(CNN)  -- Didier Drogba is backing his Ivory Coast team to make history by becoming the first African country to reach the final of the World Cup next year. Drogba is contemplating a big challenge by the Ivory Coast in South Africa. The Chelsea striker scored the decisive goal as the Elephants sealed their place in South Africa with a 1-1 draw against Malawi on Saturday, but he is now looking ahead to the finals with relish. "It is going to be a challenge," the 31-year-old told reporters. "To make it to the final will not be easy because there are great teams like Brazil and Germany who have won the World Cup for many years. "But my teammates and I want to make history and want to change the way the world sees African football. Can an African team win the World Cup next year ? "I hope that we'll be the team that is going to go to the final and win the competition." Ivory Coast have joined Ghana as definite qualifiers from Africa, with three other places up for grabs in the final round of matches in November. Drogba is one of several stars in the Ivorian squad with Champions League experience, including Barcelona's Yaya Toure who is anxious to erase memories of their failure to qualify from the group stages in the 2006 finals in Germany. "At the last World Cup we played really well in Germany, but we were unlucky because we were in a very tough group with Argentina and Holland and so went out in the first round," he said. "But I think with this kind of experience, it will be possible at South Africa 2010 to do much better. Perhaps we can make the quarterfinals and then semifinals, this is something we can achieve." Coach Vahid Halilhodzic is also upbeat after seeing his side fight back from a goal down against Malawi to top African Group E. "We are very proud to participate in the World Cup for the second consecutive time and this time it is going to be better," he added.

What year did Ivory Coast exit the group stages in the World Cup finals

How far did Didier Drogba team get in the last World Cup in Germany?

In what year didIvory Coast exit in group stages at the World Cup finals in Germany?

Answer: 2006

Answer: 2006

Answer: reach the final of the World Cup

Answer: Didier Drogba

Answer: The Chelsea striker

Answer: went out in the first round,"

Answer: Chelsea

Answer: 2006

Summary:
Didier Drogba targets World Cup glory with African powerhouses Ivory Coast .
Drogba scored crucial goal as Ivory Coast clinched qualification for South Africa .
Ivory Coast exited in group stages at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006 .


(CNN)  -- Didier Drogba muscled his way through for a late winner to put Chelsea into the FA Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday. A bare-chested Drogba is congratulated by Salomon Kalou after scoring the winner at Wembley. The all-London clash rarely hit the heights on a difficult pitch, but Drogba's 84th minute strike gave Guus Hiddink's men a deserved victory and leaves them in contention for three trophies. Dutchman Hiddink, who took temporary charge of the Blues in February and has lost only one match, said Drogba had proved his worth again. "He is proving already he is so dangerous, very strong and physically fit," he told Press Association. "We respect each other very much but also challenge each other without thinking this is a big name." Arsenal went ahead in the 18th minute as Theo Walcott's volley deflected past Petr Cech, but Florent Malouda equalized for Chelsea just after the half hour mark. Chelsea looked the stronger against an Arsenal team missing key defenders and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and it came as no surprise when Ivory Coast star Drogba scored a typical winner. He latched on to Frank Lampard's hopeful volleyed through ball, shrugged off Mikael Silvestre before rounding Lukasz Fabianksi to roll the ball into an empty net. Ivory Coast international Drogba scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup final and may get the chance to repeat the trick. Quintuple chasing United play Everton in the second semifinal, also at Wembley, on Sunday. Chelsea, who are a still challenging third in the Premier League and semifinals of the Champions League, showed their character after falling behind to Walcott's strike. The England international winger connected with a chipped cross from Kieran Gibbs and his effort took a cruel deflection off Ashley Cole's arm to beat Cech. Arsenal had made a fine start, but without injured central defender William Gallas and with Fabianski showing a lack of authority in goal, Chelsea came back strongly into the game. Malouda went close with a cross shot which eluded Fabianski, but he was not be denied soon afterwards as picked out by Lampard he cut inside Emmanuel Eboue and beat Fabianski at his near post. More slack defending from Denilson allowed Nicolas Anelka time to shoot and his shot hit the post with Fabianski beaten. Walcott looked occasionally dangerous on the flank and twice sent in crosses which might have been converted, but Chelsea looked the more threatening and the teams were spared extra time when Drogba powered through to score. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left to rue their defensive errors and the performance of his 20-year-old Polish goalkeeper. "He's a great goalkeeper but it was not his greatest day," Wenger said. "Inexperience, yes. It was a game when any mistake could be costly."

who plays in second FA Cup semifinal on Sunday

Answer: muscled his way through for a late winner to put Chelsea into the FA Cup final

Answer: Drogba

Answer: United

Answer: United

Answer: Walcott's volley deflected past Petr Cech,

Summary:
Didier Droba winner ends Arsenal's long unbeaten run and puts Chelsea in final .
Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead before Florent Malouda equalized .
Manchester United and Everton play in second FA Cup semifinal on Sunday .


(CNN)  -- Diego Forlan scored a dramatic extra time winner as Atletico Madrid beat Fulham 2-1 in Hamburg to win the Europa League final on Wednesday night.

It was the second of the match for Forlan, who had put Atletico ahead after 32 minutes with Simon Davies equalizing for the English Premier League side six minutes later.

Atletico created the better chances in normal and added time with Sergio Aguero a constant threat and it was the Argentine star who set up the winner for his strike partner with four minutes remaining in the second period of extra time.

He found space on the left of the Fulham defense and his low cross was diverted past Mark Schwarzer by Forlan's clever touch which took a slight deflection off Brede Hangeland.

Fulham, who had upset the odds more than once to reach the final, could not force a second equalizer and it was Atletico, so often in the shadow of their city neighbors Real, who were left to celebrate their second major European club trophy after a gap of 48 years.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson took a chance on the fitness of star striker Bobby Zamora, who is struggling with an Achilles injury that has ended his England World Cup hopes.

But it was Atletico who had the best of the early skirmishes and Forlan saw an effort thud against a post.

But he was on target just after the half hour mark as an Agueuro scuffed effort fell into his path and he beat Schwarzer to open the scoring.

Zamora was clearly less than fully fit, but his burst caused chaos in the Spanish defense and when Zoltan Gera crossed from the right a slight deflection saw the ball fall perfectly into the path of Davies, who volleyed home.

Uruguay star Forlan pulled a fine save out of Australian international Schwarzer before halftime but the other side of the break saw Davies nearly add to his tally.

Zamora went off to give way to Clint Dempsey and both sides had promising attacking moments as players tired.

In extra time, Atletico again looked the more threatening and when Raul Garcia cut the ball into the path of Aguero he looked certain to score but put his effort into the side netting.

Penalties loomed until Aguero did superbly to keep control of the ball down the left and his cross found Forlan the more alert to end Fulham's dream.

What did Atletico win for the first time?

Answer: 2-1

Answer: Diego Forlan

Answer: Diego Forlan

Answer: Atletico Madrid

Answer: Europa League

Answer: Diego Forlan

Answer: Atletico Madrid

Summary:
Diego Forlan scores both goals as Atletico Madrid beat Fulham 2-1 in Europa League final .
Simon Davies leveled Forlan's first half strike but he struck again in extra time .
Atletico were winning European club trophy for the first time in their history .


(CNN)  -- Donald Trump visited "Larry King Live" on Wednesday night to tout his new book, "Think Like a Champion." In a wide-ranging interview, Trump shared his thoughts on how to prosper in this economy, Bernie Madoff, how President Obama is doing, taxes and his daughter's love life.

On CNN's "Larry King Live" Wednesday night, Donald Trump said it's a great time for entrepreneurs.

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity:

Larry King: Why this book?

Donald Trump: A lot of people wanted me to do a book right now about these troubled times that we're all in.

And it's been sort of interesting. They're great times, as an entrepreneur. I don't think I've ever seen better times as an entrepreneur. But the world is a mess, and the country is a mess.

King: Why [is it a] good time for an entrepreneur and not necessarily for others?

Trump: Well, this is a time for smart people. This is a time for entrepreneurial people. This is a great time for people like me -- and maybe people like you, Larry, because I know you're a great investor. ...

Weren't you involved with [Bernie] Madoff?

King: A little bit, yes. You weren't, huh? How did you resist him?

Trump: Honestly, I got lucky. He might have duped me like he did a lot of other people. He is a disaster. But now he's where he belongs.

King: With troubled times like this for the average guy, is this the time to think like a champion?  Watch Larry King's entire interview with Donald Trump »

Trump:  This is the best time to think like a champion. As an example, the house is being foreclosed. You go see your bank -- maybe you can make a deal, maybe you can't. But you can make a deal with a bank on another house, and much better than the one you're living in. ... They'll do any deal to get rid of their product.

They have houses by the thousands. And you go see that bank and you make a deal.

King: How do you assess [Barack Obama]?

Trump: Well, I really like him. I think that he's working very hard. He's trying to rebuild our reputation throughout the world. The previous administration was a total disaster, a total catastrophe.

And, you know, the world looks at us differently than they used to. ... He was handed a pretty bad deck of cards. And I'm not saying I agree with everything he's doing. ... I do agree with what they're doing with the banks. Whether they fund them or nationalize them, it doesn't matter, but you have to keep the banks going.

King: Do you assess him as a champion?

Trump: Oh, yes, he's a champion. I mean, he won against all odds. When he first announced, people were giving him virtually no chance. And he's just done something that's amazing.

King: Is fear harmful in this [economic] situation, Donald, or is it realistic?

Trump: Well, I think it's realistic. People are afraid. They're scared. They're losing their jobs. They're losing their homes. And certainly there is a word known as fear, and there's nothing wrong with being fearful.

But you have to do something about it. And that's what I write about in the book. You go out. You go to the right place, where there's better employment. You get a trade where they really need people.

King: Have you had to lay off people? Because it seems everyone has had to do that.

Trump: It's a sad thing, but whether it's "The Apprentice" or not,  the fact is you

what does Trump think has been a disaster

Answer: [Barack Obama]?

Answer: [Barack Obama]?

Answer: [Bernie] Madoff?

Answer: [Barack Obama]?

Summary:
Trump advises to take advantage of low prices, get seller to do the financing .
Trump: Obama rebuilding U.S. reputation; previous administration was a disaster .
He's mad about possible higher taxes in New York, says he could move to Florida .
Trump likes the guy his daughter is dating, but she's not engaged .


(CNN)  -- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa denied Saturday that a Colombian guerrilla group donated money to his 2006 presidential campaign, asking his country's civil commission to investigate the allegation. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, as pictured in June, says a probe into FARC's claims will clear his name. Colombian media broadcast a 2008 video Friday in which guerrilla leader Víctor Julio Suarez Rojas, better known as Mono Jojoy, said the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia donated money to Correa's campaign. The guerrilla group, known by its Spanish acronym FARC, also has had conversations with Correa's emissaries and has reached "some accords, according to documents that we have," Suarez said in a videotape. Correa denied the allegations and said he wants the nation's civil commission to see "if the Ecuadorian government, if the Alianza PAIS [political party] has received 20 cents from any foreign group, not just from the FARC." The leftist president said that during the campaign, some opponents accused him of receiving money from leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, from drug cartels and from the FARC. "They just don't know what else to say," Correa said. "It is up to you to decide who to believe: the same people as usual or those who endanger their lives to save the country."

What are the Colombian guerrilla group claiming?

What step has Presient Correa taken to prove FARC did not donate to his 2006 campaign?

Answer: Colombian media

Answer: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia donated money to Correa's campaign.

Answer: investigate the allegation.

Answer: Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa

Summary:
President Rafael Correa strongly denies Colombian guerrilla group's claims .
Correa calls for investigation to prove FARC did not donate to his 2006 campaign .
Leader of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) makes claims in video .
Correa: Probe will find if he "received 20 cents from any foreign group, not just FARC"


(CNN)  -- Eight people were arrested Tuesday, one on a charge of murder, in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman at a remote Louisiana campsite during what police say was an initiation ceremony for the Ku Klux Klan.

Chuck Foster is charged with second-degree murder in the woman's death.

The woman, whose identity has not been confirmed, was recruited over the Internet to join the Klan by the suspects, said Capt. George Bonnett of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

The woman traveled from Oklahoma to Louisiana for the ceremony and was taken to a campsite near Sun, Louisiana, about 60 miles north of New Orleans.

On Sunday, the woman asked to be taken from the camp to a nearby town. An argument ensued, and the woman was fatally shot by the group's leader, Bonnett said.

Some of the suspects then tried to conceal the killing by burning the woman's personal items, he said.

Police received a tip about the killing and found the woman's body hidden under loose brush alongside a road, Bonnett said. The suspects, most of whom were still in the woods near the campsite several miles from where the body was found, were taken into custody without incident, he said.

The group's leader, identified as Chuck Foster, 44, was charged with second-degree murder. The others were charged with lesser crimes related to trying to conceal the killing, Bonnett said.

Authorities found weapons, several flags and six Klan uniforms in the area, he said.

Bonnett said he has not seen any Klan activity in the area in three years he has worked there. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were seven active Klan organizations in Louisiana in 2007, the last time the civil rights law firm tracked hate groups.

None of these organizations was in the Sun area.

CNN's Marylynn Ryan contributed to this report.

What did suspects recruit oklahoma woman to join?

Who are accused of trying to cover up killing?

Answer: the Klan

Answer: Chuck Foster

Answer: Eight

Answer: Some of the suspects

Answer: was an initiation ceremony for the Ku Klux Klan.

Answer: Sunday,

Summary:
Suspects recruited Oklahoma woman to join Klan, Louisiana police say .
She was shot after demanding to be taken to nearby town, authorities say .
Eight suspects are accused of trying to cover up killing .
One man is charged with second-degree murder .


(CNN)  -- Elvis Presley may have left the building three decades ago, but he raked in more money last year than many living titans of the music industry Singer Elvis Presley tops the Forbes list for the second year in a row, raking in $52 million last year. For the second year in a row, Presley topped the Forbes magazine's list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities, hauling in $52 million last year. In comparison, the very-much-alive Justin Timberlake earned $44 million while another superstar, Madonna, made $40 million, the magazine reported Tuesday. The 30th anniversary of Presley's death boosted attendance and merchandise sales last year at his Memphis, Tennessee, home, Graceland. A long list of licensing deals, such as a Presley show on satellite radio, added to the earnings. The business magazine has been compiling its annual list of departed celebrities' earnings since 2001. Since 2003, the feature has coincided with Halloween. This year, the top 13 celebrities earned a combined $194 million in the last 12 months. The magazine says it talked to people inside the celebrities' estates and calculated their gross earnings from October 2007 to October 2008. Some celebrities are staples on the list, which is in its eighth year. Cartoonist Charles Schulz, who created Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the assorted cast of "Peanuts" characters, is second on the list. Schulz, who died in 2000, had posthumous earnings last year of $33 million, the magazine reported. He owes his constant presence to a steady revenue stream from the ongoing licensing of his characters, the magazine said. Schulz and Presley join Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel (this year's No. 6), Beatles legend John Lennon (No. 7) and actress Marilyn Monroe (No. 9) as the only entertainers to make the list every year since its inception. Physicist Albert Einstein, best known for his theory of relativity, is fourth on the list. It is his third consecutive year making the Forbes rankings. Though he died in 1955, a franchise bearing his name -- Baby Einstein -- made big bucks last year selling educational books, DVDs, CDs, toys and other products. It plans to expand into the young-adult market this year. Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died of an overdose in January, made his debut on the list in third place. The magazine estimated his earnings at $20 million, thanks to the success of the movie, "The Dark Knight," in which Ledger played the Joker. The movie grossed $991 million worldwide. Paul Newman, who died of lung cancer last month, also made his first appearance on the list, raking in $5 million. "His income still largely stems from residuals from his classic pictures, as well as more recent productions," the magazine said. The legendary actor's line of natural and organic food products, Newman's Own, earned revenues of $120 million last year, but the earnings were not considered in the tally because Newman donated all profits to charity while he was living, the magazine said. Several entertainers from last year's list failed to make this year's cut, including composer, producer and Beatles guitarist George Harrison, rapper/actor Tupac Shakur, "Godfather of Soul" James Brown, and reggae legend Bob Marley.

Who earned more money than Justin Timberlake & Madonna last year?

Who are said to be still relevant among children?

What cartoonist remains relevant with kids?

Who earned more than Timberlake and Madonna?

Answer: Cartoonist

Answer: John Lennon

Answer: Elvis Presley

Answer: John Lennon

Answer: Elvis Presley

Answer: (No. 7)

Answer: George Harrison,

Answer: "Dr. Seuss"

Answer: George Harrison,

Answer: George Harrison, rapper/actor Tupac Shakur, "Godfather of Soul" James Brown, and reggae legend Bob Marley.

Answer: thanks to the success of the movie, "The Dark Knight,"

Answer: Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel

Answer: (No. 7)

Answer: the Joker.

Answer: Charles Schulz,

Answer: Heath Ledger,

Answer: Elvis Presley

Answer: Elvis Presley

Answer: guitarist George Harrison,

Answer: "Peanuts"

Answer: George Harrison,

Answer: Charles Schulz,

Answer: $40 million,

Summary:
Presley earned more than Justin Timberlake ($44M), Madonna ($40M) last year .
Cartoonist Charles Schulz, author Dr. Seuss still relevant among children .
Beatles' John Lennon comes in at No. 7, but George Harrison drops off list .
Heath Ledger debuts on list thanks to performance as Joker in "The Dark Knight"


(CNN)  -- Emergency teams on Sunday were assessing damage from deadly storms that devastated parts of Missouri, Kentucky and West Virginia this weekend -- even as the threat of more severe weather continued.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin tours Mingo County to assess damage caused by extensive rain and flooding.

The storm that tore through Madison County, Kentucky, on Friday was a category EF-3 tornado, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

An EF-3 is the third-strongest category of tornado, with winds of 136 to 165 mph, strong enough to destroy large buildings and lift cars off the ground.

At least one person was killed by that storm, with several other serious injuries. A waste water treatment plant was destroyed, two fire departments sustained major roof damage and some manufacturing facilities were damaged, local authorities said.

Three people were killed in southern Missouri during high winds, thunderstorms and flash floods. A couple was killed when a tree fell on their car on a highway near Poplar Bluff. A man died of a heart attack near Springfield when winds tossed him and his wife into an open field, officials said.

A weekend of storming in West Virginia destroyed as many as 400 buildings and severely damaged an additional 1,000, said Rob Jelacic of the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services.

"We are in recovery mode," Jelacic said Sunday.

There were no known deaths in West Virginia from the storms.

After the storms came floods. On Sunday, parts of the Meramec and Big rivers were rising feet above flood levels, causing residents already hit by the storms to seek higher ground.

Forecasters expected the Meramec to crest Monday 4 to 8 feet above flood state in St. Louis County. The big river was expected to crest a half-foot higher on Monday than it did Sunday.

How many people were killed in missouri?

Which state was hit by winds of up to 165 mph?

How many were killed during high winds in Missouri?

How many buildings were destroyed in West Virginia?

What did the storm in West Virginia destroy?

What weather conditions has southern Missouri been experiencing?

Answer: Three

Answer: Madison County, Kentucky,

Answer: Kentucky,

Answer: Three people

Answer: 400

Answer: 400

Answer: large buildings

Answer: deadly storms

Summary:
Tornado hits Kentucky with 136 to 165 mph winds, kills one .
Three killed in southern Missouri during high winds, thunderstorms, flash floods .
Man dies of a heart attack after winds tossed him and his wife into an open field .
Storm in West Virginia destroys 400 buildings, severely damaged an 1,000 .


(CNN)  -- England international footballer Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray by a court in his home city on Friday. England international Steven Gerrard was cleared by a court in Liverpool of affray. The jury at Liverpool Crown Court took a little over an hour to clear Gerrard of charges relating to a fracas in a nightclub bar in the north-western of England city on December 29 of last year. They accepted the Liverpool captain's version that he acted in self defense in punching businessman Marcus McGhee. The 29-year-old was the only one of the seven defendants in the case to be cleared after an incident which was described by judge Henry Globe as an "explosion of violence." Gerrard spoke of his relief outside the court. "Can I just say how pleased I am with today's verdict," he said. "I'm glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now. "I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool football club for supporting me." His comments were met with a round of applause from a large group of fans of the Premier League club who had gathered outside the court, before he was ushered away. Gerrard was celebrating in the Lounge Inn in Southport, a suburb of Liverpool, after scoring twice his team's 5-1 win at Newcastle which took them to the top of the Premier League. Video footage, which was available to the court, showed the moment around 2.am in the morning when trouble flared. Gerrard apparently wanted to change the music on the CD player and the 34-year-old McGee said the football star had acted aggressively in trying to grab the device. In the fracas which followed, Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only one connected. He claimed, and his version was accepted by the jury, that he believed he was about to be attacked himself. "You did not start the violence, it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends, John Doran," Globe said. "The victim's consequential actions of reeling backwards and then forwards and your actions in response to that movement forward has to be seen against that background," he added. Five other men have already pleaded guilty to affray and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior. They will be sentenced at a later date.

How many years old was the businessman?
What did Gerrard admit
Who was cleared by a Liverpool court?
Who was cleared of charges
What did Gerrard admit doing?
What did the Jury accept
Who did Gerrard admit to punching?
Who was cleared of affray charge?
What football star cleared of charge?
What was Gerrard's rationale?
What did Gerrard admitted?
What player has cleared waivers?
What was the verdict of the jury?
What was the reason for the punishment?

Answer: 29-year-old

Answer: throwing three punches

Answer: Steven Gerrard

Answer: Steven Gerrard

Answer: punching businessman Marcus McGhee.

Answer: They accepted the Liverpool captain's version that he acted in self defense

Answer: businessman Marcus McGhee.

Answer: Steven Gerrard

Answer: Steven Gerrard

Answer: he believed he was about to be attacked himself.

Answer: throwing three punches

Answer: Steven Gerrard

Answer: not guilty

Answer: threatening behavior.

Summary:
England football star Steven Gerrard cleared of affray charge by Liverpool court .
Gerrard admitted punching 34-year-old businessman Marcus McGhee .
Jury accepted his version that he acted in self defense in nightclub brawl .


(CNN)  -- English Premier League Fulham produced a superb performance in Switzerland on Wednesday to eliminate opponents Basel from the Europa League with a 3-2 victory. Roy Hodgson's men went into the away game needing victory to leapfrog their opponents and join Group E winners AS Roma in the last 32 of Europe's second-tier club competition. Fulham were led by striker Bobby Zamora, who capped a recent scoring spree with two goals just before halftime. Basel hit back with a disputed penalty before Zoltan Gera put Fulham 3-1 ahead with a neat finish. But a Marco Streller 87th minute strike for the home side set up a nervous finish for the visitors, who survived to reach the knockout stages. Roma beat CSKA Sofia in the group's other match with Alessandro Cerci scornig twice. In Group F, French star Djibril Cisse scored a late double as Panathinaikos booked their passage with a 3-0 home win over Dinamo Bucharest. Ante Rukavina set the Greek giants on their way to the last 32 with a 55th-minute strike. Turkish side Galatasaray won the group but lost 1-0 to Austria's Sturm Graz, who scored through Daniel Beichler. In Group D, Bundesliga Hertha Berlin beat Sporting Lisbon of Portugal 1-0 through Gojko Kacar's second half strike. It meant Dutch side Heerenveen were eliminated despite a 5-0 home victory over FK Ventspils. Second-half goals from Gerard Sibon, who scored twice, Mika Vayrynen, Viktor Elm and Darryl Janmaat gave Heerenveen victory, but Hertha's win spoiled their celebrations. Sporting were already through as group winners. Last season's UEFA Cup finalists Werder Bremen beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to top Group L, with both guaranteed their spots in Friday's draw. Bremen netted three times in the opening 36 minutes through Claudio Pizarro, Naldo and Markus Rosenberg to complete a comfortable win.

What was the score in the Werder Bremen Athletic Bilbao game

Answer: 3-2 victory.

Answer: Basel

Answer: Switzerland

Answer: Bundesliga Hertha Berlin

Answer: Basel

Answer: 3-0

Answer: Panathinaikos

Summary:
Fulham reach last 32 of Europa League at the expense of Basel with 3-2 win in Switzerland .
Greek giants Panathinaikos book place in knockout stage with 3-0 win over Dinamo Bucharest .
Hertha Berlin go through with 1-0 win over group winners Sporting Lisbon .
Fellow Bundesliga side Werder Bremen top Goup L after 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao .


(CNN)  -- Everything will glow -- the balloons, the table cloths, the blue martinis and the party favors. The red carpet will turn blue. Even the female impersonators will be painted -- you guessed it -- blue.

The first 50 guests will be given bright blue boas. There will be seven high-definition projection screens, and the winner of the trivia competition will win a massive, crystal-bedazzled Hpnotiq bottle. All-in-all, Edward Gisiger says, it's going to be one great Oscar party.

Gisiger is the owner of the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club in Chicago, Illinois. Every year the Kit Kat throws an elaborate themed party on Oscar night. This year they've chosen to transform the club into "The Land of Avatar," complete with Kit Kat diva Aurora Sexton playing the role of warrior princess Neytiri.

"This is one of the best years of Hollywood ever because of 'Avatar,' so there's a real reason to celebrate," Gisiger said.

With 10 best picture nominees, there are plenty of themes to choose from. But planning that party can be stressful and time consuming. CNN talked to Gisiger and other party-throwers to provide dos and don'ts for an award-worthy night.

Don't wait until Sunday

Mary Johnson and her friend Carolyn Mueller in Dayton, Ohio, held a "Julie & Julia" dinner party in December. The pair started prepping their individual ingredients on Tuesday, met on Wednesday to combine portions and baked early on Thursday to get all the dishes ready for Thursday night.

"Prepare as much of the food ahead of time so you can enjoy the party," Johnson recommends. "You also don't want to try new recipes out on a party. Choose recipes you feel comfortable with."

First season "Top Chef" host and cookbook writer Katie Lee offers the same advice. "It is important to be able to enjoy your party just as much as your guests. Don't keep yourself too occupied in the kitchen so you can join in on the fun. Put out a food and drink buffet to make it easier to serve."

Do make it interactive

Johnson and Mueller dressed up in old-school aprons, chef hats and pearls. Gisiger says this is a great way to get guests involved in the theme, especially if you offer them prizes for being creative.

Lee recommends creating ballot games and trivia to entertain guests in between watching category announcements at the Academy Awards show.

Do set the mood

Although Gisiger's budget may be a bit bigger than yours, his club's glowing blue atmosphere should inspire you.

"I think there are so many things you can do from home. It's just a way of being creative and making it different from others,'" the club owner said.

Gisiger suggests having a signature drink that follows the theme of the party, similar to his "Avatar Princess" martini made with vodka, Cognac and pineapple juice -- with a glow stick, of course.

Stacy Suzuki attended another "Julie & Julia" party in Hawaii where the host had guests bring a dish from Julia Child's cookbook. The recipes were on display and the dining table was set with lines from France. A French cooking DVD played in the background.

"A part-French poodle was running around the house wearing a doggie t-shirt made in Paris," she said.

Lee, also the Moet & Chandon spokeswoman, said you can offer your guests the same cocktail the stars are drinking on the red carpet and at the Governor's Ball -- Moet Golden Glamour.

Or bring the fashion world to your party by making it black tie optional and place digital cameras around the room to capture paparazzi shots, Lee suggested. Whatever you do, "don't keep the glamour to a minimum."

Don't have guests leave empty-handed

Suzuki's host created a full menu using all of Julia Child's recipes. When the guests left, the host had copies of the recipes available to take home

What number of best picture nominees are there?

How many best picture nominees were there

What should you not wait until the last minute to do

How many best picture nominees are there?

Aside from decorations, what else are party hosts suggested to do

Answer: 10

Answer: 10

Answer: "Prepare as much of the food ahead of time so you can enjoy the party,"

Answer: "Prepare as much of the food

Answer: 10

Answer: "Prepare as much of the food ahead of time so you can enjoy the party,"

Summary:
With 10 best picture nominees, it's easy to pick a great theme for an Oscar party .
Experts say not to wait until the last minute to prepare food or you'll miss the fun .
Set the mood with decorations, props and costumes, party hosts suggest .


(CNN)  -- Facing near-record floodwaters, Red River communities in Minnesota and North Dakota raced Tuesday to shore up levees and dikes, officials said.

"We're in the full flood fight mode here," Fargo, North Dakota, City Administrator Pat Zavoral said.

Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, causing the Red River to swell as it flows north. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, pushing water back toward the two cities.

Forecasters predict the river will crest Saturday about 20 feet above flood stage. Last year, the river rose to a record 40.8 feet at Fargo.

"We have every contractor we have in the area on a 24-hour shift, preparing dikes, hauling dirt, delivering sandbags," Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said.

"We have never lost a flood fight here in Fargo," he said. "We're going to be optimistic about this for the rest of the week, that we're going to be able to save our community one more time."

Volunteers have answered the call to fill 1 million sandbags this week, Zavoral said. "We're putting up temporary clay levees, and we've produced sandbags, and we're delivering them to the low-lying neighborhoods," he said.

Early Tuesday, the river level stood at 27.6 feet, according to the National Weather Service. Flood stage is 18 feet, according to the service.

"We thought we had a couple more weeks, and with the weather and the quick thaw and the rains we've had recently, it's really made it more difficult and it's really sped up the crest," Fargo police Sgt. Carlos Nestler said.

Residents in Fargo and Moorhead are busy building sandbag dikes along the river's edge.

Fargo's Kurt Kaye is doing what he did last year, helping friends protect their home from the rising Red River, which runs through their backyard.

Like most residents, he said he's resolved to keep the water at bay. "I think everyone is a little tired of it, but they'll get behind it and go," he said. "They need to get it done to save their houses."

Zavoral, the city administrator, said Fargo is better prepared this year to deal with a major flood.

"We've spent about $10 million putting in permanent flood protection in some of the neighborhoods and bought out about 26 homes in the low-lying areas," he said.

City officials have said they believe they'll need about 1 million fewer sandbags than were used last year.

Is severe weather happening near you? Share your stories, photos and video

Meanwhile, along the Eastern Seaboard, flooding fears eased as a powerful nor'easter pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, though scattered flood warnings were in place from the mid-Atlantic states to Maine.

Thousands of customers remained without power in the Northeast after rain and hurricane-force winds whipped the region over the weekend.

At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm, five caused by falling trees, authorities said.

See a tree on a house in New Jersey

Two people died in New Jersey. Authorities from Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia said they each had one storm-related death.

See photos of storm damage in Connecticut

The outages were caused mostly by power lines downed by Saturday's winds, which knocked over trees and utility poles. Winds reached 75 mph at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport -- as strong as a Category 1 hurricane.

CNN's Steve Kastenbaum contributed to this report.

what river is rising
What is the river expected to crest at?
What river is quickly rising?
What is Fargo preparing for?
Who do forecasters predict?
when will it crest
how many are without power
When will the river crest?
What were the deaths due to?

Answer: Red

Answer: about 20 feet above flood stage.

Answer: Red

Answer: near-record floodwaters,

Answer: the river will crest Saturday about 20 feet above flood stage.

Answer: Saturday

Answer: Thousands of customers

Answer: Saturday

Answer: the storm,

Summary:
Fargo, North Dakota, prepares as Red River rises quickly .
Forecasters predict river will crest Saturday about 20 feet above flood stage .
At least seven deaths attributed to powerful nor'easter along Eastern Seaboard .
Thousands still without power after storm in Northeast .


(CNN)  -- Fans around the world have gathered at arenas and record stores, big screens, parks and makeshift shrines, to watch the memorial service of Michael Jackson and pay homage to their idol. A Michael Jackson fan in Berlin watches footage of the memorial concert. As thousands of fans joined Jackson's family and closest friends at Los Angeles Staples Center arena, millions more followed proceedings on television and online. In Germany, at least 8,000 Jackson fans watched events in Los Angeles unfold at a Trauerfeier," (translated as Sadness Party) at Berlin's O2 World arena, reported CNN's Frederik Pleitgen.   Fans began arriving at least three hours before the event was due to begin, Pleitgen said. "He [Jackson] connects races, religions and ages," said one fan, "his music connects the world." Many fans were moved to tears when Jackson's daughter Paris Katherine wept as she called the singer "the best father you could ever imagine." Pleitgen added: "A lot of people got very wet eyes."  Watch fans gather in Berlin » South African former president Nelson Mandela paid his respects to Jackson in a statement read to the audience at the Los Angeles memorial by singer Smokey Robinson.  Watch Smokey Robinson deliver Mandela's message. » "Michael became close to us after he started visiting and performing in South Africa regularly. We grew fond of him and he became a close member of our family. We had great admiration for his talent and that he was able to triumph over tragedy on so many occasions in his life," Mandela said. "We mourn with the millions of families worldwide." In the southern Chinese enclave of Hong Kong, fans carried flowers and Jackson paraphernalia, such as a doll and record, at a memorial.  Watch Jackson tributes pour in from around the world » "I cannot accept MJ has already left us, and I think we should come here and do something for him and express our feeling to show that we really miss him," said one man. Hundreds of British fans in London braved torrential rain to watch a giant screen outside the city's O2 Arena, where Jackson was scheduled to play a series of 50 concerts from July 13. Many more fans are expected to converge on the venue next Monday to mark what would have been the first of his concert dates. See images of Jackson fans from around the globe » "I am still in denial," said Jenny Keme, 21. "We're going to stay here to the end of the ceremony even though it's pouring. He had such a gentle soul, that's what I love most about him." Celeste Dixon, 28, added: "He is the King of Pop, not was. No one will ever be worthy of him, he is bigger than life. Without Michael Jackson breaking barriers, Barack Obama would never have made it."  Elsewhere in London the cast of musical "Thriller- Live" paid their own tribute during the evening performance at the Lyric Theatre, with cast, crew and audience observing a minute's silence. "Many of them were in tears during it," reported CNN's Phil Black. The theater has become a shrine to Jackson, with devoted followers holding vigils and leaving cards and messages at the building's entrance. In Japan, meanwhile, hundreds of fans gathered at a Tower Records store -- where Jackson twice visited -- in Tokyo to watch his videos on a big screen. Followers were even offered the chance to take a photograph next to a cast of a footprint left by Jackson when he last visited.  Watch fans gather in Tokyo » In a bar in New Delhi, the Jackson memorial gathering was small -- only a dozen or so people. On the wall of the bar that usually only plays hard rock, Jackson's music was blasting, candles were lit underneath two framed pictures of Jackson and customers had written messages saying goodbye. The bar manager said: "We all grew up with Michael Jackson. Other generations had The Beatles,

In London, Jackson fans brave torrential downpours and hail to pay what?

What country did fans gatherer at record store?

Answer: Trauerfeier," (translated as Sadness Party)

Answer: Berlin's O2 World arena,

Answer: homage

Answer: Japan,

Summary:
"Sadness Party" held in Berlin, where fans follow service live from Los Angeles .
In London, Jackson fans brave torrential downpours and hail to pay tribute .
In Japan fans gathered at record store, have photo taken next to cast of footprint .
Online fans pay tribute to King of Pop, comment as service progresses .


(CNN)  -- Far too many passengers are being stranded on board commercial flights in the United States in delays, an air passengers' rights group said Wednesday. Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Continental Airlines, and US Airways received an overall grade of "F" on the air travel consumer report card. FlyersRights.org, in issuing what it calls an air travel consumer report card, said there were more than 1,200 tarmac strandings -- in which passengers are locked in planes on the runways -- in 2008. Delta Air Lines had the greatest number of tarmac delays longer than three hours. Southwest Airlines was rated the best for handling delays by letting customers get off delayed planes, as well as providing food, water and other items. The longest delay the organization found was a January 2008 Delta flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Florida, in which passengers waited on the tarmac for more than 10 hours without food and water. "Too many Americans have been locked inside sealed airplanes, trapped in tubes on the tarmac, for three hours or more," said FlyersRights.org Executive Director Kate Hanni. "It's time for Congress to give airline passengers the legal right to get off planes stuck on the ground for three hours or more." Hanni -- who has been lobbying for an airline passengers' bill of rights -- also said America's economic situation has exacerbated the problems consumers face on the airlines because of layoffs. "Airlines are trying to maintain or increase their profit margins," she said. "They have decreased all of their goods and services related to flying." She added that a timely flight is "not just a matter of passenger convenience, it's a matter of public safety." "I wonder if heroic Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger and his crew could have performed as they did after seven, nine or even 12 hours on the tarmac?" Hanni asked, making a reference to the US Airways crew that made an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River in January. Hanni started her organization after she was stranded on the tarmac on an American Airlines flight in Austin, Texas, for more than nine hours in December 2006. Mark Mogel, the group's research director, said FlyersRights.org has about 24,000 members, many of whom donate money, services and lobbying help. The report card is based on government statistics, press reports, airline Web site data, reports on the group's hotline, and eyewitness accounts from January to December of 2008. It surveyed 17 airlines for various kinds of tarmac delays, their menu and contracts of carriage and customer service commitments and issued grades for these separate factors and an overall grade. As for the menu, Mogel specified that the menu grade is based on quantity, not quality. The survey was looking to see whether there would be food on board during a tarmac delay. Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Continental Airlines, and US Airways received an overall grade of "F" and American Airlines received an overall grade of "D." United Airlines, Airtran and American Eagle got a "C." Alaska Airlines, Northwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines got a "B," and Southwest received an "A." Five other airlines -- Atlantic Southeast, Comair, ExpressJet, Mesa and Pinnacle -- didn't get an overall grade because some categories couldn't be completed. "The fact that some airlines have received A's and B's and others D's and F's on this report card also shows that providing decent customer service and avoidance of strandings is both achievable and should not place an undue burden on the airline industry or lead to higher ticket prices," the report's executive summary said. CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.

Which airline had the most tarmac delays?

What is the site that graded airlines for tarmac standings, menu and customer service?

Answer: "A."

Answer: Delta Air Lines

Answer: Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Continental

Answer: Southwest received an "A."

Answer: FlyersRights.org,

Answer: government statistics, press reports, airline Web site data, reports on the group's hotline, and eyewitness accounts from January to December of 2008.

Answer: FlyersRights.org,

Summary:
FlyersRights.org graded airlines for tarmac strandings, menu, customer service .
Delta Air Lines had the most tarmac delays lasting longer than three hours .
Delta, JetBlue, Continental, and US Air got overall grades of 'F'
Southwest Airlines got an overall 'A'


(CNN)  -- Federal investigators are concerned a potential danger persists because of the simultaneous use of intersecting runways at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the nation's busiest and a gateway to the New York metro area.

The alert comes after repeated instances in which planes above the Newark airport flew too close to each other in violation of safety standards. There were four such instances last year and at least four this year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general.

In one case, on January 16, 2008, two Continental planes -- a Boeing B-737 and an Embraer 145 -- missed each other by 600 feet, according to a DOT inspector general's report.

"That was very scary. I was there for that one personally in the control tower, and it scared the heck out of everybody up there," said Ray Adams, a Newark air traffic controller.

Potential danger arises when approaching planes need to abort their landings, which happens about every 700 flights at Newark, according to a Federal Aviation Administration analysis.

In what the FAA calls "go-arounds," the diverted plane approaching Newark has to make a sharp right turn through the flight path of planes landing and taking off from an intersecting runway, allowing little margin for error.

"There was a distinct possibility that we could have had a collision with these operations," Adams said.

Adams said he raised the safety issue to the FAA but got nowhere. He persisted, taking his complaint to New Jersey's congressional delegation, which organized two meetings last year with FAA officials.

In response, Adams said, he was punished, put on paid leave for 11 months, then leave without pay for a month. The FAA said the disciplinary actions had nothing to do with Adams' safety complaints.

Adams filed a whistle-blower complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the agency that investigates whistle-blower complaints. Adams' complaint led DOT Inspector General Calvin Scovel to investigate. Scovel found merit in Adams' concerns, concluding in a report two months ago that "questions about the safety of the runway 22L-11 approach configuration at Newark persist."

In response, the FAA promised to use a computer program that helps air traffic controllers stagger aircraft to ensure proper spacing.

On November 5, the DOT wrote to the Office of Special Counsel confirming the computer system had been put to use at Newark on October 26. The next day the Office of Special Counsel learned the technology was no longer in use at Newark.

"I am outraged," said Rep. Donald Payne, D-New Jersey. "When you put into jeopardy the human lives at risk, it can't get any more serious than that."

FAA spokesperson Laura Brown said, "There was no intent to deceive anyone about what we were doing." She added, "FAA safety officers wanted to make absolutely sure employees were fully trained on the equipment." The FAA said it intends to have the computer system fully operational at Newark by mid-December.

Last week the Office of Special Counsel raised the matter with President Obama, writing that "we found a substantial likelihood that FAA officials were engaging in conduct that constitutes gross mismanagement and a substantial and specific danger to public safety."

Meanwhile, after a year out of the control tower, Adams returned to his regular job Wednesday at Newark air traffic control.

what is the potential danger?
What did the faa say?
What did the inspector say?
What does air traffic controller say?
What flew too close to each other?
what does the inspector general say?
What is to be used in December?

Answer: use of intersecting runways

Answer: the disciplinary actions had nothing to do with Adams' safety complaints.

Answer: There were four such instances last year

Answer: "There was a distinct possibility that we could have had a collision with these operations,"

Answer: planes above the Newark airport

Answer: The alert comes after repeated instances in which planes above the Newark airport flew too close to each other in violation of safety standards. There were four such instances last year and at least four this year,

Answer: computer program that helps air traffic controllers stagger aircraft

Summary:
Concerns cited about potential danger of using intersecting runways at Newark .
DOT inspector general: Planes above airport flew too close to each other repeatedly .
Air traffic controller says he was punished for raising safety issue with FAA .
FAA: Computer system that helps controllers stagger aircraft to be in use in December .


(CNN)  -- Fifteen employees were fired for improperly accessing medical records of Nadya Suleman, the mother of octuplets, a Kaiser Permanente spokesman said Monday.

Nadya Suleman has been the subject of much curiosity since she gave birth to octuplets.

"We always provide training on the importance of patient privacy and confidentiality," said Jim Anderson, the hospital spokesman.

"We knew from the time she (Nadya Suleman) was admitted to the hospital in December, this case would attract attention.

"Numerous training sessions were held to remind people of the need to keep the information confidential."

Eight other employees of the Bellflower, California hospital were disciplined for accessing Suleman's files, Anderson said.

Anderson said there's no indication that any of the information was distributed outside the hospital to the media.

Suleman, a resident La Habra, California, and already a single mother with six young children, gave birth to the octuplets through in-vitro fertilization, fueling controversy.

News of her collecting public assistance for some of her children also outraged many taxpayers.

Suleman had how many kids before the octuplets?

Was there information distributed outside the hospital?

who said training was given emphasizing?

How many employees were disciplined for accessing Nadya Suleman's files?

Answer: six young children,

Answer: no indication

Answer: Jim Anderson, the hospital spokesman.

Answer: Nadya Suleman,

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: Eight

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: six

Summary:
Eight other employees disciplined for accessing Nadya Suleman's files .
Kaiser Permanente says training was given emphasizing privacy issues .
Spokesman: There's no indication any information was distributed outside hospital .
Suleman was mother of six when she gave birth to octuplets .


(CNN)  -- Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao says he wants one final bout as a professional and it looks set to be an eagerly-awaited match-up against Floyd Mayweather Jr. later this year.

National hero Pacquiao will enter the Philippine parliament after winning a seat in this week's elections, but has one more ambition to fulfil in the ring.

"Many fans really want me to fight Floyd Mayweather so I asked my Mama if we can give them one more fight, she said okay," AFP quoted Pacquiao in an interview with broadcaster ABS-CBN.

"We spoke yesterday and she said just one last fight, Mayweather."

"Pacman" is rated by Ring magazine as the greatest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet after winning an unprecedented seven world titles at different weight divisions.

Mayweather is unbeaten in 41 fights and is a huge draw at the box office, earning the nickname "Money" in amassing a fortune on his way to nine world titles in five different weight classes.

The two were due to fight earlier this year, but negotiations ended acrimoniously with Pacquiao angered by the insistence of the Mayweather camp for Olympic style pre-fight drugs tests.

It appeared to remain a major sticking point, along with Pacquiao's political ambitions and the influence of his mother Dionisia, who reportedly wants her son to retire from the ring.

But with leading American promoter Bob Arum pulling the strings, visiting the Philippines to watch Pacquiao campaign for the election, the fight all boxing fans want to see could now be on.

The Manila Standard newspaper reported that the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, where Pacquiao had his last fight against Joshua Clottey and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where Mayweather was last in action, had both been booked for November 13.

what would amass huge sums in box office revenue

Answer: Pacquiao

Answer: Mayweather

Summary:
Manny Pacquiao hints at final professional bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Pacquiao was speaking after winning a seat in the Filipino national parliament .
Bout against Mayweather would amass huge sums in box office revenue .


(CNN)  -- Five people were killed and 10 critically injured Saturday when a minivan crashed on I-10 near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, state police said. Fifteen people were in the minivan, said Trooper Russell Graham, and only two were wearing seat belts. Among the dead were children as young as 3 years old, he said. "The minivan blew out a tire and the driver lost control," Graham said. The vehicle "sideswiped a box truck and then ran off the road into the left median, overturned multiple times and finally came to rest upright on the eastbound side of I-10," Graham said. The one person in the truck was not injured. The accident shut down I-10 in both directions shortly after 12:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m. ET); one lane in each direction was opened about two hours later. Alcohol and drugs were not suspected factors in the crash, but blood was drawn from the driver -- one of the fatalities -- to confirm, Graham said. The accident came soon after the Louisiana Legislature passed a law requiring riders in every seat to be buckled up. "This is an example of why we implemented that law," Graham said. "It's very frustrating for us to come out here and see children dead," he said.

What caused the crash?
Where did the crash occur?
How many people were in the minivan?
The crash occurred because?
State police say what about the crash?
Where did the crash occurr?
How many people were earing seatbelts?
How many people were in the van?
When did the crash take place?

Answer: minivan blew out a tire and the driver lost control,"

Answer: on I-10

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: blew out a tire and the driver lost control,"

Answer: Five

Answer: near Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

Answer: two

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: Saturday

Summary:
State police: 15 people were in the minivan, only two in seatbelts .
Crash occurred after minivan blew a tire, trooper says .
Crash near Baton Rouge shut down I-10 in both directions for about two hours .


(CNN)  -- Five people were killed in a boating accident near Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday evening, a rescue official said. CNN affiliate WJXT shows the scene of the deadly boating accident near Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday. Twelve people were aboard the boat that crashed into 25-foot tugboat and barge at a dock and boat launch under construction on the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Valley, said Jeremy Robshaw, a spokesman for St. Johns County Fire and Rescue. The remaining seven were hospitalized for serious injuries, he said. The accident happened about 7 p.m. about 20 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville. Robshaw said rescuers couldn't initially reach the end of the unfinished dock, but laid plywood sheets on the structure to get to crash victims.

Where did the boat crash?
how many people was killed?
How many were on the boat?
What did the boat crash into?
how many people was rescue?
How many people were killed?
Where was the boat?
What caused the crash?

Answer: Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Valley,

Answer: Five

Answer: Twelve people

Answer: 25-foot tugboat and barge

Answer: seven

Answer: Five people

Answer: near Jacksonville, Florida,

Answer: boating accident

Summary:
Rescue official: 12 people were aboard the boat near Jacksonville, Florida .
Boat crashed into tugboat, barge and dock under construction .
Five people killed; remaining seven take to hospital with serious injuries .
Rescuers had to use plywood panels to reach the passengers .


(CNN)  -- Five-time defending champion Roger Federer is bidding to match the record of a controversial tennis legend who dominated the sport in the 1920s but died in disgrace. Tilden dominated tennis in the 1920s with his own trademark style. American Bill Tilden achieved fame and fortune through his tennis exploits and befriended Hollwyood stars such as Charle Chaplin, but he spent over a year in jail in the 1940s on a morals charge, which ruined his reputation before his untimely death in 1953. Tilden won his six straight U.S. Open titles from 1920-1925 - a record since the tournament abolished the challenge system - where the champion automatically qualified for the final - in 1911. Under that system, Richard Sears won the first seven editions of the U.S. Open (then the U.S. National Tennis Championships) in the 1880s. Tilden, who claimed his seventh U.S .Open title in 1929 as well as being twice a losing finalist, goes down in the history books as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. A relatively late starter, Tilden struggled to get into his college tennis team in Pennsylvania, but years of dedicated practice started to bear fruit after the First World War as he reached the U.S. Open finals of 1918 and 1919. He reached his peak in the 1920s, winning his first U.S. Open title and holding the world number one spot for seven straight years. Tilden also led the United States to a record seven straight Davis Cup titles as well as claiming three Wimbledon titles. His famed "cannonball" services worked particularly well on the fast grass surfaces on which the U.S. Open and Wimbledon were staged. Tilden never won the French Open being losing finalist in the last year it was held on grass courts, in 1927, and 1930 on clay. He won the last of his 10 grand slam titles at Wimbledon in 1930 before deserting the amateur ranks for the fledging professional circuit Eventually joined by the likes of Ellsworth Vines, Fred Perry and Don Budge, Tilden remained a star attraction until well into his 40s, filling arenas such as Madison Square Garden in big money matches. But off the court, Tilden was a controversial figure, battling with tennis officials as his amateur status was called into question and being accused of being arrogant and inconsiderate. Tilden, who never married, saw his reputation destroyed in the 1940s when he was found guilty of a morals charge in connection with a minor. He served seven-and-a-half months of a year jail term but was arrested again in 1949 after picking up a 16-year-old male hitchhiker. Tilden served a further 10 months for his probation violation and was shunned by the tennis community. His friendship with Hollywood stars such as Chaplin and a love of the theatrical world saw Tilden pour much of his riches into less than successful Broadway productions. He died a tragic figure in 1953, having a stroke in Los Angeles as he prepared for a trip to play in the U.S. Pro Championships despite his 60 years of age. Tilden was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1959 and in any polls of all-time great tennis players always features in the top order. Federer, who won a record 15th grand slam title at Wimbledon, is top seed at Flushing Meadows, the venue since 1978.

What did the  American legend serve two prison sentences for?

How many grand slams did Tilden win in the 1920s?

Answer: in the 1920s

Answer: a morals charge in connection with a minor.

Answer: 1953.

Answer: 10

Answer: Bill Tilden

Summary:
Roger Federer seeking to match the six straight U.S. Open wins of Bill Tilden .
Tilden dominated tennis in the 1920s, winning 10 grand slam titles .
The American legend served two prison sentences on morals charges in the 1940s .
Tilden was shunned by the tennis comminty and died at the age of 60 .


(CNN)  -- Flash floods have inundated refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka, endangering more than 16,000 Tamil refugees who only months ago survived cross-fire in the country's two-decade civil war, the United Nations says. In this file photo Tamil civilians are seen at Menik Farm refugee camp on the outskirts of Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. Three days of heavy rains have damaged or destroyed nearly 2,000 shelters housing the refugees in the Vavuniya District and in Menik Farm, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. An internal U.N. memo obtained by CNN painted a dismal picture for the refugees, who have been caught in mud flows and the runoff from flooded latrines. "Due to heavy showers on 14 August 09 ... many tents and toilets were submerged/badly damaged," the memo said. "Reportedly more than 300 families gathered together and marched towards the main access gate of the Zone to protest," the memo continued. "Though ... not violent, they seemed disgruntled and agitated due to the sufferings and expressed their resentment by hooting and making noises." The camps spread across northern Sri Lanka are home to about 280,000 people, who were displaced in the final months of the nation's civil war. The flooding came ahead of Sri Lanka's monsoon season, which typically brings heavy rains to the country's northeast from October till January. "If the rain continues, which is very likely, then the overall situation may go out of control of the management and lead to serious security threat," the memo warned, saying contingency plans are being "discussed and worked out." Human Rights Watch has called for the immediate release of Tamil civilians living in the camps, which are surrounded by barbed wire, saying they are being confined against their will, like criminals. "Those are not detention camps," Lakshman Hulugalle, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said in late July. "They are relief villages. All the basic facilities are being given to the people." Hulugalle said that barbed wire is commonly used to define barriers in Sri Lanka and that military guards were being used out of security concerns. The government fears that rebels are hiding in the camps and is screening people living in them. Sri Lanka declared victory in May in its 25-year battle with the Tamil Tiger rebels, but concerns remain about how the island nation can heal its deep war wounds. The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -- had waged war for an independent state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka since July 1983. As many as 70,000 people were killed in the conflict. Last month the government said it had a 18-day plan to resettle most of the refugees, but added that a lot of work remains to be done to infrastructure and basic services destroyed in the fighting. Human rights activists say, however, that the government is not working fast enough. Human Rights Watch said Sri Lanka's goal now was to resettle only 60 percent of the refugees by year's end.

who has  called for immediate release of Tamil civilians at camps?

How many families were protesting the conditions?

Who called for immediate release of Tamil civilians?

Answer: flooding

Answer: more than 300

Answer: Human Rights Watch

Answer: Tamil refugees

Answer: 300

Answer: Human Rights Watch

Answer: more than 300

Answer: Flash floods

Summary:
Refugees caught in mud flows, runoff from flooded latrines, internal U.N. memo says .
More than 300 families protest conditions, memo says .
Flooding comes ahead of Sri Lanka's monsoon season .
Human Rights Watch has called for immediate release of Tamil civilians at camps .


(CNN)  -- Following the World Health Organization's announcement that radio frequency emissions from cell phones may increase the risk of some kinds of brain cancer, what do you need to know about the radiation coming from your phone?

How can you protect yourself? And should RF emission information be listed on cell phone packaging, and in stores?

First things first: The WHO study did not say "cell phones cause brain cancer."

Rather, there is some evidence indicating a possible connection -- and while not conclusive, it warrants further study.

Consequently, WHO has now categorized radio frequency electromagnetic fields as a "group 2B" possible human carcinogen. Here's how Ed Yong, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, explained it in his detailed analysis of the WHO announcement:

"Group 2B means that there is some evidence for a risk but it's not that convincing. This group ends up being a bit of a catch-all category, and includes everything from carpentry to chloroform."

Dr. Gupta: Cell phones, brain tumors

So it's worth being aware of this classification -- just as you should be mindful of your intake of coffee, another group 2B carcinogen. But this announcement is not a reason to panic.

Would labels help?

San Francisco has been wrestling with whether to require cell phones to be labeled for their RF emissions.

Last year, the city tried to mandate cell phone radiation labeling in stores, originally to take effect February 2011. But according to the San Francisco Chronicle, "implementation was delayed until May 1, then June 15. There now is no proposed start date."

The city backtracked on this partly out of concern over a lawsuit filed by the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association -- but also because officials didn't know how to ensure the accuracy of the labels.

Scientists aren't sure what's the most realistic, intuitive way to communicate cell phone RF emissions to consumers.

Specific absorption rate, a measure of the rate of RF energy that your body absorbs from the phone, is the most commonly cited benchmark. For a phone to be certified by the FCC and sold in the U.S., for example, its maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6 watts per kilogram.

But Joel Moskowitz, director of the Center for Family and Community Health at University of California, Berkeley, told the Chronicle that "specific absorption rate isn't a very useful measure because it's the peak reading on a variety of tests conducted on cell phones to measure their radiation, but doesn't indicate the average amount of radiation a user would generally be exposed to."

He likened it to a car's gas mileage being reported only based on driving it up a steep hill. Such a measurement could actually make a car shopper avoid a hybrid because it doesn't perform well on hills, even though it would generally consume less gas.

CNET recently updated its guide to cell phone radiation levels, which ranks phones according to SAR.

Cell phones and radiation: The 10 highest- and lowest-emitting models

What cell phone users can do

If you are concerned that cell phones might increase your cancer risk, probably the best way to put the WHO announcement to good use is to minimize how much you hold your cell phone next to your head.

More tips on minimizing cell phone radiation

Your best bet is to use a headset that physically plugs in to your phone, such as earbuds with a microphone attached. Unlike Bluetooth headsets, this entails no additional RF exposure near your head -- although it may take a moment to connect your headset to your phone.

While the WHO examined only the possible risk of brain cancer, you can further reduce your cell phone RF exposure by placing your phone a few inches away from your body while using it -- such as in a purse or on the table.

Or whenever possible, talk via your phone's speaker function, or send a text message instead of placing a call.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Amy Gahran.

What is radio frequency electromagnetic classified as?

What is the most commonly cited benchmark?

What absorption rate is the most commonly cited?

Answer: "group 2B"

Answer: World Health Organization's

Answer: Specific absorption rate, a measure of the rate of RF energy that your body absorbs from the phone,

Answer: a "group 2B" possible human carcinogen.

Answer: less than 1.6 watts per kilogram.

Answer: cell phones may increase the risk of some kinds of brain cancer,

Answer: "Group 2B

Summary:
WHO classifies radio frequency electromagnetic fields as a "group 2B" possible carcinogen .
Group is catch-all category, and includes everything from carpentry to chloroform .
Scientists aren't sure how to communicate cell phone RF emissions to consumers .
Specific absorption rate is the most commonly cited benchmark .


(CNN)  -- For almost a week, tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in daily protests -- handkerchiefs shielding their faces from the pungency of tear gas, fists punching the air, and chants of "Down with the dictator" echoing against buildings. Moussovi supporters rally Wednesday in Tehran, Iran. Released by Fars News Agency of Iran. The massive outpouring is a result of a disputed presidential election that the protesters think coronated the incumbent hard-liner, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, over their candidate, Mir Hossain Moussavi. Context can help put their grievances into perspective: Q. The Iran that we know today is the result of the Islamic Revolution. What is it? A. The Islamic Revolution is the name given to the Iranian revolution of 1979, when the ruling U.S.-supported monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was forced into exile.  See timeline of recent Iranian history » The country held a national referendum to become an Islamic republic and approve a new constitution. The constitution was a hybrid of democracy and unelected religious leadership. It appointed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini -- the leader of the revolution -- the supreme leader of the country. Before he died in 1989, he made it known that he wanted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to succeed him. Q. Is it true that the ultimate power in Iran lies with Khamenei? A. Yes. The supreme leader has the final say in all important matters of the country, such as ties with foreign nations or Iran's nuclear aspirations. He appoints the Guardian Council -- the country's election authority. He also appoints key posts in the intelligence services and the armed forces, including the powerful Revolutionary Guard. Additionally, he confirms the president's election. In theory, the supreme leader is appointed by a body of clerics whom voters elect. But in practice, this body -- the Assembly of Experts -- has answered to the supreme leader. Khamenei, 70, was appointed supreme leader for life in 1989. Q. What is the Guardian Council, which has been in the news, saying it will recount some of the votes in the disputed election? A. The unelected Guardian Council is the second-most influential body in Iran politics. It consists of six theologians whom the supreme leader picks and six jurists nominated by the judiciary and approved by parliament. The council approves all candidates running for office in the country, and verifies election results. It vetoes bills passed by the parliament if they do not conform to the constitution and Islamic law. In the present crisis, opposition leader Moussavi has had to take his grievance to the Guardian Council. It has agreed to some vote recounts.  See galleries of protests in Iran » Q. So, how much power does the president wield? A. It depends on how nicely he plays with the Guardian Council. The president is elected by direct vote to a four-year term, for a maximum of two terms. He is responsible for economic policy and social programs, but most of the larger decisions are made by the supreme leader. In theory, his powers are second to the supreme leader's. But in practice, he is often hamstrung by the Guardian Council. The Guardian Council has worked with hard-liner Ahmadinejad, a 53-year-old former mayor of Tehran who was elected in 2005. But it thwarted reform attempts by his predecessor, Mohammad Khatami. Q. What is the Revolutionary Guard, who said they will take legal action against pro-Moussavi Web sites? A. The guard was initially created to protect the leaders of the revolution. But over the years, it has broadened its scope. Today, it is directly under the control of the supreme leader and enforces the governments' Islamic codes and morality With more than 200,000 members, it is tasked with overseeing the country's crucial interests, including guarding its oil fields and missile arsenals. Q. What is the Basij, who are said to be behind most of the violence against opposition supporters? A. The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the Revolutionary Guard. It

What has followed the election results?
What did the protest follow?
Where are the protests happening?

Answer: daily protests

Answer: disputed presidential election

Answer: Tehran, Iran.

Summary:
Protests have followed disputed presidential election results in Iran .
President Ahmadinejad is popular across Iran's rural areas, among Basij militia .
Protesters say not out to challenge the Islamic regime, just want fresh vote .
Iran previously saw protests, public calls for reform in 1999 and 2000 .


(CNN)  -- Former Argentina international defender Fernando Caceres is fighting for his life in a Buenos Aires hospital after being shot in the head during an armed robbery. The 40-year-old Caceres, who played for Argentina in the 1994 World Cup, was gunned down as a gang tried to steal his BMW car in the early hours of Sunday morning. A bullet has reportedly entered his head through his right eye, and he remains in a coma in a grave condition. Caceres was visited by his former Boca Juniors teammate and national coach Diego Maradona, who clearly distressed, told reporters outside the hospital that crime was rife in the Argentine capital. "This is a time bomb, going out is a constant danger," Maradona told television station TyCSports. "This happens every day, nobody does anything and something must be done. "Caceres is in the hands of God and I hope it helps," Maradona added. The attack happened in the Fort Apache area of Buenos Aires, which is where Manchester City star Carlos Tevez grew up, and is notorious for high crime levels. Players from two of his former clubs, Argentinos Juniors and Independiente displayed a banner of support for him ahead of their later match in the Argentine league on Sunday. Caceres won the league title with River Plate in 1991 and the European Cup Winners Cup with Spanish side Real Zaragoza in 1995. He played 24 games for Argentina, helping them to the Copa America in 1993 before appearing at the World Cup finals in the United States a year later. Caceres ended his playing career at his original club of Argentinos Juniors in 2007 and has been coaching at Independiente.

What is Maradona's relation to Caceres?
What is wrong with Fernando Caceres?
Who is in grave condition?
What did Caceres enjoy?
Who visited Caceres?
What did Caceres do for a career?

Answer: Boca Juniors teammate

Answer: shot in the head

Answer: Fernando Caceres

Answer: Argentine league

Answer: by his former Boca Juniors teammate and national coach Diego Maradona,

Answer: Argentina in the 1994 World Cup,

Summary:
Former Argentina international Fernando Caceres in grave condition in hospital .
Caceres shot in the head as gang try to steal his BMW car in Buenos Aires .
Argentina football legend Diego Maradona visits Caceres in hospital .
40-year-old Caceres enjoyed a distinquished club and international career .


(CNN)  -- Former Italian international star Filippo Inzaghi scored a hat-trick as AC Milan went second in Serie A with a 5-1 win over Torino in the San Siro on Sunday. Beckham and Mathieu Flamini take part in an unusual goal celebration in the San Siro. The legendary goalscorer has now put away nine in the last six matches but it was his combination with England international David Beckham which electrified the Milan fans. Beckham, who had sat out the last two games because of a shoulder injury, set up Inzaghi for his opening two goals in the 13th and 37th minutes from a corner and a clever chip, both headed home. After the interval, Inzaghi completed his hat-trick on the hour mark before Kaka added a penalty for the fourth. Ivan Franceschini pulled one back for Torino in the 80th minute, but Massimo Ambrosini rounded off the Milan scoring in the final minute. The win sees Milan level on points with Juventus but with a better goal difference. They trail leaders Inter by 10 points. In the battle for the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot, AS Roma beat Lecce 3-2 with captain Francesco Totti scoring twice. Fifth-placed Fiorentina hardly helped their cause with a 3-1 defeat to Udinese, missing the chance to move a place higher after Genoa lost 1-0 at home to Lazio on Saturday. Improving Roma are now three points behind Fiorentina and five adrift of fourth-placed Genoa. Kwadwo Asamoah put Udinese ahead in the 10th minute lead and Gaetano D'Agostino doubled the lead from the penalty spot early in the second half. Dario Dainelli pulled one back for La Viola after 67 minutes but D'Agostino's second sealed three points.

How many times did Francesco Totti score

Who continues a impressive scoring streak?

Answer: twice.

Answer: scored a hat-trick

Answer: captain Francesco Totti

Answer: AS

Answer: Filippo Inzaghi

Summary:
Inzaghi continues impressive scoring streak with another hat-trick .
Returning Beckham supplies assists for opening two goals in San Siro .
Francesco Totti scores twice as AS Roma beat Lecce 3-2 .


(CNN)  -- Former Olympic champion Angel Matos of Cuba faces a life ban after kicking a referee flush in the face during his taekwondo bronze medal match in Beijing. Matos reacted in extraordinary fashion to being disqualified by Chelbat. Matos, who took gold in Sydney in 2000, was winning 3-2, with just over a minute left in the second round, when he fell to the mat after being hit by his opponent, Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov. Matos lay down, awaiting medical attention, but was then disqualified by referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden for taking too much injury time. A furious Matos reacted by pushing a judge, then pushed and kicked Chelbat in the face. It left the Swede with blood pouring from his lip while Matos spat on the floor and was then escorted out of the arena. "We didn't expect anything like what you have witnessed to occur," said World Taekwondo Federation secretary general Yang Jin-suk. "I am at a loss for words," he told the Associated Press. Matos' coach, Leudis Gonzalez, is also in hot water for his angry reaction and claiming the Kazakhs had tried to fix the match. "This is an insult to the Olympic vision, an insult to the spirit of taekwondo and, in my opinion, an insult to mankind," Yang added. Although the arena announcer said Matos and his coach were banned effective immediately, Yang said due process must be followed before officially banning the two. It was not the only controversial moment in the four-day taekwondo competition, which was marred by several protests against judging decisions. Earlier Saturday, China's double gold medalist Chen Zhong crashed out in the quarterfinals after initially being declared the winner. She was fighting Britain's Sarah Stevenson, who scored with a clear head kick -- worth two points -- in the final seconds of their bout. That would have put Stevenson ahead and into the semifinals, but the judges ruled Stevenson's kick wasn't solid enough for points, and Chen was declared the winner 1-0. After Britain protested, the result was changed to put Stevenson in the semifinal. She lost that to jeers from the partisan Chinese crowd, but later won a bronze medal match. It was the first time a match result has been overturned since taekwondo became an official Olympic sport.

From whom are Matos and his coach facing life bans?

what is the reason for Macos to be furious with Chelbat?

Who kicks referee in the face during bronze medal match?

They are facing life bans from which sport?

What are Matos and his coach  facing life bans from?

Who  was furious with Sweden's Chakir Chelbat after being disqualified?

Answer: kicking a referee

Answer: World Taekwondo Federation

Answer: disqualified by referee

Answer: Former Olympic champion Angel Matos

Answer: taekwondo

Answer: kicking a referee

Answer: being disqualified by Chelbat.

Answer: face

Answer: referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden

Answer: Matos

Answer: Angel Matos

Summary:
Cuba's Angel Matos kicks referee in the face during bronze medal match .
Matos was furious with Sweden's Chakir Chelbat after being disqualified .
Matos and his coach are facing life bans from taekwondo .


(CNN)  -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton landed in North Korea early Tuesday on a mission to negotiate the release of two American journalists imprisoned there since March, according to the country's state news agency and a CNN source. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is shown at an environmental summit in Seoul, South Korea, in May. The North Korean news agency KCNA did not disclose the purpose of the visit in its three-line dispatch. But a source with detailed knowledge of the former president's movements told CNN late Monday that Clinton was going to seek the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, both reporters for California-based Current TV -- media venture launched by Clinton's former vice president, Al Gore. Meeting Clinton were the vice president of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, Yang Hyong Sop, and Kim Kye Gwan, the vice foreign minister, KCNA reported, adding that "a little girl presented a bouquet to Bill Clinton." The women were arrested while reporting on the border between North Korea and China and sentenced in June to 12 years in prison on charges of entering the country illegally to conduct a smear campaign. Since the United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, efforts to resolve the issue so far have been handled through Sweden, which represents U.S. interests in the reclusive communist state.  Watch what may lie behind the pick of Bill Clinton » Last month, Clinton's wife -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- said the Obama administration had dropped its request for Ling and Lee to be released on humanitarian grounds and instead was seeking amnesty, which implies forgiveness for an offense. This change in language is an important distinction that could move North Korea to release the women without feeling that its legal system has been slighted, according to analyst Mike Chinoy. "I suspect that it was made pretty clear in advance that Bill Clinton would be able to return with these two women otherwise it would be a terrible loss of face for him," said Chinoy, an Edgerton Senior Fellow on Asia at the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles. "The bigger, broader and more important question is what else could be on the agenda. Will Clinton be carrying a letter from Barack Obama for the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il? Will he meet Kim Jong Il?" Clinton's mission comes as the United States and its allies in the region are trying to push North Korea back into stalled nuclear disarmament talks. North Korea conducted a nuclear bomb test, its second, in May, and has conducted several missile tests since then. The United Nations responded by tightening and expanding sanctions on the North. The two nations were on opposite sides in the 1950-1953 Korean War and had no regular contacts before a 1994 crisis over North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea agreed at that time to halt the development of nuclear weapons, but abandoned that accord and withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003. Clinton had considered visiting North Korea in 2000 near the end of his second term as president. His secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, had gone to Pyongyang in early 2000 to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il -- now widely reported to be ill. CNN's Charlie Moore contributed to this report.

What does the US not have with North Korea?

Which country does the US not have diplomatic relations with?

Answer: Euna Lee,

Answer: no diplomatic relations

Answer: North Korea,

Answer: Laura Ling and Euna Lee,

Answer: United States

Answer: Current TV

Answer: "I suspect that it was made pretty clear in advance that Bill Clinton would be able to return with these two women otherwise it would be a terrible loss of face for him,"

Summary:
NEW: Signs point to Clinton being able to win amnesty for reporters, Chinoy says .
Reporters Ling and Lee work for Gore's Current TV .
The United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea .
Bill Clinton visit comes amid North Korean impasse over its nuclear program .


(CNN)  -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met Sunday in Damascus, Syria, with Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of Hamas' political wing, a Hamas official said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, left, walks with Jimmy Carter north of Damascus on Sunday, December 14. The five-hour meeting ended late Sunday and covered several issues, including Cpl. Gilad Shalit -- an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas since June 2006, the official said. Carter previously met with Meshaal in April. In that meeting, the Hamas leader promised Carter that the group would allow Shalit to send a message to his parents, Noam and Aviva. Carter also asked Hamas to release Shalit, Meshaal said after the former president's visit, but the request was rejected.  Watch report on Carter's meeting » Hamas said Sunday it will soon release a statement about the latest meeting between Carter and Meshaal. Carter's series of meetings with top Hamas officials in April garnered condemnation from the U.S. and Israeli governments. They criticized him for engaging in diplomacy with a group that both governments consider a terrorist organization. How the incoming Obama administration will receive Carter's meetings with Hamas remains to be seen.  During his visit in Syria, Carter also visited the Saint Taqla convent in the city of Maalula, north of Damascus, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. CNN's Cal Perry contributed to this report in Beirut, Lebanon.

How long is the meeting in Damascus ending Sunday?

What happened to Carter's appeal for release?

Answer: five-hour

Answer: Damascus, Syria,

Answer: Damascus, Syria,

Answer: request was rejected.

Answer: asked Hamas to release Shalit,

Answer: rejected.

Answer: criticized him

Summary:
Hamas says five-hour meeting ends late Sunday in Damascus, Syria's capital .
Carter's appeal for release of Israeli solider captured in 2006 is rejected .
U.S., Israeli governments criticized previous meetings between Carter, Hamas .


(CNN)  -- Former champion Maria Sharapova has been seeded for next week's Wimbledon championships. Sharapova powers a forehand during the WTA tournament in Birmingham last week. The Russian has only recently returned to action after a serious shoulder injury, but despite performing solidly in the French Open and reaching the semifinals of the WTA grasscourt event in Birmingham last week, she remained 59th in the rankings. But Wimbledon, who are alone among the grand slams in not sticking entirely with the official rankings of the ATP and WTA in deciding the seedings, have given Sharapova the 24th berth. World number one Dinara Safina of Russia is top seed, followed by Serena Williams and defending champion Venus Williams, who is elevated to third because of her prowess on grass. Rafael Nadal, who remains a slight injury doubt to take his place in the draw, is the top seed in the men's tournament, with the top six spots in the list following the ATP rankings list. The defending champion will  test his injured knees by playing in two exhibition matches on grass at the Hurlingham Club in London later this week, organizers announced Wednesday. The Spaniard will play Lleyton Hewitt of Australia on Thursday and Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland on Friday. Five-time champion and pre-tournament favorite Roger Federer is second seed at Wimbledon as he bids to set a record of 15 grand slam wins after his French Open triumph. Home hope Andy Murray, who won the Queen's Club tournament on Sunday, is seeded third with Novak Djokovic of Serbia in fourth. Eighth-ranked Fernando Verdasco of Spain gets the seventh seed spot ahead of Frenchman Gilles Simon. Outside of the top seeds, Marat Safin of Russia has been elevated to 15th from his world ranking of 23. Former world number one Safin reached the semifinals at the All England Club last year. Big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic is lifted to 23rd from 31st. The third grand slam of the year starts next Monday with the all-important draw being made on Friday. In the pre-Wimbledon warmup action on Wednesday, top seed Dinara Safina of Russia beat Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-3 6-3 in the Ordina Open in the Netherlands. But Amelie Mauresmo of France was beaten 7-6 7-6 by Russian Ekaterna Makarova at the WTA tournament in Eastbourne.

Where is Nadal to test his injured knee?

Which tennis player elevated to the 24th seed?

Answer: Rafael Nadal,

Answer: shoulder

Answer: the men's tournament,

Answer: by playing in two exhibition matches on grass at the Hurlingham Club in London later this week, organizers announced Wednesday.

Answer: Former champion

Answer: World number one

Answer: Maria Sharapova

Summary:
Maria Sharapova elevated to 24th seed by as Wimbledon announces seeds .
Injury-doubt Rafael Nadal top seed as he defends his Wimbledon crown .
Nadal to test his injured knees in exhibition tournament at Hurlingham Club .
Dinara Safina reaches third round of the Ordina Open in the Netherlands .


(CNN)  -- Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin spoke Friday at a rally for her former running mate, Sen. John McCain, urging voters to support the senator in his re-election bid in Arizona.

The rally, in Tucson, Arizona, was their first joint public appearance since McCain conceded the 2008 presidential election.

McCain faces a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth and has come under criticism for being too moderate on a variety of issues, including immigration. Several leading Tea Party activists in Arizona have decided not to endorse McCain or Hayworth, criticizing both of their records while serving in Congress.

But some national Tea Party members came out this week in support of Hayworth. While several said they were not upset with Palin's endorsement of McCain, a few said they were disappointed.

The enthusiastic crowd greeted Palin with shouts of "Sarah, Sarah," as she, her husband, Todd, and McCain took the stage.

"Everybody here, supporting John McCain, we are all part of that Tea Party movement," Palin said. "I think he's gonna win this one," she said. "Before there were protests on Main Street and marches on Capitol Hill, there was the maverick of the Senate, fighting for us."

Palin railed against the health care legislation, saying that McCain fought against "Obamacare." And McCain, speaking after Palin, said the bill will be repealed.

"It is historic that it is also the first time that on a pure partisan basis a major piece of legislation has been passed and it is going to be historic because it is going to be repealed and replaced," he said. "And it is going to be done soon."

Palin's remarks at the rally were preceded by an op-ed piece in Friday's Arizona Republic. She wrote that she respected McCain long before she was his running mate, a theme she reiterated in her public appearance.

Read the full article

"I admired his tireless crusade against the old pork-barrel-spending, earmarking-backroom-dealing ways of D.C. that make a whole lot of us pretty ill," she said.

After a town hall meeting on Thursday night attended by about 120 people, Hayworth downplayed the significance of Palin's visit.

"I think what we are seeing from the governor is a very understandable level of gratitude. After all, it was John who gave her entrée to the national stage. We all understand gratitude. That is fine," he said.

The campaign appearance comes as Palin is being criticized for a fundraising appeal she posted on her Facebook page with what looked like crosshairs marking the districts of House members who voted for health care reform. She asked for donations to her political action committee to help defeat 17 congressmen who voted yes and who are running for re-election.

In a Twitter message earlier in the week Palin said "Don't Retreat-Instead, RELOAD!" urging supporters to keep up the fight on the issue.

The messages came as members of Congress were reporting threats in retaliation to their votes on health care reform.

However, McCain told CNN's "John King, USA" on Thursday that Palin's language was not over the top.

"The rhetoric that we use in everyday language about political campaigns -- battleground states, it's going to be a war -- all of those are things that we have used for years and years. They are in the crosshairs."

From Arizona, Palin heads to Searchlight, Nevada, to be the keynote speaker Saturday for the kickoff rally of the Tea Party Express cross-country caravan to protest big government spending.

CNN's Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.

With whom did Palin appear for the first time since conceding the 2008 election

Answer: McCain

Answer: criticism for being too moderate on a variety of issues, including immigration.

Answer: Sarah Palin

Answer: "I think he's gonna win this one,"

Answer: a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth

Summary:
"Everybody here ... we are all part of that Tea Party movement," Palin says .
Sarah Palin, John McCain make first joint appearance since conceding 2008 election .
McCain faces primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth .
Hayworth calls Palin appearance "very understandable level of gratitude"


(CNN)  -- Former world number one Justine Henin has ruled herself out of the U.S. Open after sustaining an elbow injury in her Wimbledon exit to Belgian rival Kim Clijsters.

It is a shattering blow for Henin, who will also miss her 'Best of Belgium' clash with Clijsters in Brussels on July 8.

Henin, who made her comeback to competitive tennis at the start of the year after 18 months in retirement, picked up the injury during her fourth round defeat to Clijsters.

Clijsters wins Battle of Belgians at Wimbledon

She suffered the injury when falling early in the first set, but bravely played on in a match that lasted three sets.

Henin confirmed the news in a statement on her personal website.

"Following my fall at Wimbledon....I took several medical examinations which have revealed a ligament partial fracture at the right elbow," it read.

"There I regret to announce that I can't unfortunately play in Best of Belgium this July 8. I'll be nevertheless present for this wonderful Belgian event which is important for me.

"This injury will keep me away from the courts during a rough period of two months with the consequence the withdrawal of my U.S. round of tournaments, including the US Open."

The 28-year-old added that she will undergo further medical examinations to decide on when she returns to the WTA Tour later this season.

Aside from missing the final grand slam of the year, Henin's exhibition head to head against Clijsters was set to attract a world record crowd of 40,000 for a tennis match.

Organizers say they plan to find a replacement player for Henin, who has been beaten three times by Cljisters since her return to action.

Clijsters was later beaten by Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, leaving both of the Belgian stars still searching for their first grand slam title at SW19.

The U.S. Open begins on August 30 in New York, where Clijsters will be defending the crown she won in sensational fashion in her comeback year in 2009.

When does Henin hope to return to the WTA tour?

What sporting even will Justine Henin miss due to injury

Answer: later this season.

Answer: elbow

Answer: elbow

Answer: Wimbledon

Answer: U.S. Open

Answer: elbow

Summary:
Justine Henin out of U.S. Open and 'Battle of Belgians' with elbow injury .
Henin picked up the injury during her Wimbledon defeat to Kim Clijsters .
Henin hopes to return to the WTA Tour later in the year .