WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska has been "cleared" by the Justice Department's request to dismiss his federal corruption convictions and drop all charges against him, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Former Sen. Ted Stevens, 85, of Alaska lost his re-election bid in November.

Prosecutors accused Stevens of failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of "freebies" from an oilfield services company on Senate ethics forms. But in December, an unnamed FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense, and the Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss the charges against Stevens on Wednesday.

"His name is cleared," Stevens' lawyer, Brendan Sullivan, told reporters. "He is innocent of the charges, as if they'd never been brought."

Stevens, 85, lost his bid for a seventh full term in November after his conviction on seven counts of lying on Senate ethics forms. Sullivan said the Justice Department was forced to request the dismissal because of "extraordinary evidence of government corruption."  Watch more on the dismissal of the case »

"Not only did the government fail to provide evidence to the defense that the law requires them to provide, but they created false testimony that they gave us and actually presented false testimony in the courtroom," he said.

And one of Stevens' longtime friends, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, said Wednesday that Stevens was "screwed by our own Justice Department."

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, Stevens thanked the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder for requesting that the charges be dropped.

"I always knew that there would be a day when the cloud that surrounded me would be removed," Stevens said. "That day has finally come."

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has set a Tuesday hearing on the Justice Department's request to dismiss the case.

Sullivan, who is not related to Stevens' lawyer, excoriated prosecutors during the trial and held the prosecution in contempt at one point. In December, two months after the guilty verdicts, the FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense and reported that someone with the government had had an inappropriate relationship with Bill Allen, an oil industry executive who was the government's key witness.

In the motion it filed Wednesday, the Justice Department acknowledged that Stevens was not given access to notes taken by prosecutors during an April 2008 interview with Allen, the former chairman of an oilfield services company at the center of a corruption probe in Alaska. The notes show that responses by Allen, the prosecution's star witness, were inconsistent with testimony he gave against Stevens, and that information from the interview could have benefited Stevens at trial, the motion says.

"In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said in a written statement.

Hatch, a senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he called Stevens in Alaska on Wednesday and the former senator sounded "elated, as anyone would."

"Here's a guy who gave better than 60 years' service to the country and was screwed -- screwed by our own Justice Department," Hatch said. But he praised Holder for "standing up and fixing this foul situation."

"I think he's more than shown integrity and decency in this matter, and it's not an easy thing for him to do that," Hatch said. "He has, in looking at it, realized now what people like myself have been saying is 100 percent right."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, also commented on the Justice Department's request, saying, "Ted Stevens is 85 years old. He's already been punished enough. I'm satisfied."

And in a statement Wednesday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said that Stevens "deserves to be very happy today. What a horrible thing he has endured. The

who is alaska governor?
What did the defense attorney say?
Who is the Utah Senator?
who is ted stevens?
Who does he praise?
What did Stevens say?
What does the defense attorney cite?
what is the name of attorney general?
What state's governor backs action?

Answer: Sarah Palin

Answer: "His name is cleared,"

Answer: Orrin Hatch,

Answer: Former Republican Sen.

Answer: Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder

Answer: "That day has finally come."

Answer: "His name is cleared,"

Answer: Eric Holder

Answer: Alaska

Summary:
NEW: Senate majority leader, Alaska governor back Justice Department action .
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch says Stevens was mistreated, praises attorney general .
Defense attorney cites "extraordinary misconduct of government prosecutors"
Ted Stevens: "I always knew that there would be a day" when justice would come .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended the Bush administration's policies on the interrogation of terrorism suspects Sunday, saying former President George W. Bush would not have authorized anything illegal. Condoleeza Rice says George W. Bush was clear that interrogations during his presidency should break no law. "He was also very clear that we would do nothing -- nothing -- that was against the law or against our obligations internationally," Rice said during an appearance at a Washington school. A Senate Intelligence Committee report released in April showed Rice was among top Bush advisers who approved the CIA's use of waterboarding -- a technique considered a form of torture for centuries -- on terrorism suspects in its custody. Recently released Bush administration memos showed Justice Department officials argued that waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other coercive practices did not violate U.S. laws against torture. The disclosures have led to calls for investigations of former Bush administration officials. But Rice said Bush "was only willing to authorize policies that were legal in order to protect the country" after al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. "I hope people understand that it was a struggle, it was a difficult time," she said. "We were all terrified of another attack on this country because September 11 was the worst day of my life in government -- watching 3,000 Americans die because these people attacked us." But she added, "Even under those most difficult circumstances, the president was not prepared to do something illegal." President Obama has banned the use of techniques such as waterboarding, which he called torture. His administration released the Justice Department memos in response to a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, and he called the legal reasoning behind the memos "a mistake." Unlike former Vice President Dick Cheney, who criticized the release of the documents, Rice did not criticize the Obama administration's decision. iReport.com: Share your take on interrogation techniques "I have said many times that the Obama administration is now in power, and he's my president, too," she said. "And, I owe him my loyalty. I will not agree with everything that they do. I will not agree with everything that they say."

Who did the Senate report say gave the CIA approval on waterboarding?

What did President Obama call waterboarding?

What type of interrogations was Bush willing to authorize?

Answer: waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other coercive practices

Answer: Condoleezza Rice

Answer: torture.

Answer: of terrorism suspects

Summary:
Bush "was only willing to authorize" legal interrogations, ex-secretary of state says .
Senate report says top Bush officials gave CIA approval on waterboarding .
Bush administration memos argued waterboarding did not violate U.S. laws .
President Obama, calling waterboarding torture, has banned technique .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former congressman and Republican vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp died Saturday at age 73 after a battle with cancer, his family announced.

Jack Kemp, a former congressman from New York, was the GOP's vice presidential candidate in 1996.

A onetime professional football player, Kemp served nine terms in Congress as a representative from New York and was former Sen. Bob Dole's running mate in 1996. He was a leading advocate of "supply-side" tax cuts, advancing the argument that cutting taxes would boost economic growth and yield more revenue for the federal government.

"The only way to oppose a bad idea is to replace it with a good idea, and I like to think that I have spent my life trying to promote good ideas," he told CNN in a 1996 interview.

Kemp "passed peacefully into the presence of the Lord" Sunday evening, a family statement said. He disclosed his illness in January. Watch

"During the treatment of his cancer, Jack expressed his gratitude for the thoughts and prayers of so many friends, a gratitude which the Kemp family shares," the family said.  Watch how Jack Kemp made transition from football to politics »

Kemp quarterbacked the Buffalo Bills to back-to-back American Football League championships in 1964 and 1965, before the merger that created the modern NFL. When he retired in 1970 after 13 seasons, the California native ran for Congress and represented the Buffalo area for 18 years in the House of Representatives.  View photos of Jack Kemp's life »

"He championed free-market principles that improved the lives of millions of Americans and helped unleash an entrepreneurial spirit that all of us still benefit from today," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement issued late Saturday.

The 1981 tax cuts signed into law by Ronald Reagan, which cut marginal tax rates from 70 percent to 50 percent, bore Kemp's name as a co-sponsor. Critics mocked the policy as "trickle-down" economics and pointed to the decade's growing budget deficits as evidence that supply-side theories didn't work, but it has been GOP orthodoxy ever since.

Kemp mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988, losing the Republican primaries to George H.W. Bush. But once in office, Bush made Kemp his secretary of housing and urban development -- a post Kemp used to promote what he called an "empowerment" agenda of tax breaks for urban businesses and expanded home ownership. iReport.com: Share your memories of Kemp

Unlike many of the other conservatives of his era, Kemp actively courted African-American support. In 1992, he told CNN's "Larry King Live" that the GOP "could be a Lincoln party in terms of attracting black and brown and men and women of color and low-income status and immigrant status who want a shot at the American dream for their children."

CNN Political Director Sam Feist contributed to this report.

What was Kemp battling?
What was he fighting?
When did Kemp die?
Did he serve in other capacities?
Who was Jack Kemp?

Answer: cancer,

Answer: cancer,

Answer: Saturday

Answer: Kemp served nine terms in Congress as a representative from New York and was former Sen. Bob Dole's running mate

Answer: Former congressman and Republican vice presidential candidate

Summary:
Jack Kemp, former congressman and vice presidential candidate, dies at 73 .
Kemp announced in January he was battling cancer .
Before politics, Kemp was a professional football quarterback .
Kemp also served as secretary of housing and urban development (1989-1993)


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Four U.S. soldiers have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of four subordinates in Iraq after a suicide investigation brought to light alleged wrongdoing, the military said Friday. There is no confirmed evidence that the suicide, which involved a fifth subordinate in the unit, was a result of any mistreatment, said Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a spokesman for Multi-National Division-South, who said the military is looking into that possibility. Charges were brought Wednesday against three sergeants and a specialist with the 13th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Bliss, Texas, accusing them of engaging in "verbal abuse, physical punishment and ridicule of subordinates," according to Olson. He described the physical punishment as falling into the category of "undue calisthenics." "Accusations of cruelty and maltreatment are taken very seriously, and we will investigate this isolated incident thoroughly," said Brig. Gen. David Elicerio, deputy commanding general for Multi-National Division-South. Olson said the Army does not believe the maltreatment of subordinates went beyond the soldiers' unit. The four were identified as: All four soldiers have been removed from their unit. Olson said Army officials have spoken to the four subordinate soldiers and are offering them any help they need. The suicide investigation began on August 4, Olson said. On that day, a Defense Department news release said that Pvt. Keiffer P. Wilhelm, 19, of Plymouth, Ohio, died in Iraq of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident. He was assigned to a unit from the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, the release said.

what have four soldiers been charged with?

Answer: Four

Answer: four subordinates

Answer: Four U.S. soldiers

Answer: cruelty and maltreatment

Answer: cruelty and maltreatment of four subordinates

Answer: cruelty and maltreatment of four subordinates

Answer: cruelty and maltreatment

Summary:
Suicide probe uncovers alleged wrongdoing in Iraq, U.S. military says .
Four soldiers charged with cruelty and maltreatment of four subordinates .
Spokesman says there's no confirmed evidence alleged actions led to suicide .
Allegations include verbal abuse, physical punishment .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Going to the prom is a highlight in many teenagers' lives. But attending a prom isn't always an option for some young people, including those with special needs. Alex Gonzales passes under the Marines' sword arch Saturday in Washington as he arrives at the prom. That's where Helen McCormick comes in. "We are dreaming for children who are excluded from their proms, and ... you're going to see people walk through the doors who are going to be just absolutely mesmerized," said McCormick, president of a Virginia-based nonprofit called The House, Inc. For the past four years, McCormick has organized a prom specifically for children with special needs. This year's prom, dubbed "The Cinderella Ball," was held Saturday night at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington. More than 150 teens attended the gala, where they were greeted by 41 Marines. Each one of the teens went down a red carpet, under a Marine Corps sword arch, before being seated for dinner.  Watch scenes from the spectacular prom » "The children that will be coming are various disabled children with kidney (ailments), children that are literally terminally ill, children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and autism," McCormick said before the event. Norman Gonzales brought his 13-year-old son, Alex. "Their social life is very limited at school and outside school as well, so something like this is very good because they come to a place where they find themselves with people that they can relate to," Gonzales said. This was Alex Gonzales' first prom and he said he had a great time. "Coming to an event like this -- I think it's a great experience," he said. The entertainment for the evening was 2007 "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks. "I think it's so amazing with all the kids that they get to have their prom. They get to dress up and feel really beautiful and have this night dedicated to them," Sparks said. Most of the teens attending the prom were accompanied by a parent or friend. Some of them brought dates. It was a night many of them said they wouldn't forget anytime soon. Victor Padgett attended the festivities with his daughter, Dede. He said events like these prove that the human spirit is alive and well. "There is hope. There is love, and there is compassion for everyone," he said.

Who was the organizer who arranged the top talent?

Who is the origanizer for Cinderalla Ball?

Which teens get to attend a prom of their own?

What is held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington?

Answer: Helen McCormick

Answer: Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington.

Answer: various disabled children with kidney (ailments), children that are literally terminally ill, children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and autism,"

Answer: children with special needs.

Answer: Helen McCormick

Answer: McCormick

Answer: those with special needs.

Answer: This year's prom,

Answer: Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington.

Summary:
"The Cinderella Ball" is held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington .
Teens with illnesses, autism, Down syndrome get to attend a prom of their own .
Teens go down a red carpet and under a Marine Corps sword arch before dinner .
Organizer Helen McCormick arranges top talent -- 2007 "Idol" winner Jordin Sparks .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- He would surely make history. But would Sen. Barack Obama's election as America's first black president transform the nation? Obama says yes. "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation," Obama told the crowd Friday at the National Urban League convention in St. Louis, Missouri. The Democrat from Illinois was answering a question about the racial polarization in America. Obama said "race is still an enormous factor in our society. But economics can overcome a lot of racial division." The Democratic presidential hopeful also said that action, rather than high-minded discussions, is the way to end racial inequality. Obama said "if we're doing the right thing and making sure that our young people are going to school, that they're getting good jobs, that they're starting businesses, that they're living in thriving neighborhoods and communities, that will do more to lessen racial tension, division and conflict than any set of roundtables and blue ribbon commissions are going to do." Two of Obama's main Democratic rivals, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, and former Sen. John Edwards, D-North Carolina, also spoke about racial inequality during the Urban League convention. Clinton told the crowd that she rejects "a conversation about 1.4 million young men as a threat, as a headache, or as a lost cause.  I reject the conversation about 1.4 million disappointments, failures, and casualties of a broken system. That is not who these young men are. I believe it is long past time for a new and different conversation. It is time for America to begin a conversation about 1.4 million future workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, community leaders, business executives." Edwards addressed affirmative action, saying "I would ensure that my administration was a representation of what affirmative action can be. I would make sure that my administration looks like America, and I mean, from the top to the bottom, all the way through the administration." Edwards continued, saying "I would ensure that judges that I appointed to the federal bench and justices nominated to the United States Supreme Court believed in real equality and believed in the concept of affirmative action." Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, also spoke at the National Urban League convention, but no Republican candidates came to the presidential forum. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee met with members of the league at a gathering Thursday night. This is the second forum with a large African-American crowd that the Democratic candidates attended this month. All of the Democrats showed up in Detroit on July 12  for the presidential forum at the NAACP convention. Black voters are crucial to the Democratic Party. "Nearly nine in 10 blacks vote Democratic, making them the most reliable Democratic voting block in the country" said CNN Pollster Keating Holland. And they'll play an important role in picking the next Democratic presidential nominee, especially in South Carolina and Florida, two early primary states. In CNN's most recent polls, Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck among black voters nationally, though Clinton was well ahead in South Carolina. But it's still early and many voters haven't made up their minds. "I'm not feeling that at this point either candidate would be that much of a difference" says Amy Johnson, an undecided black voter in New Orleans, Louisiana. E-mail to a friend

Who are neck and neck in polls of black voters?

Who would be first black president if elected?

Who is ahead in the polls for black voters?

What did Barack Obama say about the day he is inaugurated?

Answer: Illinois

Answer: the country

Answer: Barack Obama's

Answer: Obama

Answer: Barack Obama's

Answer: Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck among

Answer: "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"

Answer: the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"

Summary:
Barack Obama: "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently"
Illinois Democrat would be first black president if elected .
Hillary Clinton and Obama neck and neck in polls of black voters .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- He's already served the time, but lawyers Thursday argued to clear his name as onetime U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Smith appeals a conviction for the torture of detainees once held at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Abu Ghraib prison was taken over by the Iraqi government after claims of abuse by U.S. troops. Disturbing snapshots and video portraying sexual humiliation and physical intimidation against the detainees tarnished the image of the United States as it fought to stabilize Iraq after the American overthrow of Saddam Hussein. A military panel found Smith guilty in March 2006 on allegations that he used his military working dog to illegally "terrorize and frighten" detainees as part of interrogation techniques at the U.S.-managed facility in Baghdad. But his lawyer, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan Potter, told a military appeals court Thursday that the conviction was based on faulty instructions to the jury. "Nowhere in this case did the government establish that the use of the dog was illegal," the defense counsel said, noting that Smith "was not trained in interrogation techniques." The military's prosecutor, U.S. Army Maj. Karen Borgerding, argued that Smith "would know it's unlawful" to use his unmuzzled dog to snarl within inches of a detained prisoner's face. Smith was originally sentenced to 179 days confinement and received a bad conduct discharge. Smith was not in the courtroom for the proceedings. Potter told CNN that he was not authorized to disclose his whereabouts but confirmed that his client remains on "appeal release" status after completing a three-month sentence. If the appeal fails, the discharge stands. If the appeals court overturns the conviction, Smith could return to the military and may receive back pay, pension and other benefits. The judges did not indicate when they may rule after each side presented oral arguments Thursday. At the 2006 court-martial, the jury found Smith guilty of charges that he used his military dog, Marco, to terrify prisoners, allegedly for amusement and in competition with other soldiers. Smith also was found guilty of an indecent act involving his dog. A female soldier testified on the first day of the court-martial that she had allowed Smith's dog to lick peanut butter she had placed on her bare chest as part of a dare from another soldier, who videotaped the stunt. "It was foolish, stupid and juvenile," Smith said of the incident, reading from a statement. "There's nothing I can do to take it back. If I could, I would." Smith did not specifically express regret for the wrongdoing involving detainees.

What did Smith's lawyer say he didn't know was illegal?

What could happen to Smith if the conviction is overturned?

What could he do if the conviction is overturned?

What did former Sgt. Michael Smith serve time for?

Who served three months on a torture conviction?

Answer: the use of the dog

Answer: the torture of detainees

Answer: return

Answer: return to the military and may receive back pay, pension and other benefits.

Answer: he used his military working dog to illegally "terrorize and frighten" detainees

Answer: the

Answer: Sgt. Michael Smith

Answer: the conviction was based on faulty instructions to the jury.

Summary:
Former Sgt. Michael Smith served three months on torture conviction .
Lawyer says Smith didn't know it was illegal to use working dog to threaten detainees .
Smith could return to military if conviction is overturned .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- House Republicans on Wednesday presented what they called a "sorely needed" alternative to Democrats' proposals to overhaul health care. Rep. Eric Cantor says Republicans are drafting a plan to ensure all Americans have access to affordable coverage. Republicans want to make sure all Americans have access to affordable coverage, Rep. Eric Cantor, the House minority whip, said Wednesday. "We do so by making sure we keep down costs and incorporate the ability for folks to pool together to access lower costs, to bring private sector into the game and keep government out," Cantor said. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have detailed how they would pay for their proposals. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said his party's plan will cost "far less" than that of the Democrats and "provide better results for the American people." Rep. Dave Camp, R-Michigan, who co-authored the GOP plan, said it's important to make sure the bill is one with a "common-sense approach." "We are not going to have a bill that is larger than the GDP [gross domestic product] of most countries, which is what we are beginning to see roll out," said Camp, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. "Clearly, if we move forward and this bill is on the floor, we are going to have to have a bill that is paid for and that's going to depend on what the scores come back." A score is a preliminary estimate of the cost of proposed legislation. A preliminary review by the Congressional Budget Office of a plan being drawn up in the Senate found it would cost about $1 trillion over 10 years to extend health insurance to 16 million people who otherwise would not be covered, about a third of the roughly 45 million now uninsured. Camp said that the House Republican proposal calls for refundable tax credits for lower-income Americans. But Camp and Republicans have not determined key details for their proposal, including the amount of those tax credits or who precisely could be eligible. House Republicans on Wednesday planned to release a two-page summary of Camp's proposal, which CNN Radio obtained. Some highlights include: This Republican alternative bill also contains several health care ideas that are increasingly championed by both parties. This House Republican plan comes a day after fellow Republican Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois and other moderates in the so-called Tuesday Group released their proposal, which spelled out many of the same ideas as the Camp bill. Kirk contends his plan is less partisan but said he supports Camp's effort. CNN's Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report.

Who says the plan keeps the government out of the health care market?

How many pages is the summary of health care bill?

Answer: Rep. Eric Cantor

Answer: two-page

Answer: "common-sense approach."

Answer: the House minority whip,

Answer: two-page

Answer: how they would pay for their proposals.

Summary:
NEW: Rep. Eric Cantor says plan keeps "government out" of health care market .
House Republicans plan to release two-page summary of health care bill .
Plan's author says it's important bill have "common-sense approach"
Neither Democrats nor Republicans have detailed how they would pay for proposals .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Humza Ismail hasn't spent much time in Raleigh, North Carolina, since he started graduate school two years ago. But when he heard two former acquaintances were arrested on terrorism charges this week, he says, "Honestly, I wasn't surprised." Omar Aly Hassan, left, and Ziyad Yaghi were clear on where they stood on terrorism, an acquaintance said. Omar Aly Hassan, Ziyad Yaghi and five others are charged with conspiring to commit violent jihad overseas. An eighth suspect is still being sought, authorities have said. When he lived in Raleigh, Ismail worshipped at the same mosque as Hassan and Yaghi. When groups of young men talked there, Ismail says, the conversation often turned to religion and politics, and Hassan and Yaghi made it clear where they stood. "When it came to something like suicide bombing, they would say, 'If it's a benefit for the Muslims then something like that can be permissible,' " Ismail says. "I could tell it was something they wanted to do." But, he adds, "They never indicated or said 'we are going to make jihad overseas.'" Ismail says the duo spoke in glowing terms about Osama bin Laden, calling him a scholar and a mujahedeen. "You could tell they were being influenced by somebody," Ismail says. He does not know by whom. He feels they were susceptible to a message of violence "because it sounded cool and exciting." Ismail says he strenuously disagreed with Yaghi and Hassan's views on terrorism even, he says, getting into a public shouting match with them at a restaurant. He says he told them, "You can't do this, man. You can't say it is OK. "That is corruption and terrorism and that is not permissible in Islam." Ismail says he and others raised concerns about Hassan and Yaghi to officials at the Islamic Center of Raleigh, but were "overlooked." "I did my part," Ismail says. Imran Aukhil, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Raleigh, told CNN on Thursday that he had no information about complaints concerning Hassan and Yaghi. On Saturday, however, he informed CNN that he had researched the matter and learned there was a complaint several years ago against an individual at the mosque. Aukhil said he did not have the name of that person. "It was reported to the FBI," said Aukhil. "The FBI did take note of it in their investigation." Efforts to reach attorneys representing Hassan and Yaghi were unsuccessful.

who did they speak in glowing terms about

The number of arrested men who attended the mosque amounted to what?

Two arrested men spoke in glowing terms of who?

Answer: several years

Answer: Hassan and Yaghi.

Answer: "Honestly, I wasn't surprised."

Answer: as Hassan and Yaghi.

Answer: Osama bin Laden,

Answer: Omar Aly Hassan, Ziyad Yaghi and five others

Answer: about Osama bin Laden,

Summary:
NEW: Spokesman says complaint lodged against person at mosque a few years ago .
Humza Ismail attended the same mosque as two of seven men arrested this week .
Ismail: When it came to violence, "I could tell it was something they wanted to do"
Ismail says the two spoke in glowing terms about Osama bin Laden .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Hydroxycut products, popular dietary supplements used for weight loss, have been linked to liver damage and are being recalled, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The FDA has received 23 reports of serious liver injuries, including a death, linked to Hydroxycut products. The FDA said it has received 23 reports of serious liver injuries linked to Hydroxycut products, which are also used as energy enhancers and as fat burners. The reports include the 2007 death of a 19-year-old man living in the Southwest, which was reported to the FDA in March. Other serious liver problems reported included liver damage that resulted in a transplant in 2002, liver failure, jaundice, seizures and cardiovascular problems. The FDA is warning consumers to immediately stop using 14 Hydroxycut products manufactured by Iovate Health Sciences Inc. of Oakville, Ontario, and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, New York. The company is voluntarily recalling the following products: Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets, Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets, Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets, Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets, Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets, Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets, Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix), Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets, Hydroxycut Liquid Shots, Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink), Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed, Hydroxycut 24, Hydroxycut Carb Control and Hydroxycut Natural.  Watch more on the FDA's concern » According to the FDA, last year, Iovate sold more than 9 million units of Hydroxycut products, which were distributed widely to grocery stores, health food stores and pharmacies. "The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risks. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they experience symptoms possibly associated with these products," said Dr. Linda Katz, interim chief medical officer of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Liver damage is rare, but patients who experienced problems were taking doses recommended on the product label, the FDA said. Symptoms include brown urine, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach pain, itching and light-colored stools. The FDA has not determined what specific ingredients are responsible for the problems, because the products contain a variety of overlapping ingredients and herbal extracts. Dietary supplements sold before October 1994 are not required to undergo any FDA review before going to market. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 required manufacturers to ensure a supplement to be safe before marketing. But manufacturers still don't need to register a product with the FDA or get approval before selling a supplement. The agency can take action against an unsafe supplement once it's on the market. Since December 2007, any serious adverse event reported to the manufacturer must now be reported to the FDA within 15 days. The Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association representing the dietary supplement industry, said that both the FDA and Iovate "took appropriate action today." "We commend FDA for warning consumers of a potential safety problem associated with these products, and were encouraged to see that the company -- Iovate Health Sciences -- agreed to recall the products from the market until further determinations can be made," said Steve Mister, the council's president and CEO.

What products were recalled after 23 liver injuries and one death ?

What was recalled due to 23 injuries and one death?

What causes :liver failure, jaundice, seizures, cardiovascular problems ?

Answer: weight loss,

Answer: Hydroxycut

Answer: Hydroxycut products,

Answer: weight loss,

Answer: linked to liver

Answer: Hydroxycut products.

Summary:
FDA recalls Hydroxycut products after 23 liver injuries and one death .
Hydroxycut products used as popular dietary supplement for weight loss .
Damage from product: liver failure, jaundice, seizures, cardiovascular problems .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- In 2004, even after being captured by U.S. forces, Saddam Hussein told an FBI interrogator he believed Iran was a greater threat to Iraq than the United States, according to newly released FBI documents. Baghdad's Al Mutamar newspaper shows Saddam Hussein, right, with Ahmed Chalabi of Iraq's governing council in 2003. The FBI interviews took place while Hussein, then identified by the FBI as "High Value Detainee 1" was held captive by U.S. military forces at Baghdad International Airport between February and June of 2004. Hussein regarded the Iranian threat as so serious that it was the major factor in his decision not to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to return, he said. Citing their shared border and his belief Iran would intend to annex southern Iraq, Hussein said he was more concerned about Iran discovering Iraq's weaknesses than repercussions from the United States and the international community. He believed that the inspectors would have directly identified to the Iranians where to inflict maximum damage to Iraq. Approximately 100 pages of declassified interview summaries, previously classified as secret, were obtained by the National Security Archive at the George Washington University through a Freedom of Information Act request. The FBI declined CNN's request to interview special agent George L. Piro, the agent who interviewed Hussein. FBI spokesman Paul Bresson declined to comment on the declassified documents. "As a general rule, the FBI does not discuss FOIA'd documents. We let the information stand on its own," Bresson told CNN. Piro, an FBI agent fluent in Arabic, conducted the interviews along with another agent whose name has been redacted from the documents. Although Hussein had been a prisoner for months, at one point during an interview he said, "I am not the ex-president of Iraq. I am still the president of Iraq." Hussein also described al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as a "zealot" and said he had never met or seen him. He also said the United States used the September 11 attacks as justification to attack Iraq, and that the United States had "lost sight of the cause."  Despite Piro citing evidence of Iraq's contacts with al Qaeda, Hussein said, "The Iraqi government did not cooperate with bin Laden" and that the two "did not have the same belief or vision." The former regime's alleged weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to al Qaeda were the Bush administration's primary justifications for invading Iraq in March of 2003. Piro and Hussein spoke extensively about Iraq's chemical weapons during the Iran war, the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and in the years before the second U.S. invasion. Hussein refused to answer a question about whether Iraq would have lost the war it fought with Iran from 1980 to 1988 if it had not used chemical weapons. He also said neither he nor any other Iraqi officials discussed using chemical weapons during the first Gulf War. Hussein admitted that Iraq made a mistake by destroying some weapons without U.N. supervision. In his view, the inspectors wanted all of their expenses paid for by Iraq. Instead of waiting for the inspectors and paying the expenses, Iraq began destroying the weapons. "We destroyed them. We told you, with documents. That's it," Hussein said. When asked about restrictions he placed on weapons inspectors regarding which locations they could visit, Hussein responded, "By God, if I had such weapons, I would have used them in the fight against the United States." Hussein commented about the mental state of U.S. soldiers occupying Iraq. "If you asked the American soldier -- who came to Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction, but none could be found, and who came to remove the leaders of the Hussein dictatorship, who are all in jail now, but are replaced with other dictators -- whether he wanted to stay or go, he would say go." Hussein said he alone gave the orders to fire SCUD missiles at Israel during the first Gulf War, adding, "Everything that happened to us was because of Israel." He said he figured that the United States would

Hussein said US used September 11 as what?

Which country did Saddam Hussein call a factor?

What did Hussein describe Osama bin Laden as?

Answer: justification to attack Iraq,

Answer: Iraq

Answer: he believed Iran was a greater threat to Iraq than the United States,

Answer: "zealot"

Answer: al Qaeda leader

Answer: Iran

Answer: a "zealot"

Summary:
Saddam Hussein calls Iran a factor in keeping U.N. inspectors out of Iraq .
Hussein described Osama bin Laden as a "zealot," said he never met him .
He said the United States used September 11 attacks as justification to attack Iraq .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- In a time of economic turmoil, most Americans are being frugal with their money, but one freshman congressman is taking cost-cutting to a new level. Rep. Jason Chaffetz unfolds the cot that fits into a closet in his office. Newly elected Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, opted out of renting an apartment in Washington, instead deciding on a cot in his office every night. "I will save $1,500 a month doing this," Chaffetz said. "I get paid a very handsome salary, no doubt about it, but you know, I've got expenses and a future for my kids and my family, too. " In a stroke of luck, Chaffetz was one of the few freshmen members of Congress to have the chance at an office with a window when he drew number six out of 55 in the office lottery. His office in the Longworth House Building comes with a half-bathroom, a closet that fits a cot, and what he calls his "breakfast nook" where he stores Fig Newtons, granola bars and mixed nuts.  Watch more on the thrifty congressman » The building also has a gym with a shower room, where Chaffetz starts his day about 5:45 each morning. "My home is in Utah. My wife and kids are there," he said. "I'm here to work." Cutting out travel to and from the office allows Chaffetz more time to serve his constituents and return more of their e-mail and phone calls, he said. The savings are certainly a plus for the congressman, who has three children to provide for, car payments and a mortgage to pay. But Chaffetz said his decision had a larger meaning. "We are now $10 trillion in debt. $10 trillion. Those are expenses that have to be paid at some point," he said. If he can tighten his belt in these tough economic times, Chaffetz said, Congress should be able to as well. "Our country has to learn to do more with less," he added. Although he is a relatively unknown freshman in the House, word of Chaffetz's sleeping arrangement is spreading. Republican Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois, whose office is adjacent to Chaffetz's, said he isn't the first to sleep in his office, and he won't be the last. "This is a job that you have to have, really, two homes. One in your district where you're there on the weekends and then one here during the week, and it's expensive," Rep. Biggert said. "I'm really glad we have a neighbor here to make sure that the neighborhood is safe at night when we're not here," she joked, adding that Chaffetz is actually projecting the right image of the Republican Party by being a "fiscal conservative." Chaffetz said he is finally getting used to sleeping on his not-so-comfortable cot, but that doesn't mean he rests easy at night. "My biggest challenge is what goes on in the hallway at night," Chaffetz said. "There's this cleaning machine that comes down the hall at night. And it's got that obnoxious beep, beep, beep." Despite the din, Chaffetz has no plans to search for another form of housing -- unless his back gives out. "I've got to keep my back in check, but so far, so good," Chaffetz joked. "But look, our troops are sleeping on a lot worse than this."

What makes is difficult to sleep at night?

Answer: cleaning machine

Answer: $1,500 a month

Answer: tighten

Answer: Rep. Jason Chaffetz

Answer: Congress

Answer: Newly elected Rep.

Summary:
Jason Chaffetz says he'll save $1,500 a month by choosing cot over apartment .
If he is tightening his belt, Congress should also be able to, he says .
Chaffetz, R-Utah, is a freshman congressman .
Chaffetz says noises in the hallway can make it difficult to sleep at night .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- In their first head-to-head debate, Sen. John McCain criticized Sen. Barack Obama as a candidate who "doesn't understand" the key issues the country faces, and Obama linked McCain to President Bush on several issues. "I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy," McCain said Friday as the two traded jabs over Iraq. Obama shot back, "I absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy. And the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there." McCain drew from his experience overseas as he tried to portray himself as the more qualified candidate. "Incredibly, incredibly Sen. Obama didn't go to Iraq for 900 days and never asked for a meeting with Gen. [David] Petraeus," he said.  Watch McCain, Obama talk about fighting in Iraq » McCain slammed Obama for not supporting the surge, an increase of about 30,000 troops to Iraq in early 2007. Bush sent the additional troops as part of a campaign to pacify Baghdad and its surrounding provinces. "John, you like to pretend like the war started in 2007," Obama shot back. "You talk about the surge. The war started in 2003, and at the time when the war started, you said it was going to be quick and easy. You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were. You were wrong." Watch entire debate:  Part 1 » |  Part 2 » |  Part 3 » Obama repeatedly criticized the Bush administration and charged that McCain is an endorser of his policies.  See scenes from the debate » In describing his tax plan, Obama said, "over time, that, I think, is going to be a better recipe for economic growth than the -- the policies of President Bush that John McCain wants to -- wants to follow." Obama also said the economic crisis is the "final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by George Bush, supported by Sen. McCain." Both candidates squeezed in a few cheap shots. Obama brought up McCain's jokingly singing a line about bombing Iran, and McCain jabbed Obama for his short-lived "presidential seal." Immediately after the debate, both campaigns issued statements declaring their candidate the winner. Grade the candidates' performance in the debate "This was a clear victory for Barack Obama on John McCain's home turf. Sen. McCain offered nothing but more of the same failed Bush policies, and Barack Obama made a forceful case for change in our economy and our foreign policy," said Obama-Biden campaign manager David Plouffe. "John McCain needed a game-changer tonight, and by any measure, he didn't get it," he said. iReport.com: Who do you think won the debate? McCain's campaign said "there was one man who was presidential tonight; that man was John McCain." "There was another who was political; that was Barack Obama. John McCain won this debate and controlled the dialogue throughout, whether it was the economy, taxes, spending, Iraq or Iran. There was a leadership gap, a judgment gap and a boldness gap on display tonight, a fact Barack Obama acknowledged when he said John McCain was right at least five times," communications director Jill Hazelbaker said. Full coverage of the debates During the first 30 minutes of the debate, the candidates focused on the economy, even though the debate was supposed to be centered on foreign policy. For a while, it seemed like the debate might not even take place, because McCain said he would not show up unless Congress came to an agreement on the government's proposed $700 billion bailout plan. McCain said Friday that enough progress has been made for him to attend the debate, even though Congress has not made a deal. Here's a snapshot of what the candidates said. On government spending:

Who accused Obama of failing to understand key issues?

What did McCain say Obama doesn't understand?

What did Obama say McCain was wrong about?

Answer: key issues

Answer: "I absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy. And the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there."

Answer: Sen. John McCain

Answer: Sen. Barack Obama

Answer: the difference between a tactic and a strategy,"

Answer: You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were. You were wrong."

Summary:
Barack Obama says John McCain wrong about Iraq .
McCain says Obama "doesn't understand" some key issues .
Candidates debate earmarks, taxes, economic plans .
Status of debate was in limbo until Friday afternoon .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Insurgents' use of roadside bombs has increased dramatically in Afghanistan this year, according to Pentagon statistics, and the United States' top military official is calling them the "No. 1 threat" to troops there. An IED is exploded by U.S. Marines near the remote village of Baqwa, Afghanistan, in March. In June there were 736 incidents in Afghanistan involving roadside bombs, called improvised explosive devices or IEDs, and 82 "effective attacks," ones that caused casualties among coalition forces, the figures show. That was up from 263 incidents and 25 effective attacks in February, with the numbers increasing each month, said the Pentagon's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, an agency dedicated to thwarting roadside bombs. The number of coalition forces killed and wounded by such bombs has climbed, though not steadily, from 18 killed and 33 wounded in February to 23 killed and 166 wounded in June, the agency said. No numbers were provided for July, but such attacks have continued this month. In the latest, roadside bombs killed two NATO-led troops on Thursday, one in eastern Afghanistan and the other in southern Afghanistan. The military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in that country. And at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in response to a reporter's question that the biggest threat to coalition troops in Afghanistan is improvised explosive devices.  Watch Adm. Mullen address efforts in Afghanistan » He noted that they "have become more and more sophisticated over time" and that they are being combined with "more and more sophisticated attacks from the Taliban, where they use IEDs as well as other tactics to inflict or to fight our troops."

What has been called the weapon of choice for insurgents?

how many coalition troops were injured in june

What is the name of the weapon of choice for insurgents?

What number of incidents in June caused casualties?

Answer: No

Answer: IEDs

Answer: 166

Answer: 736

Answer: IEDs

Answer: 736

Answer: attacks

Answer: in Afghanistan

Summary:
Pentagon agency: 82 incidents in June caused casualties among coalition troops .
Military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in Afghanistan .
No numbers were provided for July, but such attacks have continued this month .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Interrogation tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation and slapping did not violate laws against torture when there was no intent to cause severe pain, according to a Bush-era memo on the tactics released Thursday.

Attorney General Eric Holder says government workers who followed protocol won't be prosecuted.

"To violate the statute, an individual must have the specific intent to inflict severe pain or suffering," said an August 2002 memo from then-Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee to John Rizzo, who was acting general counsel for the CIA.

"Because specific intent is an element of the offense, the absence of specific intent negates the charge of torture. ... We have further found that if a defendant acts with the good faith belief that his actions will not cause such suffering, he has not acted with specific intent," Bybee wrote.

The Bybee opinion was sought on 10 interrogation tactics in the case of suspected al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah.

The memo authorized keeping Zubaydah in a dark, confined space small enough to restrict the individual's movement for no more than two hours at a time. In addition, putting a harmless insect into the box with Zubaydah, who "appears to have a fear of insects," and telling him it is a stinging insect would be allowed, as long as Zubaydah was informed the insect's sting would not be fatal or cause severe pain.

"If, however, you were to place the insect in the box without informing him that you are doing so ... you should not affirmatively lead him to believe that any insect is present which has a sting that could produce severe pain or suffering or even cause his death," the memo said.

Other memos allowed the use of such tactics as keeping a detainee naked and in some cases in a diaper, and putting detainees on a liquid diet.

On waterboarding, in which a person gets the sensation of drowning, the memo said, "although the waterboard constitutes a threat of imminent death, prolonged mental harm must nonetheless result" to violate the law.

Authorities also were allowed to slap a detainee's face "to induce shock, surprise or humiliation" and strike his abdomen with the back of the hand in order to disabuse a detainee's notion that he will not be touched, the memos said.

Bybee noted in the memo that the CIA agreed all tactics should be used under expert supervision. Other memos said waterboarding can be used only if the CIA has "credible intelligence that a terrorist attack is imminent" and if a detainee is believed to have information that could prevent, disrupt or delay an attack, and other methods fail to elicit the information.

Another memo to Rizzo, from Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Steven G. Bradbury on May 10, 2005, noted that nudity could be used as an interrogation technique.

"Detainees subject to sleep deprivation who are also subject to nudity as a separate interrogation technique will at times be nude and wearing a diaper," it said, noting that the diaper is "for sanitary and health purposes of the detainee; it is not used for the purpose of humiliating the detainee and it is not considered to be an interrogation technique."

"The detainee's skin condition is monitored, and diapers are changed as needed so that the detainee does not remain in a soiled diaper," the memo said.

Another Bradbury memo laid out techniques and when they should be used in a "prototypical interrogation."

"Several of the techniques used by the CIA may involve a degree of physical pain, as we have previously noted, including facial and abdominal slaps, walling, stress positions and water dousing," it said. "Nevertheless, none of these techniques would cause anything approaching severe physical pain."

All of the CIA techniques were adapted from military "survival evasion resistance escape" training, according to a May 30, 2005, memo from Bradbury to Rizzo.

"Although there are obvious differences between training exercises and actual interrogations, the fact that the United States uses similar techniques on its own troops for training purposes strongly suggests that

What must one have intent to do?
Who was guidance offered to?
Which actions will not be prosecuted?
What law is the memo about?

Answer: the specific

Answer: Rizzo.

Answer: tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation and slapping

Answer: against torture

Summary:
Memo: To violate torture law, must have intent to inflict severe suffering .
Obama says releasing memos vital to maintaining transparency, accountability .
Legal memos offered guidance to CIA on "enhanced interrogation"
No prosecution for actions consistent with memos, official says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Iranian-Americans demonstrated on the streets of Washington on Wednesday evening, marching from Iranian diplomatic offices to the Russian embassy, in protest of both governments' actions. A Tuesday meeting of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, and Dmitry Medvedev has angered Iranian-Americans. The demonstration came in the wake of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Moscow on Tuesday, despite allegations of ballot fraud in Ahmadinejad's re-election last week. "We're hoping that the world attention does not end from what the Iranians are doing right now, because this is not going to end in the next few days, because this is a long haul, a long battle," said Washington protest and group organizer Morteza Ahmady. "Iranians are very capable of deciding their own destiny." The group Whereismyvote.org organized the demonstration of about 100 people and aims to build support for its "global protest" this Saturday. "I think it's a very new thing from a historical point of view; it's a civic movement. People try to keep it as nonviolent and civil as possible," said group organizer Negar Mortarzavi. In Russia, Ahmadinejad was welcomed as the "newly re-elected president of Iran," with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling reporters, "the issue of elections in Iran is an internal affair of the Iranian people." Eighty-five percent of the country's 46 million eligible voters went to the polls on Friday, an unprecedented turnout, Iran's interior ministry said. When the ballots were counted, the government declared Ahmadinejad the winner, with 62.63 percent of the vote. The man many analysts had widely expected to win, Mir Hossein Moussavi, received 33.75 percent. The speed with which the election results were released -- two hours after polls closed -- insulted the Iranian people, said Ahmady, who cited that as a sign of fraud. Moussavi's camp has demanded new elections. Sarah, a Washington protester who would give only her first name, agreed. "We're not saying that pro-Ahmadinejad supporters don't exist; they do exist," she said. "And we're saying that, yes, if they indeed did win the vote, then the election should be theirs, because we are a democratic people. But we don't feel comfortable with the numbers that came out of Iran. And we're not saying that we don't accept it altogether. We're just asking for a revote."

Who hosted Mahmoud Admadinejad after the election?

Answer: marching from Iranian diplomatic offices to the Russian embassy,

Answer: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Answer: Iranian diplomatic offices

Summary:
They march from Iranian to Russian embassies, protesting both governments .
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after election .
D.C. protest organizer: "This is a long haul, a long battle"
Iran has been gripped by protests since Ahmadinejad was declared victor in election .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It isn't clear whether the United States will ever be able to declare victory in Iraq, the top U.S. commander there said Thursday. Army Gen. Ray Odierno speaks to reporters at the Pentagon  on Thursday. "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years," Army Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters at the Pentagon. About 123,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq now, and President Obama says all combat forces will be gone by the end of August 2010, leaving as many as 50,000 noncombat troops to advise and train Iraqi forces before leaving by the end of 2011. Odierno has said he wants to draw down the U.S. forces at a faster rate than planned if the security situation allows it. On Thursday, he said he expected the number of U.S. troops to drop to 120,000 by the end of October, and to as few as 110,000 by the end of 2009. "What we've done here is we're giving Iraq an opportunity in the long term to be a strategic partner of the United States, but more importantly, be a partner in providing regional stability inside of the Middle East," Odierno said. Odierno also highlighted continuing security issues inside the country, saying Iraqi security forces have recently seized several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs. "If you're training people ... in Iran to come back into Iraq, and you're providing them rockets and other things, I call that significant because it still enables people to conduct attacks not only on U.S. forces but on Iraqi civilians," Odierno said. At a congressional hearing Wednesday, Odierno said the main threat to stability in Iraq are Arab-Kurd tensions, adding there has been difficulty bringing the two sides together for possible joint patrols. "We've had some very good meetings," he said. "But we still have some ways to go on that."

How many U.S. troops are presently in Iraq?

What were the remarks made to reporters?

How many troops does Odierno want to keep in Iraq?

What did Iraqi security forces recently seize?

Who makes remark to reporters at Pentagon?

What number could the troops drop to by January?

Answer: About 123,000

Answer: "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years,"

Answer: About 123,000

Answer: 110,000

Answer: several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: Army Gen. Ray Odierno

Answer: Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: Army Gen. Ray Odierno

Answer: 110,000

Answer: "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years,"

Summary:
U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno makes remark to reporters at Pentagon .
About 123,000 U.S. troops in Iraq; could drop to 110,000 by January, he says .
Odierno: Iraqi security forces recently seized caches of Iranian-made weapons .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It was a heartwarming sight: Laura Ling and Euna Lee landing on U.S. soil and being reunited with their families. To the elation of their families, Bill Clinton returned to the U.S. with journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Then, after an appropriate amount of time for hugs and kisses, Bill Clinton appeared, descending from his movie-producer friend's plane like an angel from heaven. An emotional Ling practically referred to the former president as a messiah, describing to the media and well-wishers waiting at the airport how she and Lee thought they were being sent to a hard-labor camp, only to walk through a door to find Clinton. The crowd broke into loud applause. For all of those who wondered what Bill would do in Hillary Clinton's diplomatic world, wonder no longer. As details of the Clinton mission came out, it was revealed that the North Koreans themselves asked for Clinton, promising amnesty for the women upon delivery of the former president, whose visit eluded them while he was in office. The deal was done even before Clinton stepped on the plane. So what is next for Bill Clinton? If the mere thought of a meeting with him is enough to move a regime notorious for never moving, can the Obama administration use that star power to rescue three American hikers who ventured into Iran and are believed to be held by Iranian authorities? Can Clinton head off two Russian attack submarines cruising in the Atlantic off the East Coast of the United States? Former presidents are used as envoys and undertake humanitarian missions all the time. Then-President Clinton used former President Jimmy Carter to travel to North Korea in 1994 to negotiate the end to the first nuclear crisis. Clinton and his predecessor, George H.W. Bush, were tapped by Bush's son, then-President George W. Bush, to lead relief efforts to help Asian and African nations devastated by the 2004 tsunami and again in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. But the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton and President Obama is complex, to say the least. After a bitter-fought battle during the Democratic primaries, Hillary Clinton supporters were looking for a robust role for her in exchange for her support of Obama, with many even suggesting her as a possible candidate for vice president. That idea was short-lived. The Obama team wanted Hillary far from the West Wing. And they wanted Bill even farther. When Obama tapped Hillary to be his secretary of state, there was no shortage of critics who asserted that her husband's global foundation and role as a high-paid public speaker would present a conflict of interest. The Clintons agreed to strict rules of the road to avoid such conflicts going forward. However Hillary never demurred in her praise for what her husband has accomplished, both during his eight years in the White House or post-presidency. Hillary herself has said she considered her husband a trusted adviser and could even consider using him where appropriate. He is a former president, after all. Bill Clinton has largely stayed out of the limelight, quietly continuing his globetrotting on behalf of the world's poor and downtrodden. In May, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed him as the United Nations' special envoy to Haiti in an effort to refocus international attention on the Caribbean country's deep economic problems and environmental decay. But with the success of his North Korean mission so quick and easy, it's conceivable that Bill Clinton could add the role of "diplomatic cleaner" to his resume -- a version of Harvey Keitel's role as Winston Wolfe in the movie "Pulp Fiction" -- a fixer of messy problems, which he solves with a combination of stylish charisma and lucid thinking under pressure. The Obama administration has no shortage of messy foreign policy problems that Hillary Clinton knows could use a Winston Wolfe.

Who had a successful mission to North Korea?

Which movie character was Clinton compared to after his successful mission?

Answer: Bill Clinton

Answer: Laura Ling and Euna Lee

Answer: journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

Answer: U.S.

Answer: Winston Wolfe

Summary:
Spotlight returns to Bill Clinton after successful mission to North Korea .
Ex-president's speedy retrieval of detained journalists could set stage for new role .
In "Pulp Fiction," characters turned to Winston Wolfe to calmly solve messy problems .
Analysis: Clinton's charms could be used with Wolfe-like efficiency around globe .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It was the annual revving of the engines Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial as thousands of motorcyclists converged on Washington to honor those who have served the country. Members of Rolling Thunder ride into Washington on Sunday. Riders from Rolling Thunder, a group created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA, rolled into the nation's capital, greeting crowds of supporters who lined the streets. "It's a great tribute to people that have sacrificed everything, including their life," said rider Mick Smith. He and fellow Vietnam veteran Juan Cruz rode their motorcycles from Pennsylvania. "It's a brotherhood that we have, veterans of the foreign wars," Cruz said. "The camaraderie is so perfect that we don't need anything else. We forget about our problems." Lyn Seidler was among the spectators who lined the motorcycle route in the hot and humid weather to greet the bikers as they passed over the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington. "The servicemen made a sacrifice," Seidler said. For her, cheering on Rolling Thunder was a way to help celebrate troops, "and to say thank you," she said. After completing their rides, the bikers gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial. "I'm here today to honor our veterans, our fallen veterans, to help the living by supporting the dead," Cruz said. The Defense Department says there are more than 88,000 soldiers still listed as missing in action from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined. -CNN's Lauren Pratapas contributed to this report

What does the rider call the Rolling Thunder?

How many soldiers listed as missing in action?

What does Rolling Thunder bring attention to?

How many soldiers are listed as missing in action?

Answer: a group created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Answer: 88,000

Answer: a great tribute to people that have sacrificed everything, including their life,"

Answer: more than 88,000

Answer: soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Answer: more than 88,000

Answer: bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Summary:
Rolling Thunder created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA .
"It's a brotherhood that we have, veterans of the foreign wars," rider says .
Defense Department: More than 88,000 soldiers listed as missing in action .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Kyrgyzstan's decision to close a key U.S. military base is "regrettable," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, but it won't affect the U.S. military effort in nearby Afghanistan. Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. On Friday, Russia announced it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. The United States uses Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan as a route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced Tuesday that "all due procedures" were being initiated to close the base. "It's regrettable that this is under consideration by the government of Kyrgyzstan, and we hope to have further discussions with them," Clinton told reporters Thursday after a meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. "But we will proceed in a very effective manner no matter what the outcome of the Kyrgyzstan government's deliberations might be." Bakiyev made his announcement at a news conference in Moscow, Russia, following news reports of a multimillion-dollar aid package from Russia to Kyrgyzstan. Lavrov said on Russian television that his country intends to help get vital cargo -- but no weapons or troops -- to NATO troops in Afghanistan. The United States asked to transport the cargo through Russian territory to Afghanistan, Lavrov said. The U.S. military is planning to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to halt a resurgence of the Taliban. Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, described Manas as having "an important role in the deployment of these forces" and in refueling aircraft. Senior State Department officials said the State and Defense departments are working with Kyrgyzstan to keep the lease to the base. The officials said the Kyrgyzstan government has not yet responded to an offer to renew the lease. Discussions are being conducted through the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan and relevant State Department and Pentagon bureaus, the officials said. One official said the United States has almost 18 months to renegotiate the lease before it expires and hopes Kyrgyzstan will reconsider their position. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell called Manas "a hugely important air base." "It provides us with launching point to provide supplies in Afghanistan. We very much appreciate [Kyrgyz] support in using that base, and we hope to continue," he said at a daily news briefing earlier this week. Clinton said the Defense Department "is conducting an examination as to how else we would proceed that will not affect whatever decisions we make." Petraeus was in Kyrgyzstan last month, partly to lobby the government to allow the United States to keep using the base. He said he and Kyrgyz leaders did not discuss at all the possible closure of the base and said local officials told him there was "no foundation" for news reports about the issue. The mountainous former Soviet republic is Central Asia's second poorest country. The United States pays about $63 million a year for use of the base and employs more than 320 Kyrgyz citizens there, Petraeus said. The base has been in operation since December 2001 under U.N. mandate. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported Tuesday that Russia would offer Kyrgyzstan a $300 million, 40-year loan at an annual interest rate of 0.75 percent, and write off $180 million in Kyrgyz debt. Kyrgyzstan also is home to a Russian military base, at Kant, that officially opened in 2003. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov told Russian news agency Interfax it was coincidence that talk of the base closure comes at the same time as the loan. "The Russian decision to grant a major loan has nothing to do with the pullout of the U.S. air base from the Kyrgyz territory," Chudinov said. The relationship between the United States and Kyrgyzstan was damaged when a U.S. airman killed a Kyrgyz citizen in December 2006. The airman was transferred out of Kyrgyzstan, and the dead man's family was offered compensation. Petraeus said in January an investigation into the death was being reopened. In announcing the base closure, Bakiyev said he was not satisfied

Who uses Kyrgyz base as a route for troops and supplies in Afghanistan?

Who says it will help transport U.S. nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan?

who says procedures had been initiated to close base

Answer: Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan

Answer: The United States

Answer: Russia

Answer: announced it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan,

Answer: it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan,

Answer: President Kurmanbek Bakiyev

Summary:
NEW: Russia says it will help transport U.S. nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan .
United States uses Kyrgyz base as a route for troops and supplies in Afghanistan .
Kyrgyz president says procedures had been initiated to close base .
Move follows news of a multimillion-dollar aid package from Russia .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Last week's "balloon boy" incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, an agency representative said Tuesday. The Heene family -- including Falcon, second from right -- on CNN's "Larry King Live" last week. Richard and Mayumi Heene, whose son Falcon was thought for several hours to have flown away in a homemade balloon, are facing a number of local charges, a Colorado sheriff said this week. The Fort Collins couple could be charged with conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and attempting to influence a public servant, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday. The family also probably will be charged with filing a false police report, which is a misdemeanor, Alderden said. Their lawyer, David Lane, said the sheriff was overreaching and that the family deserves the presumption of innocence.  Watch the Heenes' friends talk about the incident » FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere confirmed Tuesday that the agency was "investigating the circumstances" of the incident, in which police and military scrambled to rescue the 6-year-old boy, who later turned out to be hiding in his family's attic. A source familiar with the investigation said no record has been found indicating that Richard Heene called the FAA. The agency does not record all of its calls, and the search for a record of any call is continuing, the source said. The Heenes may have violated FAA regulations barring people from flying balloons or kites within 5 miles of an airport, an FAA official said. The official declined to be named because the case is under investigation. The giant silver balloon was apparently not visible on radar, the official said, and the FAA is relying on pilot reports to determine its approximate flight path during the roughly three hours it was aloft Thursday. CNN's Mike M. Ahlers in Washington contributed to this story.

What will Federal Aviation Administration do?

who deserves the presumption of innocence

What is the Federal Aviation Adminstration looking into?

Answer: Richard and Mayumi Heene,

Answer: the presumption of innocence.

Answer: "investigating the circumstances"

Answer: the family

Answer: a number of local charges,

Answer: number of local charges,

Answer: Richard Heene

Answer: Last week's "balloon boy" incident

Answer: the sheriff was overreaching and that the family deserves the presumption of innocence.

Summary:
Federal Aviation Administration looking into "escaped balloon" story .
Balloon's owners already facing several local charges .
Heene family deserves presumption of innocence, lawyer says .
No proof that Richard Heene called FAA when balloon set off, source says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Mexican and Colombian officials working with U.S. agents have seized about $41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced Monday. Colombian authorities seized $11.2 million in U.S. currency in Buenaventura, Colombia, on September 9. The U.S. agency, commonly called ICE, says the seizures were made September 9-18. It called them the largest seizure of cash ever found in shipping containers destined for Colombia and the largest for the agency since its inception. According to ICE: • On September 9, Colombian customs inspectors and Colombian national police, acting on intelligence reports, seized $11.2 million in U.S. currency hidden in two shipping containers. The containers were aboard a vessel that sailed from the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was headed to Buenaventura, Colombia. Colombian customs inspectors said it was the most cash ever seized by police at a port in the nation. • On September 10, a second seizure of U.S. currency estimated at $11.2 million also was made at the Buenaventura port. • On September 11, a shipment of $11 million was discovered hidden inside two shipping containers at the Port of Manzanillo. • On September 14, ICE special agents, along with Colombian authorities, discovered three additional shipping containers in Buenaventura containing about $5 million in $100 and $50 bills. These shipping containers also originated in Manzanillo. • On September 18, authorities seized $2.15 million in $100 bills concealed inside two containers aboard a vessel that arrived in Manzanillo. "This seizure represents a bad day for organized crime," ICE Director John Morton said at a Monday news conference in Washington. "Forty-one million dollars is not a rounding error. The loss of that kind of money hurts." All of the money was concealed in sacks of fertilizer chemicals in containers transported on commercial ships, Morton said.  Watch investigators uncover cash » "When it's packed in very large containers, it's extremely difficult to probe; it's extremely difficult to X-ray. And so it was a very good means of concealing currency," he said. The ports of Buenaventura and Manzanillo are key points along a well-known route used for smuggling cocaine northward to Mexico and then on to the United States, and for sending cash back into Colombia, where most of the cocaine originates, ICE said in a news release. Morton called the smugglers "very, very sophisticated," saying they were using the lawful shipping trade to send drug profits from the U.S. through Mexico to Colombia. Morton said the money will be forfeited in accordance with the laws of the nations where it was seized, with Colombia keeping $28 million and Mexico getting $13 million. "None of these monies will be forfeited to the United States," he said. While large, this month's cash seizure is not a record. In March of 2007, officials in Mexico officials confiscated $207 million in cash in what was then called the largest drug-related cash seizure in history. ICE is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, investigating financial crime, trade fraud, narcotics smuggling and cash smuggling, the agency said. ICE was established in 2003 after the Homeland Security Act of 2002. CNN's Mike M. Ahlers and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

Joint operation nets about how many million  in cash?

Who calls ports key points in drug trade route?

Answer: $41

Answer: ICE

Answer: in shipping containers,

Answer: Mexican and Colombian officials

Summary:
Joint operation nets about $41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers .
Mexican, Colombian authorities working with U.S. agents seize money in 2 ports .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement calls ports key points in drug trade route .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Mohammed Ismail was released from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in early 2004 and sent back to Afghanistan to be set free. A guard talks with a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, earlier this year. Within four months, the U.S. military said, he was recaptured in Afghanistan attacking U.S. troops there, with paperwork on him that said he was a Taliban in good standing. He is just one of 74 former Guantanamo Bay detainees who the military says were active in, or were suspected of being active in, fighting against the United States or committing terrorist acts after being released. Another is Abdullah Gulam Rasoul, who was released from Guantanamo in December 2007 and set free in Afghanistan. Rasoul has become a powerful Taliban military commander in southern Afghanistan, the military said, and the United States suspects he is responsible for several attacks on U.S. forces there. A senior U.S. military official said he believes Rasoul is using his former Guantanamo experience to build on his "rock star status" among the Taliban. Abd al Hadi Abdallah Ibrahim al Shaikh of Saudi Arabia, who was released in 2007, was arrested in 2008 by Saudi authorities on suspicion of supporting terrorism inside that country, the military said. On Tuesday, the Pentagon released information that showed 14 percent of former detainees have turned to, or are suspected of having turned to, terrorism activity since being released from Guantanamo. The data represent the most recent statistics of former detainees tracked by military and other U.S. government intelligence agencies. The report shows that of the more than 530 detainees released from the prison, 27 have been confirmed to have engaged in terrorist activities and 47 are suspected of participating in some kind of terrorist act. The statistics indicate that there has been a slight increase since the end of 2008, and the number of released detainees turning to or suspected of turning to the insurgency is almost doubled from the 7 percent in that category a few years ago, according to Pentagon officials familiar with the information. The report said that between December 2008 and March 2009, nine former detainees were added to the confirmed list, six of whom were moved over from the suspected list. The Pentagon's definition for "suspected" is significant reporting indicating a person is involved in terrorist activities and an analysis showing a match to an identity of a former detainee. The report defines "confirmed" as a preponderance of evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, photo match or reliable or well-corroborated intelligence that can identify a former detainee at Guantanamo. In January, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said 62 former Guantanamo detainees may have gone on to participate in terrorism or military activity. That number included 18 who had been directly tied to an attack or attacks and 43 who were suspected of such action, Pentagon officials said at the time. "What's clear is we are not seeing recidivism on the decline," according to a defense official who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to say what officials think is the reason for the numbers having gone up, but said the United States does monitor as best as it can detainees who have been released from Guantanamo. The Pentagon released the names of almost 30 former detainees confirmed or suspected to have gone on to fight, with examples of what these men had done after their release. Abdullah Saleh Ali al-Ajmi, for example, was released in 2005 to Kuwait. In April 2008 he blew himself up in Mosul, Iraq, killing a number of Iraqis, the Pentagon said. Yousef Muhammed Yaaqoub was released from Guantanamo and sent back to Afghanistan to be freed in 2003. The Pentagon documents show that he rejoined the Taliban as a commander in southern Afghanistan, and planned a jailbreak in Kandahar and a "nearly successful capture of the town of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan." Yaaqoub was killed fighting U.S. troops on May 7, 2004, according to the Pentagon data, and his memorial service in Pakistan drew a number of wanted Taliban leaders. Other examples released by the Pentagon show men

What are 14 percent suspected of turning to?

What prrcent turn to or a suspected of turning to terrorism?

How many detainees have gone on to fight?

How many ex-detainees' names were released?

Answer: terrorism activity

Answer: 530

Answer: 14 percent

Answer: 74

Answer: almost 30

Answer: 14 percent of former detainees

Answer: number of released detainees turning to

Summary:
Pentagon: 14 percent turn to, or are suspected of turning to, terrorism activities .
Rate has doubled from that of a few years ago, Pentagon officials say .
Names of almost 30 ex-detainees believed to have gone on to fight released .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Nearly 6.2 million students in the United States between the ages of 16 and 24 in 2007 dropped out of high school, fueling what a report released Tuesday called "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

A new report on high school dropouts in the United States calls for a national re-enrollment strategy.

The total represents 16 percent of all people in the United States in that age range in 2007. Most of the dropouts were Latino or black, according to a report by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago, Illinois.

"Because of the widespread, pressing nature of the crisis and the large numbers of young people who have already dropped out, a national re-enrollment strategy should be a fundamental part of America's national education agenda," the report says.

However, the report notes, the "absence of new funding at the federal and state level since the 1980s has led to decades of disinvestment in re-enrollment programs across the country."

Despite the funding cutbacks, there have been re-enrollment successes nationally and in a number of cities including Chicago; Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Portland, Oregon, the report says.

"These programs have found that young people who have left high school before earning a diploma are not dead-end dropouts, but often are in fact students waiting and looking for opportunities to re-enroll and finish high school," the study says. "The most successful programs are small (80-150 students), offering comprehensive after-school and summer activities, led by experienced principals and teachers, focused on learning in the real world, well-funded with local school site program and fiscal control, and track specific, measurable outcomes for student achievement including skill gains, enrollment, attendance, credit gains, promotions and graduations."

Jesse Williams, 22, was one of those dropouts who is now working on her degree.

She said a street shooting in which one friend died and two were wounded was the start of her losing interest in school.

"My junior year I dropped out," she said at a summit in Washington on Tuesday. "Too much gang violence, teachers discriminating because of the color of my skin, or where I come from."

Now re-enrolled in a Chicago school dedicated to bringing dropouts back to education, Williams said, "They help me in my classwork. I have a mentor that checks up on me monthly. She goes to my house, sees if there's anything that I need."

Researchers for the study analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Surveys, household data from the Current Population Survey, national data on GED certificate awards and other official sources to examine the problem at the national level and in the nation's 12 largest states: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

Men and blacks and Hispanics of both genders are among those particularly prone to dropping out of high school.

"As these data show, this dropout crisis is disproportionately affecting America's communities of color," said Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. "Youth from all communities deserve an equal chance at educational success."

Among the findings in the report, "Left Behind in America: The Nation's Dropout Crisis:"

The dropout situation at the state level was similarly widespread:

The report emphasized the importance of having at least a high school education.

"In the current global economy, having at least a high school diploma is a critical step for avoiding poverty, and a college degree is a prerequisite for a well-paying job," the study says. "The costs of dropping out of high school today are substantial and have risen over time, especially for young men, who find it almost impossible to earn an adequate income to take care of themselves and their families."

The report

What did the report emphasize the importance of?

what ethnicity has the highest dropout rate?

Answer: 6.2 million

Answer: Latino or black,

Answer: "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

Answer: Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts,

Answer: having at least a high school education.

Answer: Men and blacks and Hispanics of both genders are among those particularly prone to dropping out of high school.

Answer: "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

Answer: Latino or black,

Answer: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Surveys,

Summary:
Newly released study examines rates of high school dropouts .
Study finds African-American and Latino youths prevalent among dropouts .
Urban League head: crisis hitting "America's communities of color"
Report also emphasizes importance of obtaining high school diploma .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Negotiations between the United States and Libya that could result in compensation for past acts of state-sponsored terrorism by Libya are under way, a senior State Department official said Friday. The wreckage of Pan Am 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland; the bombing killed 270 people in 1989. U.S. and Libyan officials met Wednesday and Thursday, the official said. The nations hope to hammer out a deal in which Libya would "resolve all outstanding claims in good faith" and offer "fair compensation" to victims and their families, he said. "We are just at the beginning of this process. The goal is to get something that is fair and comprehensive," the official said. The official said that any agreement would cover about eight acts, including the 1989 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground; and the 1986 bombing of the La Belle disco in Berlin, Germany, that killed two people and injured at least 120, including 40 Americans. Outstanding terrorism claims have been a problem for Libya in its attempts to normalize relations with the United States and to begin development of its oil resources. Libya has expressed disappointment that it has failed to reap any political and economic benefits promised by the U.S. government and others after Libya renounced terrorism and stopped development of weapons of mass destruction. And some of the largest U.S. oil companies are eager to begin exploration and development of Libya oil fields, among the 10 largest in the world. The new negotiations and development of an agreement would ideally fulfill all outstanding lawsuits against Libya and allow investment to move forward. A joint U.S.-Libyan statement said, "Both parties affirm their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously in the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism."

What number of acts would be covered in  possible agreement?

what would be covered in possible agreement?

What is the number of acts in the agreement?

What country has tried to normalize relations with U.S.?

What country's wants to explore Libya's oil fields?

How many acts would be covered in a possible agreement?

Where do U.S. oil companies want to explore and develop?

Answer: eight

Answer: Libya

Answer: relations with the United States

Answer: United States and Libya

Answer: about eight acts,

Answer: eight

Answer: eight

Answer: United States and Libya

Answer: Libya

Answer: United States

Answer: eight

Answer: Libya

Summary:
Nations hoping for deal in which Libya would compensate terrorism victims .
Eights acts would be covered in possible agreement .
Libya has tried to normalize relations with U.S. by renouncing terrorism .
U.S. oil companies want to explore and develop Libya's oil fields .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he is giving up his proposal to grant driver's licenses to undocumented workers, a plan he said would "improve the safety and security of the people of my state."

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer says Wednesday in Washington that opposition to his plan doomed it.

Spitzer said he was giving up because he had concluded that "New York state cannot successfully address this problem on its own."

He said he wanted to act because of the failure of the federal government to deal with immigration policy and the impact that failure was having on New York.

"I would suggest to you what everyone already knows, " Spitzer said. "The federal government has lost control of its borders. It has allowed millions of undocumented workers to enter our country and now has no solution to deal with them."

The effect was about 1 million undocumented workers in New York state, "many of whom are driving without licenses," said Spitzer, surrounded at a news conference by members of his state's congressional delegation.   Watch Spitzer explain why he's withdrawing the proposal »

Spitzer said licensing workers who did not have Social Security numbers, which New York had done in the past, would have aided law enforcement and would have made the state's streets safer and more secure.

However, Spitzer acknowledged that "you don't need a stethoscope to hear the heartbeat of the public," saying he had concluded that opposition to his plan would have doomed it.

"You have polarization on this issue that has defied resolution," he said. Watch what a hornet's nest the proposal stirred up

Spitzer put forward his proposal in September, saying it would bring New York's estimated 1 million illegal immigrants "out of the shadows."

In October, the governor said there would be three tiers of licenses, ranging from a license restricting travel, a document called Real ID for legal residents and a stricter one that would allow people to travel into Canada.

U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-New York, on Wednesday thanked Spitzer for making the effort to bring about change, noting that undocumented workers "are part of the economy, they are part of what America's supposed to be."

"There is no question that we lack the leadership on the national level to change the tone," Rangel said. "And that is the reason why leaders all over the country -- mayors and governors -- are trying so desperately hard to deal locally with a problem that is basically a national problem."

One influential member of New York's congressional delegation missing from the briefing was Sen. Hillary Clinton, considered the front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. A spokesman from her office said she couldn't attend the news conference because of a scheduling conflict.

As the plan became a topic of national discussion, critics accused her of failing to take a definitive stance on the issue. In a debate last week, Clinton said Spitzer's plan "makes a lot of sense" but stopped short of endorsing it.

On Wednesday, Clinton issued a written statement supporting Spitzer's decision to withdraw the proposal.

"His difficult job is made that much harder by the failure of the Congress and the White House to pass comprehensive immigration reform," Clinton said.

"As president, I will not support driver's licenses for undocumented people and will press for comprehensive immigration reform that deals with all of the issues around illegal immigration, including border security and fixing our broken system."

Clinton's rivals quickly pounced on her statement.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, called her action "flip-flopping cubed," and Bill Burton, a spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, also sharply criticized Clinton for switching her views on the issue.

"When it takes two weeks and six different positions to answer one question on immigration, it's easier to understand why the Clinton campaign would rather plant their questions than answer them," Burton said.

Seventy-

Who says she will not support licenses for illegal immigrants?

Who says federal government "has lost control of its borders"?

Answer: Sen. Hillary Clinton,

Answer: Spitzer

Answer: he is giving up his proposal to grant

Summary:
NEW: Rivals criticize Clinton for changing stance .
Sen. Hillary Clinton says she will not support licenses for illegal immigrants .
N.Y. governor describes "polarized" public opinion on immigration .
Gov. Eliot Spitzer says federal government "has lost control of its borders"