WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The rules governing air traffic over New York's Hudson River need to be rewritten to prevent another mishap like this month's fatal collision of a small plane and a sightseeing helicopter, federal safety investigators said Thursday. The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this month from the Hudson River. The recommendation comes three weeks after nine people were killed when the two aircraft collided in the congested airspace bordering Manhattan. The recommendation is noteworthy both because of its sweeping nature and its timing. Ordinarily, the National Transportation Safety Board makes recommendations at the conclusion of its investigation, which typically take a year. But in a letter to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said that based on preliminary findings, the safety board is concerned about the "safety of flight" over the Hudson River. She outlined a series of changes, among them requiring that helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft fly at different altitudes over the river. She made specific reference to "the performance of air traffic controllers" at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, who were monitoring the plane's flight during the August 8 collision. "The NTSB is concerned with the complacency and inattention to duty evidenced by the actions of the [Teterboro] controller and the supervisor during the events surrounding this accident," Hersman wrote. Hersman said the pilot of the aircraft requested permission to climb to 3,500 feet minutes before the crash. But because there was no coordination between controllers at Teterboro and Newark airports, controllers did not grant the request, increasing the risk of a collision in Hudson River low-altitude airspace known as the "exclusionary zone," she said. Pilots in the exclusionary zone are not separated by air traffic controllers, and instead use visual "see and avoid" tactics. The Teterboro controller was making a personal phone call and "was not fully engaged in his duties" in the minutes leading up to the accident, Hersman said. His supervisor, meanwhile, had left the building on a personal errand without informing the controller. The air traffic controller's inappropriate phone call "likely would not have been permitted" if the supervisor had been in the tower, Hersman said. The FAA on Thursday did not comment on the NTSB recommendation, but said a task force studying flight operations above the Hudson River will soon submit its findings. And the air traffic controllers union defended its member, saying he had handed off the plane's pilot to another radar tower before the helicopter appeared on his radar scope. "The NTSB again has rushed to wrongly blame the air traffic controller in this incident," said Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "The bottom line here is that the controller is not responsible for contributing to this tragic accident. ... We cannot provide traffic advisories to aircraft we are not talking to, cannot see on radar or are not a factor at all." Forrey said the NTSB "inexplicably" made its recommendations before the FAA task force had finished its job. "The task force is due to release its report next week. So why the rush?" Forrey said. In its letter, the NTSB asks the FAA to establish a special flight rules area, or SFRA, for the class B exclusion areas near New York City; require vertical separation between helicopters and airplanes in these SFRAs; require pilots to complete specific training on the SFRA requirements before flight within the area; and conduct a review of other airspace configurations where specific pilot training and familiarization would improve safety.

What is one proposal by NTSB?
Who have advised rule changes
What type of aircraft were involved
When did the crash happen?
How many perished in the accident?
How many people died?
Where was the crash on August 8th?

Answer: FAA to establish a special flight rules area,

Answer: NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman

Answer: small plane and a sightseeing helicopter,

Answer: August 8

Answer: nine

Answer: nine

Answer: Hudson River

Summary:
NTSB advises rule changes over Hudson River after August 8 crash .
Nine people were killed when helicopter, small plane collided .
One proposal: Make helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft fly at different altitudes over river .
NTSB makes recommendation before end of crash probe -- a rare move .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The then-senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee urged the CIA in 2003 not to destroy videotapes it had made of the interrogations of terrorist detainees, according to the newly declassified letter. Lawyers for several Guantanamo detainees say the government has defied orders to preserve evidence. Rep. Jane Harman wrote in a letter dated February 10, 2003, that destruction of the tapes would "reflect badly on the agency." The Democrat from California released the letter Thursday. Last month, the CIA acknowledged videotapes were made in 2002 of two terrorist detainees but were destroyed in 2005. Some of the tapes showed the harsh interrogations of Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. In the case of Zubaydah, the tactics captured on videotape included waterboarding, which simulates drowning, a controversial technique that critics consider a form of torture. Shortly after becoming the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee in 2003, Harman was briefed on the CIA's interrogation and detention program, and the existence of the videotapes. She was told of the intention to destroy the tapes once an internal inquiry into the program was complete. Harman wrote her letter to the CIA's chief lawyer urging the agency to reconsider its plan. "Even if the videotape does not constitute an official record that must be preserved under the law, the videotape would be the best proof that the written record is accurate, if such record is called into question in the future," she wrote. The release of the letter comes a day after the Justice Department announced there is enough evidence to warrant a criminal investigation into the destruction of the CIA tapes. The inquiry will look into whether the CIA or other government officials committed crimes in the handling of the tapes. Congressional oversight committees are independently investigating the tape destruction. The House Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed Jose Rodriguez, the former head of the CIA covert service who sources say ordered the destruction of the tapes, to testify before the panel January 16. CIA General Counsel John Rizzo, who opposed the tape destruction, has agreed to voluntarily appear before the committee. E-mail to a friend

Who said destroying tapes would reflect badly on the CIA?

Answer: interrogations of terrorist detainees,

Answer: interrogations of terrorist detainees,

Answer: Jane Harman

Answer: 2002

Answer: 2002

Answer: simulates drowning,

Answer: Rep. Jane Harman

Answer: 2002

Summary:
Letter: Rep. Jane Harman said destroying tapes would "reflect badly on" CIA .
Last month, the CIA acknowledged videotapes were made in 2002 .
Tapes showed the harsh interrogations of two terrorist suspects .
In one instance, a tape shows detainee undergoing waterboarding .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan is expected to ask the Obama administration for additional troops and equipment, according to a senior U.S. military official familiar with Gen. Stanley McChrystal's thinking.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal's report on the war's status will be delivered in August, the source says.

The request will be for troops and equipment for conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as more assets to deal with roadside bombs and explosives, said the official, who declined to be identified because McChrystal's request has not been formally transmitted to the Pentagon.

The request could be made in coming weeks after McChrystal completes a "troop-to-task review" to calculate whether there are enough U.S. troops in Afghanistan -- and the right mix of troops -- to carry out the military's war plan at an acceptable level of risk, the official said.

The review could also lead to a request for additional troops for either combat or training of Afghan forces, but the official emphasized McChrystal has not made a decision on that. The military already has tasked an additional 4,000 troops to train Afghan forces.

The official said McChrystal is likely to submit his recommendations to Defense Secretary Robert Gates as a series of options, with each option having a level of risk attached to it.

"This will start the discussion" within the highest levels of the administration about whether to send a significant number of additional troops, the official said.

Gates has signaled he would be open to sending more troops if it could be demonstrated they are needed. But he also has expressed caution that the United States not send so many troops that it has too heavy a footprint in the country.

The troop-to-task review will follow McChrystal's assessment of the war, due 60 days after he took command in mid-June. That report is expected to be sent to Gates and NATO's secretary general by August 14, the official said.

It will discuss a detailed strategy for success of the counterinsurgency mission, such as the need for U.S. and Afghan forces to conduct more integrated operations and the need to focus on population centers. It is also expected to call for an increase in the number of Afghan security forces.

"This will be a really frank and honest discussion of how things are, and what it takes to get the job done," the official said.

What will help with roadside bombs and explosives?

What is needed to deal with roadside bombs ?

Gen. Stanley McChrystal will ask for what?

More assets to deal with what, according to sources?

Request will involve intelligence, surveillance and what else?

Answer: equipment for conducting intelligence, surveillance

Answer: be for troops and equipment for conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as more assets to deal with roadside bombs and explosives,

Answer: more assets

Answer: troops and equipment

Answer: roadside bombs and explosives,

Answer: top U.S. commander in Afghanistan

Answer: troops and equipment

Answer: reconnaissance,

Summary:
Gen. Stanley McChrystal also will ask for equipment, source says .
Request will involve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, source says .
More assets to deal with roadside bombs, explosives sought, source says .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The top military and civilian leaders of the U.S. Air Force were forced out Thursday over the handling of nuclear weapons, the Defense Department secretary said. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley, left, and Secretary Michael Wynne have stepped down. Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Secretary Michael W. Wynne resigned over the department's concern over two incidents, including the August flight of a B-52 bomber that flew across the country with nuclear weapons. "Focus of the Air Force leadership has drifted" in terms of handling nuclear weapons and equipment, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. In August, a B-52 bomber flew from North Dakota to Louisiana with the crew unaware that six nuclear-tipped missiles were on board. Four officers were relieved of duty afterward, including three colonels. Gates also cited this year's discovery that components designed to arm and fuse nuclear warheads were accidentally shipped to Taiwan in 2006.  Watch Gates talk about the firings » Critics also cite last month's news that the Air Force's 5th Bomb Wing failed a defense "nuclear surety" inspection -- despite having months to prepare and being under close scrutiny after the previous incidents. The inspection found deficiencies in the wing's ability to protect its part of the nation's nuclear stockpile. The resignations come after a report on a Navy admiral's investigation that criticized the Air Force's reactions to the incidents. Gates said the report "depicts a pattern of poor performance" in which Air Force brass didn't act to improve security after mishaps and Air Force personnel handling nuclear weapons consistently failed to follow existing rules. Air Force leaders "not only fell short in terms of specific acts, they failed to recognize systemic problems, to address those problems or, when beyond their authority to act, to call the attention of superiors to those problems," Gates said. The investigation found that although the Taiwan incident didn't compromise the integrity of the U.S. nuclear force, it represented "a significant failure" by the Air Force to ensure sensitive military components, Gates said. Gates said the report concluded that erosion in the branch's command and oversight standards helped lead to the incidents, and that they could have been prevented if the oversight programs had functioned correctly. He said he asked for the resignations after consulting President Bush. Sen. Carl Levin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Service committee, welcomed Gates' decision. "Secretary Gates' focus on accountability is essential and had been absent from the office of the Secretary of Defense for too long," Levin said. "The safety and security of America's nuclear weapons must receive the highest priority, just as it must in other countries." Rep. Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, also welcomed the resignations. Markey said he's long been concerned about what he called a series of dangerous Air Force missteps in handling nuclear weapons. "The magnitude and frequency of these errors indicate a deep-seated problem within Air Force culture, practice and training," Markey said. "The entire Department of Defense should immediately recommit itself to ensuring the safety and security of our nuclear stockpile before one of these mistakes has lethal consequences." A senior military source said the August nuclear weapons incident was the straw that broke the camel's back but that other leadership issues also factored into Moseley's and Wynne's resignations. A previous investigation into the B-52 flight uncovered a "lackadaisical" attention to detail in day-to-day operations at the air bases involved, an Air Force official said in October. Maj. Gen. Dick Newton, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, said the investigation found "a failure to follow procedures" by "a limited number of airmen" at the two bases. Newton defended the procedures themselves. Wynne is not the first secretary of a military branch to resign since Gates became Defense secretary. In March 2007, Gates announced the resignation of Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey in the wake of reports of substandard conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical

What comes after report criticizing bomber fight?

Answer: "Focus of the Air Force leadership

Answer: Navy admiral's investigation

Answer: "Focus of the Air Force leadership has drifted"

Answer: the Air Force's reactions to the incidents.

Answer: handling of nuclear weapons,

Answer: Four officers were relieved of duty

Answer: The resignations

Answer: resignations

Answer: Robert Gates

Answer: report on a Navy admiral's investigation that criticized the Air Force's reactions to the incidents.

Summary:
"Leadership has drifted" regarding nuclear weapons, Defense secretary says .
Resignations come after report criticizing bomber flight, mistaken device shipment .
Report criticizes U.S. Air Force's reactions to incidents .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The world's population is forecast to hit 7 billion in 2011, the vast majority of its growth coming in developing and, in many cases, the poorest nations, a report released Wednesday said.

Riders cram into a train last month in New Delhi, India. India's population is expected to be 1.7 billion by 2050.

A staggering 97 percent of global growth over the next 40 years will happen in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Population Reference Bureau's 2009 World Population Data Sheet.

"The great bulk of today's 1.2 billion youth -- nearly 90 percent -- are in developing countries," said Carl Haub, a co-author of the report. Eight in 10 of those youth live in Africa and Asia.

"During the next few decades, these young people will most likely continue the current trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities, gainful employment, and adequate health care," Haub continued, calling it one of the major social questions of the next few decades.

In the developed world, the United States and Canada will account for most of the growth -- half from immigration and half from a natural increase in the population -- births minus deaths, according to the report.

High fertility rates and a young population base in the developing world will fuel most of the growth, especially in Africa, where women often give birth to six or seven children over a lifetime, the report says. The number is about two in the United States and 1.5 in Canada.

A stark contrast can be drawn between Uganda and Canada, which currently have about 34 million and 31 million residents, respectively. By 2050, Canada's population is projected to be 42 million, while Uganda's is expected to soar to 96 million, more than tripling.

"Even with declining fertility rates in many countries, world population is still growing at a rapid rate," said Bill Butz, president of the bureau. "The increase from 6 billion to 7 billion is likely to take 12 years, as did the increase from 5 billion to 6 billion. Both events are unprecedented in world history."

By 2050, India is projected to be the world's most populous nation at 1.7 billion, overtaking current leader China, which is forecast to hit 1.4 billion. The United States is expected to reach 439 million for No. 3 on the list.

What will be global population size in two years?

What will the global population reach in two years?

What country will overtake China as the most populous?

Where was the biggest growth in world population?

Answer: 7 billion

Answer: 7 billion

Answer: India

Answer: developing and, in many cases, the poorest nations,

Answer: Population Reference Bureau's

Answer: world's most populous nation

Answer: India

Summary:
Global population to reach 7 billion in two years, research institute projects .
Most growth is occurring in developing and poor nations, study finds .
Uganda's population expected to almost triple by 2050 .
India projected to overtake China as most populous country .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The world's tropical forests are disappearing, and one reason is simple economics: People, companies and governments earn more by logging, mining or farming places such as the Amazon jungle than by conserving them. Global climate change treaty, scheduled for completion in December, is designed to protect tropical forests. Efforts to halt rain forest destruction date back decades, but they so far have failed to tackle the issue on a scale commensurate with the challenge. Now there may be a remedy, and the reason is climate change. Increased awareness of the threat from global warming has prompted unprecedented international focus on how to combat it, as well as new appreciation for the vital role of tropical forests in the climate change equation. On Tuesday, world leaders gather at the United Nations for a special climate change summit, intended to build momentum for a new global climate change treaty being negotiated by almost 200 countries. The new treaty is scheduled to be completed in December in Copenhagen, Denmark. If eventually enacted, the treaty will include a revolutionary but little-known provision intended to protect remaining tropical forests. Known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries, or REDD, the provision is based on the knowledge that destroying tropical forests contributes to global warming. Rain forests absorb and store huge amounts of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Burning or clearing the forests returns that stored CO2 to the atmosphere, where it can trap heat and gradually increase temperatures. Every year, tropical forests equal to an area the size of England are destroyed, contributing about 20 percent of total annual greenhouse gas emissions -- more than all the world's cars, trucks and airplanes combined. The idea of the proposed provision is to make the stored carbon dioxide in the forests a commodity that can be bought and sold on the global market. Polluters in the developing world would be able to offset their emissions by buying credits for stored forest carbon dioxide. The money from those purchases would go to developing world governments, international organizations, local communities and others involved in forest protection programs. For the first time, tropical forests would be worth money for simply existing. That could create an economic incentive to protect tropical forests, which also have biological value as the planet's richest storehouses of land species and spiritual worth as pristine natural landscapes. To longtime defenders of tropical forests, the proposal represents the final stage of a long and halting journey from the fringes of the environmental movement toward the mainstream of international policy. "Done properly, this is our No. 1 hope," said Randall Hayes, who founded the Rainforest Action Network in 1985 with the goal of halting tropical deforestation. "Other strategies have been heroic but insufficient." The system would let nations and industries that are the biggest greenhouse-gas emitters buy carbon credits in tropical forests in South and Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia and other equatorial regions. At the same time, investors could speculate on the price of carbon dioxide through credit trading. Private and public funds could invest in projects that protect forests to generate credits. Final details of the plan remain uncertain, such as how forest carbon credits would be verified and how the money paid for them would be handled and distributed. For developing countries, the idea represents a potential new revenue source. President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, a leading proponent of the plan, has made trading carbon credits a central element of his Low-Carbon Development Strategy. The strategy "is more about development than about the environment and it will help us to accelerate infrastructural development and fill the budget gap," Jagdeo said in an August 29 speech. The World Bank and partners have set up funds to help developing countries prepare for REDD and finance forest-protection initiatives. However, both funds are not fully capitalized, pending the successful conclusion of negotiations on the new global climate change treaty. "Right now everybody is in a wait-and-see mode," said Benoit Bosquet, the World Bank's lead carbon finance specialist. "Everybody

what Deforestation and Degradation provision has critics?

What are they saying is destroying the tropical forests?

Answer: United Nations

Answer: special climate change summit,

Answer: Reduced Emissions from

Answer: Global climate change

Answer: logging, mining or farming

Summary:
World leaders gather at the United Nations for special climate change summit .
Treaty based on finding that destroying tropical forests adds to global warming .
With proposed provision, stored carbon dioxide in forests could be bought and sold .
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation provision has critics .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There are likely to be two hot-button issues in Judge Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court confirmation hearings as senators gauge not only her positions but also some controversial comments she has made. Judge Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Issue No. 1: Abortion. It is the traditional hot-button issue in Supreme Court confirmation hearings. In a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll taken May 14-17, 68 percent of Americans say they don't want the court's Roe vs. Wade decision giving constitutional protection to abortion rights overturned. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sotomayor was raised Catholic. If she is confirmed, six out of the nine justices on the high court will be from the faith. Catholics make up about 25 percent of the U.S. population. Of the 110 people who have served on the Supreme Court, 11 have been Catholic. Five of those justices -- Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts -- are currently on the court.  Read more about the justices on the court » Barbara Perry, a government professor at Sweetbriar College, said she sees Catholics as swing voters with a base of socially conservative principles, and therefore attractive for Republican presidents. Catholic League President Bill Donohue said Catholics have conservative credentials on issues such as abortion, without the political baggage of terms such as the "religious right" or "evangelicals." "Is it safer to nominate a Catholic as opposed to an evangelical to get votes? I think the answer is decidedly yes." Court observers wonder what, if anything, six Catholic justices would mean for Supreme Court decisions. The five Catholics on the bench concurred in a 2007 decision, Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld a state ban on late-term abortions. Sotomayor has faced few abortion cases, and no tests on issues such as gay rights or the death penalty. However, Donohue expects a Justice Sotomayor to lean more left than her fellow Catholics on the court.  Watch more on the issues confronting Sotomayor » "I think she's more reliably liberal," Donohue said. Issue No. 2: Same-sex marriage. Four states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Maine and Massachusetts -- allow same-sex couples to wed. New Hampshire could soon follow with legislation pending before the state Legislature. Vermont has also legalized same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples in California, however, suffered a defeat Tuesday when California's Supreme Court upheld the Proposition 8 ballot initiative in 2009 that outlawed same-sex marriage. The state had previously allowed such marriages after the same court ruled that, "An individual's sexual orientation -- like a person's race or gender -- does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights." On Tuesday the court said: "Our role is limited to interpreting and applying the principles and rules embodied in the California Constitution, setting aside our own personal beliefs and values.'' Recent CNN polling has shown that a majority of Americans are against legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Fifty-four percent of Americans questioned in an April 23-26 CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, while 44 percent said they should be considered legal. But there was a gap between the opinions of younger and older people, with younger people far more likely to approve of same-sex marriage. In fact, 58 percent of people age 18 to 34 said same-sex marriages should be legal. Among people ages 35 to 49, 42 percent agreed, as did 41 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds. Twenty-four percent of people 65 and older agreed. The survey's sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points. But is marriage a right under the federal Constitution? The federal courts have not ruled on that. "That's an issue that may well come up within the federal courts ... almost certain to do so

Who was likely to face hot-button issues in Senate confirmation hearings?

Who had  come under fire for controversial statements, rulings?

Who was nominated to be the next Supreme Court Justice?

Answer: controversial comments

Answer: Judge Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: Judge Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: controversial comments

Answer: abortion cases,

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Summary:
Judge Sonia Sotomayor nominated to be the next Supreme Court Justice .
Sotomayor likely to face hot-button issues in Senate confirmation hearings .
She has also come under fire for controversial statements, rulings .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There are no immediate plans to commit more U.S. troops to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, President Obama said Wednesday. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, left, and President Obama meet in Washington on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters alongside Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Obama said he would consult with U.S. allies before determining a strategy in Afghanistan after last month's elections there. "I'm going to take a very deliberate process in making those decisions," Obama said. "There is no immediate decision pending on resources, because one of the things that I'm absolutely clear about is you have to get the strategy right and then make a determination about resources." The United States has about 62,000 U.S. troops in the country, and NATO allies -- including Canada -- have another 35,000. The Pentagon is planning to add 6,000 troops by the end of the year. There have been indications that Obama soon could be asked to commit even more American troops. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, however, has signaled he would like to gauge the impact of the 6,000-troop increase before considering whether to send more. Support in the United States for the war in Afghanistan has dipped to an all-time low. Just 39 percent of Americans favor the war, while 58 percent oppose it, according to a national CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday. Recent polling suggests that the increasing violence and slow pace of progress are also taking a toll on support for the war in Canada. Obama thanked Harper for his country's commitment to Afghanistan, where more than 2,800 Canadian troops and dozens of civilians are stationed. "They have fought; they have had staying power; they have absorbed losses that we all grieve for," he said.  Watch Obama and Harper meet » Most of the Canadian forces are based in the southern Kandahar province, home to some of the worst violence and instability. At least 130 Canadian troops have been killed in the war. Last year, after a national debate, the Canadian government extended the mission -- which was to end this February -- until the end of 2011. Harper said Wednesday that "Canada is not leaving Afghanistan" but is "transitioning from a predominately military mission to a mission that will be a civilian humanitarian mission after 2011." The two leaders also discussed economic issues, issuing a joint statement after their meeting saying in part that "open trade and investment are essential for competitiveness and sustainable growth in North America and globally." Obama acknowledged that the "Buy American" clause in the economic stimulus package has been a "source of irritation" between Canada and the United States and is something Harper has repeatedly brought to his attention. The clause is a provision in the $787 billion stimulus package enacted in February that states only American goods can be used in stimulus projects. But it stipulates that the measure would not override existing U.S. trade treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement. Harper said Canada's concerns about the clause are "important irritants ... but relatively small" when compared with the overall U.S.-Canadian trade relationship.

Who said there is no immediate plans for deployment?

How many troops does Canada have in Afghanistan?

How many more troops is the US planning to send?

What are the plans of Obama after this deployment?

How many troops are being send to Afghanistan this year?

Answer: President Obama

Answer: 35,000.

Answer: 6,000

Answer: to commit more U.S. troops to the ongoing war in Afghanistan,

Answer: 6,000

Summary:
U.S. already planning to send 6,000 more troops to Afghanistan this year .
No immediate plans for deployment beyond that, Obama says .
Remarks follow meeting with PM of Canada, which has 2,800 troops in Afghanistan .
Polling shows support for Afghanistan war dropping in both U.S. and Canada .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There is "no remaining hope" of finding six men trapped for almost a month in a Utah coal mine alive, a federal official said Saturday.

Isaac Arellano holds a candle and sings during a fundraiser for miners Tuesday in Price, Utah.

"Over the past 25 days, the Mine Safety and Health Administration has exhausted all known options in our attempt to reach the six miners," Richard Stickler, head of the agency, said in a statement.

"The thoughts and prayers of the dedicated professionals at MSHA are with the families."

Sympathy for the failed efforts also came Saturday from the White House.

"Last night, a difficult decision was made to end the search," President Bush said in a statement. "Laura and I are deeply saddened by this tragedy and continue to pray for the families of these men."

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao called the ordeal "heartbreaking."

"The grueling around-the-clock rescue operation that claimed three lives and injured six others has also taken a tremendous toll on the many brave rescuers and the local community, and our thoughts and prayers are with them all," Chao said in a statement.

After drilling seven holes into mine tunnels from the mountaintop above, there has been no sign of the miners -- and microphones have picked up no sound from the men.  See a timeline of rescue efforts »

Tests showed underground oxygen levels were too low to sustain human life.

"We basically told the families that at this point in time we've run out of options," Stickler said at a news conference late Friday.

"We've consulted with the people that we have here, we've consulted with the technical support in Pittsburgh and we've consulted with private consultants in terms of where we can go," he said.

"And basically, through all the information we've gleaned over the past nearly four weeks in terms of the conditions we found, in terms of the air readings we found down there and ... everything else, we just don't know where else we can put a hole to get any other information."  See photos of the rescue mission »

There were no public statements Saturday from Bob Murray, president and CEO of Murray Mining, co-owner of the Crandall Canyon Mine, who was the outspoken face of the rescue operation for the first three weeks, then largely disappeared from public view.

Federal officials became the spokesmen. No one from Murray Mining was present at Friday's news conference.

"They are done. It's finished," the attorney for the families said, according to the Saturday edition of The Salt Lake Tribune.

"It's a hard and bitter pill for our families, and there were quite a few tears shed," the newspaper quotes Colin King as saying.

The men were trapped during a collapse on August 6, and it is not known whether they survived the cave-in.

Efforts to reach them were suspended 10 days later when two rescuers and a federal mining official were killed, and six people were injured in a second collapse as they tried to tunnel horizontally toward the area where the men had been working.

Murray said last week that the search effort would stop if no signs of life were found at the sixth hole.

Under pressure from the families, however, he agreed to try one more time. Families wanted officials to drill a hole large enough to send down a rescue capsule.

The effort to lower the robotic device down a seventh hole had been called "a long shot" by an official.

MSHA's Stickler said that hole was drilled into the Crandall Canyon Mine on Thursday, but there were problems with a robotic camera that teams were trying to lower into it.

Work resumed Friday, this time at the fourth hole, but the camera could only descend about 7 feet, he said.

"Basically, what it saw was really not that much. There was quite a bit of mud in there, water coming down the hole. It really

What president expressed sadness over the tragedy?

When did the men become trapped underground?

what is the problem according mine safety chief?

what emotion do president bush and the first lady feel?

Who is in charge of the recovery effort?

What did President Bush say about the tragedy

What are Bush and the first lady sad about?

Have there been any indications that the men are still alive?

Since have the six men been trapped underground?

Answer: Stickler

Answer: August 6,

Answer: "Laura and I are deeply saddened by this tragedy and continue to pray for the families of these men."

Answer: Bush

Answer: August 6,

Answer: six

Answer: August 6,

Answer: there were

Answer: exhausted all known options in our attempt to reach the six miners,"

Answer: saddened

Answer: Richard Stickler,

Answer: six men

Answer: "Laura and I are deeply saddened by this

Answer: six men trapped for almost a month in

Answer: all known

Answer: this tragedy

Answer: Richard Stickler,

Answer: "Laura and

Answer: no sign of the miners

Answer: a month

Answer: "Last night, a difficult decision was made to end the search," President

Summary:
NEW: President Bush says he and first lady are deeply saddened by the tragedy .
Mine Safety and Health Administration chief: We've run out of options.
The six men have been trapped underground since August 6 .
Seven bore holes drilled into the mountain have found no signs of life .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There was no shortage of superstars in Washington this week, including the middle school students of Atlanta, Georgia's Ron Clark Academy. Ron Clark Academy students singing their newest song, "Dear Obama," in Washington this week. "There are those Obama kids!" "Those are the kids from TV!" "Sing for us!" The middle schoolers' ode to the political process, "You Can Vote However You Like," set to the tune of rapper T.I.'s "Whatever You Like," has garnered exhilarating fame nationwide. Invited to perform at inauguration events, the boys and girls were stopped along every block in the capital by people who asked them to sing and pose for a picture. "I have a sleepy energy," sixth-grader Kennedy Guest Pritchett said. "I feed off of the crowd and their cheers." The students' new song, "Dear Obama," which they have performed this week, offers advice to the president on energy, taxes, financial regulation and al Qaeda and urges him to "control Ahmadinejad." "Dear Obama hear us sing/We're ready for the change that you will bring/Gonna shine the light for the world to see/to spread peace hope and democracy. ... Fight for health care for the young so that coverage is available to everyone/It's time to find a renewable way to fuel our needs so we don't end up depending on Chavez and the Middle East." Watch the students sing "Dear Obama" » The kids will perform Tuesday at the Africa and International Friends Inaugural Ball, sharing a stage with Usher and Patti LaBelle, one of many events in their packed schedule highlighted by a luncheon gala Monday to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. "I want to do good every song we perform. When the crowd cheers, I feel like we did a good job," said Willie Thornton, a seventh-grader. "I feel a lot of adrenaline afterwards." The students have met the Kenyan Boys Choir, who told their American counterparts what kind of animals they might see when the Ron Clark students travel to Kenya on a school trip in June. At another luncheon, the sixth- and seventh-graders were thrilled to catch a glimpse of actor Ed Norton, the man who played the Incredible Hulk. But he didn't compare to singer Beyonce, who closed Sunday's star-studded Lincoln Memorial concert and drew giggles and shouts. The kids gained notoriety just before the election when they appeared on CNN, singing "You Can Vote However You Like." They became media favorites overnight, appearing on several networks and shows. Dressed neatly in their school uniform of khaki pants, light blue shirts and navy blue blazers, they discussed the Iraq war, the economy and taxes with the composure of adults. Their teacher, Ron Clark, known for his innovation, has used pop music to teach his students. He once changed the words of Rihanna's infectious hit "Umbrella" to teach geography. "You have to give students something they can identify with, something that catches their enthusiasm and spirit," he said. "I'm so proud of them all. They've taught me a lot." Before founding his school in the rough neighborhood of South Atlanta, Clark taught in Harlem, where he penned "The Essential 55," a rule-book for educators that caught Oprah Winfrey's eye. She talked about it on her show, and it soon became a New York Times bestseller. This past Christmas, Clark received another gift from the talk show host: $365,000. Winfrey donated $1,000 for each day of the year. Clark has said that the money will help provide scholarships for a year. The teacher said he plans to incorporate Barack Obama's inauguration into lessons throughout the rest of the school year. "Our school is about politics and world issues and helping the kids understand that they have an important role in all of that," he said. CNN's

What song of Ron Clark Academy gained fame?

Who performed at inauguration festivities?

What was the name of the song that the children wrote for the president?

What are the Ron Clark Academy singers famous for?

What singers are known for a song about voting?

What schoolkids performed at the inauguration?

What teacher or other figure runs the group?

What kind of energy did the 6th-grader say they had?

What kind of energy did one of the kids mention having?

Answer: "You Can Vote However You Like,"

Answer: Ron Clark Academy students

Answer: Atlanta, Georgia's

Answer: "Dear Obama,"

Answer: "Dear Obama,"

Answer: The kids gained notoriety just before the election when they appeared on CNN, singing "You Can Vote However You Like."

Answer: school students of Atlanta, Georgia's Ron Clark Academy.

Answer: Ron Clark Academy students

Answer: school students of Atlanta, Georgia's Ron Clark Academy.

Answer: Ron Clark

Answer: "Dear Obama,"

Answer: Atlanta,

Answer: Ron Clark

Answer: school students of Atlanta, Georgia's Ron Clark Academy.

Answer: sleepy energy,"

Answer: sleepy

Answer: offers advice to the president on energy, taxes, financial regulation and al Qaeda

Answer: "Dear Obama,"

Answer: "I have a sleepy energy,"

Answer: "You Can Vote However You Like."

Summary:
Singing Atlanta schoolkids perform at inauguration festivities .
"I have a sleepy energy," one 6th-grader says of the group's packed schedule .
Ron Clark Academy singers gained fame for their "Vote However You Like" song .
They have written another song, "Dear Obama," which offers advice to the president .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of Americans learn a painful lesson in banking every day: Waiting for a check to clear and then getting access to the money from a bank doesn't mean the check has really cleared. When Harry Smith, of New York, responded to an ad on Craigslist for an office assistant, a woman e-mailed him and said her British company was starting to sell its product in the United States, but was having trouble with dealing with checks from customers. Smith said the woman needed someone to collect the checks and then send the money to her company. It was a commission job -- deposit the checks, wait for the funds to become available at his bank, then send cash to her, minus 10 percent for Smith. After Smith checked out what seemed like a legitimate company on the Internet, he started receiving checks totaling several thousand dollars and deposited them in his account. When his bank released the funds, he sent cash to an address outside the country. But after a few weeks, Smith's bank notified him the checks he had deposited had actually been returned, and that he owed the bank all the money he had withdrawn. Smith has not heard from his business partner since and doesn't even know who she really is. He still owes his bank money, is unemployed and doesn't know what action the bank might take against him. What happened to Smith is one example of a wide range of fake check scams carried out in the United States every year. A Consumer Federation of America survey estimates that 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam, with an average loss of $3,000 to $4,000 per consumer. The most common scams are fake sweepstakes or lotteries, phony government sponsored grants and fraudulent work-at-home opportunities, the survey says. The scams follow the pattern of the so-called Nigerian Internet scams, which often involve accepting transfers of money that become obviously phony when it's too late. On Wednesday, the Consumer Federation launched a campaign to combat check scams. Many consumers don't know they are responsible if they deposit a bad check, said Susan Grant, the federation's director of consumer protection. Grant said its survey shows an alarming level of misinformation among consumers, and the problem includes money orders and cashier's checks. Fifty-nine percent of respondents in the survey incorrectly thought that, when you deposit a check or money order, your bank confirms it is good before allowing you to withdraw the money. That number goes up to 70 percent among adults age 18 to 24. More than 40 percent of those surveyed also incorrectly think that the person who gave you the bad check must pay back the bank. American consumers are mostly unfamiliar with the time needed to process checks and money orders, say consumer watchdogs. Government banking rules mandate that money from deposits become available within one to five days. However, it can take weeks, especially with foreign checks or money orders, for the originating institutions to get the checks or money orders back and determine that they are counterfeit. When that happens, scam victims are in for a rude surprise. Publishers Clearing House, which runs legitimate sweepstakes, warns consumers that scammers might claim that you are being given an advance on a prize, but that some fee, tax or other payment needs to be sent before you get the jackpot. That's the heart of the scam, and it's something that a real sweepstakes will never ask for, say legitimate companies. Consumer protection groups, state attorney generals, the Federal Trade Commission and government bank regulators warn consumers that the number of fake checks, money orders and even cashier's checks being used to scam victims is increasing. The bottom line: "There's no legitimate reason why anyone who wants to give you a check or money order for something would ever ask you to send money anywhere in return. It's as simple as that," said Grant of the Consumer Federation of America. Smith said he suspected that his part-time job was not on the up-

What should you not accept from someone seeking money in return?

What are most American consumers unfamiliar with?

What have more than 1 million Americans have been victims of?

Answer: a fake check

Answer: 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam,

Answer: checks and

Answer: one

Answer: the time needed to process checks

Answer: within one to five days.

Answer: fake check scam,

Summary:
More than 1 million Americans have been victim of fake check scams, study finds .
Experts warn not to accept checks from someone seeking money in return .
Survey: Most American consumers unfamiliar with time needed to process checks .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of visitors lined Constitution Avenue in Washington on Saturday morning for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. The annual two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival runs through April 12. "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek served as the parade's grand marshal, waving to crowds from the back of a convertible. "American Idol" finalist Kimberly Locke, the cast of the musical "Chicago" and D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton were among the parade's stars. The cherry blossom trees were a gift of friendship to the U.S. government from Japan in 1912, according to the National Park Service. Their blooming has come to represent the definitive beginning of springtime in the nation's capital. The parade is part of the annual two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival, which is timed around the projected peak bloom period of the famous trees. This year, the trees reached their peak bloom this week, according to the park service. Many high school groups and marching bands also participated in the parade. Near the National Mall, large crowds mingled under the branches of the blossoming trees that line the Tidal Basin. On an unusually blustery day, the delicate pink and white blossoms blew from their branches like snowflakes. "It's like being in a fairy tale," said Maria Podonyi, a visiting professor from Hungary. Podonyi brought her parents, who are visiting the United States from Hungary, to the festival. "They haven't seen anything like this before," she said. "It's wonderful. The festival is scheduled to run through April 12.

what Cherry blossom trees were a gift to U.S.?

Answer: April 12.

Answer: friendship

Answer: "Jeopardy!"

Answer: "Jeopardy!" host

Summary:
"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek serves as parade's grand marshal .
Cherry blossom trees were a gift to U.S. government from Japan in 1912 .
National Cherry Blossom Festival marks the arrival of spring .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Three Chinese nationals accused of importing thousands of counterfeit luxury handbags in the United States have been arrested in the past two days, federal authorities announced Thursday.

Shoppers sort through counterfeit brand name luxury bags and wallets on a Hong Kong street.

"This was a sophisticated criminal conspiracy that trafficked millions of dollars of counterfeit goods from China, profiting off the backs of legitimate companies and their hard-working employees," said Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher.

Authorities call it one of the largest counterfeit operations ever discovered, involving about 300,000 bags and wallets with names like Burberry, Gucci and Coach.

For customers who bought the knockoffs, it seemed like a deal.

They paid a total of about $16 million for what would have been more than $100 million in handbags, purses and wallets in legitimate retail sales.

The alleged leaders of the counterfeit operations are three Chinese citizens living in New York.

Chong Lam, 49, and Joyce Chan, 39, were arrested there Wednesday. Eric Yuen, 39, was arrested Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who made the arrests began investigating the alleged scheme five years ago, after raids turned up counterfeit goods.

The indictment was secretly returned in Richmond, Virginia, in October. The charges were unsealed when the alleged conspirators were taken into custody. Authorities seized and froze 29 bank accounts and three New York properties.

The Chinese defendants will be taken to Richmond, where they will be arraigned at a later date, officials said. E-mail to a friend

Who was responsible for the counterfeiting?

Who called it one of the largest operations?

What was allegedly involved in the counterfeit operation.

What city do the (alleged) leaders live in?

What number of bags and wallets were involved?

Who profited off the backs of legitimate companies?

What source stated that the counterfeit operation  profited "off the backs of legitimate companies"?

Who are the alleged leaders involved with the counterfeit operation?

Where do the threes Chinese citizens live?

What kind of illegal operation was discovered?

what number of items were counterfitted?

Who called it one of the largest counterfeit operations ever discovered?

What are the names of the three Chinese citizens who are living in New York, and are considered the alleged leaders of the counterfeit operation?are  living in New York?

How many bags and wallets were involved?

What sort of consumer goods were being illegally made?

What kind of operation do authorities say it is one of the largest?

Where do the leaders of the scheme live?

Answer: Three Chinese nationals

Answer: Authorities

Answer: three Chinese citizens

Answer: The alleged leaders of the counterfeit operations are three Chinese citizens

Answer: luxury handbags

Answer: New York.

Answer: 300,000

Answer: sophisticated criminal conspiracy

Answer: Chong Lam,

Answer: luxury handbags

Answer: Three Chinese nationals

Answer: the backs of legitimate companies and their hard-working employees,"

Answer: the backs of legitimate companies

Answer: Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher.

Answer: Joyce Chan,

Answer: Burberry, Gucci

Answer: three Chinese citizens

Answer: New York.

Answer: importing thousands of counterfeit luxury handbags

Answer: 300,000 bags and wallets

Answer: Authorities

Answer: Joyce Chan,

Answer: brand name luxury bags and wallets

Answer: New York.

Answer: counterfeit

Answer: one of the largest counterfeit operations ever discovered,

Answer: call it one of the largest counterfeit operations ever discovered, involving about 300,000 bags and wallets with names like Burberry, Gucci and Coach.

Answer: 300,000

Answer: counterfeit luxury handbags

Answer: counterfeit

Answer: New York.

Answer: New York.

Answer: three Chinese citizens

Answer: The Chinese defendants will be taken to Richmond, where they will be arraigned at a later date,

Answer: the backs of legitimate companies and their hard-working employees,"

Summary:
Authorities call it one of the largest counterfeit operations ever discovered .
Official: Scheme profited "off the backs of legitimate companies"
Counterfeit operation allegedly involved 300,000 high-end bags and wallets .
The alleged leaders are three Chinese citizens living in New York .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Three U.S. Navy aviators are missing at sea after a command and control plane crashed over the Atlantic on Wednesday night, Navy officials said Thursday.

The E-2C Hawkeye is a command and control aircraft.

The E-2C  Hawkeye was conducting exercises off the Virginia-North Carolina coast.

The plane crashed after it launched from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman about 11 p.m. Wednesday, Navy officials said.

Navy officials said they do not know what caused the plane to crash, and search and rescue missions are under way from units on the Truman, the carrier USS Eisenhower and the Coast Guard.

The twin-engine plane usually carries a crew of five, but had only three aboard during the flight.

The plane was part of a training squadron, VAW 120, and is based at the Naval Station Norfolk in southern Virginia. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Mike Mount contributed to this report.

how many crew members are missing?
What number of people are missing?
What was the name of the carrier used?
off what coast did plane crash?
what was name of carrier?
Which ocean did the crash occur in?

Answer: Three

Answer: Three

Answer: USS Eisenhower

Answer: Virginia-North Carolina

Answer: USS Harry S. Truman

Answer: Atlantic

Summary:
Plane crashed over Atlantic Ocean off Virginia-North Carolina coast .
Search under way for three missing crew members .
Command and control plane flew off carrier USS Truman .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Throughout her career, singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper has promoted gay and lesbian rights. She has a personal connection to this cause -- her sister is a lesbian -- but she also believes it's a matter of fairness. Cyndi Lauper worked with Cathy Nelson of the Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of LGBT issues. "It's always wrong to discriminate," the Grammy Award winner said. "I grew up in the civil rights movement. It was wrong then, and it is wrong now." With her 2007 and 2008 "True Colors" tours, Lauper has helped raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights around the country. She said fellow LGBT activist Cathy Nelson especially motivates her. Nelson worked at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a national LGBT civil rights organization, and her dedication to those issues runs deep. Fighting for fairness and equality, she said, drives her. "I'm a lesbian, and I see the issues very personally," Nelson said. "When it deep-down resonates that you don't have the same rights and responsibilities, or people don't view you the same, it can be demoralizing and empowering at the same time." Nelson's passion for the cause has enabled her to inspire thousands of people across the country to get involved. When she was growing up in rural Illinois, Nelson said, she hadn't imagined following this path. She trained to be a teacher, but on a whim, became a flight attendant with Eastern Airlines to fulfill her "intense desire to travel." In the 1980s, she became involved with labor issues through her flight attendant union. That led to working on women's issues with the National Organization of Women in Washington. In 1989, she started working for the HRC. Since then, she has helped bring LGBT rights out of the closet and onto the national stage. Hired to increase the group's membership, Nelson built a strong volunteer network in communities across the nation. HRC had just 12,000 members when Nelson started. Today it has more than 725,000, making it the largest gay and lesbian rights organization in the country. "Part of my job is getting people to be vocal," Nelson said. "It's important that everyone has an understanding that discrimination is happening every single day against a certain segment of society. And that's just wrong." In 2007, when Lauper worked with HRC for the "True Colors" tour, she and Nelson teamed up to bring gay and straight audiences together on fairness and equality issues. Nelson realized it was also an opportunity to shine the spotlight on an issue she'd worked on for almost a decade -- the passage of a hate crimes bill that would make attacks based on sexual orientation, disability, or gender a federal crime. For Nelson, crimes against LGBT people -- such as the murder of Matthew Shepard -- represent the darkest side of ignorance on these issues. In 2006, more than one in six hate crimes were committed against LGBT individuals, an 18 percent rise over the previous year, according to the FBI. "I learned from Cathy that hate crimes send fear through a community," Lauper said. "You could die just because of who you are."  Watch Lauper and Nelson talk about the "True Colors" tour to raise awareness » At every concert, Lauper spoke passionately about the need to pass the bill, and her song, "True Colors," was used in a public service announcement about the legislation. HRC volunteers distributed information at each venue and had postcards on hand for people to send to their legislators. In the end, more than 15,000 people signed postcards, and both houses of Congress passed the bill by wide margins. Although President Bush never signed the bill, Nelson and Lauper have high hopes for it to soon become law. For Nelson, getting so many people engaged was a key achievement. "The biggest reward for me is when I've played some part in empowering someone to

Who campaigned with Lauper for gay and lesbian rights?

What organization did Nelson help get 725,000 members?

What did Lauper and Nelson campaign for?

Who helped the human rights campaign increase to 725,000 members?

Answer: Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

Answer: Cathy Nelson

Answer: HRC

Answer: to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

Answer: raise awareness of LGBT issues.

Answer: Cathy Nelson

Summary:
Lauper and Cathy Nelson campaigned together for gay and lesbian rights .
Nelson helped the Human Rights Campaign go from 12,000 members to 725,000 .
Lauper and Nelson lobbied to expand federal hate crimes laws .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Tim Geithner may be the latest political piñata in Washington these days, but -- policy aside -- there may be another reason he is the one fellow everyone is picking on at Treasury: He's there alone. President Obama's ethics code requires that no lobbyist can work for an agency he may have lobbied. Believe it or not, Geithner is the only confirmed official at his department. Some top nominees, even those who have served in government before, have decided to withdraw. Others are still pending as they go through arduous background checks that one pro-Obama Democrat calls "maddening vetting hell." Sure, this is about extensive scrutiny to make sure no one has a tax problem after Geithner's own embarrassing unpaid tax bill. But the staffing problem is not just at Treasury, and it goes way beyond the time-consuming nature of extensive background checks. It's also about overreaching anti-lobbyist rules. Consider Tom Malinowski. He's the advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, an expert on genocide and torture. But when it came time for a top human rights job at the State Department, he was turned away. Why? "Because he lobbied against torture," says one incredulous administration official. "It's crazy." But the rules are the rules: The ethics code requires that no lobbyist can be hired to work for an agency he may have lobbied. So, just to clarify: Someone like Malinowski who lobbied against torture and is a widely acknowledged expert on international human rights law is, er, blackballed. More to the point, he was shown the door precisely because he tried to influence Congress on an issue that both he and the administration agree, and care deeply about. (Malinowski won't comment.) Only in the Alice-in-Wonderland world of Washington would this make any sense. And it still doesn't. It's just a prime instance of the problems that can arise when great-sounding (theoretical) campaign one-liners rub up against the (real) difficulties of trying to staff a government. In other words, the short-term interest in demonizing all lobbyists has led to some very difficult staffing problems. So, if you're an environmental expert and lobbyist, forget about the Environmental Protection Agency. But you might want to think about some work in the health field. That is, unless someone says you're a lucky exception! They're rare, but William Lynn is one. He's a top defense department appointee who once worked as a lobbyist for Raytheon, a military contractor. The White House says that (a) it hasn't had much trouble staffing the government and (b) is willing to make reasonable exceptions. So far we have only seen a handful. The problem has made it difficult to operate at every department. "A lot of good people just can't go into government," says one administration official. "It's a huge departure from the spirit of what they wanted." Indeed, he adds, here's an unintended consequence: "We're setting up a system where the only people who qualify to work in government are the ones who never actually left government." Oh, great. So instead of getting the best and the brightest from finance and elsewhere, we're recycling some folks from Capitol Hill. Not that they're unqualified, but the administration needs input from multiple sources -- outside of Washington. On top of that, the Treasury has another public relations problem: The appointment of anyone with any tie to a bank that has been bailed out or any institution that is tied to the mortgage mess is a non-starter. No wonder it's hard to find the experts. Yet much of this problem is self-inflicted. The no-lobbyist rule could have been "softened" to exclude nonprofit lobbyists. The administration decided against that, one senior official tells me. "We didn't want to label people as 'good lobbyists' or 'bad lobbyists.' " Besides, he adds,

Whose anti-lobbyist rules are interfering with government?

Answer: Tom Malinowski.

Answer: outside of Washington.

Answer: President Obama's

Answer: that no lobbyist can work for an agency he may have lobbied.

Answer: it goes way beyond the time-consuming nature of extensive background checks.

Answer: the short-term interest in demonizing all lobbyists

Summary:
Obama's overreaching anti-lobbyist rules interfere with governing, Gloria Borger says .
Short-term interest in demonizing all lobbyists leads to staffing problems, she says .
"A lot of good people just can't get into government," says one administration official .
Administration needs all hands on deck during this financial crisis, Borger says .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top Democrats have expressed concern over President Obama's plan to draw down nearly two-thirds of U.S. forces in Iraq by August 2010, while some key Republicans are offering praise.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this week questioned the need to keep 50,000 troops in Iraq until 2011.

At issue: Obama plans to leave between 35,000 to 50,000 residual forces in the war-torn country, serving in a training or advisory role to the Iraqi military.

All U.S. troops have to be out of Iraq by December 31, 2011, under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraqi government last year. There are currently 142,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, indicated earlier this week that the residual force Obama is planning to leave in Iraq is too large.

Pelosi on Wednesday told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: "I don't know what the justification is for 50,000, a presence of 50,000 troops in Iraq. ... I do think that there's a need for some. I don't know that all of them have to be in [the] country."

Pelosi clarified her concerns after Obama announced the plan at an event Friday at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. iReport.com: Do you think troops should be pulled, or should numbers increase?

"As President Obama's Iraq policy is implemented, the remaining missions given to our remaining forces must be clearly defined and narrowly focused so that the number of troops needed to perform them is as small as possible," Pelosi said in a press release. "The president's decision means that the time has come at last for Iraq's own security forces to have the prime responsibility for Iraq's security."

Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-California, co-founder of the Out of Iraq House Caucus, was critical of the plan.

"I am deeply troubled by the suggestion that a force of 50,000 troops could remain in Iraq beyond this time frame," she said in a statement Friday. "Call such a troop level what you will, but such a large number can only be viewed by the Iraqi public as an enduring occupation force. This is unacceptable."

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said that while he supports Obama's "step in the right direction," the new troop plan does not "go far enough."

"You cannot leave combat troops in a foreign country to conduct combat operations and call it the end of the war.  You can't be in and out at the same time," Kucinich said in a release Friday.

And top Senate Democrats echoed some of their House colleagues' skepticism.

"That's a little higher number than I expected," Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said Thursday.

The third-ranking Senate Democrat, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, said, "It has to be done responsibly, we all agree. But 50,000 is more than I would have thought."

On Thursday afternoon, the president briefed bipartisan leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate -- including Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, at the White House about the troop plan.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that 50,000 is "somewhat larger" than what he expected. However, he said he has always believed "a few tens of thousands" of troops would be needed for noncombat missions such as training and fighting terrorism.  Watch Obama announce the new Iraq plan »

Before the White House meeting, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat and a close Obama ally, said he was anxious to get the troops home. But he defended the administration, saying it is "trying to strike the right balance" between ending the war and maintaining stability in Iraq.

Rep. John McHugh of New York, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said later that Obama assured him the plan to withdraw all combat forces will be revisited if conditions on the ground in Iraq deteriorate.

what do Democrats question
what is the size of the residual force?
what did obama announce?

Answer: President Obama's plan

Answer: 35,000 to 50,000

Answer: plans to leave between 35,000 to 50,000 residual forces in the war-torn country, serving in a training or advisory role to the Iraqi military.

Summary:
President Obama announces drawdown of combat troops in Iraq by August 2010 .
Some Democrats question size of residual force to remain in Iraq .
Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich says new troop plan does not "go far enough"
Sen. John McCain offers praise, calling Obama's plan "reasonable"


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top Obama administration officials outlined several new initiatives to safeguard the country's food supply Tuesday, saying the recent spate of food-borne illnesses is unacceptable. Recent salmonella outbreaks, including one at Nestle, were called unacceptable by federal officials Tuesday. The FDA intends to issue new guidance over the next three months regarding steps the entire food industry can take to more quickly detect contamination sources and remove the unsafe products from stores. A new position at the agency -- deputy commissioner for foods -- will be created for the sole purpose of overseeing food protection. The commissioner will be part of a "unified incident command system" established to address contamination outbreaks and facilitate responses at the federal, state, and local levels, officials said. In addition, they said, food safety information will be more effectively communicated to the public through a revamped Web site: www.foodsafety.gov. The announcement was made near the White House by Vice President Joe Biden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "There are few responsibilities more basic or more important ... for the government than making sure our families in America eat food that is not contaminated," Biden said. Dozens of people have become sick in recent weeks due to a nationwide E. coli outbreak linked to tainted Nestle cookie dough. Spinach, peanut products, pistachios, peppers, mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts, have also been recent culprits, noted Sebelius. An estimated 5,000 Americans die annually after consuming contaminated food and tens of millions fall ill, she said. J.D. Hanson, a policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety, called the initiatives a good first step. "They are the kinds of things we have been calling on previous administrations to do, and we're glad this administration is moving fairly quickly on these issues," he told CNN. Hanson praised the creation of the position of deputy commissioner for foods at the FDA, saying it should have happened long ago. "You'd think an agency called 'Food and Drug' would have made food a priority a long time ago. They didn't until today." But he said the government still isn't tough enough with the food industry. "Their goal of 90 percent compliance with their new guidelines is not good enough. It needs to be very close to 100 percent compliance." And he said bureaucracy stands in the way of improvement. "Right now there are 13 federal agencies that deal with food safety. We would pull all of those functions into one agency." Making eggs safer New safeguards to protect against salmonella contamination of eggs alone should cut the number of food-borne illnesses every year by roughly 80,000, and generate an annual savings of over $1 billion, according to Sebelius. "Salmonella enteritidis is a major cause of food-borne illness in the United States and eggs are a significant source," Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told reporters in a telephone conference call. The $81 million program will translate into less than a penny per dozen eggs and will yield $1.4 billion in annual public health benefits, the agency said. In all, more than 79,000 of the 142,000 cases of sickness and 30 deaths associated with tainted eggs each year will be prevented, it predicted. Under the rule, egg producers must buy their chickens and hens from producers who monitor for salmonella bacteria, said Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. If salmonella bacteria or its derivatives are detected, a sample of eggs from the facility must be tested over eight weeks, he said. If any test positive, the producer must process the eggs to destroy the bacteria or divert the eggs to non-food uses. In addition, henhouses must be tested and those that test positive must be cleaned and disinfected, he said. Under current law, eggs do not have to be refrigerated until they are packed for the ultimate consumer, said Nancy Bufano, a food technologist at the agency. "What

What number of food-borne illnesses are estimated to be cut by salmonella safeguards for eggs?

Answer: new guidance over the next three months regarding steps the entire food industry can take to more quickly detect contamination sources and remove the unsafe products from stores.

Answer: the number of food-borne illnesses every

Answer: roughly 80,000,

Answer: Making eggs safer

Answer: intends to issue new guidance over the next three months regarding steps the entire food industry can take to more quickly detect contamination sources and remove the unsafe products from stores.

Answer: salmonella outbreaks,

Summary:
Department wants better control of salmonella in eggs, turkey and poultry .
Control E. coli outbreaks by issuing new instructions regarding beef production .
FDA will release new safety standards to help prevent the contamination of produce .
Salmonella safeguards in eggs alone to cut food-borne illnesses by 80,000 a year .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Supreme Court justices engaged in a late-night exchange of harsh words before the execution early Wednesday of a convicted Tennessee killer who had been sitting on death row for nearly three decades.

Justices John Paul Stevens and Clarence Thomas disagreed over whether to grant a stay of execution for Cecil Johnson Jr.

The stay eventually was denied, and about an hour later, at 2:34 a.m., Johnson was put to death by lethal injection at a Nashville, Tennessee, prison.

The 53-year-old inmate had been convicted of murder in a 1980 shooting spree at a convenience store near the state capital. The victims included 12-year-old Bobby Bell Jr., son of the store owner, who was wounded. Two other men sitting in a nearby taxicab also were shot to death.

Stevens, who was initially presented the last-minute appeal by Johnson's lawyers, would have granted the stay, along with Justice Stephen Breyer. Stevens was concerned that too much time had elapsed between sentencing and the planned execution, amounting perhaps to cruel and unusual punishment.

"Johnson bears little, if any, responsibility for this delay," said Stevens, who said procedural hurdles at the appellate stage for capital defendants created what he called "underlying evils of intolerable delay."

"The delay itself subjects death row inmates to decades of especially severe, dehumanizing conditions of confinement."

It is an issue that the 89-year-old justice has long urged his colleagues to address, with little success.

In his early years on the high court in the mid-1970s he had supported the resumption of the death penalty after a four-year moratorium imposed by the Supreme Court. But in recent years, he has voiced his opposition to capital punishment, particularly in cases involving inmates asserting their right to challenge their sentences.

Thomas reacted strongly to Stevens' statement. The conservative jurist said the inmate had challenged his conviction and sentence for nearly 29 years and "now contends that the very proceedings he used to contest his sentence should prohibit the state from carrying it out."

"In Justice Stevens' view, it seems the state can never get the timing just right. The reason, he has said, is that the death penalty itself is wrong." Thomas said. "As long as our system affords capital defendants the procedural safeguards this court has long endorsed, defendants who avail themselves of these procedures will face the delays Justice Stevens laments."

Then Thomas goes on to say there are "alternatives," citing the custom in England centuries ago to carry out an execution the day after a conviction.

"I have no doubt that such a system would avoid the diminishing justification problem Justice Stevens identifies, but I am equally confident it would find little support from this court."

The high court had been presented with Johnson's emergency appeal early Tuesday afternoon, but apparently the time needed to produce the Stevens and Thomas statements delayed the high court from issuing its denial of a stay until 1:38 a.m. Wednesday.

The execution was carried out as scheduled, with no problems reported by corrections officials.

How long did the inmate challenge the conviction?

Who was put to death by legal injection in Tennessee?

Who disagreed over whether to grant a stay of execution?

Who disagreed over grant of stay of execution?

Who was put to death by legal injection?

Answer: stay of execution for Cecil Johnson Jr.

Answer: for nearly 29 years

Answer: Cecil Johnson Jr.

Answer: Johnson

Answer: Justices John Paul Stevens and Clarence Thomas

Answer: a Nashville, Tennessee, prison.

Answer: Justices John Paul Stevens and Clarence Thomas

Answer: lethal injection

Answer: Johnson

Summary:
John Paul Stevens, Clarence Thomas disagreed over whether to grant a stay of execution .
Stay was denied, Cecil Johnson Jr. was put to death by legal injection in Tennessee .
Stevens was concerned too much time elapsed between sentencing, scheduled execution .
Thomas: Inmate challenged conviction, sentence for nearly 29 years, which led to delay .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Supreme Court justices on opposite sides of the ideological aisle exchanged tough words Monday over the fate of a Florida murderer who has been on death row for 32 years. Siding with the court's majority, Justice Clarence Thomas described brutal details of a Florida slaying. The high court has refused to hear the appeal of William Thompson, who had plead guilty twice in the March 1976 kidnapping and torture-murder of a woman. His case and subsequent appeals have been litigated since, but a new execution date has not been set. A key part of his request to be spared lethal injection is that three decades as a capital inmate constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. "Our experience during the past three decades has demonstrated that delays in state-sponsored killings are inescapable and that executing defendants after such is unacceptably cruel," said Justice John Paul Stevens, who disagreed with the court's decision to allow the execution to proceed. He was supported by Justice Stephen Breyer in his objection to the court's ruling on Monday in the case, Thompson v. McNeil (08-7369). But Justice Clarence Thomas took issue with his colleagues' conclusions. "It is the crime and not the punishment imposed by the jury or the delay in execution that was 'unacceptably cruel,'" he responded. Thomas took time in his concurrence to detail the graphic crime that led to the conviction of Thompson and his co-defendant. The men had held Sally Ivester and another woman in a motel room and were demanding money from the victim's families. Ivester had promised she could raise hundreds of dollars but was only able to secure $25. That enraged the men who savagely beat the woman with a belt, chair leg and nightstick, causing internal injuries. She was also burned with cigarettes. The other woman witnessed the murder and said she feared for her life if she tried to leave. Thompson and his co-defendant both pleaded guilty but the state's high court initially tossed out Thompson's sentence. The man's lawyer had told the defendant if he accepted responsibility for the crime, he would not get the death penalty, a crucial mistake. Thompson later pleaded guilty a second time and again received a capital sentence. Then he began a series of appeals, claiming ineffective counsel, trial errors, limited mental capacity and a dysfunctional childhood. All those factors were ultimately rejected by state and federal courts. Stevens noted that during a third penalty hearing, five members of a state advisory jury recommended against lethal injection, but the court again imposed death. The circumstances of his current imprisonment, said Stevens, no longer justify such a sentence. "As he awaits execution, petitioner has endured especially severe conditions of confinement," said Stevens, "spending up to 23 hours per day in isolation in a 6- by 9-foot cell. Two death warrants have been signed against him and stayed only shortly before he was scheduled to die. The dehumanizing effects of such treatment are undeniable." But Thomas said all such inmates are subjected to a "restricted confinement" because of the security risks they pose. And the prisoner had only himself to blame for his prolonged imprisonment on death row. Quoting his conclusions from a similar 1999 capital case, Thomas said, "I remain unaware of any support in the American constitutional tradition of this Court's precedence for the proposition that a defendant can avail himself of the panoply of appellate and collateral procedures and then complain when his execution is delayed." Thomas has long backed the right of states to impose death sentences. Stevens, who as a newly seated justice cast a key 1976 vote upholding the death penalty, has since grown increasingly frustrated with how it its carried out. Last April, he declared his open opposition to it. "I have relied on my own experience in reaching the conclusion that the imposition of the death penalty represents the pointless and needless extinction of life with only marginal contributions to any discernible social or public purposes," he wrote. "A penalty with such negligible returns to the state (is) patently excessive and cruel

What does Justice Clarence Thomas give details of?

Who claims 32 years on death row is cruel and unusual punishment?

What year was the torture killing William Thompson committed?

How long on death row is cruel and unusual punishment?

Answer: described brutal

Answer: refused to hear the appeal of William Thompson,

Answer: Justice John Paul Stevens,

Answer: 1976

Answer: three decades

Answer: 32 years.

Answer: a Florida murderer

Summary:
Florida killer says 32 years on death row is cruel and unusual punishment .
William Thompson faces execution for 1976 torture killing .
Justice Clarence Thomas cites details of brutal crime .
Court rejects Thompson's appeal .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two U.S. Air Force F-15s escorted two Russian Bear long-range bombers out of an air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, U.S. military officials said Wednesday. Two U.S. Air Force F-15s were dispatched to meet the Russian bombers. U.S. radar picked up the Russian turbo-prop Tupolev-95 planes about 500 miles off the Alaska coast. The U.S. fighters from Elmendorf Air Force Base were dispatched to meet the bombers and escorted them out of the area without incident, the officials said. The United States maintains the air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, barring unidentified aircraft or aircraft that don't file flight plans inside that area. The last case of Russian aircraft approaching the U.S. coastline or ships in the Pacific was in February. Then, four Bear bombers flew near the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, with one of them flying about 2,000 feet from the Nimitz's deck. Russia's Defense Ministry said at the time there was no violation of flight regulations during the incident. A ministry official described the flights as standard operating procedure for air force training. Meanwhile, U.S. military officials say the incidents are not a concern. They say it's the Russian military flexing its ability and presence. E-mail to a friend

When did Russian planes last come near the U.S. coastline?

When did Russian planes last come near the US?

Answer: air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska,

Answer: air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska,

Answer: Russian turbo-prop Tupolev-95 planes

Answer: February.

Answer: Alaska

Answer: Russian turbo-prop Tupolev-95 planes

Answer: air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska,

Answer: two Russian Bear long-range bombers

Answer: February.

Answer: meet the bombers and escorted them out of the area without incident,

Summary:
U.S. radar picks up the Russian planes about 500 miles off the Alaska coast .
The Russians entered an air exclusion zone .
They are escorted out of the area without incident .
Russian planes last came near the U.S. coastline in February .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Army ground commanders in Afghanistan say they need help, fast. That's not a request for more troops, but a request from commanders who say the current camouflage uniform is not blending well in the diverse countryside. U.S. Army commanders in Afghanistan say the current uniform does not blend well in the countryside. In response, the Army later this month will field-test two new camouflage color schemes and patterns on about 1,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, where the terrain is extremely varied. Commanders have had problems there because of the numerous changes in environments a soldier can move in and out of in a short period of time -- from woodland to desert to alpine, and to rocky and snowy mountain tops. The current uniform, known as the Army Combat Uniform or ACU, has lighter shades of green and tan, which some commanders have complained does not blend well if soldiers need to stay motionless on a mission, as snipers or reconnaissance troops must. The effort by the Army was recently accelerated, according to Army officials, after U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, told the Army he had a number of complaints from soldiers in Afghanistan who said the current camouflage pattern was not effective in the mountainous regions. Two yet-to-be-identified battalions -- a battalion has about 500 troops -- will test the two patterns, with initial results being turned into Army researchers by the end of October. While deployed, all 1,000 soldiers will have their regularly issued ACUs. In addition, one battalion will also get one of the new camouflage uniforms with a test pattern known as "MultiCam." The pattern is made up of numerous blobs of white, brown, tan, black and greens for a more woodland look, and is already being worn by snipers and special operations forces. The other brigade will test a similar pattern to the ACU, called the Universal Cammo Pattern-Delta or "UCP-Delta." While the pattern is the same, a series of "digitized" blocks of green and tan, the test uniform adds what he Army calls "coyote brown" and a slight color darkening all around to the greens and tans. The look is also designed to blend in the woods. Both battalions will be based in eastern Afghanistan where the terrain is the most rugged and diverse, Army officials said. The Army hopes to have the field input and a decision on what pattern is best by the end of January 2010 and the fielding of the new uniform as early as June 2010. Troops will still keep the existing ACU, and commanders will be able to decide mission by mission what the soldiers should wear, according to Army officials. The testing is part of the Army's long-term development of a permanent alternative to the current ACU, according to Army officials.

What will the army field-test this month?

How many new camouflage patterns are to be tested?

Who says the current uniforms do not blend well?

When will the decision on new pattern be made?

How many new patterns will the army test in Afghanistan?

What do commandes say the current uniform blends poorly with?

When does the army hope to have the decision by

what did commanders say about the current uniform?

what does the army hope to have  a decision on?

how many new camouflage patterns are they field testing?

Answer: is not blending well in the diverse countryside.

Answer: two new camouflage color schemes and patterns

Answer: two

Answer: U.S. Army commanders in Afghanistan

Answer: by the end of January 2010

Answer: two

Answer: diverse countryside.

Answer: the end of January 2010

Answer: two new camouflage color schemes and patterns on about 1,000 soldiers in Afghanistan,

Answer: not blending well in the diverse countryside.

Answer: pattern is best

Answer: pattern is best by the end of January 2010

Answer: Afghanistan,

Answer: two

Summary:
Commanders say current uniform doesn't blend well in Afghanistan's countryside .
Army this month will field-test two new camouflage patterns in Afghanistan .
Army hopes to have decision on new pattern by the end of January 2010 .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Coast Guard planes and ships were searching Friday for a Japanese balloonist who disappeared off the Alaska coast while flying from Japan to the west coast United States.

Missing Japanese balloonist Michio Kanda (R) with Naoki Ishikawa.

Friends of balloonist Michio Kanda, who was on a solo flight, last heard from him via satellite phone at 9 a.m. Alaska time (6 p.m. GMT) Thursday, said USCG Petty Officer Levi Read.

When he missed three subsequent scheduled calls over the next six hours, they called the Coast Guard, Read said.

Read said two Coast Guard C130 Hercules planes conducted searches Thursday 435 miles south of Adak, Alaska, the balloonist's last known position. The searches continued Friday and are ongoing, Read said.

Two Coast Guard cutters are also headed for the area, but both are at least a day away, he said.

Read said the balloonist, who was heading for Portland, Oregon, is equipped with provisions and a survival suit.

Kanda holds the world record for the longest-duration balloon flight, with a time of 50 hours and 38 minutes, according to the World Air Sports Federation.

In that January 1997 flight, he and Hirosuke Takezawa flew from the Canadian provionce of Alberta to the U.S. state of Montana, according to the federation. E-mail to a friend

who is missing on a flight fom japan to US?

Who holds the world record for the longest-duration balloon flight?

Who holds the record for longest flight?

Who holds the record for longest duration balloon flight?

Who is searcing the area around his last known position?

Who is missing on flight from Japan to U.S.?

What is the longest duration for a balloon flight?

ballonist michio kandas was missing in what flight?

Who is missing on a flight from Japan to the U.S.?

Who is missing on flight from Japan to US

Where is the U.S. Coast Guard searching?

Answer: Japanese balloonist Michio Kanda

Answer: Michio Kanda

Answer: Kanda

Answer: holds the world

Answer: 435 miles south of Adak, Alaska,

Answer: Michio Kanda

Answer: the world

Answer: two Coast Guard C130 Hercules planes

Answer: Japan

Answer: Japanese balloonist Michio Kanda

Answer: Kanda

Answer: balloon

Answer: U.S. Coast Guard

Answer: 50 hours and 38 minutes,

Answer: longest-duration balloon flight,

Answer: searches continued Friday and are ongoing,

Answer: solo

Answer: balloonist

Answer: Japanese balloonist Michio Kanda

Answer: Michio Kanda

Answer: 435 miles south of Adak, Alaska,

Answer: 435 miles south of Adak, Alaska,

Answer: U.S. Coast Guard planes and ships

Answer: 435 miles south of Adak, Alaska,

Answer: balloon flight, with a time of 50 hours and 38 minutes,

Summary:
Balloonist Michio Kanda missing on flight from Japan to U.S.
U.S. Coast Guard searching area around his last known position .
Kanda holds the world record for the longest-duration balloon flight .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed a deployment order to move an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan next year, according to U.S. military officials. Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with its high mountain terrain. The troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade, the latest approved by Gates for the expected build-up of U.S. troops in Afghanistan throughout next year. Earlier this year, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, requested at least 20,000 additional troops be sent there to fight the increasing violence by the resurgent Taliban forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country. The officials could not say what units are being tapped to go because those units are now being told of their deployment and the announcement has not yet been made public. The aviation brigade will send a number of much-needed helicopters to the region. Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, where high mountain roads and passes make it difficult for large transport vehicles to move troops and supplies around the country. There are more than 30,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.  Meanwhile, a Dutch soldier was killed Friday in southern Afghanistan, the NATO command confirmed. The soldier died in an improvised explosive device strike, according to a news release from NATO's International Security Assistance Force. "Our sincere condolences and sympathies are with the family and friends of this brave soldier, especially during this holiday season," said ISAF spokesman Capt. Mark Windsor Royal Navy. "This soldier's death is an irreplaceable loss to all of us who fight for the peace and stability of Afghanistan. ISAF will continue to fight for the cause for which this brave soldier gave his life." Eighteen Dutch troops have died in the Afghan conflict, according to a CNN count of casualty figures.

What is expected to be approved for the expected build-up of U.S. troops next year?

Answer: a Dutch soldier

Answer: combat aviation brigade,

Answer: improvised explosive device

Answer: a Dutch soldier

Answer: Dutch

Answer: a deployment order

Answer: died in an improvised explosive device strike,

Answer: a Dutch soldier was killed Friday in southern Afghanistan,

Answer: a Dutch soldier

Answer: at least 20,000 additional troops

Answer: a combat aviation brigade,

Answer: Dutch soldier

Answer: Dutch soldier

Answer: build-up of U.S. troops in Afghanistan

Answer: combat aviation brigade,

Answer: Dutch soldier

Summary:
Troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade; transport helicopters to be sent .
They are latest to be approved for expected build-up of U.S. troops next year .
Dutch soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan, NATO confirms .
Soldier died in an improved explosive device strike .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Sen. David Vitter returned from a week-long absence from Congress Tuesday, a day after he made a public apology for "a serious sin" as investigators probe an alleged prostitution ring that operated in the nation's capital. Vitter vanished from public view last week after his phone number turned up among those kept by a reputed "D.C. Madam" in records that have become part of her upcoming criminal trial. The Louisiana conservative apologized privately to his fellow Republican senators at their weekly policy lunch Tuesday, senators who attended the lunch said. One described Vitter's his apology as "humble" and "short and to the point." The senator said Vitter was met with a great deal of "empathy" by the senators in the room.  Watch Vitter apologize for his "past failings" » Tuesday morning, Vitter did not visit his Senate office, where the media had camped out in anticipation of his return. He also was not seen at a residential address near the Supreme Court building. He eventually emerged at a scheduled Senate hearing taking place near his office building. He arrived nearly 30 minutes late for the start of the panel, which heard testimony regarding commercial airline service to outlying parts of the United States. At first, only CNN and a local camera crew had learned of his whereabouts. But as word spread among media outlets, Senate officials had to urge order among the gaggle of newspaper writers, photographers and other television crews that began making noisy entrances to record Vitter's return. The senator left the hearing early and tried to ignore shouted questions and camera lights in the hallway. He then turned and stopped. Vitter referred to comments he made Monday evening near New Orleans, Louisiana, then said, "I look forward today to be back at work, really focused on a lot of important issues for the people of Louisiana. I'll leave it at that." Last week, Vitter acknowledged in a statement that his number had turned up in the telephone records of accused "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey. Vitter, 46, said those calls were made prior to his election to the Senate in 2004, and he and his wife had already dealt with what he termed a "serious sin" privately, through marriage counseling and confession to a Roman Catholic priest. On Monday, Vitter and his wife Wendy spoke to reporters in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, where he lives. "I know this has hurt the relationship of trust I've enjoyed with so many of you and that I have a lot of work to do to rebuild that trust," the senator said. Palfrey is facing money laundering and racketeering charges stemming from her alleged prostitution operation. She had denied the charges, saying her business was a legitimate, legal escort service. At first she tried to sell the phone records to raise money for her defense. After a judge imposed restrictions on the records, Palfrey distributed the records without charge, hoping media outlets would help track down clients who her lawyer believes may help in her defense. Vitter is the first lawmaker entangled in the case, although State Department official Randall Tobias resigned in May after confirming he patronized Palfrey's business. Larry Flynt's Hustler magazine claimed credit for exposing Vitter's connection to Palfrey, saying he came clean only after a journalist working as a paid consultant for the magazine discovered the senator's number in her phone records. E-mail to a friend

Which senator is resuming work on Capitol Hill?

Answer: David Vitter

Answer: U.S. Sen. David Vitter

Answer: rebuild that trust,"

Answer: an alleged prostitution ring

Answer: Senate

Answer: David Vitter

Answer: apologized privately to his fellow Republican senators

Summary:
NEW: Sen. David Vitter resumes work on Capitol Hill .
NEW: Linked to "D.C. Madam," he tries to keep low profile .
NEW: Conservative apologizes to fellow Republicans at lunch .
NEW: Journalists seeking Vitter cause disruption in Senate committee meeting .