketplace. Legitimate ticket brokers -- the same companies that peddle tickets to rock concerts and NASCAR races -- are selling tickets to the inauguration for thousands of dollars, even for standing-room areas on the National Mall. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein wants to make that practice a crime, punishable by up to a year in prison. Organizers of the inauguration say it violates the spirit of the event and could spell disappointment for people who buy tickets for the ceremony. "We think it's absolutely insane to be selling those tickets. We understand some people want to make a buck, but for those people thinking of buying tickets, it's buyer beware," warned Howard Gantman, staff director of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. CNN's Carol Costello, Brianna Keilar and Erica Hill contributed to this report.

How much did President Bush raise in his second inauguration?

How much has Obama limited individual donations by?

How much has Obama limited individual donations to?

Answer: the spirit of the event

Answer: $42.8 million dollars

Answer: $50,000.

Answer: $42.8 million dollars

Answer: $50,000.

Summary:
President Bush raised a record $42.8 million dollars for his second inauguration .
Barack Obama has limited individual donations to $50,000 .
Some say an extravagant celebration would be out of place, considering economy .
Inauguration organizers say ticket scalping violates the spirit of the event .


(CNN) -- Millions of people around the world have taken part in ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the Scouting movement. Scouts renewed their promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society. Dawn celebrations involving 28 million young people took place across the globe, from Ecuador to Bhutan. In southern England, 40,000 young people from around the globe gathered to take part in the largest ever 12-day world Scout Jamboree. The island where the movement was born, Brownsea Island off the coast of England, has been the focus of celebrations, with 300 scouts from more than 160 countries attending a commemorative camp. It was on that site that Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell held an experimental camp for 20 boys, following his experiences in the Army during the Boer War. The movement requests its members, boys and girls from the age of six, to uphold values such as trustworthiness, loyalty and to "do their best". Scouts from countries including the UK, Lebanon, Nepal, Rwanda, Serbia, Libya and Argentina, displayed their flags on the island, before taking part in a sunrise ceremony. In Romania, scouts formed a human chain around the Parliament building in the capital Bucharest to express how young people will play a role in the country's future. In Namibia, Africa, around 1,000 scouts cooked breakfast over a camp fire, and groups from Malawi camped at the top of Mulanje mountain. The Taj Mahal in India, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Sydney Opera House in Australia also witnessed sunrise ceremonies. The small gathering at Brownsea Island led the rest of the globe in renewing their Scouting promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society. A speech written by Baden-Powell during the first scout camp was also read out to the group. It includes a call for peace, comradeship and cooperation over rivalry between "classes, creeds and countries which have done so much in the past to produce wars and unrest". Alistair, 16, from Manchester, at the Brownsea Island ceremony, said: "It has made me think how one man has changed the world. "It is one world, one promise. We are all here as peace ambassadors. We are the next generation. We are the ones bringing peace forward into the world," he told the Press Association. Ana Mejia, 14, from Honduras, added: "It doesn't matter what our nationality, our religion, our color, we are a family and we have to support each other. Baden-Powell's book "Scouting for Boys" is the fourth biggest selling book in the world after the Bible, the Koran and Mao's Little Red Book.  E-mail to a friend

Scouts' promise is?
How many scouts took part?
Who was it started by?
Who started the scouts?
Who renewed their promise?
Whose the Scout's founder?

Answer: to build a tolerant and peaceful society.

Answer: 28 million

Answer: Robert Baden-Powell

Answer: Robert Baden-Powell

Answer: Scouts

Answer: Robert Baden-Powell

Summary:
At least 28 million scouts across the world took part in sunrise ceremonies .
Scouts renewed their promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society .
Started by Robert Baden-Powell it upholds values such as trust and loyalty .


(CNN) -- Millions of poor American children have untreated tooth decay, some of them because they cannot find a dentist willing to treat them, a federal report issued Tuesday said. Only 1 in 3 children in Medicaid received any dental care over a year time span, according to a new report. "Dental disease remains a significant problem for children aged 2 through 18 in Medicaid," the U.S. Government Accountability Office report concluded, referring to the federal/state health program for poor people. According to the report, which used data from 1999 to 2004, about 6.5 million children enrolled in Medicaid had untreated tooth decay in 2005 and were nearly twice as likely as children with private health insurance to have untreated tooth decay. The GAO report was ordered after widespread publicity of the case of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old boy boy who died last year in suburban Washington when an untreated infected tooth led to a brain infection. Driver "had extensive dental disease and his family was unable to find a dentist to treat him," the report said. The report said 14.8 percent of Medicaid recipients said their children had not gotten necessary dental care because their dentist refused to accept Medicaid, which typically pays providers less than private insurers. "Clearly, the oral health care system failed this young man," said Dr. Jane S. Grover, first vice president of the American Dental Association in testimony Tuesday to the Committee on House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy. "All of us -- practitioners, payers, parents and policymakers -- need to come together and make the system work for the most vulnerable among us," she said. The report found that, nationwide, only one in three children in Medicaid had received any dental care in the year before the survey was carried out, and one in eight reportedly had never seen a dentist. In comparison, more than half of children with private health insurance had gotten dental care during the prior year. "Fundamental changes to the Medicaid program are long overdue to prevent the possibility of future tragedies like Deamonte and to ensure that all low-income children have the same access to oral health care services enjoyed by the majority of Americans," Grover said. Efforts are under way to fix the problem. She cited plans to open eight dental schools in addition to the 57 currently in existence and said a new job -- community dental health coordinator -- has been created. The coordinators will be trained to work in clinics and schools to ensure emergency care is provided to children, she said. "If there had been a CDHC in the school that Deamonte Driver attended, we believe this tragedy could have been prevented," she said. "Through a routine exam, a CDHC could have spotted a simple cavity, filled the cavity with a temporary filling, and made arrangements for care by a dentist," she said. The CDHC will also help families enroll in Medicaid and get transportation to appointments, she said. But even if the numbers of dentists increase, Congress must act to increase fees for those participating in Medicaid to match private rates, she said.

Is it difficult to get dental care with Medicaid?

What type of service do recipients of Medicaid say is difficult to get?

About how many children enrolled in Medicaid had untreated tooth decay?

What is the age of Deamonte Driver when he died?

How many children on Medicaid had tooth decay?

What often pays less than private insurance?

Answer: Only 1 in 3 children in Medicaid received any dental care over a year time span, according to a new report.

Answer: 12-year-old

Answer: dental care

Answer: Millions

Answer: 12-year-old

Answer: Washington

Answer: 6.5 million

Answer: Medicaid,

Answer: Deamonte Driver,

Answer: an untreated infected tooth led to a brain infection.

Summary:
About 6.5 million children enrolled in Medicaid had untreated tooth decay in 2005 .
Last year 12-year-old Deamonte Driver died from complications of infected tooth .
Dentists often refuse to accept Medicaid, which often pays less than private insurers .
Many Medicaid recipients say it's difficult to get dental care using Medicaid .


(CNN) -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin, police have arrested a man whose DNA linked him to the bodies of nine women killed over 21 years, officials said at a news conference Monday night. Walter E. Ellis, 49, was arrested after police matched a DNA swab taken from him last week to the victims. Walter E. Ellis, 49, was arrested after police matched a DNA swab taken from him last week to DNA left on the bodies of nine women killed since 1986. Police said eight of the women were prostitutes and one was a runaway involved with drugs. They were all killed within a 3-square-mile area of Milwaukee's north side. "This case was solved with shoe leather and science," Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said. "Continuing advances in DNA technology have enabled us to link these homicide cases, and it was good police work pursuing numerous leads that led to the arrest of a suspect." The homicides occurred between 1986 and 2007, police said.  See where the bodies were found » Ellis was charged Monday with two counts of first degree murder relating to two of the deaths: 41-year-old Joyce Mims, who was killed in 1997, and 28-year-old Ouithreaun Stokes, who was killed in April 2007. Police said more charges are likely. It wasn't immediately clear whether Ellis had obtained an attorney. Police said other victims linked to Ellis through DNA were: Tanya L. Miller, killed in 1986; Deborah L. Harris, killed in 1986; Sheila Farrior, strangled in 1995; Florence McCormick, strangled in 1995; Irene Smith, killed in 1992; Carron D. Kilpatrick, killed in 1992, and Jessica Payne, killed in 1995. Flynn told CNN it was hard for investigators to discern a geographic pattern for the homicides. In the 20-year period, more than 2,000 slayings occurred in Milwaukee, he said -- 200 of them in the same area where the bodies were found. Another challenge investigators faced was the developing technology of DNA evidence. The technology in 2009 far exceeds that available in 1986 or even 2002, he said. It was only this year that police were able to link the nine homicides with the same DNA pattern. Even then "we did not have anyone to match our DNA profile against, until we were able to get [Ellis'] toothbrush," he told CNN. A Wisconsin law passed in 2000 mandated the DNA collection from convicted felons. Ellis was released from prison in 2001 without having his DNA sample collected, Flynn said. Because his name had surfaced in the investigation and because he was also listed in two FBI databases, authorities decided to investigate him further and were able to obtain the search warrant that allowed them to collect his DNA from his toothbrush, the police chief said. News of Ellis' arrest shocked those who knew him. "That was just my ex-boyfriend," his former girlfriend, Chanita, told CNN affiliate WISN-TV. She asked that her last name not be used. "I didn't know nothing about nothing like this. I'm getting shivery now cause you're talking about some strangling stuff. Lord have mercy on me. I'm just a wreck right now. I can't believe this. I'm trembling in here. I'm shakin'." Chanita said she dated Ellis for four years. "I can't believe it. This is a shock," she told WISN. "I got like goose bumps on my arms instantly when you told me that. I'm like no way -- not Walter -- I can't see him hurting nobody." For relatives of the victims, the news brought mixed emotions. "I knew they was gonna get him, I knew it," Patricia Donald, best friend of victim Deborah Harris, told WISN. "Finally he can't hurt nobody anymore." For her and others, like Sandy Farrior, whose daughter Sheila was linked to Ellis, it was news that helped bring closure. "Late justice is better than no justice," he told

How many killings has Ellis been charged in so far?

Who was the DNA on the bodies matched to?

Who was the DNA found on bodies of nine women matched to?

who was DNA found on bodies of nine women matched to?

Answer: Walter E. Ellis,

Answer: nine

Answer: nine

Answer: The homicides occurred between 1986 and 2007,

Answer: Walter E. Ellis,

Answer: 1986.

Answer: between 1986 and 2007,

Answer: Walter E. Ellis,

Answer: Walter E. Ellis,

Answer: two counts of first degree murder

Answer: over 21 years,

Answer: Walter E. Ellis,

Answer: between 1986 and 2007,

Answer: Wisconsin,

Summary:
DNA found on bodies of nine women matched to Walter E. Ellis, police say .
Ellis charged in two killings and more charges likely, police say .
Police chief hails arrest: "This case was solved with shoe leather and science"
The women were killed between 1986 and 2007 .


(CNN) -- Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook was arrested and charged with domestic assault Friday night, the Hennepin County, Minnesota, sheriff's office said.

According to the sheriff's office, Cook was charged with two counts of domestic assault and was being held without bail.

Details of the alleged incident leading to the arrest were not immediately available.

The Vikings released a brief statement but offered no details.

"The Minnesota Vikings are aware of the incident involving Chris Cook. We take this matter very seriously and are still gathering all the details of the incident," the statement said.

Cook was booked at the Hennepin County Jail at 4 a.m., and his arrest likely means he will not play on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, CNN affiliate WCCO reported.

What is Cook charged with?
What position does Chris Cook play?
What charges does Chris Cook face?
Which team does Chris Cook play for?
When was Cook arrested?
When was Chris Cook arrested?
what charge he faces

Answer: domestic assault

Answer: cornerback

Answer: domestic assault

Answer: Vikings

Answer: Friday

Answer: Friday

Answer: domestic assault

Summary:
Vikings cornerback Chris Cook was arrested Friday night .
He faces two charges of domestic assault .
Details of the alleged incident were not immediately known .


(CNN) -- Minutes after Bill Clinton's doctor divulged that the former president underwent a stenting procedure to restore blood flow through a coronary artery, CNN's Larry King made a similar announcement.

"A month ago, maybe five weeks ago, I had the same procedure at Cedar-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles that Bill Clinton had today," the 76-year-old talk show host told viewers of his program, "Larry King Live."

King noted that he suffered a heart attack in February 1987 and underwent a quintuple bypass five months later. He described his experience with heart disease in his 1989 book, "Mr. King, You're Having a Heart Attack."

Recently, he said Thursday, he began feeling symptoms that turned out to have been related to his heart.

"I felt some strange feelings in my shoulder, where I had the original heart attack," said King. He said he went to the hospital and underwent the procedure a few days later. Stents are tiny balloons that are threaded into a patient's heart vessels where they are inflated, pushing plaque against the vessel wall and increasing blood flow.

"I did it on a Monday morning, was out on Tuesday and back here on 'Larry King Live' on Tuesday night," King said.

"So I can report to the waiting public that I never felt better. They got it open, they put the stents in. I share a bond with the former president and I feel very good. I only didn't make it public because I just like to keep things private. But I feel terrific," he said.

Since the procedure what did King report how he felt?

When did King get a stenting procedure done?

In what year did King suffer a heart attack?

Answer: "A month ago, maybe five weeks ago, I had the same procedure at Cedar-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles that Bill Clinton had today,"

Answer: never

Answer: Larry King

Answer: "A month ago, maybe five weeks ago,

Answer: 1987

Answer: I feel very good.

Answer: strange feelings in my shoulder,

Answer: stenting

Summary:
King said he suffered a heart attack in 1987 and underwent a quintuple bypass months later .
Recent symptoms sent him back to get stenting procedure about a month ago .
Since the procedure says King, "I can report to the waiting public that I never felt better"


(CNN) -- Mir Hossein Moussavi, Iran's former prime minister, has emerged as a serious contender to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was, for months, considered a shoo-in for re-election to the Iranian presidency. Presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi holds up the "V" sign after casting his vote on Friday. A painter and architect who withdrew from the political front for two decades, Moussavi has emerged with a platter of promises. He has said he wants to reform Iran into a global communicator that embraces freedom of speech. He's also taken an usual step in politics in Iran by relying heavily on his wife, a college professor. Her public support of his candidacy has underscored his professed support of women's rights. Largely an unknown to the rest of the world when he announced his bid in March, Moussavi has tried to be the foil to Ahmadinejad, who has earned a reputation internationally as a fundamentalist for his Holocaust denials, calls to annihilate Israel, and cat-and-mouse games with the United States and the United Nations over Iran's nuclear activities. "This anti-Ahmadinejad image is connecting with a lot of Iranians because many feel Ahmadinejad has gone too far, said too many outlandish things and is responsible for a serious financial crisis the country is in," said Afshin Molavi, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute in Washington. Molavi is also the author of "The Soul of Iran," a book about Iran's middle-class struggling to free itself, under intense economic and cultural restraints, from the control of the state. Moussavi was Iran's prime minister from 1981 to 1989 and oversaw the nation's eight-year war with Iraq. He has been largely praised by analysts across varied political leanings for that. But when the constitution was reformed in the late 1980s, removing the job of prime minister, Moussavi retreated to a life outside the public sphere for two decades. "Twenty years -- what has he done in that time? No one really knows," said Shireen Hunter, a Georgetown University visiting professor and Iranian author of numerous books on the nation's political history who interviewed Moussavi just as he was officially exiting politics. "What you have is a war and a history that the younger Iranians do not know about or remember, so they know less about him and see him as the reformer he says that he is," Hunter said. She spoke with Moussavi for her 1992 book "Iran and the World." "I quoted Moussavi as saying that Iran did not suffer as much from the Soviet Union as it did from America," Hunter said. "He was very anti-Western. He presided over a lot of nationalism [during his time as prime minister,] and now he is saying that he is a reformer? I don't believe in born-again Democrats. I'm skeptical." It's an image or impression the people are being moved by, she and Molavi contend, that may not be based on hard evidence. "There were still freedoms that were stifled under Moussavi," Molavi said. "[But] what Iranians seem to remember, what is lingering, is that he steered the country relatively well in a time of crisis during the war." Now Moussavi has seized on Iran's most pressing problem: its economy. "There's a sort of overwhelming support now for an opening up of the country to the international community and some access to the free-market economy because, frankly, Iran's own economy is on the verge of utter collapse," said Reza Aslan, an analyst for DailyBeast.com and author of the book "No God But God," an analysis of Islam in politics and culture. Last week, tensions between the candidates reached a fever pitch. During a recent fiery television debate, Moussavi accused Ahmadinejad of being a radical and turning Iran into a "dictatorship." He said Ahmadinejad was an "adventurist" when it came to foreign policy. The acrimony between the candidates

Which ex-PM of Iran hasn't worked in politics in 20 years?

Who is portraying himself as the Anti-Ahmandinejad?

Answer: Moussavi

Answer: Hossein Moussavi,

Answer: Moussavi

Answer: Mir

Answer: "This anti-Ahmadinejad image is connecting with a lot of Iranians because many feel Ahmadinejad has gone too far, said too many outlandish things and is responsible for a serious financial crisis the country is in,"

Answer: relying heavily on his wife,

Summary:
Mir Hossein Moussavi, Iran's ex-PM, hasn't worked officially in politics in 20 years .
Analysts: He is wooing support by portraying himself as the "anti-Ahmadinejad'
Moussavi says he's a reformer, believes in more freedoms and an open Iran .
Author who has interviewed him says she is skeptical that he truly feels that way .


(CNN) -- Miriam Brown has always wanted to visit Cape Cod, but when she recently began to plan a trip and found out she would have to pay $200 or more a night for lodging, her dream vacation seemed out of reach. Miriam Brown and her husband bartered their services for room and board on Cape Cod. Brown, who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an accountant. Her husband is a home renovations contractor. Like many people dealing with a soft real estate market and high food and gas prices, they just don't have that kind of extra cash for a trip. "I have traveled a lot in prior years, but after [Hurricane] Katrina, there's just no money for traveling," Brown said. So she still plans to go, but she won't spend any cash at all on lodging. Brown has joined the growing ranks of Americans who are bartering -- trading goods and services without exchanging money -- as a way to cope with tough economic times. Brown posted an ad in the barter section of the online community Craigslist last month, offering to trade her accounting skills and her husband's knack for home repairs in exchange for room and board on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She has lots of company. There were some 142,000 listings in the barter section of Craigslist in July, or almost double the number posted during the same month last year, according to Craigslist spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best. "When the economy turns unfriendly, Craigslist users become far more creative to get their everyday tasks done," Best said. Swapping 'to get by' Other Web sites that put Americans in touch with like-minded people who are willing to trade everything under the sun have also seen a boost in traffic. SwapThing, which lists almost 3.5 million "things" available for trade, reports its customers are bartering for different reasons than before. "I think a few years ago it was more for fun," said Jessica Hardwick, SwapThing founder and CEO. "But we've seen a real shift in the last year, and especially an increase in the last few months, where I think people are really doing it to get by." Some of the most popular items to trade for late this summer were school uniforms, which some parents found they could not afford to buy for their children, Hardwick said. Experts aren't surprised Americans are becoming more financially creative during an economic downturn. "Historically, when times get tough, you see a 50 percent-plus increase in bartering as a way for people to be able to buy things or get things and do it economically," said C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group. The company talks with thousands of consumers every week to gauge their spending habits and attitudes. A couple of years ago, many Americans had $500 to spend at the end of the month, but that money has evaporated because of rising prices, Beemer said. "We've never had a time, at least in my lifetime, where you have food and fuel going up at the same time. So it isn't a question of buying things, it's a question of buying nothing," Beemer said. Breast implants and a horse Businesses have long recognized the benefits of bartering, and there are hundreds of barter networks set up across the country to fill their needs. They use barter credits as currency, so a plumber in need of a filling doesn't need to search for a dentist's office with plumbing problems to make a deal. He can fix a leaky pipe for one member of a network and use the credits he earned for that job at any other. Since all kinds of companies are members, the trades can be all over the map, said Michael Krane, president of Green Apple Barter Services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His company has brokered everything from breast implants to college tuition to a horse. "Really, there are no limits to it. We trade for just about anything you can think of

What are Americans doing as a way to cope with tough economic times?

What are Americans doing to cope with tough economic times?

Answer: bartering

Answer: "When the economy turns unfriendly,

Answer: Michael Krane,

Answer: trading goods and services without exchanging money

Answer: trading goods and services without exchanging money

Answer: bartering

Summary:
Many Americans are bartering as a way to cope with tough economic times .
Bartering involves trading goods and services without exchanging money .
Researcher: Bartering activity rises dramatically during economic downturns .
"We trade for just about anything you can think of," barter network president says .


(CNN) -- Missing Florida pilot Robert Wiles, who was believed kidnapped and held for ransom 21 months ago, now is believed to be dead, and a former co-worker is in custody, accused of his death, the FBI said Friday.

Authorities arrested Stobert "Tobie" Holt Jr., 42, Friday in Orlando, Florida, after he arrived from Colombia, where he was on a business trip, according to Tampa-based FBI spokesman David Couvertier.

Holt faces state charges of first degree murder, kidnapping, extortion, and intent to inflict death or serious bodily harm, the spokesman said. The arrest was made by police from Lakeland, Florida, the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who were accompanied by FBI agents, he said.

Though authorities now believe Wiles was killed, they don't know where his body is, he said.

The arrest was uneventful, Couvertier said: "Holt was advised of his rights and said nothing."

A four-count grand jury indictment was unsealed Friday in Polk County, where Wiles, then 26, ran a branch of his family's international aircraft maintenance business, National Flight Service, at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

The FBI said Holt worked for Wiles at the time he disappeared. He was among several employees who told investigators they last saw Wiles on April 1, 2008, at the office and had no clue what happened to him.

The FBI won't reveal the suspected motive or why agents believe it was Holt who left a uniquely signed ransom note demanding money two days after Wiles disappeared.

At the time, agents said Wiles' father tried to comply with the demand to get back his son, but heard nothing.

Holt is described as an employee who, at least at one time, had a supervisory role at the company.

Authorities say he now works as a contract employee doing similar flight maintenance work at Patrick Air Force base near Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Wiles was single. When he vanished without a trace, fellow employees said they were stunned.

"All that he ever worked on was customer relations. Making things better for the company," co-worker Jerry Grief said at the time. "Make the customer happy and make them come back."

The FBI said it traveled to six countries and three states tracing Wiles' trips and interviewing business associates. Without disclosing details, agents said the investigation led them back to Holt and his whereabouts the day Wiles disappeared.

Several agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Polk County Sheriff's Department joined the investigation. The case will be prosecuted by state authorities in Polk County.

Wiles' parents, who live in Ohio, had offered a $250,000 reward for their son's safe return.

They are said to be in seclusion after being notified about Holt's arrest.

When CNN interviewed them last year, Wiles' mother, Pamela, said, "We're willing to work with them and do anything to get him back. We just want Robert back. And they can just go and live their life, and we just want him back."

The FBI will not reveal what makes agents believe Wiles is dead.

"Our investigation and evidence obtained to date indicate he's dead, " Couvertier said.

CNN Senior Producer Rich Phillips contributed to this report.

who spent a branch of international maintenance business aircraft family

who she was believed kidnapped and held for ransom 21 months ago

Answer: Wiles,

Answer: Robert Wiles,

Answer: pilot

Answer: Robert Wiles,

Answer: Robert Wiles,

Answer: is believed to be dead,

Summary:
Robert Wiles was believed kidnapped and held for ransom 21 months ago .
FBI now says he is dead, have arrested former co-worker Stobert Holt Jr.
Wiles ran a branch of his family's international aircraft maintenance business .


(CNN) -- Mississippi has kept its U.S. heavyweight title for a fifth straight year, among both adults and children. Adult obesity rates went up in 23 states in the past year, a survey shows. The percentage of adults classified as obese went up in 23 states, but Mississippi, with 32.5 percent, stayed atop the latest annual rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America's Health. The same survey put the state's adult obesity rate at 31.7 percent in 2008. In addition, 44.4 percent of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 are classified as overweight or obese, the study found. Doctors have linked obesity to increased risks of a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart disease. Wednesday's study found the current U.S. economic slump could worsen the problem by putting more nutritious food out of the reach of struggling families.  See a map of obesity in the U.S. » "At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured Americans continue to grow," the report states. "For many people, too, worries over the recession are triggering increased depression, anxiety and stress, which often can be linked to obesity." Dr. Ed Thompson, Mississippi's state health officer, called the report -- which was drawn from state figures -- "old data rehashed." But he said the state is taking steps to address what he called "a multifaceted problem," targeting schoolchildren in particular. Thompson said teachers not only are trying to educate students about the importance of good nutrition and exercise, they are changing schedules to increase the amount of physical activity students experience in a day. In addition, lower-calorie, lower-fat foods are replacing some high-calorie, high starch lunchroom staples, he said. "We can't tell our children to eat wise dietary choices and then provide them with little except for poor dietary choices in their school cafeterias," Thompson said. Rounding out the top five states among adults were West Virginia, with 31.2 percent of its population considered obese; Alabama, 31.1 percent; Tennessee, 30.2 percent; and South Carolina 29.7 percent. At the bottom of the rankings, Colorado had the lowest percentage of obese adults, with 18.9 percent. It was followed by Massachusetts, at 21.2 percent; Connecticut, 21.3; Rhode Island, 21.7; and Hawaii, 21.8. Even in those states, the obesity rate grew by fractions of a percent since 2008, according to the study. Thompson said most adults know they should eat less and exercise. "The hard part is getting people to actually practice these things," he said. "Our work lives require less physical exertion than they used to," he said. "With less physical activity, we should have adjusted our dietary consumption downward." While deep-fried Southern cooking is legendary, Mississippi also ranks high in poverty statistics and low in education -- two factors commonly related to obesity. But Thompson said education appears to be more closely related to obesity than poverty. "We do see obesity among people who are in lower socioeconomic levels, but we see it in higher socioeconomic levels as well," he said. "Being poor does not not make you obese, and being rich does not make you thin." The survey used the Body Mass Index standards set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC defines someone as obese if they have a BMI -- a figure based on a ratio of height to weight -- of 30 or more, while anyone with a BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight.  Calculate your Body Mass Index » Adult obesity rates went up in 23 states in the past year, with 31 states now reporting rates over 25 percent. By comparison, no state topped 20 percent in 1991, the survey's authors reported.

What percentage of Mississippi children are overweight?

What percent of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese?

What could put more nutritious food out of the reach of struggling families?

Answer: Adult obesity rates

Answer: 44.4 percent

Answer: 44.4 percent

Answer: 44.4

Answer: U.S. economic slump

Answer: Body Mass Index standards

Summary:
Survey: 44.4 percent of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese .
Economic slump could put more nutritious food out of the reach of struggling families .
Other top states were West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina .
The survey used the Body Mass Index standards set by the CDC .