Marietta, Georgia (CNN) -- In this tough economy, a steady paycheck is a big blessing. With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Americans are finding new ways to help each other out. For many, it's through their faith.

"We did say our prayers," Patricia Mulroney said. "I pray to St. Joseph even now. He is our patron of workers. I still pray to him every day."

Yet believers like Mulroney are doing more than praying. They're getting help in their job searches from houses of worship. And religious institutions are answering the call: Houses of worship nationwide have offered job-finding help.

Mulroney has looked for help in finding a job through a network created at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Marietta, Georgia, just outside Atlanta.

The church has reviewed résumés and arranged meetings between job-seekers and company representatives. It also has hosted speakers who have discussed financial planning and interview techniques.

Similar programs have received attention in places such as Arizona, California and Michigan.

St. Joseph's started helping unemployed members last year after a priest contacted Art Eyzaguierre, a parishioner with a background in career management.

Eyzaguierre says the priest told him, "we've been getting a lot of phone calls from people that are unemployed and really hurting ... and we'd like you to come to a council meeting to talk about what we should do."

By May of last year, St. Joseph's Career Community Network was born. "When you're helping people ... they're getting what they need," Eyzaguierre said. "They're getting jobs, the hope they need. ... I feel replenished."

Patrick Brennan, another founding member, found himself out of work in the early part of 2009. His involvement with the Career Community Network paid off, literally, with a job.

"It's through these different networking opportunities ... through your churches ... you get to meet people ... and potentially get positions," Brennan said. "That happened to me, where I was networking and actually found a position ... as a result of meeting people through the career network."

Brennan says church-based career networks like his reach out in both a spiritual and practical sense for the unemployed, the under-employed and those seeking to re-enter the work force.

"We offer review of résumés ... the opportunity to meet with department leaders or heads of companies ... discuss with them where individual career goals can go," he said. "We also have featured speakers who help with financial planning, retirement funds, health benefits and also interviewing techniques ... looking at different market shares."

Caroline Rittenhouse helps organize biweekly sessions. When she signed on, Rittenhouse was a stay-at-home mom looking to re-enter the work force. She's now employed and using her job skills in training and instructional design to help others find work.

"My motivation was seeing how tough the job market was and how many people across every industry, every income level, were feeling the job loss and the unemployment situation," Rittenhouse said.

She says networking opportunities, like those offered through St. Joseph's Career Community Network, are key, and houses of worship may offer a more comfortable environment. "There is something about going to a church," Rittenhouse said. "Personally, I feel like it's more welcoming."

Americans overwhelmingly support government funding for religious groups to provide social services like job training.

Nearly nine years after former President George W. Bush unveiled his faith-based initiative, 69 percent of Americans say they favor the idea, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Sixty-eight percent believe that people providing the services through houses of worship would be more caring and compassionate.

Mulroney not only supports the idea, she got involved a few months ago at St. Joseph's as both a volunteer and a job seeker.

"My last position, I was in for seven years and not really comfortable with networking, so I

Where are unemployed getting help from in finding jobs?

Answer: houses of worship.

Answer: St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Answer: help in their job searches from houses of worship.

Answer: St. Joseph's

Summary:
More unemployed are getting help in job searches from houses of worship .
St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Georgia has Career Community Network .
Network reviews résumés, connects job-seekers and companies, holds seminars .
Successful job seeker: Church is more welcoming .


Marjah, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Twelve Afghan civilians were killed Sunday when two rockets fired by coalition forces in southern Afghanistan missed their intended target, as the Taliban showed stiff resistance to the NATO assault against the militant group.

"We deeply regret this tragic loss of life," U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, said in a statement. "The current operation in Central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan. It's regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost."

Coalition forces fired two rockets with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System at insurgents firing upon Afghan and ISAF forces, but they struck about 300 meters off their intended target, ISAF said.

The incident happened in the Nad Ali district of Helmand province, where NATO forces have launched Operation Moshtarak, a huge offensive by an international coalition of 15,000 troops including Afghans, Americans, Britons, Canadians, Danes and Estonians.

McChrystal conveyed his apologies to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the statement said.

Coalition forces have also suspended use of the HIMARS pending a review of Sunday's incident. The intended target was an insurgent compound from where coalition forces were taking direct fire, ISAF said.

NATO, which launched the effort Saturday, announced the offensive before it started so that citizens could get out of harm's way. Karzai on Saturday had urged Afghan and international troops to exercise "absolute caution" and ensure civilian safety.

Helmand is a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment and awash with the opium used to fund the insurgency. Marjah, a region known as the heroin capital of Afghanistan, is where the Taliban has set up a shadow government.

The Moshtarak operation also includes securing Kandahar and providing support to the government and police there, British Maj. Gen. Gordon Messenger said in a news release Sunday. The Taliban has had increasing influence in Kandahar.

Officials said Sunday they did not know how many Taliban fighters remained in the Marjah region of Helmand province, but think they may be in the hundreds -- some of whom are holed up in civilian compounds.

Taliban forces tried to overrun, successfully in some cases, several positions that coalition forces had secured inside the city, U.S. Marines told CNN.

In one instance, three suspected suicide bombers breached a secure military area near Koru Chareh Bazaar, throwing three or four grenades inside the compound, Marine officials said. The insurgents were killed before they could detonate their bomb vests.

The sporadic firefight continued throughout the day, with an average of two to three Taliban fighters being killed in each battle, the Marines said.

"It is not unusual for the Taliban to melt away to regroup. The threat is still present in the area that they might come back, and our troops are well aware of that," Messenger told CNN.

"The troops are fighting in very open terrain, especially now during the winter," he said. "This is a very complex operation but it has worked extremely well."

Messenger emphasized the cooperation with the Afghan nationals as a key element in both preparing and executing this operation.

"The atmosphere among the locals remains positive, largely because elders on the ground knew about the operation ahead of time," he said. "The sense is genuinely that the population is prepared to give this a go."

Provincial spokesman Dawoud Ahmadi said 27 Taliban fighters have been killed. Afghan and international force also discovered a total of 2,500 kilograms (5,500 pounds) of explosives during the operation.

The Taliban spokesman for the Marjah area claimed six Taliban casualties, saying militants had killed 192 Afghan and coalition troops.

In the past, the Taliban has often inflated casualty figures.

"NATO forces have not captured any areas in Marjah from the Mujahadeen," said Qari Yousif Ahmadi, the Taliban spokesman.

Soldiers on Sunday found a weapons cache in the Nad Ali district that included two 155 mm artillery rounds, four pressure plates, blasting caps and batteries, according to ISAF.

In another incident, coalition forces shot a man who refused

What does ISAF commader apologize about?

Answer: innocent lives were lost."

Answer: Twelve

Answer: Taliban fighters

Answer: Twelve Afghan civilians were killed Sunday when two rockets fired by coalition

Summary:
ISAF commander apologizes after 12 civilians killed .
U.S., Marine, British soldier killed, U.S. military official says .
Marjah region long a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment, awash with opium .
Coalition's ground offensive follows air assaults .


Marjah, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. Marines fighting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan achieved a main objective Tuesday -- taking over the police headquarters in the center of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah.

CNN correspondent Atia Abawi, embedded with the Marines, said troops didn't receive any resistance when they took the station, but gun battles broke out in the area a few hours later.

There was an engagement for 15 to 20 minutes, with constant gunfire coming from different directions, and there have been "sporadic battles," Abawi said.

Unlike previous days, there was fighting in the evening, with Taliban militants trying to attack Marine locations with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. One of the grenades hit close to one of the U.S. positions and a fire broke out.

About 15,000 Afghan and NATO forces are taking part in Operation Moshtarak, which focuses on the town of Marjah and surrounding areas in Helmand province. Set in a region known as the country's heroin capital, Marjah is where the Taliban established a shadow government.

The military says the goal of Operation Moshtarak is to provide security, governance and development, and authorities hope fighters choose to reject the insurgency and join the government's reintegration process.

Clearing out poppy fields is a key part of the push, the biggest since the Afghanistan War started in 2001. The Taliban finances its activities in part through the illegal opium trade.

One of the biggest challenges facing the NATO mission in Afghanistan is attacking the Taliban while limiting civilian casualties. On Sunday, 12 civilians died in a rocket attack by coalition troops. Three other Afghan civilians were killed by NATO in separate incidents on Sunday and Monday.

On Tuesday, Abawi spoke to one civilian whose property had been destroyed in the initial push by Marines. Despite that, he said he was happy to see Americans arrive and noted that Marines promised to pay for the damages to his home.

He said Afghans have suffered under the Taliban, who he said had beheaded some people and forced their way into people's homes for food.

What do the militants try to use to attack Marine locations?

What illegal trade does the Taliban use?

Answer: small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Answer: opium

Answer: Moshtarak,

Answer: Taliban militants

Answer: small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Answer: gun battles

Answer: the Taliban

Summary:
Operation Moshtarak focuses on area where heroin produced, Taliban has shadow government .
Taliban finances uses illegal opium trade to finance activities .
Gun battles broke out hours later after headquarters seized, CNN correspondent says .
Taliban militants try to attack Marine locations with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades .


Mecca, Saudi Arabia (CNN)  -- The Hajj, an obligatory pilgrimage for Muslims, began this year on Wednesday with two twists: thinner crowds and heavy rain. A rare rainstorm inundated pilgrims in the city of Mina, flooding tents and making conditions miserable for the 2.5 million pilgrims performing the ancient rituals, according to Isha Sesay, CNN's correspondent there. The tents, where pilgrims plan to spend the night in prayer and contemplation, were leaking and flooding, giving rise to fears of disease, Sesay reported. She said, however, that the several hours of rain was not likely to stop any of the pilgrims from performing the rituals. "They've saved for years to get here," Sesay reported. "This is a blessing. They're not going to let rain get in the way." iReporter witnesses heavy rain near his home She said no incidents had been reported among the dimished number of pilgrims. Officials said the swine flu could be keeping pilgrims from the fifth pillar of Islam, which requires devotees to journey to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Saudi's Hajj Ministry said Wednesday that 40 percent fewer Saudi pilgrims are participating in the ancient rituals this year, largely due to fears of disease, though a greater number of international visitors had come. "Concerns about the spread of H1N1 may have affected the turnout but we are confident of all measures in place to increase monitoring of cases and awareness about how one can protect himself or herself," said Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabbeeah, the Saudi health minister. A teenager and three elderly people have died of the H1N1 flu virus at the Hajj. The victims were a 17-year-old Nigerian female and a Sudanese man, an Indian man and a Moroccan woman who each were 75 years old. Many of the 2 million pilgrims have been arriving days and weeks ahead of the Hajj, which coincides with flu season. The rituals of the five-day event began Wednesday. But with fewer visitors, businesses are feeling the pinch this year. Shopkeeper Fahmi al-Rashidi said he has slashed prices of the gold he sells in Mecca's Al-Ghaza market. "Business is lower than last year," he said. "I think swine flu fears combined with high gold prices are turning people away from spending." Another merchant, Fahd al-Qraishi, said a normal 20 percent profit has dropped to 5 percent. Hajj observed in Second Life The Hajj Ministry reported, however, a 17 percent increase in the number of international pilgrims, some of whom are enjoying discounted rates at hotels including the Hilton Makkah. Then there was the real damper. Mecca resident Khaled Nemary said he had not seen so much rain in a quarter-century. And the forecast? Showers through Friday. CNN's Amir Ahmed and Daniela Deane contributed to this report.

There are how many fewer percent pilgrims this year?

What percentage fewer Saudi pilgrams are there this year?

Answer: pilgrims in the city of Mina,

Answer: 40

Answer: A rare rainstorm inundated pilgrims

Answer: Shopkeeper Fahmi al-Rashidi

Answer: city of Mina,

Answer: no

Answer: leaking and flooding, giving rise to fears of disease,

Answer: are participating in the ancient rituals this year,

Answer: 40 percent

Answer: tents

Summary:
Huge downpours flood tents in Mina .
Ministry says there are 40 percent fewer Saudi pilgrims this year .
With fewer visitors, merchants report less business .
No incidents reported among pilgrims .


Mecca, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- Chanting "Allahu Akbar" -- God is Greater than any -- more than 2 million pilgrims crossed new pedestrian bridges Saturday to perform one of the last rituals of the Hajj season.

Jamarat is a re-enactment of an event when Prophet Abraham stoned the devil and rejected his temptations, according to Muslim traditions.

The ritual stoning of three pillars, which occurs in the tent city of Mina -- about two miles from Mecca, was the scene of stampedes and many deaths in the 1980s and 1990s as pilgrims passed a crowded bottleneck area leading to the small pillars on the ground.

But this year the Saudi government completed a new project that avoids past congestion at the site. The government has erected three massive pillars and completed a $1.2 billion, five-story bridge nearby where pilgrims can toss stones. Authorities and pilgrims say it's a roomier atmosphere and more efficient way to accommodate the faithful.

"Everything went fine so far," Col. Khakled Qarar Mohammadi, head of the emergency forces at Jamarat, told CNN.

"It is an immense responsibility that we had to deal with. About 3 million pilgrims move in a small geographic area at the same time wanting to do the same ritual. So we have been preparing for this for years now."

Irtiza Hasan, a pilgrim from the United States, said all went well at the ceremony.

"The only incident I saw was that there were some handicapped women who were turned away in fears that they get hurt."

But Mohammadi said, "There are 10 vans on the second floor especially designated to serve the elderly and handicapped. Each van can take up to 14 pilgrims."

As a measure to alleviate harm, according to Muslim traditions, the elderly and the handicapped can appoint someone else to stone for them.

The five-story Jamarat bridge is air-conditioned at 19 degrees Centigrade, or 66 Fahrenheit, throughout the day and backed by water sprinklers that can reduce the temperature to about 29 degrees C, or 84 F. The bridge is designed to allow the addition of seven more levels to hold as many as 5 million pilgrims in the future if the need arises.

According to authorities, the bridge is 950 meters (1,039 yards) long and 80 meters (87 yards) wide. Each floor is 12 meters (13 yards) high with three tunnels and 12 entrances and 12 exits in six directions. It has a helicopter pad for emergencies.

According to Mohammadi, the project has 509 advanced closed-circuit television cameras monitoring pilgrims' movements. Those cameras feed into the main operations room, which oversees the Jamarat Bridge and the surrounding areas -- all screened by dozens of security officers on 72 monitors at the operation room.

The stoning ritual is done over at least two days, where pilgrims stone three pillars at Mina -- believed to be where the Prophet Abraham stoned the devil when he tried to dissuade him from obeying God's orders to slaughter his son. According to tradition, the event was a test from God, who gave Abraham a ram to slaughter instead.

The last ritual that marks the end of Hajj is when pilgrims go from Mina to Mecca to make a last visit to al-Masjid al-Haram, Islam's holiest site, before going back home.

The ritual is called Tawaf al-Wada'a -- or farewell circumambulation in the holy mosque. It's where pilgrims go around the black cube seven times counter-clockwise asking that their Lord accept their pilgrimage and grant them another visit to the holy city.

who is stoning the devil
what caused the stampede
How many pillars were instructed?
Which religon were they ?
What were they stoning ?
How long is the bridge?
What does Jamarat re-enact?
What had been constructed ?

Answer: Prophet Abraham

Answer: The ritual stoning of three pillars,

Answer: three

Answer: Muslim

Answer: three pillars,

Answer: 950 meters (1,039 yards)

Answer: an event when Prophet Abraham stoned the devil and rejected his temptations,

Answer: three massive pillars and completed a $1.2 billion, five-story bridge

Summary:
Goverment constructed three new massive pillars, five-story bridge for Hajj ritual .
Jamarat re-enacts Abraham's stoning the devil, according to Muslim tradition .
Ritual was scene of deadly stampedes as pilgrims crammed through bottleneck .
The air-conditioned bridge is 950 meters long, 80 meters wide; each floor is 12 meters high .


Mecca, Saudi Arabian (CNN) -- A teenager and three elderly people in Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage have died of the H1N1 flu virus, the Saudi Health Ministry said. The victims of the virus were a 17-year-old Nigerian female and a Sudanese man, an Indian man and a Moroccan woman who each were 75 years old. "These cases were discovered too late," said Dr. Khaled Al-Marghalani, the ministry spokesman. "Some were old, and the others had pre-existing chronic conditions." Al-Marghalani said the Sudanese man initially went to a doctor who treated him, but not for H1N1. "So when his doctor sent him to the hospital, and he was treated for H1N1, it was too late," he said. The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is required of Muslims at least once in their lives, and millions of people around the globe make the trek to attend. This year, the hajj begins Wednesday, and many pilgrims have been arriving days and weeks ahead of the event, which coincides with flu season. When Arab health ministers met in Cairo, Egypt, a few months back, it looked like several groups might even be banned from this year's event because of the flu. They were children under 12, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses. The Saudis didn't ban anybody from coming and left the responsibility to the pilgrims' countries of origin. In effect, officials issued guidelines only for people at risk. Two days ago, Saudi Arabia's health minister, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, gathered representatives to discuss efforts to detect the ailment. "It would be nice to have more time to prepare [for the possibility of H1N1 spreading in Saudi Arabia] ahead of the hajj, but I am very satisfied with all the measures taken and have great confidence," he said before the meeting. Al-Marghalani said the "safe weapon" for the kinds of H1N1 cases that resulted in the deaths is Tamiflu, the drug used to fight influenza. "If we lose Tamiflu, we will lose the war. But Tamiflu is only effective in the first 48 hours of when the symptoms appear," he said.

Who did the Saudi's leave responsibility to?

Who is considering barring groups from the event?

What killed the teenager and three elderly people?

What are the Arab ministers considering for this year's event?

Answer: A teenager and three elderly people

Answer: the pilgrims'

Answer: the pilgrims' countries of origin.

Answer: children under 12, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.

Answer: Arab health ministers

Answer: the pilgrims'

Answer: H1N1 flu virus,

Answer: H1N1 flu virus,

Answer: several groups might even be banned from

Summary:
Virus kills teenager, three elderly people on hajj pilgrimage .
Arab ministers considered barring some groups from this year's event .
Saudis left responsibility to pilgrims' countries of origin .


Melissa Harris-Lacewell is associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University. She is the author of the award-winning book "Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought" and writes a daily blog titled The Kitchen Table. Melissa Harris-Lacewell says African-Americans remain skeptical about racial progress in the U.S. PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- America was proud of itself for electing Barack Obama. The pride was not just partisan and ideological; it was also specifically and clearly racial. The morning after Obama's win, The New York Times declared "Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory." The Los Angeles Times asserted that "for the first time in human history, a largely white nation has elected a black man to be its paramount leader." Some black commentators openly wept on election night, thrilled with witnessing the election of our first black president. Even Sen. John McCain, conceding defeat, pointed to the greatness of the American promise fulfilled in the election of his opponent. Obama's victory offered the possibility that the scars of America's racial legacy were healed or, at least, that they were less raw. For many African-American citizens, the election of the first black U.S. president was cause for celebration and open-mouthed wonder about an outcome that seemed so unlikely just two years earlier, when Obama announced his bid. Despite this joy, many black citizens were dubious that his victory represented the destruction of any particular racial barrier. African-Americans were both proud of and excited about Obama, but in the 45 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, black Americans had seen doors to power, influence and wealth open just enough to admit just a few without fundamentally altering opportunities for the majority. Indeed, responses to a recent CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corp. survey indicate that black enthusiasm about Obama exists side-by-by side with deep skepticism about America's racial progress. This atmosphere of both enthusiasm and doubt has sparked discussion about whether we have entered a post-racial era in American politics. It is a difficult debate, because the term "post-racial" is not clearly defined. Race itself is a slippery idea. Typically, we treat race like a fixed, unchanging, biological category. But race is none of these things. Race is a social construct. Though it is based in physical traits, race is a category developed through social practice, law and history. As a nation, we made blackness through our politics, developing a category of people who could be enslaved and later segregated. So when we talk of a post-racial America, we are not pointing to the massive demographic shifts that are unalterably changing the racial, ethnic and linguistic landscape of America. Instead, "post-racial" is an expression of social and political longing. For most, this means an America free of racism and discrimination, but others seem to hint at a society entirely free of racial identity or recognition. The idea of a post-racial America has been upheld as an achievable ideal where people would receive equal treatment and fair outcomes regardless of their race. It has been critiqued as an impossible dream unlikely to exist in a nation with a history of slavery and legal discrimination. It has been denounced as an unworthy goal that would require black Americans to reject their cultural specificity and unique social and political concerns. Undoubtedly, the 2008 election broke formerly entrenched racial trends. Obama was elected just as the depth and breadth of the American economic crisis was becoming clear. Some suggested that his victory could be explained by the nation's fiscal difficulties because he was the candidate of the out-party, which often wins when times are hard. But this analysis forgets the cross-cutting history of race. When the economic pie shrinks, Americans rarely form multiracial political coalitions led by minority candidates. Obama's victory countered the trend toward racial balkanization more typical in tough economic times. The changing dynamics of racial politics were further evidenced when Obama won both Virginia and

does she feel issues of race are still significant

What is the name of the person being quoted?

what did harris-lacewell say about obama's election

What is the name of the person who won the election?

Answer: says African-Americans remain skeptical about racial progress in the U.S.

Answer: Melissa Harris-Lacewell

Answer: the possibility that the scars of America's racial legacy were healed or, at least, that they were less raw.

Answer: racial progress in the U.S.

Answer: Barack Obama.

Summary:
Melissa Harris-Lacewell: Barack Obama's election celebrated as racial triumph .
She says it represented real progress in the arena of politics .
Harris-Lacewell: In many other areas, issues of race remain significant .


Memphis, Tennessee (CNN) -- The leader of a Memphis-based YMCA group said he felt "gut-punched" by a televised report in which two men alleged a former coach with that organization had sexually abused them as boys.

Keith Johnson, the president and CEO of the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South, said he first heard of the allegations against Robert "Bobby" Dodd while watching ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program on Sunday.

He said the sports network didn't contact him in advance of the piece. As of Monday, several days after Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong announced his department would investigate the claims against Dodd, Johnson said that law enforcement had not touched base with his YMCA organization.

In the ESPN report, Dodd's accusers said he sexually abused them in hotel rooms during tournaments when they were 12 to 16 years old.

CNN has not been able to reach Dodd, 63, for comment on the allegations. ESPN said it also had been unable to reach him.

On Monday afternoon, Memphis police Deputy Chief Dave Martello said the investigators' options are limited given that no one has filed a formal complaint against Dodd.

"A person is going to have to actually come to the police and report this," Martello told reporters. "The fact they go on TV and make these accusations is not notifying the authorities."

Martello said police are still trying to determine "where (the alleged crimes) happened, when they happened and who was involved." But if a person doesn't offer details directly to police, there are only "going to be a lot of baby steps," he said.

Dodd, who is not a direct relative of the late former Georgia Tech football coach of the same name, was a basketball coach affiliated with the Memphis YMCA in the 1980s, Johnson confirmed. Two now grown men alleged in the ESPN report that Dodd abused them during that time.

The allegations were made amid child sex scandals at Penn State and Syracuse universities and The Citadel. Both men accusing Dodd told ESPN the publicity from the scandals prompted them to act.

The YMCA said Dodd left in 1992 "to pursue AAU sports full-time," including founding an organization called the YOMCA, which stands for Youth of Memphis Competitive Association and is unrelated to the YMCA. He eventually became president and CEO of the Amateur Athletic Union, a position he held until his dismissal on November 14.

Johnson came to Memphis as head of the Fogelman Downtown YMCA a year after Dodd left. In his time with the organization, including over the last decade as an executive for the regional YMCA, Johnson said he had never heard complaints regarding the former coach.

Martello said that Memphis police began looking into the case after the AAU gave them information last Friday. AAU spokesman Ron Sachs had also said that his organization kick-started the child sex abuse criminal probe -- although the group has varied as to whether it claims to have contacted authorities last Thursday or Friday -- telling CNN that the organization provided the identities of three of Dodd's accusers, including not brought up in the ESPN report.

This disclosure followed a nearly monthlong investigation ordered by the AAU, Sachs said Sunday.

The AAU got "cryptic, brief" e-mails, signed only as "shrimp breath," on November 7, 8 and 9 that "alleged, in a very general way, that Bobby Dodd engaged in child sexual abuse," Sachs said. On November 9, the organization got two brief voice-mails along the same lines. There was no name or contact information left in either case.

Those messages were sent to the AAU's compliance and general counsel office, and AAU officers were notified on November 11. The board members, several of whom flew into Orlando, convened the next Monday, November 14, "to confront then-President Bobby Dodd," said Sachs.

In that meeting, Dodd said he had gotten similar phone messages and said he was innocent, according to Sachs, who said he had spoken with several AAU officers who

Is going on TV and making accusations a good way to notify police?

What was Robert "Bobby" Dodd accused of?

Whad did the Memphis police say about their probe being challenging?

Answer: two men

Answer: Both men

Answer: not notifying the authorities."

Answer: basketball coach

Answer: Robert "Bobby" Dodd

Answer: sexually abused

Answer: options are limited given that no one has filed a formal complaint

Summary:
Memphis police says no accusers have contacted them, making their probe challenging .
Going "on TV and (making) accusations is not notifying" police, a deputy chief says .
Robert "Bobby" Dodd, recently AAU's CEO, is accused of sexually abusing boys in the '80s .
He was a Memphis-based YMCA coach at the time, a YMCA executive says .


Men who are circumcised are less likely to get sexually transmitted infections such as genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV), but not syphilis, according to a study of adult African men published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. Circumcision rates have traditionally been higher in the U.S. than in Europe, but they've been on the decline. The finding adds to the evidence that there are health benefits to circumcision. It was already known that circumcision can reduce the risk of penile cancer, a relatively rare disease. In a previous study, the same research team found that adult circumcision could reduce the risk of HIV infection. Efforts to increase the practice of male circumcision in areas with high rates of sexually transmitted infections, including Africa, could have a tremendous benefit, say the study's authors. Genital herpes has been associated with an increased risk of HIV, and HPV can cause genital warts as well as a higher risk of anal, cervical (in women), and penile cancers. Health.com: Is your partner cheating? How to protect yourself In the United States, infant circumcision is declining. About 64 percent of American male infants were circumcised in 1995, down from more than 90 percent in the 1970s. Rates tend to be higher in whites (81percent) than in blacks (65 percent) or Hispanics (54 percent). Some opponents say the removal of the foreskin is an unnecessary surgical procedure that may reduce sexual sensitivity in adulthood. In Jewish and Muslim cultures, young or infant boys are routinely circumcised for religious reasons. Circumcision rates have traditionally been higher in the U.S. than in Europe, but the American Academy of Pediatrics currently says that the medical benefits are insufficient to recommend circumcision for all baby boys. In the new study, a research team at the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Uganda -- in collaboration with researchers from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, and Makerere University in Uganda -- conducted two clinical trials involving 3,393 uncircumcised men ages 15 to 49. All the men were negative for HIV and genital herpes (also known as herpes simplex virus type 2); a subgroup of men also tested negative for HPV. Roughly half of the men underwent medically supervised circumcision at the start of the trial, while the other half were circumcised two years later. Overall, circumcision reduced the men's risk of genital herpes by 28 percent (10.3 percent of uncircumcised men developed genital herpes compared with 7.8 percent of circumcised men) and HPV infection by 35 percent (27.8 percent of uncircumcised men were infected with HPV compared with 18 percent of circumcised men). Circumcision did not, however, protect against syphilis. (About 2 percent of men in both groups contracted syphilis.) Health.com: A sexual risk taker comes to terms with drinking, depression, and STDs Study coauthor Thomas C. Quinn, M.D., professor of global health at Johns Hopkins University, says that choosing circumcision, whether it's the parents of an infant or an adult male for himself, is and should remain an individual decision. "But the critics need to really look at the benefits versus the risks," he adds. "By now a large body of evidence has shown that the health benefits clearly outweigh the minor risk associated with the surgery. In our study, we didn't see any adverse effects or mutilation. We're recommending supervised, safe, sterile environments -- not circumcision out in an open field with rusty instruments." Increasing circumcision rates in Africa may not only help men, but would likely protect women too, possibly lowering the rates of female cervical cancer, the authors say. Ronald H. Gray, M.D., professor of public health at Johns Hopkins University and study coauthor, says that the researchers plan to look at whether male circumcision reduces the transmission of HPV to female sexual partners. Health.com: 10 questions to ask a new partner before having sex Even in the United States, this study has relevance, says Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (which funded one of the trials). "In this country, circumcision for

64 percent of American baby boys circumcised in?

What does circumcision reduce the risk of?

How many percent of American boys are circumcised?

What does reduce the risk of HPV infection?

Circumcision does not reduce the risk of what?

64 percent of American baby boys were circumcised in what year?

What type of cancer does circumcision reduce?

When were 64 percent of boys circumcised in America?

What doesn't circumcision reduce the risk of?

Answer: sexually transmitted infections,

Answer: 1995,

Answer: sexually transmitted infections

Answer: penile cancer,

Answer: sexually transmitted infections

Answer: 64

Answer: About 64

Answer: adult circumcision could

Answer: syphilis,

Answer: circumcision

Answer: 1995,

Answer: penile

Answer: penile cancer,

Answer: 1995,

Answer: did not,

Answer: sexually transmitted infections

Summary:
Study: Circumcision reduces risk of HPV infection and herpes, but not syphilis .
Circumcision known to reduce risk of HIV infection and penile cancer .
64 percent of American baby boys circumcised in '95, down from 90 percent in 70s .


Metropolis, Illinois (CNN) -- Superman will not be saving Lois Lane this time, but the residents of Metropolis are hopeful his fans will. Metropolis, Illinois wants a companion statue for Superman, but the economy may block its efforts. The villain is the economy. Despite being about $70,000 shy of the funding needed to cast a figure in the image of the fictional "Daily Planet" reporter, this town of 6,000 residents says it's going forward with a ground breaking. Metropolis wants its Lois Lane statue. There are no skyscrapers here. If you search the local telephone book you won't find any familiar names. There's no Lex Luthor or Perry White. The closest Jimmy Olsen lives in Aledo, Illinois. If you call the nearby nuclear plant and ask about kryptonite they won't take you seriously. Most days of the year you can walk about town without seeing anyone in a cape or leotard. Very little about Metropolis, Illinois, resembles the metroplex made famous in "Action Comics," except for the constant presence of Superman. His statue stands 15-feet tall outside the Massac County Courthouse and 50 yards away is the county justice center. In 1972, DC Comics, the current owner of the character, declared the town the official home for Superman. Since then, it's residents have fashioned a monument, a museum, and an annual festival around the superhero. "We've had groups from as far away as Japan and Australia," said Karla Ogle, one of the festival organizers. "There's a family that comes every year from Canada." And each year Noel Neill is honored. She's the original Lois Lane. Neill starred opposite George Reeves in the 1950s "Adventures of Superman" television series and it's her image the local chamber of commerce wants to immortalize in a statue. The town first came up with the idea of a companion statue for Superman in 2005. A lot has changed since then, primarily the economy. "We've been affected pretty heavily because most of our revenue comes from the casino," said Mayor Billy McDaniel. The Harrah's Casino is the closest thing this little burgh has to a tall building. "Their revenue has been down as much as 30 percent," noted McDaniel. And the Metropolis budget is not bulletproof either. The town has not been replacing some workers as they retire, because of the lower tax receipts. What about the prospects for Lois Lane? "If there's any money out there we're going to find it," said the mayor. Metropolis has agreed to foot half the statue's bill, if the Illinois Board of Tourism provides a matching grant. Private donations have raised only $9,000 in four years, not even enough to pay for the monument's base. "They were good initially, but slowed down to a trickle," said Clyde Wills with the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce. "We're committed to the project," despite the economy. The city plans to break ground for the statue on June 11, during the opening night of their annual Superman festival, even though the state is months away from a decision on their grant request. Lois Lane's fate, like in most issues of the comic, is "to be continued ..."

who plans to go through with groundbreaking?

when Illinois town came up with idea for Lois Lane statue?

Who came up with the idea for the Lois Lane statue?

Answer: Metropolis

Answer: Metropolis, Illinois

Answer: Metropolis

Answer: Metropolis, Illinois

Summary:
Illinois town came up with idea for Lois Lane statue in 2005 .
Since then, the economy has taken a downturn and the funding is short .
Town plans to go through with groundbreaking, despite the budget shortfall .


Mexico City (CNN) -- A 14-year-old accused of ruthless killings on behalf of a Mexican drug cartel boss is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said Monday.

Gini Staab would not provide any further information.

"We have confirmed the boy's U.S. citizenship but can't say  anything more about the boy's situation in the absence of a (provisional arrest warrant) signed by at  least one of the parents," Staab said.

Earlier, Staab said that the boy, once his citizenship was confirmed, would be given "all appropriate consular assistance, just like we would for any U.S. citizen arrested and incarcerated overseas." Assistance would include prison visits, information on local attorneys and checks on his welfare, she said.

The teen -- reportedly carrying a birth certificate issued in San Diego  -- and two of his sisters were detained Thursday at an airport in central Mexico after an anonymous tip alerted authorities he was heading to Tijuana, Mexico, local media reported.

A spokeswoman for the Mexican attorney general's office said authorities detained the 14-year-old Thursday evening on suspicion of working as a drug-cartel hit man, but declined to provide details.

But the boy faced a battery of questions from reporters after he was detained, answering questions point-blank as camera flashes lit his face.

"I slit their throats," he said, describing what he said was the killing of four people.

The teen told reporters after his capture Thursday night that he was an orphan who joined the Pacifico Sur drug cartel when he was 12. He said Julio "El Negro" Padilla, one of the group's alleged leaders, threatened him.

"I either work or he'll kill me," the 14-year-old said.

With his hands shoved into the pockets of his cargo pants, the 14-year-old told reporters that he was paid weekly in dollars and pesos. But in answering questions about whether he knew what he was doing when he allegedly participated in the killings, the teen said he was under the influence of drugs and unaware of his actions.

"No, I didn't know," he said.

Troops standing beside the teen while the youth was interviewed wore masks to hide their faces -- a common sight in Mexico, where clashes between authorities and cartels have intensified since President Felipe Calderon announced a crackdown shortly after he took office in 2006.

But the teen's face was clearly visible.

Martin Perez, director of Mexico's Children's Rights Network, said late Friday that authorities should not have given television cameras and newspaper photographers access to the 14-year-old.

"It was completely inappropriate, the form of presenting him in front of the media," he said.

"Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent," he said. "Also, it could put his life at serious risk. We have to remember that this is a fight between criminal organizations."

CNN's Claudia Dominguez, Rey Rodriguez, Nick Valencia and Krupskaia Alis contributed to this report.

What did the hit man say?
What did he say about drug cartel boss?
was the boy a citizen?
What was confirmed by the state dept?
What did he do?
Who was accused?
What did the accused hit man say?

Answer: "I slit their throats,"

Answer: "I either work or he'll kill me,"

Answer: U.S. citizenship

Answer: the boy's U.S. citizenship

Answer: slit their throats,"

Answer: 14-year-old

Answer: "I slit their throats,"

Summary:
State Department confirms the boy's citizenship, but offers no further information .
"I slit their throats," accused teen hit man says .
"I either work or he'll kill me," he says, describing a drug cartel boss .


Mexico City (CNN) -- A Mexican mayor campaigning for the president's sister in a gubernatorial race was fatally shot in the southeastern state of Michoacan, the state attorney general's office said.

The killing of La Piedad Mayor Ricardo Guzman Romero on Wednesday is the latest in a number of mayoral killings dating to last year. According to CNNMexico, 18 mayors have been killed in 2010 and 2011.

But Guzman's death garnered extra attention because he was killed in President Felipe Calderon's home state, and because he was campaigning for the president's sister, gubernatorial candidate Luisa Maria Calderon. She is running as a candidate for the National Action Party, or PAN, the same party to which the president belongs.

The attack came just 11 days before the state elections, where in addition to a governor, 40 lawmakers and 113 mayors will be chosen.

Guzman was elected mayor in 2008, and his term was to end in January.

"At the moment, the federal authorities and military are in charge (of the case)," Michoacan attorney general's office spokesman Armando Soto La Marina said.

According to authorities, Guzman was participating in a campaign event, walking down one of his town's boulevards, when a black vehicle approached and a gunman shot from inside.

The shooter escaped, and the mayor was taken to a hospital, where he died, authorities said.

Luisa Maria Calderon said she was saddened by the killing, but that "we're not going to stop our fight for Michoacan."

Michoacan has long been a center of drug cartel violence. It was where President Calderon initiated his campaign against the cartels in 2006.

Last year, the PAN and an allied party declined to run candidates in at least 20 mayoral races in Michoacan because of insecurity.

How many mayor's have been killed since 2010

What day of the week was Ricardo Guzman Romero killed

Since 2010 how many mayors have been killed

Answer: 18

Answer: the president's sister

Answer: Wednesday

Answer: 18

Answer: Wednesday

Answer: La Piedad Mayor Ricardo Guzman Romero

Answer: 2010 and 2011.

Summary:
Ricardo Guzman Romero was killed on Wednesday .
He was campaigning for the president's sister in a race for governor .
Eighteen mayors have been killed since 2010 .


Mexico City (CNN) -- On the eve of a meeting of Mexico´s top prosecutors and judicial officials in Veracruz state, authorities Wednesday were still trying to determine who left 35 bodies in a busy thoroughfare there -- and why.

Investigators said a video may hold clues to how unidentified men managed to drive two open-back trucks filled with corpses through rush-hour traffic and then abandon them, blocking traffic as stunned onlookers watched.

Police in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz found the abandoned trucks and the bodies near a shopping mall in the municipality of Boca del Rio on Tuesday. Mexico´s state prosecutors and court presidents are scheduled to meet there Thursday.

Photos of the scene showed the two trucks with their back gates open, the bodies falling out onto the street. People on a nearby overpass looked down on shirtless bodies piled on top of each other.

¨This is a way of making yourself known, and saying, ´We have the power, we can do this with impunity,´¨ said Jose Reveles, a security analyst. "'We do it at five in the evening, in a heavily traveled avenue. We drive two trucks loaded with cadavers, and nobody stops us.'"

Drug-related violence has been on the rise in Veracruz as cartel members battle over territory.

But the large toll gripped headlines across Mexico and drew attention from peace activists gathering in a conference in the nation´s capital Wednesday.

"They were left like trash in the street," said Edgardo Buscaglia, president of the Institute of Citizen Action for Justice and Democracy.

Buscaglia, an expert on organized crime, told audience members that the bodies found in Veracruz are a reminder that Mexicans must not become desensitized to violence, even if authorities say the victims had criminal histories.

"The value of a human life does not decrease because it has a criminal background or not," he said.

The dead included 12 women and 23 men.

The video may show that the two trucks were guarded by other cars that could have doubled as getaway vehicles, Veracruz Attorney General Reynaldo Escobar Perez said Wednesday in a radio interview. He did not say where the video came from.

Investigators also are looking into whether police colluded with the people who discarded the bodies, he told W Radio.

As of Wednesday, morning, 95% of the bodies had been identified through databases, Escobar Perez said.

Most of them had criminal records, he said. One of them was identified as a local policeman who disappeared about 15 days ago, he said.

In another interview, the attorney general said that the victims died of suffocation. Only one had a bullet wound, he said. The state of the bodies led investigators to deduce they died shortly before being abandoned, Escobar Perez said.

The attorney general on Tuesday described the grisly discovery as "unprecedented."

"It hasn't happened before in the state of Veracruz," he said.

The two trucks were abandoned in the middle of the highway, witnesses said. Their gates were open and bodies had fallen out.

Hours later, bloodstains remained on the road as troops stood guard.

Boca del Rio is in Veracruz state's most populated area. It has become a frequent site of clashes between armed groups as drug-related violence grows.

Earlier Tuesday, 32 inmates escaped from three prisons in Veracruz, authorities said. At least 14 of them have been apprehended.

Escobar Perez said none of the bodies that had been identified by Tuesday night appeared connected with the prison breaks.

Government figures indicate that more than 34,600 people have been killed in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon began a crackdown on cartels in December 2006. Other reports estimate that more than 40,000 have died. The latest government figures were released in January.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday, Calderon decried the violence caused by drug trafficking and called on fellow leaders to put a stop to the burgeoning weapons trade and rampant drug consumption fueling it.

¨Today we must be aware that organized crime today is killing more people and more youth than all

Which country has criminals that are showing their power?

Answer: Investigators

Answer: Veracruz

Answer: near a shopping mall in the municipality of Boca del Rio

Answer: Mexico

Answer: Mexico´s state prosecutors and court presidents

Summary:
NEW: Analyst: Criminals are sending a message of power, impunity .
NEW: Mexico´s state prosecutors are scheduled to meet nearby .
The attorney general says investigators have a video of the scene .
The bodies were found near a shopping mall in Veracruz state .


Mexico City (CNN) -- The helicopter crash in Mexico that killed Interior Minister Jose Francisco Blake Mora and all seven other people aboard shows no evidence of an explosion, a Mexican official said Saturday.

"In visual and preliminary investigations of the crash site, the remains of the aircraft do not show evidence of any kind of damage from an explosion or fire," said Dionisio Perez-Jacome, minister of communication and transportation.

"It is worth mentioning that according to the available information up until this moment, present at the place and time of the incident were layers of clouds and reduced visibility," Perez-Jacome said.

His announcement on government television came as Mexico began a day of grieving for the eight killed Friday in the helicopter crash in a rural area just south of Mexico City.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife were among the government officials at a public funeral in Mexico City on Saturday afternoon.

The eight caskets were each draped with the Mexican flag on the vast green grounds of Campo Militar Marte where Calderon led a tearful ceremony of handing portraits of the eight helicopter victims to their respective families and children. A military band played sorrowful dirges, as did a drum and bugle corps at other points in the funeral.

"Here, in the earth, their example and memory will endure forever," Calderon told the black-attired mourners in the galleries and grandstand, all on their feet during the ceremony.

"These are difficult times for the government and for the nation, but it is also a time to show the strength to overcome these adversities," Calderon said.

The Friday incident -- which occurred 2.5 miles south of the town of Santa Catarina Atoyzingo in the municipality of Chalco -- evoked comparisons to a 2008 plane crash that also killed the country's then-interior minister.

That crash, in a luxurious Mexico City neighborhood, was later determined to be an accident caused by turbulence. The Learjet carrying the minister and others was following a commercial airliner too closely, authorities said.

Calderon on Friday called Blake Mora "a great Mexican who deeply loved his country and served until the last moment of his life."

Analysts said that the crash puts renewed attention on the president's controversial efforts to fight the nation's notorious cartels because the interior minister oversees domestic security.

"The national mood is such that even before this, people are alarmed" about cartel violence, said Stephen Zamora, professor at the University of Houston Law Center who's an expert on Mexican law and U.S.-Mexico relations.

"Calderon is in the last year of his presidency, so Mexico is entering a presidential election year just as the United States is. President Calderon has been criticized because the number of persons killed has escalated during his presidency and so people see him as failed. I think that's a harsh judgment," Zamora said.

"He inherited a country, especially in the northern states, that is being destabilized by the drug cartels. He's started employing the army, which hasn't been used much domestically, to fight the drug cartels," Zamora said.

While Blake Mora was well regarded by U.S. officials, his loss won't devastate the Calderon administration, said Pamela K. Starr, associate professor of international relations at the University of Southern California.

"I think there's an inevitability that there will be speculation that organized crime was involved in this, but it seems highly unlikely to me that indeed will be the case," Starr said, noting how the helicopter crashed under foggy conditions in a remote area.

"He was very highly thought of both within Mexico and with his counterparts in the United States," Starr said of Blake Mora. "With that said, he has not been one of the central figures in the battle against drug cartels in Mexico. The lead has been taken more by the federal police and the president himself, along with the military and the prosecutor's office."

The helicopter went down in the Xochimilco area south of Mexico City, government spokeswoman Alejandra Sota said.

Two other government officials were killed in the crash:

Which area did the crash happen?
What type of aircraft was involved?
How many other people died?
Who is the president?
What did the president say?
What was the Mexican minister called?
What type of aircraft was it?

Answer: just south of Mexico City.

Answer: helicopter

Answer: seven

Answer: Felipe Calderon

Answer: "Here, in the earth, their example and memory will endure forever,"

Answer: Jose Francisco Blake

Answer: helicopter

Summary:
NEW: Rural crash area had clouds and reduced visibility .
NEW: "These are difficult times," president says at public funeral .
Investigators don't find evidence of an explosion or a fire aboard the aircraft .
Mexican Interior Minister Jose Francisco Blake Mora dies with seven others .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN)  -- The reputed leader of the Zetas drug cartel in the Mexican state of Veracruz was killed in a gunbattle with federal authorities, the Mexican attorney general's office has said.

Braulio Arellano Dominguez, also known as "El Gonzo," "Zeta 20" or "El Verdugo," was mortally wounded when federal police and sailors went to search a house in the city of Soledad de Doblado, the attorney general said in a release Tuesday.

Arellano Dominguez opened fire with a .38-caliber revolver and was wounded in the firefight, officials said. He died while being transported to a hospital.

Three other suspects were arrested.

Officials said they confiscated five cars, four motorcycles, a submachine gun, a hand grenade, four pistols, more than 150 rounds of ammunition, communication equipment, three bags containing unspecified powder and pills, 74,900 pesos ($5,655) and $107 in U.S. currency.

Veracruz is in southeastern Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Los Zetas, formed by former Mexican elite commando-type soldiers, consists mostly of ex-federal and local police. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers the group among the most advanced and violent of Mexico's drug cartels.

Originally formed as the Gulf drug cartel's enforcement wing, the Zetas increasingly have branched out on their own.

More than 12,000 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels after taking office in December 2006. He has deployed thousands of military personnel and federal police in his battle against the drug traffickers.

Who is considered a violent drug cartel?

What is one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels?

Answer: Zetas

Answer: Mexico

Answer: killed in a gunbattle with federal authorities,

Answer: Braulio Arellano Dominguez,

Answer: Braulio Arellano Dominguez,

Answer: gunbattle

Answer: Braulio Arellano Dominguez,

Answer: Arellano Dominguez

Answer: Los Zetas,

Summary:
Reputed leader of Los Zetas cartel in Mexico's Veracruz state reportedly in gunbattle .
Braulio Arellano Dominguez dies in firefight with authorities, attorney general says .
Los Zetas considered one of Mexico's most advanced and violent drug cartels .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- A law allowing same-sex weddings took effect Thursday in Mexico City, one day after the second same-sex marriage was performed in Argentina. The Mexican measure also allows same-sex couples to adopt children. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has said officials will be prepared to implement the new city law. The Mexican Institute for Sexology, a private educational institution founded in 1979, held a workshop last month for the 60 Civil Registry judges who will perform the weddings, said Juan Luis Alvarez-Gayou, the institute's founder and director. Workshops are being held this week for 120 civil court judges who may have to rule on domestic issues after the weddings, Alvarez-Gayou said. The Catholic Church has been opposed to the law, but officials have accepted the measure, the institute director said. "We haven't had any problems with the judges," Alvarez-Gayou said. The Mexico City law comes amid the beginning of wider acceptance for same-sex unions in Latin America. In Argentina, Damian Bernath and Jorge Salazar were married Wednesday in a civil ceremony in the nation's capital, Buenos Aires, the official Telam news agency reported. Judicial measures had prevented gay marriage in Buenos Aires, but a judge issued a ruling last week allowing the two men to marry. It was the second same-sex marriage in Argentina. The previous wedding took place in Tierra del Fuego after two men were denied a permit in Buenos Aires. In that case, a Buenos Aires court had ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal and ordered the proper authorities to grant the couple a marriage license if they applied for one. On the eve of their December 1 wedding, however, another court filed an injunction, halting the nuptials. In many Latin American jurisdictions, the issue of same-sex marriage is decided on the local and state level.

Where did the civil ceremony take place?

Answer: 60 Civil Registry judges

Answer: 120

Answer: amid the beginning of wider acceptance for same-sex

Answer: same-sex couples to adopt children.

Answer: Mexico City,

Answer: 120

Answer: adopt children.

Summary:
Measure also allows same-sex couples to adopt children in Mexico's capital city .
Workshops held for 120 judges who may have to rule on domestic issues .
Mexico City law comes as same-sex unions in Latin America slowly gain acceptance .
On Wednesday, two men were married in civil ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- An American jailer was the target in the shooting deaths of three people with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexican officials said.

The jailer, Arthur Redelfs, and his wife, Lesley Ann Enriquez, were killed in a drive-by shooting in Juarez earlier this month. Enriquez was an employee of the U.S. Consulate in that city.

Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, 37, the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate, was also killed at around the same time as Redelfs and Enriquez.

A suspect arrested in the case gave new details on the high-profile killings, Mexican federal authorities said in a statement late Tuesday. Ricardo Valles de la Rosa, a member of the Aztecas gang, was arrested Friday based on military intelligence, the statement said.

According to federal officials, de la Rosa told interrogators that he was a lookout for the operation that killed the two Americans.

He said he got to know many leaders of the Aztecas, a street gang affiliated with the Juarez cartel, while imprisoned in El Paso County, Texas. Although he was born in Juarez, de la Rosa lived in El Paso for 30 years.

One of the Azteca leaders called and ordered him to find where consulate employees were having a children's party and to follow the white sport utility vehicle belonging to Redelfs, a jail guard in El Paso, authorities said.

The call came days in advance of the killings, the statement said.

De la Rosa followed Redelfs' vehicle down a Juarez avenue, until being told to fall back because the shooters had the vehicle in their sights, the statement said. A few moments later, de la Rosa heard shooting.

According to federal authorities, de la Rosa drove by the scene and saw that in addition to Redelfs, his wife, who was four months pregnant, was also dead. An infant in the back seat was uninjured.

De la Rosa also admitted to involvement in four other homicides involving members or rival gangs, authorities said.

No additional arrests have been made in the case. De la Rosa remains imprisoned pending the outcome of the investigation.

Ceniceros' wife was not traveling with him, but two of their children in the car were wounded. His white SUV looked very similar to the one Redelfs drove.

What did the suspect arrested in case give?

Answer: three

Answer: The jailer, Arthur Redelfs, and his wife, Lesley Ann Enriquez,

Answer: Juarez

Answer: Ricardo Valles de la Rosa,

Answer: new details on the high-profile killings,

Answer: Arthur Redelfs, and his wife, Lesley Ann Enriquez,

Answer: Ricardo Valles de la Rosa,

Answer: Lesley Ann Enriquez,

Summary:
Arthur Redelfs and wife, Lesley Ann Enriquez, killed in a drive-by shooting in Juarez .
Suspect arrested in case gives new details on high-profile killings of three people total .
Officials: Suspect said he was lookout for the operation that killed the two Americans .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- At least two car bombs exploded Friday near the television studios of Televisa in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas state in northeastern Mexico, authorities said.

One blast occurred outside the TV station while the second happened next to the municipal transit service offices, said the state attorney general's office.

No fatalities or injuries were reported. The nearly simultaneous blasts occurred shortly after midnight.

The explosion in front of Televisa, a CNN affiliate, damaged the building and knocked out power on the block, the station said. The station also was knocked off the air locally, Televisa said.

Images of one of the blasts show the carcass of a car, the explosion leaving only the vehicle's mangled frame but not causing much damage to nearby buildings or trees. The wreckage lies next to a wooden street pole that is slightly tilted and holds a stop sign.

The car that exploded in front of the television studio was a red Chevrolet Corsica with Texas license plates, the attorney general's office said in a news release. The car in front of the transit office was a white Mazda, also with Texas license plates, officials said.

Tamaulipas is the state where authorities discovered 72 bodies this week on a ranch believed to be used by narcotraffickers. Authorities are investigating whether the 58 men and 14 women, who were migrants from Central and South America, were killed by the Zetas cartel.

Televisa previously came under attack August 15 when a grenade damaged apartments near the TV station's office in the city of Monterrey in neighboring Nuevo Leon state. There were no reports of injuries in that attack.

A similar attack occurred the previous day, when a grenade was launched against the Televisa offices in the city of Matamoros, in Tamaulipas. The building was damaged but there were no reports of injuries.

It was not clear Friday why Televisa is being targeted.

Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon have become a bloody battleground between the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, which ended an alliance earlier this year. The Zetas used to be the armed branch of the Gulf Cartel but have split off into a separate drug-trafficking organization.

Journalists have come under increasing attack in Mexico, as drug cartels try to limit the information being distributed about their activities.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization, criticized this month's grenade attacks against Televisa.

"No journalist is safe in Mexico when criminal groups feel free to wage grenade attacks on a national broadcaster," said Carlos Lauria, the organization's senior program coordinator for the Americas. "Drug traffickers are increasingly terrorizing the press and defining what is news and what isn't. We urge the Mexican authorities must fully investigate these incidents and bring those responsible to justice."

Eight journalists were killed in Mexico in 2009 and another eight have been killed so far this year, the Committee to Protect Journalists said this month.

In total, 54 journalists and media workers have been slain in Mexico since 1992, the group said.

Car bombings by Mexican cartels are a new phenomena. Among the first was a July 15 explosion in Ciudad Juarez that killed four people.

What else was discovered in the same state?

Where were no fatalities or injuries reported?

What targeted Televisa, a CNN affiliate?

Where was Televisa was previously attacked?

What was previously attacked two weeks ago in Monterrey?

Answer: in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas state in northeastern Mexico,

Answer: 72 bodies

Answer: in Ciudad Victoria,

Answer: Televisa

Answer: 72

Answer: two car bombs

Answer: near the TV station's office in the city of Monterrey

Answer: Televisa

Answer: two

Summary:
One car bomb targeted Televisa, a CNN affiliate .
The attacks occurred in the same state where 72 bodies were discovered this week .
No fatalities or injuries were reported in the bombings .
Televisa was previously attacked nearly two weeks ago in Monterrey .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Authorities believe assassins targeted a pregnant woman and two other people connected with a U.S. consulate who were killed in drive-by shootings over the weekend, Ciudad Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz said Monday.

The killings were carried out by a local gang, known as Los Aztecas, that is allied with the Juarez Cartel, Reyes told CNN. No arrests had been made by Monday afternoon.

"We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted," Reyes told CNN, saying a police officer saw gunfire from a car directed at the Americans' car. "We know they were chasing them. We know they wanted to kill them."

Two of the victims were a four-months-pregnant employee of the consulate in Juarez and her U.S. citizen husband who was a jailer in nearby El Paso, Texas, U.S. and Mexican officials said. The couple's 10-month-old child, who was in the vehicle, was not injured, Reyes and other officials said.

The child has been turned over to U.S. consular officials, Reyes said. The couple lived in El Paso, the State Department said.

The third victim, found dead in a separate vehicle, was identified as the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate. His wife was not traveling with him, but two of their children in the car were wounded, officials said.

All the victims had left a birthday party at the consulate Saturday before they were attacked, Reyes and State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday. The slain couple, Arthur Redelfs, 34, and Lesley Ann Enriquez, 35, were on their way home to El Paso, Crowley said.

Redelfs was a 10-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, according to Jesse Tovar, a spokesman for the department.

Reyes said the attackers may have been confused because both groups of victims were traveling in similar-looking vehicles.

Redelfs and his wife were in a white late-model Toyota RAV4 SUV. The third victim, Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, was driving a late-model white Honda Pilot, the mayor said.

Salcido, 37, was a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee at the U.S. consulate, Reyes said.

His two children, ages 4 and 7, were wounded and transported to a hospital, the attorney general's office said. Salcido's wife was traveling in another vehicle, which was not attacked, Reyes said.

In Washington, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed their anger.

"The president is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement Sunday. "He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions. In concert with Mexican authorities, we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice."

Clinton said the "safety and security of our personnel and their families in Mexico and at posts around the world is always our highest priority."

"I have spoken with our ambassador in Mexico, and we are working with the government of Mexico to do everything necessary to protect our people and to ensure that the perpetrators of these horrendous acts are brought to justice," she said.

In response to the shootings, the U.S. State Department authorized the temporary relocation of employees' families working in border-area consulates.

"These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are, sadly, part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico," Clinton said in a statement Sunday night. "They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of [Mexican] President [Felipe] Calderon to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico."

The families of employees at U.S. consulates in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros are allowed to leave for 30 days "in response to an increase in violence along the Mexican side of its border with

What happened in Juarez over the weekend?

Answer: a pregnant woman and two other people

Answer: a pregnant woman and two other

Answer: assassins targeted a pregnant woman and two other people

Answer: Los Aztecas,

Summary:
Gang connected to drug cartel carried out 3 weekend killings, Ciudad Juarez mayor says .
Drive-by shootings killed U.S. employee at consulate and 2 others .
"We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted," Reyes told CNN .
State Department warns Americans of danger of traveling to parts of three Mexican states .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Four suspected drug cartel members have been arrested in connection with the slaying of a family in what authorities call an act of revenge for the death of a drug baron, a state attorney general said Wednesday.

The shootings early Tuesday that led to the deaths of four family members of 3rd Petty Officer Melquisedet Angulo Cordova was an act of revenge carried out by Los Zetas, a drug cartel allied with the Beltran Leyva cartel, said Rafael Gonzalez Lastra, attorney general for the southern Mexican state of Tabasco.

The suspects were arrested Tuesday night, he said.

Cordova was killed in the December 16 shootout that resulted in the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva, nicknamed the "boss of bosses," during a raid by a Mexican navy contingent at an upscale resort condo in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Angulo Cordova was hailed as a hero by President Felipe Calderon and laid to rest in his home state of Tabasco.

Early Tuesday, gunmen entered the family's home and opened fire, killing Angulo Cordova's mother, sister and aunt. Angulo Cordova's brother was injured in the shooting and later died in a hospital.

The Zetas, the protection arm of the Gulf cartel that also operates as its own trafficking organization, carried out revenge killings because of an alliance between them and the Beltran Leyva group, Gonzalez Lastra said.

Two of the arrested cartel members were responsible for the payments for the killings, and two acted as lookouts during the incident, he said.

The suspects were identified as Julio Acosta Saucedo, Yesenia Hernandez Valencia, Azael Jesus Garcia Reyes and Julio Acosta Vargas.

Gonzalez Lastra said authorities know the identities of the shooters as well as the vehicles used in the attack.

Some local police officers were also involved, he said.

How many of the arrested were responsible for payout?

Answer: Two

Answer: Four

Answer: 3rd Petty Officer Melquisedet Angulo Cordova

Answer: Four suspected drug cartel members

Summary:
NEW: Two of the arrested were responsible for payout; two acted as lookouts, official says .
Four family members of 3rd Petty Officer Melquisedet Angulo Cordova were killed .
Tabasco attorney general says slayings were an act of revenge carried out by Los Zetas .
Cordova was killed in the shootout that resulted in the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Heavy flooding in central Mexico in the past week has killed at least 33 people and left thousands homeless, the government said Monday.

Schools remained closed in five cities in Mexico's Michoacan state, where the flooding has killed at least 22 people and left more than 3,500 residents homeless, the state government said on its Web site.

Another 83 people still were missing Monday in Michoacan, a state in western coastal Mexico that has been beset by drug violence in the past few years.

A mudslide Saturday killed at least 11 people near the small town of Temascaltepec, in neighboring Mexico state.

Uncharacteristic heavy rain throughout Mexico also has led to flooding in the nation's capital, Mexico City.

Up to 35,000 people nationwide could have been affected, published reports said.

On Sunday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon toured Valle de Chalco, a city in Mexico state.

In Valle de Chalco, on the eastern outskirts of the Mexico City area, officials announced that contaminated water from a sewage network that overflowed Friday will continue to flood the town for at least another 48 hours. The number of affected houses in the city grew from 2,000 on Friday to about 3,000 on Monday, the government said.

Mexico state is bordered on the west by Michoacan and adjoins Mexico City on three sides -- north, east and west.

In Mexico City, officials announced the reopening Monday of 165 of the 174 schools that were closed Friday because of the heavy rain and flooding.

Calderon and other Mexican officials have vowed to help displaced families, including offering them food, medicine, shelter and cash allowances to buy new furniture.

How many people were affected by flooding?

Answer: 174

Answer: 33

Answer: 35,000

Answer: 174

Answer: 174

Answer: killed at least 22 people and left more than 3,500 residents homeless,

Answer: 33

Answer: 165

Answer: 33

Summary:
Flooding in the last week could have affected up to 35,000 people, reports say .
Government: At least 22 people dead and more than 3,500 homeless in Michoacan state .
165 of 174 Mexico City schools that were closed Friday reopened Monday .
Government vows to offer food, medicine, cash and shelter to displaced people .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Leaders of more than 30 Latin American and Caribbean nations are meeting in Mexico from Monday to launch a group that will serve as an alternative to the Organization of American States.

The main difference between the OAS and the yet-to-be-named organization will be that the United States and Canada will not be members.

Leaders of Latin American countries have been meeting almost every year since 1986 when the Rio Group was created by countries including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. This year's summit is intended to take the Rio Group to a new level by creating the organization.

Among the main topics to be discussed at the summit is whether to recognize Porfirio Lobo as the legitimate president of Honduras.

Lobo, who took office in late January, was elected under a de facto government that resulted from a coup in June against then-president Manuel Zelaya. The ousted leader was then forced out of the country.

Other topics on the agenda include the creation of a long-term plan to help Haiti recover from the devastating effects of the earthquake and Argentina's conflict with Great Britain over oil drilling offshore from the Falkland Islands.

The Unity Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Cancun.

from how many nations did the Leaders took place at the regional summit in Cancun?

Answer: 30

Answer: more than 30

Answer: whether to recognize Porfirio Lobo as the legitimate president of Honduras.

Answer: to take the Rio Group to a new level by creating the organization.

Answer: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela.

Answer: whether to recognize Porfirio Lobo as the legitimate president of Honduras.

Summary:
Leaders from more than 30 nations meet at regional summit in Cancun .
Objective of summit is to create alternative to OAS with U.S., Canada .
Summit will discuss recgnizing Porfirio Lobo as legitimate president of Honduras .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Mexico City, the country's capital, is one of the world's important cultural centers -- showcasing Latin America's rich history and traditions.

"I love its uniqueness," CNN's Armando Talamantes said of the city where he lives and works. "The weather is never too hot and never too cold."

What's just right is the city's endless supply of music, local food and art museums. With a population of 8.8 million people, Mexico City is one of the most densely populated areas in the country and one of the richest cities in the world. It's also a huge attraction for soccer fans and bullfighting enthusiasts.

From eating out any time of the night to enjoying a day in the "Mexican Venice," or Xochimilco, to visiting the pyramids just outside the city, Talamantes says Mexico City is a constant surprise and delight. Here, he offers some insider tips on traveling to his hometown:

Where can you get the best view of the city?

If you're downtown, go to the top of Torre Latinoamericana. It was the tallest skyscraper in Mexico City for many years. Now, it's kind of old but keeps its charm.

If you're on Reforma, Mexico's most beautiful avenue, try to step into Piso 51 in Torre Mayor, the tallest skyscraper in Latin America. Beware: It is a private club, and you will be asked to join.

Which restaurant would you take your loved one to for an anniversary or other special occasion?

Taberna del León in Plaza Loreto offers traditional Mexican cuisine in a cozy environment. It's managed by Mónica Patiño, the famous Mexican chef.

Where is the best place to people watch?

Try barrio La Condesa -- its streets are full of bars and restaurants attracting a very interesting crowd, especially on nights and weekends. Also, you can go to Emilio Castelar, a street in Polanco full of life and good-looking people.

What is your favorite neighborhood? Why?

Colonia Roma is becoming the "Mexican Soho," with lots of galleries, restaurants, bars, boutique hotels, fountains and squares. It is antique, so you can find old buildings, but it's also transforming into a more modern area.

It is close to La Condesa, which is also a very cool place, full of young people.

What's the biggest misconception about your city?

You won't believe how many trees are in the city. And the robberies aren't that common, either.

Where do you go to relax?

Espacio Escultórico at the UNAM, Mexico's biggest university campus, offers a collection of sculptures by famous artists. That is a little farther south of the city. If you're not willing to travel that much, go into Bosque de Chapultepec's audiorama, where you can sit on a bench and listen to some good music.

What essential thing should visitors see or experience if they have only a few hours?

Go inside Museo de Antropología, which showcases the very DNA of Mexico. If you don't want to step into a museum, go downtown to see El Zocalo (Mexico City's main square) and Templo Mayor, the remains of an ancient Aztec temple.

What's the biggest tourist trap? Is there a "tourist trap" that's actually worth seeing?

The biggest tourist trap is Plaza Garibaldi, were the mariachis are awful and you can get mugged. A trap that could be worth seeing is the area called Xochimilco, often called "Mexican Venice" because of a series of canals.

Where was your most memorable meal? Where's your favorite place to spend a night out on the town?

Zinco bar, on Cinco de Mayo Street in downtown, has great jazz music and a very cheerful crowd.

Are there local specialty dishes or drinks that visitors must try?

Not really. Just stick to the tacos and tequila as if you were any place in Mexico. If you want something fancy, try duck enchiladas in Izote restaurant on Avenue

Espacio Escultórico has a collection of what items?

What kind of music is played at the Zinco bar?

Answer: sculptures

Answer: Cinco de Mayo

Answer: jazz

Answer: jazz

Answer: Cinco de Mayo

Summary:
Espacio Escultórico at Mexico's biggest university campus has a relaxing collection of sculptures .
Stick to the tacos and tequila as if you were anywhere in Mexico .
Zinco bar, on Cinco de Mayo Street downtown, has great jazz music, cheerful crowd .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Shootouts between drug suspects and the military in the Mexican northeastern border state of Tamaulipas have left seven dead and 11 wounded, the government reported.

One of the dead and the 11 wounded were Mexican military who were ambushed while on patrol late Thursday night in the cities of Miguel Aleman, Mier and Valadeces, the Notimex news agency reported, citing the nation's National Defense Department. The cities are along the U.S. border, near McAllen, Texas.

The cities also are near Reynosa, Mexico, where the United States closed its consulate Thursday because of recent increased drug violence.

The U.S. Consulate also issued a warning "to advise U.S. citizens of recent gun battles in Reynosa, Mexico, and cities surrounding Reynosa in the last week."

Thursday night's firefights were the latest in a string of confrontations that some residents say have been going on for at least 10 days.

Earlier this week, local news reports said, gunmen in as many as 20 vehicles clashed with members of the Mexican military and municipal police in Ciudad Mier, just west of Reynosa. The daytime gun battle Tuesday reportedly resulted in the abduction of 10 municipal police officers.

Video from the scene showed abandoned police sport utility vehicles with bullet holes and broken windows. Shattered glass covered the street against a backdrop of palm trees. A damaged red truck with the insignia CDG -- the Spanish acronym for the Gulf Cartel -- was shown being towed from the shooting scene.

In Reynosa, residents told CNN on Thursday that banners purportedly placed throughout the city by the rival Los Zetas drug cartel announced there would be a gunfight at 8 p.m. Residents reported hearing gunshots as early as 7:30 p.m.

After Thursday night's gunfire, officials say they confiscated 14 vehicles, 29 firearms, 10 hand grenades and more than 1,700 rounds of ammunition of various caliber.

On a tour of the border cities, Tamaulipas Gov. Eugenio Hernandez Flores sought to reassure residents that the government is committed to controlling the mayhem.

Violence throughout Mexico has exploded since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after assuming office in December 2006. More than 16,000 people have been killed in drug violence since then.

Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, is the most violent city in Mexico and one of the deadliest on earth. The rival Juarez and Sinaloa cartels are fighting for control of the lucrative drug routes into the United States as well street sales within Ciudad Juarez. The cartels also are fighting the Mexican army and federal, state and local police.

Mexican officials point out that most of the deaths involve criminals; few civilians have been killed.

In Juarez earlier this month, however, 10 teenagers and five other people were gunned down at a party. Officials said the gunmen belonged to the Juarez cartel and mistakenly believed the partygoers were members of a gang affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel.

CNN's Mariano Castillo and Nick Valencia contributed to this report.

for how many days have their been firefights?

Answer: 10 days.

Answer: One

Answer: at least 10

Answer: Mexican military

Answer: consulate

Summary:
NEW: Firefights have been going on for 10 days, residents say .
One Mexico soldier among the dead .
Drug suspects ambushed military patrol .
U.S. closed nearby consulate on Thursday .


Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- The Mexican government has apologized to the families of two students killed early Friday who officials initially said were drug gang members.

Jorge Antonio Mercado Alonso, 23, and Javier Francisco Arredondo Verdugo, 24, were mechanical engineering graduate students at the Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey, the Mexican Interior Ministry said Sunday in its apology for the shootings.

Mexican soldiers chasing criminals who had fired on an army patrol shot and killed the students, the Interior Ministry said. Some of the criminals had fled onto the college campus.

"The Mexican government expresses its most deeply felt condolences to the families," the Interior Ministry said in a release on its Web page.

The federal government will intensify its investigation to find out what happened, the ministry said.

On Friday, Mexican officials had said the two dead men were part of the criminal gang that shot at the soldiers. University officials also said Friday that all students were safe.

That account changed Saturday, when Mercado's mother tried to call him after finding out about the campus shootout. When she couldn't reach him, she traveled to Monterrey, where she identified her son's body, said the campus rector, Rafael Rangel Sostman.

"I'm certain he is with God," said the mother, Rosa Elvia Mercado Alonso.

The school's rector blamed himself for the mix-up in identities.

"I offer a public apology and take responsibility for having given information that ended up not being correct," Rangel said. "I want to offer my most deeply felt condolences to the family of our two students and offer them our support in this difficult situation."

Both men were scholarship students, the college said.

Monterrey is in Nuevo Leon, one of two states in northeastern Mexico where drug cartel members blocked roads with hijacked vehicles Thursday and Friday to prevent military reinforcements from arriving. The criminals also set up roadblocks in neighboring Tamaulipas state.

Three presumed gang members and one soldier were killed in various skirmishes over the two-day period, officials said.

The area, which borders Texas, has seen bloody fighting between the Zetas and Gulf cartels after a recent gangland slaying. Hours-long gun battles are common, and U.S. officials were recently forced to temporarily close the consulate in the city of Reynosa.

Mexico has been gripped in massive drug-related bloodshed since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels shortly after coming into office in December 2006. Much of the violence has taken place around Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

There are no official government tallies, but more than 16,000 people are estimated to have died in the drug wars. The vast majority of the deaths are among reputed criminals, with some police and military also being killed. Relatively few of the deaths have been civilians.

Even so, the United States and Canada have issued travel warnings, particularly along the border area. The Texas Department of Public Safety took the unprecedented step this year of recommending that students on spring break not go to border areas inside Mexico.

News of the violence and the travel warnings apparently have had an effect. Mexicans say tourism along the border has declined significantly this year.

Where did the criminals flee to?
What were soldiers chasing?
Where did this take place?
Where did they flee?

Answer: onto the college campus.

Answer: criminals who had fired on an army patrol

Answer: Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey,

Answer: Some of the criminals had fled onto the college campus.

Summary:
Officials say soldiers were chasing drug criminals who had fired on an army patrol .
They said some criminals had fled to Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey .
Initially, officials said mechanical engineering graduate students were drug gang members .
Interior Ministry apologizes for deaths, pledges more intense investigation .


Miami (CNN) -- A defunct satellite plummeting toward Earth is expected to re-enter the atmosphere between 11:45 p.m. Friday and 12:45 a.m. Saturday ET, NASA reported late Friday evening.

"During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada and Africa, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. The risk to public safety is very remote," the space agency said.

The United States is once again an unlikely but potential target for the 26 pieces of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, expected to survive the descent. Those pieces, made of stainless steel, titanium and beryllium that won't burn, will range from about 10 pounds to hundreds of pounds, according to NASA.

"There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States," NASA headquarters said, "but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent."

Mark Matney of NASA's Orbital Debris team in Houston said there's no way to know exactly where the pieces will come down.

"Keep in mind, they won't be traveling at those high orbital velocities. As they hit the air, they tend to slow down. ... They're still traveling fast, a few tens to hundreds of miles per hour, but no longer those tremendous orbital velocities," he explained.

Because the satellite travels thousands of miles in a matter of minutes as it orbits -- even just before it begins re-entry -- it will be impossible to pinpoint the exact location the pieces will come down. On top of that, Matney said, the satellite is not stable.

"Part of the problem is, the spacecraft is tumbling in unpredictable ways, and it is very difficult to very precisely pinpoint where it's coming down even right before the re-entry."

Because water covers 70% of the Earth's surface, NASA has said that most if not all of the surviving debris will land in water. Even if pieces strike dry land, there's very little risk any of it will hit people.

However, in an abundance of caution, the Federal Aviation Administration released an advisory Thursday warning pilots about the falling satellite, calling it a potential hazard.

"It is critical that all pilots/flight crew members report any observed falling space debris to the appropriate (air traffic control) facility and include position, altitude, time and direction of debris observed," the FAA statement said.

The FAA said warnings of this sort typically are sent out to pilots concerning specific hazards they may encounter during flights such as air shows, rocket launches, kites and inoperable radio navigational aids.

NASA says space debris the size of the satellite's components re-enters the atmosphere about once a year. Harvard University astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell noted that the satellite is far from being the biggest space junk to come back.

"This is nothing like the old Skylab scare of the '70s, when you had a 70-ton space station crashing out of the sky. So, I agree with the folks in Houston. It's nothing to be worried about," McDowell said.

Pieces of Skylab came down in western Australia in 1979.

The only wild card McDowell sees is if somehow a chunk hits a populated area.

"If the thing happens to come down in a city, that would be bad. The chances of it causing extensive damage or injuring someone are much higher."

NASA said that once the debris hits the atmosphere 50 miles up, it will take only a matter of minutes before the surviving pieces hit the Earth.

CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

How many pieces are expected to survive?

What happens to the pieces during re-entry?

Answer: defunct satellite

Answer: 26

Answer: 11:45 p.m. Friday and 12:45 a.m. Saturday ET,

Answer: in water.

Answer: between

Answer: land in the United States,"

Answer: "There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States,"

Answer: between

Summary:
Re-entry is expected between 11:45 p.m. Friday and 12:45 a.m. Saturday ET, NASA says .
The space agency still can't say with certainty where the satellite's remnants will land .
About 26 pieces, some weighing hundreds of pounds, are expected to survive reentry .


Miami (CNN) -- NASA's Inspector General's Office says an investigation is under way after a white powdery substance found at the Kennedy Space Center tested positive for cocaine.

"Law enforcement personnel field tested the substance, which indicated a positive test for cocaine," said Renee Juhans, an executive officer with the office.

"The substance is now at an accredited crime lab for further testing," she said.

Juhans said that 4.2 grams of a white powdery substance was found in a NASA facility March 7. She could not confirm where, at the Kennedy Space Center, the drug was found.

"A NASA Office of Inspector General investigation is ongoing," she said.

NASA has a zero-tolerance drug policy. All employees may be randomly tested. It is not known whether any employees have been asked to submit to drug testing in this investigation.

"We have no further comment," Juhans said.

In January 2010, about 200 Kennedy Space Center workers were tested when a small bag of cocaine was found inside a space shuttle processing facility where Discovery was being readied for flight. That case was closed, and there were no arrests.

How many grams of the substance were found?

What is the reason for the investigation?

What kind of drug policy does NASA have?

Answer: NASA

Answer: 4.2

Answer: substance found at the Kennedy Space Center tested positive

Answer: zero-tolerance

Answer: March 7.

Answer: March 7.

Answer: drug policy.

Answer: white powdery

Summary:
NASA is investigating after 4.2 grams of powdery substance is found .
It was discovered March 7, but officials can't confirm where .
NASA has a zero-tolerance drug policy .