(CNN) -- Mississippi voters Tuesday rejected a controversial amendment that would have defined life as beginning at conception while Ohio voters repealed a law that limited the collective bargaining rights of public workers, CNN projects.

The two ballot measures had national implications as Americans voted in an off-year election.

The Mississippi amendment would have made it impossible to get an abortion in the state and hampered the ability to get the morning-after pill or birth control pills that destroy fertilized eggs. Disposing of unused fertilized eggs could also have become illegal, making in vitro fertilization treatments more difficult.

National right to life groups opposed the measure and the Catholic Church in Mississippi called it extreme.

The Ohio law limited the bargaining rights of police, teachers, firefighters and other public workers over salaries, workplace conditions and hours. It prohibited strikes and promotions based on seniority only, and required public workers to contribute at least 10% of their income toward their pensions and at least 15% to pay for their health care insurance.

The Republican-controlled legislature passed the bill Republican Gov. John Kasich signed it into law in March but a successful petition drive kept it from being enacted and placed it on the November ballot.

Kasich said Tuesday night that it was clear that the people had spoken.

"Part of leading is listening to and hearing what people have to say to you," he said.

The vote was seen as a victory for unions and Democrats, but CNN projects that Democrats are taking a loss in Ohio in a measure that exempts Ohioans from compulsory participation in the mandatory health care coverage portion of President Barack Obama's health care reform law passed last year. Since the measure is a state one and the health law is a federal one, it is unclear what impact it might have and it is seen as largely a protest vote.

In other elections around the country:

• CNN projects that Mississippi's governor's seat will stay in Republican hands as Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant appeared to be on his way to victory over Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, who would have been the state's first African-American governor. DuPree, who was elected the first black mayor of Hattiesburg in 2001, was expected to spark a stronger than usual turnout in the African-American community.

Bryant will succeed Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who was barred by term limits from running again after serving two terms.

• In Arizona, the state senator who wrote the controversial immigration law lost to a charter school superintendent in a recall election widely seen as a referendum on tough measures against illegal immigrants. The recall petition pitted Russell Pearce against fellow Republican Jerry Lewis. Lewis led with 53.4% of the vote with all precincts reporting while Pearce got 45.3%.

• Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear will win a second term, CNN projects, easily beating Republican state Sen. Steve Williams in a race that centered on jobs and the economy.

Williams frequently criticized Beshear's record on creating jobs and balancing the state budget. Beshear kept a tally of the number of jobs that companies were bringing to the state on his website.

• While the abortion ballot initiative in Mississippi got the most attention, another constitutional amendment that CNN projects to pass will require voters to submit a government-issued photo ID. Mississippi will be the 15th state to require photo IDs to vote. Such laws have become popular with Republicans, who say they are trying to reduce voter fraud. Democrats argue that Republicans are trying to suppress voter turnout, especially among people who tend to vote for Democrats.

CNN's David Ariosto, John Helton, Ashley Killough, Kevin Liptak, Paul Steinhauser and Robert Yoon contributed to this report.

What had national implications in an off election year?

Who repealed a law that limited public workers' collective bargaining rights?

What state rejects the amendment that would have defined life as beginning at conception?

Answer: The two ballot measures

Answer: two

Answer: Ohio voters

Answer: Mississippi

Summary:
Two ballot measures had national implications in an off-year election .
Mississippi rejects amendment that would have defined life as beginning at conception .
Ohio voters repeal law that limited public workers' collective bargaining rights .


(CNN) -- Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt Thursday announced his intention to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate, a move that sets up what is likely to be a showdown between two prominent families in one of the country's most politically divided states.

Former House Republican Whip Roy Blunt announced he will run for a Missouri Senate seat.

Making the official announcement in St. Louis, Missouri, the former House Republican whip indicated he would run on a platform of keeping Democratic control of both Congress and the White House in check.

"Common sense and open debate are in danger of being suppressed by the overreaching liberal monopoly in Congress and the White House," he said, according to prepared remarks. "Never has Washington been in greater need of hearing from people who work hard, pay their taxes and want solutions to urgent economic problems and the ongoing threat of terrorism."

"My sense is Missourians and Americans are not well served by one-party rule," Blunt also said, citing the massive stimulus measure signed by President Obama that won little Republican support.

Blunt's announcement comes two weeks after Democrat Robin Carnahan jumped into the race. Carnahan is another Missourian with prominent name recognition who enjoys widespread support.

"The Missouri Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive races of the cycle," said Nathan Gonzalez, political editor of the Rothenberg Report. "It has attracted two of the biggest names of the state that has a history of closest elections."

Both Blunt and Carnahan are seeking the Senate seat set to be vacated by longtime Missouri Republican Kit Bond.

Blunt, a six-term congressman representing the state's conservative southwestern corner, is a longtime Missouri politician with high name recognition across the state and solid support among his party's conservative base.

He has run for statewide office several times during his nascent political career, having served as secretary of state for two terms before losing the Republican primary for governor in 1992. His son Matt also served as the state's governor from 2005-2009, but ultimately decided not to seek another term because of low approval ratings.

Blunt faces a state that has become increasing Democratic in the last several election cycles. The state's other Senate seat went Democratic in 2006 with Claire McCaskill's narrow win, and Democrat Jay Nixon was elected governor of the state in 2008. But Republicans still hold edges in the state's House and Senate chambers and have a majority of the state's nine congressional seats.

While Blunt is likely to enjoy the support of the party's establishment, he could face a competitive primary challenge from former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, a vocal critic of her party's leadership who narrowly lost a bruising primary bid for governor last year.

Even though she is not particularly popular in her party, Steelman's message of reform could resonate if the GOP's national approval ratings remain low throughout the next two years.

"Republicans would like to avoid a primary in the Senate race, but she's not the kind of person they will be able to just shove out of a race," Gonzalez said. "She relishes in being in an outsider role."

But should Blunt make it to a general election facing Carnahan, the race will likely become a hard-fought and high-profile battle of two powerful political names.

Carnahan's father, Mel, served as governor of the state from 1993-2000 and died in a plane crash while running for the U.S. Senate. Carnahan still won the seat, defeating then-Republican Sen. John Ashcroft, and Carnahan's wife Jean held the post for two years.

Carnahan's brother is also a U.S. congressman representing the outskirts of St. Louis.

But national Democrats are eager for a match-up against Blunt, who was a protégé to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and has been linked to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"As one of the faces of the same old Republican Party, Roy Blunt enters this race with a whole lot of baggage and a whole lot of questions to answer," said Eric Schultz, the Democratic Senatorial

Who wants to keep democrat control in check?

Answer: in the U.S.

Answer: Democrat

Answer: Rep. Roy Blunt

Answer: are seeking the Senate seat set to be vacated by longtime Missouri Republican Kit Bond.

Summary:
Ex-Republican whip wants to keep Democratic control in check .
Decision comes two weeks after Democrat Robin Carnahan announced bid .
Both candidates have high name recognition in Missouri .


(CNN) -- Moammar Gadhafi had been on the run for months, as opposition fighters aided by NATO airstrikes pushed him and his supporters from the Libyan capital of Tripoli and other long-time strongholds.

Finally, on Thursday, the long-time Libyan leader's life ended around where it began -- in Sirte, the coastal city where he was born.

Here is a timeline of some key moments leading up to Gadhafi's death, according to Libya's interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, other National Transitional Council officials and other sources:

-- Having taken over the city of Bani Walid earlier in the week, fighters aligned with Libya's National Transitional Council turn their attention on Sirte -- the last holdout of Gadhafi loyalists.

-- French fighter jets and a Predator drone, firing a Hellfire missile, strike a convoy near Sirte on Thursday morning, a U.S. Defense official says. That official is unable to say if Gadhafi was in the targeted envoy. But a senior NATO official says that Gadhafi was part of that convoy and survived the attack.

-- Around noon on Thursday, transitional council officials announce that their fighters have taken control of Sirte, despite pockets of resistance. There is no official word then about Gadhafi.

-- During the day Thursday, Gadhafi is captured alive and in good health in Sirte, according to the interim prime minster.

-- According to Ali Aujali, Libya's ambassador to the United States, troops find Gadhafi during the day in a large drainage pipe in Sirte. Daily Telegraph reporter Ben Farmer in Sirte later tells CNN's Anderson Cooper the pipe is about 3 feet wide and filled with trash and sand.

-- Gadhafi is alive and in good health when he's captured, according to the interim prime minster.

-- He does not resist arrest.

-- At the time, he is wearing an undershirt and trousers and carrying a gun.

-- While being transferred to a vehicle -- destined for Misrata, Jibril says later -- Gadhafi is shot in the right arm.

-- Grainy video broadcast on Arabic satellite networks shows a bloodied but still-alive Gadhafi being hauled onto a truck.

-- Eventually, National Transitional Council forces put Gadhafi into the vehicle. As soon as it takes off, a firefight erupts involving council forces and those loyal to Gadhafi.

-- Caught in the crossfire, Gadhafi is shot in the head.

-- He dies a few moments before arriving at a hospital, a coroner says, according to Jibril. Another video shows a dead Gadhafi with what appears to be a head wound.

-- At the hospital, DNA samples are taken -- including blood and saliva -- that confirm that the dead man is indeed Moammar Gadhafi.

-- Council representatives get in touch with the International Criminal Court, which had charged Gadhafi with war crimes. After sending the coroner's report and photos, the court gives Libyan authorities permission to bury Gadhafi.

-- Soon after the news breaks on Thursday afternoon, crowds throughout Libya erupt in celebration of Gadhafi's death.

What did the interim prime minister say about Gadhafi's capture?

What kind of tests were used to confirm Gadhafi's identity?

What was used to confirm that the dead man was Gadhafi?

Answer: long-time Libyan leader's

Answer: confirm that the dead man is indeed Moammar Gadhafi.

Answer: Sirte,

Answer: is captured alive and in good health in Sirte,

Answer: DNA samples

Answer: DNA samples

Answer: Sirte,

Summary:
NEW: Gadhafi is found in a large drainage pipe, a Libyan envoy says .
Libya's interim prime minister says that Gadhafi didn't resist capture .
He was caught in a crossfire while on a vehicle, destined for Misrata .
DNA tests were used to confirm the dead man was indeed Gadhafi .


(CNN) -- Mohammed Alshaya owns more high street brands than most fashion addicts could stuff in their closets. Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of Alshaya's retail division, tells MME he sees a new mindset in the Gulf Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island are just some of the big names he's imported from the United Kingdom to shopping centers in the Middle East. As chief executive of M.H. Alshaya, he knows what sells: tried and tested Western brands that will appeal to local shoppers. And his empire is not limited to clothing. In the past month, he's taken Mothercare and The Body Shop to Central Eastern Europe. With the addition of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, M.H. Alshaya now operates in 16 markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Poland and Russia. John Defterios spoke with Mohammed Alshaya, and started by asking him for his thoughts on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plans for a single currency. (JD): I would imagine as a retail operation you'd be a huge proponent of a single currency within the GCC. Is it realistic within the next 4 to 5 years? (MA): I think it can be, as long as there is a will of the leaders to get together and decide. It is a huge leap towards efficiency, conciliation, getting closer between the six countries. One single Central Bank that governs and regulates is much better than the current six, I believe. (JD): Have you ever done any calculations of what impact it would have on your back office operations? (MA): Not yet, but it will be great, I think. (JD): You're one of the largest retail operations throughout the Arabian Peninsula. With all this growth that we're seeing right now, it must have a direct impact on the retail sector. What sort of annual growth are you experiencing? (MA): We're experiencing close to 25 percent annual growth, if not 30 percent in some cases, like in Dubai. (JD): Do you have any sort of concerns that this is going to be a bubble like the 1970s where the money was not deployed correctly? It seems different from my vantage point, do you share that view? (MA): There is a new generation of people from the region that are leading businesses and strong leadership in the government that have mitigated any concern. And if you see now the statistics, the Gulf is the seventh largest economy in the world. In ten, in 15 years time, it will be the fifth. So I see a new mindset, a new attitude. (JD): One of the other things I wanted to ask you about is your moves into other countries. The Alshaya group is very well known throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but you're moving into other markets, into Eastern Europe, specifically into Russia. Do you have the expertise to go into these markets? (MA): Well, yes. We have the expertise, and the expertise is by really retaining good management, and traveling with them into new markets. I'm not going to open shops myself. We have a very strong team in Russia; Russians that are taking our investment into good projects like Starbucks which we opened two months ago, two stores. We acquired a business there. So we have plans like Mothercare, Bodyshop, NEXT. (JD): So you can basically move this group into any city and have that potpourri of offers? (MA): We have the software. We have the software to launch the retail portfolio into a new market. (JD): Obviously you're a family business. You feel quite strongly about preserving culture and the family structure, and the need for family businesses to create jobs, because they represent 75 percent of all turnover in the Gulf. (MA): We have a social responsibility toward our people. We have

What is the growth of the retail division

what percent of annual growth is retail revision seeing in Dubai?

Who is CEO of M.H. Alshaya's retail division?

Which brands is the group taking into Eastern Europe and Russia?

What rate of annual growth did the group see in Dubai?

What percentage of growth is the retail division seeking?

Answer: Mohammed Alshaya,

Answer: if not 30 percent

Answer: 25

Answer: Mohammed

Answer: Mohammed Alshaya,

Answer: Mohammed Alshaya,

Answer: John Defterios

Answer: Topshop, Coast, NEXT

Answer: Mothercare and The Body Shop

Answer: Russia;

Answer: close to 25 percent

Answer: 30 percent

Answer: 25 percent annual

Summary:
MME speaks with Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of M.H. Alshaya's retail division .
Retail division seeing annual growth of 25 percent, up to 30 percent in Dubai .
Group taking Starbucks, Mothercare, Body Shop into Eastern Europe, Russia .
On GCC single currency: It is a huge leap towards efficiency, conciliation .


(CNN) -- Mohsen Rezaie may have little chance of winning Friday's presidential election in Iran, observers say, but they believe he's running with a purpose: getting rid of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Mohsen Rezaie could garner enough conservative votes to swing Iran's election, experts say. "He came there just to defeat Ahmadinejad. He didn't come to win," said Mehdi Khalaji, a senior fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Hardliners disappointed with Ahmadinejad and reformers eager for new leadership are both glad Rezaie is running, Karim Sadjadpour wrote in a recent article for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he is an associate. "Intimidating in appearance and lacking in popular appeal, reformists are happy to have Rezaie in the race, believing he can take some of the votes from Ahmadinejad in the first round," Sadjadpour wrote. Khalaji said the incumbent will lose votes at both ends of the political spectrum.  Watch how the campaign is a watershed for Iran » "Look, everybody in this country wants Ahmadinejad out," Khalaji said, "except the Supreme Leader and his organizations." Rezaie, no ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, was a founder of the Revolutionary Guard in 1979 and its leader from 1981 to 1997, a period that included the devastating eight-year war with Iraq. "Iranian people don't like the military at all, " Khalaji said. "He's considered a military man, despite his claims that 'I'm a civilian.' But his image is associated with war, and people don't like it." Many people blame Rezaie for prolonging the war and failing to achieve victory, Khalaji said. In an interview this week in the Los Angeles Times, Rezaie said the conflict taught him "that war is a terrible thing, that we should do everything to avoid war." "Look at what happened to us, the chemical weapons attacks on Iranian cities and Halabja [in Iraq]," he told the newspaper. "War is a terrible thing. I saw dead people and crushed children, families destroyed and fleeing from their homes, here in Iran but also there in Iraq. "I also learned the value of unity," he went on. "The war created a fusion between the population and the state. Everybody was together and everybody was united. I learned the value of self-sacrifice and martyrdom." Rezaie has been linked to terrorism. The 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, by Revolutionary Guard client Hezbollah occurred under his watch. The blast killed 241 Americans. Rezaie is one of several people indicted in Argentina for the 1994 bombing of Jewish and Israeli sites in Buenos Aires. He has denied responsibility for those attacks. In the Los Angeles Times interview, Rezaie said he sees an opportunity for improving relations with the United States. "I propose to put together a package of eight or nine topics that the U.S. and Iran would work toward," he told the paper. "What is important is to just start the talks. It can be on drug trafficking, it can be anything, but the idea is just to start some kind of dialogue. If we solve one or two problems, we're on our way."  Watch how the campaign has heated up at the end » Rezaie is a member of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, a "council of elders" from many parts of government and society whose job is to reconcile the needs of the state with the rulings of the Council of Guardians, the arbiter of Islamic law in Iran. Rezaie was raised in a poor family in southern Iran and founded the Manssouroun, a paramilitary force that resisted the reign of the Shah, Khalaji said. That experience led directly to his role in founding the Revolutionary Guard, a force created by revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei to protect against coup attempts by army officers who remained loyal to the Shah. The Revolutionary Guard eventually came to dominate the military. In 1998, Rezaie's son Ahmad fled Iran and sought political

Mohsen Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard for how many years?

In what campaigns did he lead the Revolutionary Guard?

What is the name of the presidential candidate?

Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard during war which country?

Which presidential candidate led the Revolutionary Guard for 18 years?

Who does Rezaie want to improve relations with?

Rezaie's only goal according to experts is what?

How long did Rezaie lead the Revolutionary Guard?

How long did Mohsen Rezaie lead the Revolutionary Guard?

Answer: 1981 to 1997,

Answer: eight-year war with Iraq.

Answer: Rezaie

Answer: Iraq.

Answer: Rezaie,

Answer: the United States.

Answer: running with a purpose: getting rid of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Answer: from 1981 to 1997,

Answer: from 1981 to 1997,

Summary:
Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard for 18 years .
His only goal in campaign is to undermine incumbent, Iran expert says .
Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard during war with Iraq, Beirut bombing .
He tells newspaper he would seek to improve relations with United States .


(CNN) -- Moldova's president Wednesday accused Romania of involvement in a huge anti-communist protest, much of it coordinated on Facebook and Twitter, which saw government buildings ransacked and police arrest scores of demonstrators.

Protests over Moldova's election have gathered pace, fueled by Facebook and Twitter.

Vladimir Voronin described riots in the Moldovan capital Chisinau against his ruling Communist party's victory in Sunday elections as "very serious" and pledged to take action in response.

"Romania is involved in everything that has happened," he said, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency. "Patience also has its limits."

An estimated 10,000 mainly students gathered Tuesday to protest what they say was a rigged election. Many in the crowd were summoned using social networking tools, particularly Twitter. IReport: Send your photos and emails.

Protesters threw bricks at riot police who responded with batons and water cannon. Outnumbered, police retreated, leaving rioters to enter the parliament building and presidential offices where they smashed windows and started fires.  See images of the chaos »

Demonstrators claim Voronin's ruling Communist Party manipulated Sunday's election results to make it appear that it had won 50 percent of the vote, a majority that would allow the party to and amend the Constitution to allow Voronin to rule for a third term.

Although election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe found the voting largely free, many in the former Soviet state disagreed.

"There were too many frauds," said Alina Radu, director of the weekly newspaper Ziarul de Garda.

Her newspaper's Web site asked readers Wednesday morning to send in instances of voter abuse. "In just half an hour, we had tens and hundreds of cases," Radu said.

Voronin said he was expelling the Romanian ambassador to Moldova and imposing visa restrictions on Romanians in response to the violence, RIA-Novosti said.

The agency reported that Romania has denied involvement and was threatening retaliatory measures.

Analysts saw Tuesday's demonstrations as a student-led action that "caught the opposition political leaders by surprise."

"Because I think that after talking to the Western observers, they didn't expect they would get any support for protests," said Tammy Lynch, senior fellow at Boston University's Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology and Policy.

"It seemed to be undirected," Lynch said. "A lot of students felt angry they were being ignored and took out their anger on buildings."

Moldova's ties with Romania have become increasingly strained under Voronin, who has steered his country diplomatically closer to Russia since taking power in 2005. The president has repeatedly accused Romania of wanting to absorb his country.

-- CNN's Saeed Ahmed contributed to this report

how many people gathered in Moldova's capital Chisinau?

Answer: Moldova's election

Answer: 10,000

Answer: rigged election.

Answer: Chisinau

Answer: Facebook and Twitter,

Answer: social networking tools, particularly Twitter.

Answer: estimated 10,000

Answer: 10,000

Summary:
Up to 10,000 gathered Tuesday in Moldova's capital Chisinau .
Many demonstrators summoned by Facebook or Twitter .
Protesters claim recent parliamentary elections were rigged .


(CNN) -- Monica Conyers, Detroit's embattled City Council president pro tempore, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to commit bribery, a federal court representative in Michigan told CNN. Detroit City Council member, Monica Conyers, admits accepting bribes to sway a $1.2 billion contract vote. Conyers, 44, admitted accepting bribes in exchange for her vote to sway the City Council to approve Synagro Technologies Inc.'s $1.2 billion contract in 2007. It's unclear when Conyers, the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers, began her relationship with Synagro, but court papers say she received money from Synagro until December 2007. Conyers voted in favor of the wastewater treatment contract on November 20, 2007, the same day she received an envelope filled with cash from Detroit businessman Rayford Jackson, court papers say. Jackson pleaded guilty to providing Conyers with the money. He had been a paid consultant of Synagro. On December 4, 2007, Conyers received another envelope of cash from Jackson in a McDonald's parking lot, said Terrence Berg, the U.S. attorney from the eastern district of Michigan. "She was the swing vote in this deal," Berg said. "She used her power to get the deal done, and she acknowledged that." The mood was somber at Conyers' office on Friday, an official there told CNN. A few office workers cried. They found out about the developments through news reports, said Denise Tolliver, Conyers' deputy chief of staff. "We've been going through this for a while," Tolliver said. "Reporters would ask us questions about anonymous sources, and we just didn't believe them." Office workers were preparing for an afternoon meeting with City Council President Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr. later Friday. According to state law, Conyers will have to forfeit her seat, Tolliver said. Cockrel said there's language in the law that makes it unclear whether she needs to forfeit her seat immediately or after sentencing "It hurts the City Council's image, for sure," Cockrel said. "But we need to remember, this is only one member of the council. You can't paint the entire council with the same brush." For a seven-month period in 2008, Cockrel replaced former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick after Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two counts of obstructing justice. During that time Cockrel terminated the city's contract with Synagro because of rumors circulating about bribes, he said. Conyers faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to prosecutors. Synagro would not comment on Conyers' plea, but a spokeswoman said, "We have cooperated fully with the federal investigation and will continue to do so."

who is pro tempore
Who sealed the treatment deal?
who sealed 1.2
who are taking bribes?
how many years are in prison?
Who admits taking bribes for contract?
Whose wife is Conyers?

Answer: Monica

Answer: Monica Conyers,

Answer: Monica Conyers,

Answer: Monica Conyers,

Answer: five

Answer: Monica Conyers,

Answer: U.S. Rep. John

Summary:
Detroit City Council president pro tempore admits taking bribes for contract .
Monica Conyers sealed $1.2 billion wastewater treatment deal, U.S. attorney says .
State law forces her to give up seat, she faces up to five years in prison .
Conyers is the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers .


(CNN) -- Months after her father's prolonged campaign against President Obama's national security policies, Liz Cheney is spearheading a new organization aimed at organizing conservative opposition to the new administration's foreign policy approach. Liz Cheney formed Keep America Safe with William Kristol and Debra Burlingame. The new group, Keep America Safe, says its aim is to provide a cogent and organized rebuttal to a series of recent moves that expressly divert from the more muscular policies of the Bush administration. The group plans to tackle hot-button issues like the way forward in Iraq and Afghanistan, defense spending, CIA interrogation techniques, and the planned closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. "We have watched with concern and dismay as the Obama administration has cut defense spending, wavered on the war in Afghanistan, and launched investigations into Americans serving on the front lines of the war on terror, while at the same time expanding legal protections for the terrorists that plot to attack this country," Cheney, along with the group's two other founders, wrote on its Web site. "These policies, along with President Obama's abandonment of America's allies and attempts to appease our adversaries are weakening the nation." Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol and Debra Burlingame, the sister of the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77 -- the flight that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11 -- are also heading up the new effort. The new group says its goal is to focus media attention on continuing and emerging national security threats, and marshal grassroots opposition to the president's policies. "Too often, significant events and thoughtful analysis in the war on terror are glossed over or ignored on nightly national newscasts," the group writes. "Keep America Safe will highlight this information on our website and encourage dialogue between American citizens and their elected representatives in order to produce the legislative and executive action that will keep this country safe and strong. " A spokesman for the Democratic National Committee responded forcefully to the creation of the new group, saying the Cheneys' foreign policy approach "was deemed a failure." "Last fall, the American people overwhelmingly rejected a radical foreign policy authored by Dick Cheney that alienated our allies, emboldened our enemies, depleted our resources, distracted our focus and made the nation less secure," DNC Press Secretary Hari Sevugan said. "The Cheneys can continue to focus on securing their sullied legacy if they want to. But, the president will continue to focus on securing the country." Incorporated as a non-profit 501(c) 4, the organization is not subject to contribution limits, and is not required to disclose a list of its contributors to the Federal Elections Commission. However, it cannot engage in efforts directly aimed at influencing the outcome of an election. Kicking off a fund-raising drive Tuesday, Keep America Safe launched a one-minute, 30-second Web video that portrays Obama as a wavering politician whose ambitious foreign policy promises as a candidate have not matched his actions. "Not enough time for a decision, but plenty of time for Letterman, golf, a beer summit, more golf, vacation, and a visit to Copenhagen," the video states. Cheney has been no stranger to the media spotlight since the Bush administration left office nine months ago. Regularly appearing on a series of cable news shows, the eldest daughter of former vice president has criticized Obama on a host of moves, once concluding that he has "sid[ed] with the terrorists." The former vice president has also been a vocal critic of Obama, declaring earlier this year that the president's decision to cease the CIA's practice of aggressive interrogation practices has left the country more vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

Who says its goal is to provide effective rebuttal to Obama?

Keep America Safe founders say they have watched administration with what?

Which party called Cheney's foreign policy a "sullied legacy"?

Whose foreign policy was called a "sullied legacy"?

Answer: Keep America Safe,

Answer: concern and dismay as the Obama

Answer: Liz Cheney formed Keep America Safe with William Kristol and Debra Burlingame.

Answer: Democratic National Committee

Answer: is to focus media attention on continuing and emerging national security threats, and marshal grassroots opposition to the president's policies.

Answer: "The Cheneys

Summary:
Keep America Safe says its goal is providing effective rebuttal to Obama .
Group's founders say it has watched administration with "concern and dismay"
NEW: Democratic Party calls Cheney foreign policy a "sullied legacy"
Keeping focus on national security threats is one of group's goals .


(CNN) -- Months after rescuers found them struggling and covered in oil, 33 endangered and threatened young sea turtles are finally going home to the Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Audubon Nature Institute freed the turtles Thursday in waters about 40 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

This marked the latest mass release of turtles since about 500 were rescued in the weeks and months after the massive months-long oil spill.

"We were able to release these turtles because they're now healthy, and we're seeing recovery in the surface habitats of the Gulf of Mexico," NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a news release.

The spill began after an April 20 explosion on the offshore drilling platform Deepwater Horizon that killed 11 men. Two days later, the platform sank and oil started gushing into the Gulf. In early August, owner BP used cement and mud to plug the damaged Gulf of Mexico well.

Officials formally declared an end to the oil spill disaster on September 19, though considerable efforts remained to clean up area waters and revive wildlife affected by the spill.

Earlier this month, NOAA reopened federal waters off the Louisiana coast to fishing. Thursday's release marked another milestone in the area's recovery, according to those involved.

"Returning this group of sea turtles to their home waters is ... a sign that Louisiana is on the path towards recovery," said Randy Pausina, an assistant secretary for Louisiana's office of fisheries.

The 33 turtles had been rescued more than three months ago by federal officials and state wildlife authorities from Louisiana, Florida and Georgia, as well as the Riverhead Foundation and the In-Water Research Group. They were rehabilitated at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans.

They included green, Kemp's ridley and hawksbill sea turtles, which are classified as endangered species. There also were loggerheads, which are a threatened species.

With 270 turtles having been cleaned, nursed back to health and released, there are more than 200 still in rehabilitation sites around the area.

Scientists did extensive aerial and shipboard tests earlier this week on the waters near the release point, making sure the sargassum algae was clean. Young turtles thrive in such areas, which provide protection from predators and ample food, including small crabs, snails and other creatures.

"Six months ago, it was nearly impossible to imagine this day would ever come," said Ron Forman, the Audubon Nature Institute's CEO and president.

what was were among 500 rescued after the mammoth months-long oil spill

What do experts say the release is further evidence of?

what is recovering according to scientists

Answer: 40 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Answer: sea turtles

Answer: sea turtles

Answer: the area's recovery,

Answer: surface habitats of the Gulf of Mexico,"

Answer: turtles

Answer: 33

Summary:
The turtles were among 500 rescued after the mammoth months-long oil spill .
They are now healthy, and the habitat is recovering, scientist say .
Experts say the release is further evidence that the Gulf waters are recovering .


(CNN) -- More Occupy Wall Street protests were scheduled in New York on Thursday, a day after demonstrators marched to support an Iraq war veteran who was hurt in California.

Hundreds packed the streets near Manhattan's Union Square on Wednesday in a march in support of veteran Scott Olsen. At least 10 people were arrested in clashes with officers, a New York police spokesman said.

Olsen suffered a skull fracture Tuesday night after allegedly being struck by a tear gas canister in Oakland, California, according to witnesses. He was in fair condition Thursday in the intensive care unit at Highland Hospital, hospital spokesman Curt Olsen said.

The former Marine has become another rallying cry for the Occupy Wall Street protests spreading throughout the country.

Demonstrators have typically railed against what they describe as corporate greed, arrogance and power, as well as their assertion that the nation's wealthiest 1% hold inordinate sway over the remaining 99% of the population.

The movement seems to be growing despite a recent crackdown in several cities.

Authorities made a series of arrests at protests in Oakland and Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Police said they fired tear gas on protesters in Oakland after the crowd threw paint and other objects at officers. In Atlanta, police arrested dozens of demonstrators at a downtown park after they failed to leave the facility as ordered.

In Nashville, Tennessee, authorities said Thursday that Occupy Nashville participants will be required to have permits, according to a statement from the state's Department of General Services.

CNN's Susan Candiotti and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

Occupy Nashville participants are required to have what?

What will Occupy Nashville participants be required to have?

Answer: fair

Answer: Occupy Nashville participants

Answer: permits,

Answer: Iraq war veteran

Answer: tear gas canister

Answer: permits,

Answer: fair

Answer: Olsen suffered a skull fracture Tuesday night after allegedly being struck by a tear gas canister in Oakland, California,

Summary:
NEW: Nashville authorities say Occupy Nashville participants will be required to have permits .
Witnesses say a tear gas canister fractured veteran's skull .
The injured vet becomes another issue for protesters to rally around .
Scott Olsen is in fair condition in an intensive care unit .


(CNN) -- More than 1 million babies born prematurely die each year before they are a month old, the March of Dimes said Sunday in the first comprehensive global report on premature births. A premature baby rests at a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, in October 2007. The organization suggested the situation could worsen if the rate of premature births increases. Each year, 12.9 million infants -- or nearly 10 percent of the annual worldwide birth total -- are born before 37 weeks of development in the womb, the organization said. More than 85 percent of the premature births occur in developing countries in Africa and Asia. "Premature births are an enormous global problem that is exacting a huge toll emotionally, physically and financially on families, medical systems and economies," March of Dimes President Jennifer Howse said in a statement. "In the United States alone, the annual cost of caring for preterm babies and their associated health problems tops $26 billion." The March of Dimes report, which used data collected by the World Health Organization, breaks down premature birth rates by continent. The highest premature birth rate is in Africa, where 11.9 percent of births each year are preterm, with more than 4 million premature deliveries annually. In populous Asia, although the preterm birth rate is lower at 9.1 percent, the number of premature births is higher, at nearly 7 million a year. While North America -- consisting of the United States and Canada in this report -- counts fewer than 500,000 premature births a year, its preterm birth rate is close to that of Africa, at 10.6 percent of all births, according to the report. The rate is the world's second highest. In the United States, the rate of preterm births has increased 36 percent in the past 25 years, with births between the 34th and 36th week of gestation accounting for the majority of the increase, the organization found. Much of the hike in preterm births is linked to more pregnancies after the age of 35 and the use of fertility treatments that can lead to multiple births. "Wherever trend data are available, rates of preterm birth are increasing," the report said. Infants who survive premature birth face lifelong health risks, including the possible development of cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, learning disabilities and other chronic conditions, according to the March of Dimes. "Preterm birth is a global problem that needs greater attention by policymakers, researchers, health care providers, the media, donor organizations and other stakeholders," the report said. "The marked disparities in preterm birth along racial/ethnic lines in many high-income countries and the concentration of preterm births in Africa and Asia also clearly indicate that addressing preterm birth is essential for reducing the pronounced inequities in neonatal health and for the world to achieve," it added. The March of Dimes, a nonprofit agency engaged in pregnancy and baby health research, said some premature births can be prevented by addressing risk factors in mothers, including diabetes, high blood pressure, nutrition, body weight and tobacco and alcohol use. Women who earlier gave birth to a preemie face a greater risk of having another. While doctors know some of the health and behavior factors in mothers that increase the risk of preterm births, doctors have yet to identify a reliable remedy to prevent early labor, said Christopher Howson, vice president for global programs of the March of Dimes. "While much can be done right now to reduce death and disability from preterm birth even in low-resource settings, we need to know more about the underlying causes of premature birth in order to develop effective prevention strategies," Howson said.

on what countries are the most premature births?

what percent of the world's births are premature?

What is the percentage of the  world's birthrate of premature babies?

What countries are more than 85 percent of premature births occurring?

Who has the  world's second-highest premature birth rate?

what is the percent of premature world's birth according to March of Dimes?

Was does March of Dimes says about world birth's.

Doctors have yet to identify a reliable remedy to prevent what?

Who says nearly 10 percent of world's births are premature?

Where are more than 85 percent of premature births?

Which area has world's second-highest premature birth rate?

Who has second highest premature birth rate?

What percentage of world's births are premature?

Answer: Africa and Asia.

Answer: 10

Answer: nearly 10 percent

Answer: identify a reliable remedy

Answer: in Africa and Asia.

Answer: North America

Answer: 10

Answer: More

Answer: early labor,

Answer: March of Dimes

Answer: occur in developing countries in Africa and Asia.

Answer: Asia,

Answer: the United States and Canada

Answer: nearly 10 percent

Summary:
March of Dimes: Nearly 10 percent of world's births are premature .
More than 85 percent of premature births are in developing parts of Africa, Asia .
But North America has world's second-highest premature birth rate .
Doctors have yet to identify a reliable remedy to prevent early labor, group says .


(CNN) -- More than 1,100 people worldwide have died from swine flu since it emerged in Mexico and the U.S. in April, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. A young girl wears a mask at a hospital in Hanoi. Vietnam reported its first death from swine flu this week. As of July 31, the total number of victims killed by the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, stood at 1,154 -- an increase of 338 since WHO's previous update on July 27. The virus has spread around the world with unprecedented speed, spreading as widely in six weeks as common influenza viruses spread in the six months, according to WHO. WHO data showed the total number of laboratory confirmed cases at 162,380, but the number could be higher since individual cases no longer have to be tested or reported. The total number of countries and territories reporting at least one case of infection now stands at 168, with new cases reported in Azerbaijan, Gabon, Grenada, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Monaco, Nauru, Swaziland and Suriname. In the United States, federal health officials are worried about the upcoming flu season. They say nearly 160 million Americans may need to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, but it won't be as simple as a single shot. In a background briefing with reporters on Tuesday, two senior administration officials said the vaccine, which is still in clinical trials, would require two shots. The first shot would be followed by a second shot three weeks later. Immunity to the virus would finally kick in two weeks after that. That means someone who is vaccinated by the time the program is expected to launch in late October won't get protection until late fall. On Tuesday, British-based pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline announced it had signed contracts with nine governments to provide 96 million doses of a H1N1 vaccine and was in ongoing discussions with governments to provide further supplies. GlaxoSmithKline has already signed deals worth $250 million in total to provide 195 million doses and plans to donate 50 million doses to the World Health Organization. "First supplies of the vaccine will be available to governments from September onwards, with shipments expected in the second half of 2009 and early 2010," GlaxoSmithKline said in a statement. "The exact pace of delivery will be dependent on capacity and the yield of the influenza strain." Details of the immunization program were revealed as part of the government's overall plan to deal with what is expected to be a difficult flu season. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices last week issued sweeping guidelines for a vaccination campaign against the swine flu strain, identifying more than half the population as targets for the first round of vaccinations. The priority groups include pregnant women, health care and emergency services personnel, children, adolescents and young adults from six months to 24 years of age, household and caregiver contacts of children younger than six months and healthy adults with certain medical conditions. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to that of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, aches and runny nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A significant number of infected people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.

What is the number of vaccines available by the company?

What is the cause of 1,154 deaths worldwide?

Who has signed deals to provide vaccine?

how many swine flu deaths in recent days?

What is the total amount of deaths worldwide?

How many weeks did it take the virus to spread?

who has signed deals to provide 291 million doses of vaccine?

Answer: 96 million doses

Answer: 1,154

Answer: 160 million

Answer: H1N1 virus,

Answer: swine flu

Answer: GlaxoSmithKline

Answer: 1,154

Answer: 1,100

Answer: 1,154

Answer: H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu,

Answer: GlaxoSmithKline

Answer: six

Answer: GlaxoSmithKline

Answer: 160 million

Summary:
WHO: Swine flu deaths up 338 in recent days to 1,154 in total worldwide .
WHO: Virus spreads in 6 weeks as far as most viruses spread in 6 months .
U.S. plans to vaccinate nearly 160M Americans ahead of winter "flu season"
GlaxoSmithKline has signed deals to provide 291 million doses of vaccine this year .


(CNN) -- More than 1,300 Palestinians died and about 5,400 others were wounded during Israel's three-week offensive in Gaza, the Web site of the Palestinian Authority's Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday.

A Palestinian man Monday prays in the rubble of his home,  destroyed during Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Louay Shabana, head of the agency, said more than 22,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Shabana put the economic destruction at more than $1.9 billion.

The fighting largely stopped Sunday with a cease-fire. Israel has said 13 of its citizens -- including 10 soldiers -- were killed during the offensive, which started December 27.

Israel said its offensive was aimed at stopping Hamas militants from firing rockets into southern Israel.

Gaza is in need of humanitarian, economic, sanitary and social help as a result of the Israeli attacks, Shabana said.

The attacks destroyed public sector and private buildings in Gaza, affecting even the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's facilities and halting economic and social services, the statistics agency said.  Watch Palestinians recover bodies from rubble »

Gaza's gross domestic product was slashed by 85 percent during the 22 days of war, and it could take a year for the economy to recover, the agency said in a preliminary report.

About 80 percent of crops in Gaza were destroyed, according to the agency.

"The pervasive sense here among the population is one of overwhelming grief, so many families have been destroyed in so many ways," said John Ging, the top United Nations official in Gaza.

Ging, UNRWA's Gaza director of operations, said the bill could reach "billions of dollars."

Among the dead were 159 children, two of whom died in an UNRWA school that was shelled Saturday, Ging said.

Gaza's main border crossings, which Israel often closed in response to Hamas rocket attacks, were open Monday. Infrastructure repairs were being made, but 400,000 people still had no water, according to Ging.

Streets in some northern Gaza towns were flooded with sewage, and about 50 U.N. facilities were damaged, he said.

More than 170 supply trucks crossed into Gaza on Monday, less than a third of the daily number that crossed in 2005, said John Holmes, U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

Israel tried to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, a senior Israel Defense Forces officer said in a posting Monday on the IDF Web site.

"This was not a war against the Palestinians," he said. "It was an operation of self-defense against Hamas and related terror organizations. Unfortunately, this task was made extremely difficult by Hamas, as they made the choice to use civilians as human shields."

Israel began the offensive in response to rocket fire by Hamas militants after showing eight years of restraint, the officer said.

The operation's goal, he said, "was to improve the security situation in southern Israel, and to facilitate peaceful living for the Israeli civilians living there."

"We asked ourselves how to accomplish this, and the answer was to hit Hamas hard -- to strike the tunnels, the terrorists themselves, and all of their assets -- in order to prevent them from committing war crimes by firing rockets that target our civilian population," the officer said.

He said seven rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel since Sunday's cease-fire declaration.

"We want to give this cease-fire a chance, but if Hamas chooses not to, we will utilize all of our means," he said.

How many children were klled in the offensive?

Will it take long for the economy to recover?

How much destruction does the official say offensive cost?

Answer: "The pervasive sense here among the population is one of overwhelming grief, so many families have been destroyed in so many ways,"

Answer: Gaza.

Answer: 159

Answer: a year

Answer: 1,300 Palestinians

Answer: more than $1.9 billion.

Answer: more than $1.9 billion.

Answer: 159

Summary:
Israeli offensive caused $1.9 billion in economic destruction in Gaza, official says .
It could take a year for Gaza's economy to recover, Palestinian agency says .
U.N. official: 159 children among 1,300 people killed in Gaza during offensive .


(CNN) -- More than 100 countries attending a conference in Dublin, Ireland formally adopted a treaty Friday to ban cluster bombs -- a large, unreliable and inaccurate weapon that often affects civilians long after the end of armed conflict. Cluster bombs are usually air-dropped shells that eject multiple small bomblets to kill enemy soldiers. A document released by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs says the countries agreed never to use cluster munitions or the explosive bomblets they contain. The countries also agreed never to develop, acquire, retain or transfer cluster munitions. Countries attending the 11-day conference agreed to the treaty Wednesday but formally signed it Friday. The accord calls for a total, immediate ban of the weapons, strong standards to protect those injured by them, contaminated areas to be cleaned up as quickly as possible and for the weapons to be immediately destroyed, he said. Thomas Nash, coordinator of the CMC campaigning organization, said Wednesday: "This is a great achievement for everyone who has been working hard to see the end of 40 years of suffering from these weapons." Though some of the biggest makers of cluster bombs, including the United States, Russia, China and Israel, were not involved in the talks and have not signed the accord, organizers predicted that those nations would nevertheless be pressured into compliance. "Take the United States," Nash said. "Almost all of its allies are here. They've decided to ban these weapons. That's going to make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the United States to ever use these weapons again, either on its own or in joint operations." The agreement requires the destruction of stockpiles of the weapons within eight years, he said. Cluster munitions, which break apart in flight to scatter hundreds of smaller bomblets, are what the International Committee of the Red Cross calls a "persistent humanitarian problem." Most of a cluster bomb's bomblets are meant to explode on impact, but many do not. Estimates show the weapons fail to explode on impact between 10 and 40 percent of the time, the Red Cross says. That means unexploded bomblets lie scattered across a target area, often exploding only when handled or disturbed -- posing a serious risk to civilians. Last week, Acting Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Stephen D. Mull called it "an absolute moral obligation" to rid a battlefield of unexploded ordnance after the battle. But he also predicted that the United States would not agree to any ban. "We think that it is going to be impossible to ban cluster munitions... because these are weapons that have a certain military utility and are of use," Mull said. "The United States relies on them as an important part of our own defense strategy." Instead, he urged that the weapons be regulated "to take humanitarian considerations into account" and that "technological fixes" be pursued that would render them harmless after a battle. During the 34-day war in Lebanon in 2006, the United Nations estimated that Israel dropped 4 million bomblets, 1 million of which may not have exploded, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. More than 250 civilians and bomb-disposal operators have been killed or injured by them in southern Lebanon since the war ended. Cluster bombs were also used in the 1999 war in Kosovo. Lt. Col. Jim Burke, a military adviser to the Irish Defense Forces said they quickly became a major killer of civilians. In more than 20 countries, according to the ICRC, cluster bombs have created lasting "no-go" areas, rendering them as dangerous as minefields. Laos is the most affected country. Millions of bomblets dropped during the Vietnam War continue to kill civilians more than three decades later. Still, militaries consider cluster bombs important for use against multiple targets dispersed over a wide area, such as tanks or military personnel moving across the landscape. A single bomb containing hundreds of submunitions can cover more than 18 square miles. CNN's Jacqueline Clyne contributed to this report.

what is the risk of Controversial weapons

Which country is not expected to agree to banning cluster bombs?

What was the number of countries formally agreeing treaty banning cluster bombs?

What is the total number of countries agreeing to treaty?

Answer: cluster bombs

Answer: unexploded bomblets lie scattered across a target area, often exploding only when handled or disturbed

Answer: United States

Answer: than 100

Answer: than 100

Answer: Israel,

Answer: United States, Russia, China

Answer: cluster bombs

Summary:
111 countries formally agreeing treaty banning cluster bombs .
U.S. not attending and not expected to agree to banning cluster bombs .
Controversial weapons often don't explode but stay dangerous for civilians .


(CNN) -- More than 150 students at the University of California at Berkeley took over a campus building Thursday to protest a proposed 81% increase in tuition fees, university officials said.

UC-Berkeley spokeswoman Callie Maidhof described the scene as "an open occupation with people coming and going" at Tolman Hall on the campus that has been known for decades as a hotbed of student activism and protests.

The tuition increase proposed by the board of regents would be phased in over a four-year period.

Maidhof added that when the protest began Thursday afternoon, campus police initially resisted the demonstrators and used pepper spray at one point. The university maintained a hands-off approach after that, but according to Maidhof the situation could change at the building's scheduled closing time of 9 p.m. (midnight ET).

As evening fell, there were between 60 and 70 students occupying one of the classrooms and another group was participating in a teach-in outside on the lawn.

Helicopter aerials of the scene from CNN affiliate KTVU showed a few protest banners hung from windows of the classroom building.

What did the university board of regents propose?

when is A university spokeswoman says the building is scheduled to be closed ?

Answer: tuition increase

Answer: 9 p.m.

Answer: "an open occupation with people coming and going"

Answer: 9 p.m. (midnight ET).

Answer: took over a campus building

Answer: University of California at Berkeley

Answer: 81%

Summary:
The university board of regents has proposed an 81% tuition hike over four years .
Students at UC-Berkeley take over a campus building in protest .
A university spokeswoman says the building is scheduled to be closed for the night at 9 p.m.


(CNN) -- More than 2,100 registered North Carolina sex offenders were found on the social networking site MySpace, the state attorney general's office said Tuesday.

North Carolina bans sex offenders within the state from social networking sites where children are members.

In response to a subpoena from state Attorney General Roy Cooper, "MySpace turned over the names, IP and e-mail addresses of 2,116 convicted North Carolina sex offenders found on its social networking Web site," Cooper's office said in a written statement.

Cooper has requested similar information from Facebook, another popular social networking site, the statement said.

MySpace has told North Carolina authorities that the sex offenders it identified have been removed from the site.

North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation is sharing the sex offenders' information with all 100 sheriffs in the state, Cooper's office said.

"It's no secret that child predators are on these Web sites," Cooper said in the statement. "Turning over information about these predators to law enforcement helps, but MySpace, Facebook and other social networks need to do much more to protect kids online."

North Carolina passed a law last year banning sex offenders within the state from social networking sites where children are members, making it a felony offense.

Sex offenders on social networking sites is not a new issue. Last month, Newsweek magazine reported that Facebook said it had removed 5,585 convicted sex offenders from its site between May 2008 and January 2009. MySpace also announced it had removed 90,000 sex offenders in a two-year period, the magazine said.

Last June, the Texas attorney general's office said it had arrested seven convicted sex offenders who violated their parole conditions by creating MySpace profiles, according to an article on the TechNewsWorld Web site.

Cooper and Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut's attorney general, for more than three years have led a group of attorneys general in working to make social networking safer, Cooper's office said. The group is pushing social networks to use technology such as age and identity verification to better protect users who may be children.

After discussions with the group, MySpace became the first social networking site to develop technology aimed at finding and removing sex offenders, the North Carolina statement said. Cooper is pushing Facebook to take similar steps.

But, Cooper's office said, "the information provided by MySpace does not include sex offenders who have not been convicted, are not registered or may be using aliases on the site. Cooper remains concerned about other sex offenders on the site who may be lying about who they are, and is continuing to ask MySpace to do more to protect children on the site."

From where similar information had been requested?

Answer: Roy Cooper,

Answer: "MySpace turned over the names, IP and e-mail addresses of 2,116 convicted North Carolina sex offenders found on its social networking Web site,"

Answer: Facebook,

Answer: sharing the sex offenders' information with all 100 sheriffs in the state,

Summary:
Site provided names, IP and e-mail addresses of offenders it found, AG says .
Similar information requested from Facebook networking site, he says .
MySpace says that sex offenders it identified have been removed from site .
North Carolina officials sharing sex offenders' data with all sheriffs in the state .


(CNN) -- More than 200 former fighters and other members of the Maoist People's Liberation Army -- including minors -- were discharged from a Maoist camp Thursday in line with Nepal's ongoing peace process, officials said. Those being discharged were part of a group deemed "disqualified" by United Nations findings in 2007, which identified at least 4,008 such combatants -- including 2,973 minors. The "disqualified" status applied to anyone under the age of 18 who was serving in the liberation army, and those who joined the Maoist group after its 10-year insurgency to abolish the country's monarchy ended in 2006. More than 15,000 died in the fighting and more than 100,000 people were displaced, according to the United Nations Web site. Nepal became a republic in 2008 following elections in which the people voted to abolish the monarchy. "Those who left the Sindhuli camp today are no more members of the [Maoist] People's Liberation Army," Nanda Kishore Pun, commander of the Maoist People's Liberation Army, told CNN in a phone interview from Sindhuli, about 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Kathmandu. The discharge process is expected to end in about a month. As part of the rehabilitation package for the disqualified combatants, the United Nations has offered to provide vocational skills training and education up to high school to those who want such opportunities, but Pun said that these offers are still being discussed. The process of the discharge is seen as in important part of the Nepal's ongoing peace process. The Maoists and other political parties in the country are discussing ways to integrate the 19,602 verified Maoist combatants into Nepal's security forces -- a move that made up part of the peace deal signed in 2006 to bring the peace process to a conclusion. Once the minors remain out of the command and control of the Maoist military structure for six months to a year, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) can be considered for removal from the list of parties that recruit and use children, which is included in the annual U.N. Secretary-General's report on Children and Armed Conflict. As the discharge and rehabilitation process began, about a dozen of the disqualified combatants were listed as being under the age of 16 and about 500 were under the age of 18. Though called combatants, the United Nations said the minors were used as messengers, cooks and porters during the fighting.

What kind of people were in the discharged group ?

How many people were discharged from the Maoist camp ?

Of what is this discharge seen a part of ?

The group was "disqualified" by United Nations findings in what year?

Answer: 200 former fighters

Answer: Nepal's

Answer: than 200

Answer: in important part of the Nepal's ongoing peace process.

Answer: Nepal's

Answer: 200

Answer: of the Nepal's ongoing peace process.

Answer: United Nations findings in 2007,

Answer: 2007,

Summary:
More than 200 people were discharged from Maoist camp in Nepal .
They are former fighters and other members of the Maoist People's Liberation Army .
Part of a group deemed "disqualified" by United Nations findings in 2007 .
Their discharge is seen as in important part of the Nepal's ongoing peace process .


(CNN) -- More than 40,000 Somalis have returned to the abandoned neighborhoods of Mogadishu in the past six weeks, despite some of the heaviest fighting in months, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday.

Violence continued this week in Mogadishu between Somali Islamist fighters and African Union soldiers.

They are part of more than a million residents who have been displaced by fighting, including 100,000 who fled to neighboring countries last year, according to the United Nations.

Most of those returning are families from Somalia's southern and central regions, areas that are suffering from drought and renewed fighting, according to UNHCR. They are now living in neighborhoods in northern Mogadishu that had been abandoned over the past two years of conflict, the U.N. agency said.

Part of the reason displaced Somalis may be braving the violence and returning to the war-torn capital city is because of the recent pullout of Ethiopian troops, who were blamed for indiscriminately killing civilians in Mogadishu, a Somali journalist said.

"The AU [African Union] and [Somali] government forces only defend in their positions, they don't move around," according to Mohammed Amiin Adow. "This may reduce the fear of the civilians that their homes may be raided.

"During the Ethiopian presence, it was different: When their bases were attacked, they used to come and carry out search operations in which civilians may be detained, killed or wounded."

Adow also said another reason refugees may be returning is the bad conditions at the camps for internally displaced Somalis.

"People had been living in very poor conditions in the makeshift camps on the road between Mogadishu and Afgooye for the last two years," Adow said. "So that is I think why people are returning."

Those returning to Mogadishu will have limited access to basic necessities, a problem that is compounded by the scarcity of international aid agencies, who have fled Somalia because of the violence, UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said Friday.

"UNHCR is not encouraging returns to Mogadishu at this juncture, as the security situation is volatile and the conditions are certainly not conducive," he said. "Nevertheless, we are preparing to help returnees or those who wish to return in the near future, in the hope that the security situation will improve."

What are people in central and southern Somolia Fleeing?

Where was most of the fighting in Somalia?

What groups were currently fighting in Somalia?

What are the people returning fleeing from?

How many Somalis have been displaced throughout the country and abroad?

More than what number of Somalis have been displaced?

Answer: drought

Answer: Mogadishu

Answer: Somali Islamist fighters and African Union soldiers.

Answer: bad conditions at the camps

Answer: more than a million

Answer: scarcity of international aid agencies,

Answer: more than a million

Answer: a million residents

Summary:
Most of those returning are fleeing drought, fighting in central and southern Somalia .
Others may be returning because of conditions at displacement camps .
More than a million Somalis have been displaced throughout country, abroad .
Supplies in the capital city are scarce due to exodus of aid groups fleeing violence .


(CNN) -- More than 50 children have been abducted in Haiti since the beginning of the year, adding to a trend of kidnappings in countries affected by violence, according to a United Nations Children's Fund report.

Haitians demonstrate June 4 in Port-au-Prince against the kidnappings and acts of violence in Haiti.

"It is everyone's duty to ensure children are safe from harm, and governments have a responsibility to enact and enforce measures that provide a protective environment for all children," the agency said in a statement released Friday.

In countries torn by war, like the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq, food shortages and poverty have added to the already hellish conditions children live in. The youngest in unstable countries have become primary targets for armed groups who see them as commodities, the agency said.

In Haiti, UNICEF and local officials report that kidnapped children are being raped, tortured and murdered. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti has been working with the national police force to try to halt such crimes. They suspect that criminal gangs are responsible.

The agency reports that as many as 2,000 children a year are trafficked to the Dominican Republic, often with their parents' support. And about 1,000 children are working as spies, messengers or soldiers for armed gangs in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

Earlier in the month, a demonstration was held in Haiti's capital after a 16-year-old hostage was murdered and other hostages had been raped and lynched, including infants, UNICEF said.

The agency urged officials to take action.

"There is no acceptable motive or rationale for these crimes, as there is no acceptable excuse that they should be allowed to continue with flagrant impunity," UNICEF's Haiti representative, Annamaria Laurini, said in a statement.

The agency recently received reports that Iraqi children have been recruited by militia and insurgent groups.

"Girls are increasingly subject to murder, kidnapping and rape, or are being abducted and trafficked within or outside Iraq for sexual exploitation," according to the report.

In the Central African Republic, the agency reports that armed gangs terrorize farms and communities, kidnapping children and holding them for ransom.

Souleimane Garga, in Paoua, recounts to UNICEF how bandits broke into his home nearly two years ago and kidnapped his wife, newborn baby and two other children -- Harouna and Beldo -- after killing older family members, including an uncle and a grandfather.

"It was two in the morning when they came. There were many of them, and they knocked down the doors," Garga tells UNICEF in a video posted on the agency's Web site. Garga was shot in the back during the attack, UNICEF said.

"They had Kalashnikovs, and the bullets came down like rain," he said.

For two years, now-5-year-old Harouna and his 7-year-old sister, Beldo, were held in bush camps because their father couldn't afford to be in a position where he might have to pay a ransom. It had financially broken him when he paid to free his wife and newborn baby, UNICEF said.

Garga tells UNICEF that the children lived in horrible conditions that included beatings. "Harouna still wakes up at night; he shouts and cries."

When someone mentions kidnapping, Beldo stops talking. "Whenever she hears that word, she stops talking; she tells us to 'keep quiet of such things' and asks for peace," her father said.

"We were afraid, but we kept thinking our father would come soon," Harouna told the agency. "'I'm happy to come back home. ... Thanks, we're free.'"

Although some children are returned to their homes, other kidnapped children may never return. They are instead used as muscle behind rebel militias in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The agency added that many children are also held in captivity and used as sexual slaves.

In a July 2006 UNICEF report on child soldiers in the nation, the agency reported that "

where are children kidnapped and held for ransom

How many children have been abducted in Haiti?

who are victims of murder in war-torn nations?

what is the number of kids that have been abducted in haiti since january

Answer: Haiti

Answer: 2,000

Answer: than 50

Answer: kidnapped children

Answer: than 50

Answer: Haiti

Summary:
UNICEF: Children are often victims of murder, kidnappings in war-torn nations .
Report says 2,000 children a year are trafficked to the Dominican Republic .
More than 50 kids in Haiti have been abducted since January .
In the Central African Republic, children are kidnapped and held for ransom .


(CNN) -- More than 60 years after reneging on a promise to the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who fought for the United States during World War II, the U.S. government will soon be sending out checks -- to the few who are still alive.

Veteran Franco Arcebal says, "we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us."

"For a poor man like me, $15,000 is a lot of money," said 91-year-old Celestino Almeda.

Still, he said, "After what we have suffered, what we have contributed for the sake of democracy, it's peanuts. It's a drop in the bucket."

During the war, the Philippines was a U.S. commonwealth. The U.S. military promised full veterans benefits to Filipinos who volunteered to fight. More than 250,000 joined.

Then, in 1946, President Truman signed the Rescission Act, taking that promise away.

Today, only about about 15,000 of those troops are still alive, according to the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. A provision tucked inside the stimulus bill that President Obama signed calls for releasing $198 million that was appropriated last year for those veterans. Those who have become U.S. citizens get $15,000 each; non-citizens get $9,000.

"I'm very thankful," said Patrick Ganio, 88, the coalition's president. "We Filipinos are a grateful people."

Ganio was among the tens of thousands of Filipinos at the infamous battle of Bataan, a peninsula on Manila Bay opposite the Philippine capital. He was captured and beaten by Japanese troops before ultimately being freed, suffering from malaria and then resuming his service to the U.S. military.

"The record of the Philippine soldiers for bravery and loyalty is second to none," Truman wrote to the leaders of the House and Senate in 1946. "Their assignment was as bloody and difficult as any in which our American soldiers engaged. Under desperate circumstances they acquitted themselves nobly."

Though Truman said the Rescission Act resulted in "discrimination," he signed it.

"There can be no question but that the Philippine veteran is entitled to benefits bearing a reasonable relation to those received by the America veteran, with whom he fought side by side," he said. "From a practical point of view, however, it must be acknowledged that certain benefits granted by the GI bill of rights cannot be applied in the case of the Philippine veteran."

Some historians say financial concerns were paramount: The cost of funding full veterans benefits to all those Filipinos, particularly in the wake of the costly war, would have been a heavy burden.

The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity offers a different explanation. "In 1946, discrimination against people of color was the rule of law," the group says in a document it submitted to the Obama-Biden transition team in November.

"The second-class treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is another example from this historical period."

For decades, Filipino activists and their supporters have fought for the full benefits. They've petitioned and picketed. Almeda, a widower who now lives in Virginia with his daughter, once chained himself to the fence outside the White House.

"I was fined $50 for civil disobedience and was arrested," he says now, chuckling. He says he was just looking for answers.

Despite encouraging words from U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, the benefits were never restored.

"Only 70,000 Philippine veterans remain alive, and they hope to stay alive long enough to see those benefits reinstated," CNN reported in 1997. "There's a bill, stuck in committee in Congress, that would do just that."

That effort, just like so many before, fell apart.

"We were loyal to the United States. Even up to now, we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us in many ways," said Franco Arcebal, another leader of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. "It

Who later signed an act reneging on promise?

Which President did not keep his promise?

How much money will non-citizen soldiers get?

Who was promised full military benefits?

How many of the relevant Filipino troops are still alive?

Answer: $15,000 each;

Answer: about 15,000

Answer: 15,000

Answer: $15,000

Answer: President Truman

Answer: Truman

Answer: full veterans benefits

Answer: $9,000.

Answer: U.S. government

Answer: Filipinos

Answer: about 15,000

Summary:
Filipinos were promised full military benefits to enlist .
President Truman later signed act reneging on promise .
Only about 15,000 of the troops are still alive .
U.S. citizens will get $15,000; non-citizens will get $9,000 .


(CNN) -- More than 60 years after reneging on a promise to the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who fought for the United States during World War II, the U.S. government will soon be sending out checks -- to the few who are still alive.

Veteran Franco Arcebal says, "we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us."

"For a poor man like me, $15,000 is a lot of money," said 91-year-old Celestino Almeda.

Still, he said, "After what we have suffered, what we have contributed for the sake of democracy, it's peanuts. It's a drop in the bucket."

During the war, the Philippines was a U.S. commonwealth. The U.S. military promised full veterans benefits to Filipinos who volunteered to fight. More than 250,000 joined.

Then, in 1946, President Truman signed the Rescission Act, taking that promise away.

Today, only about about 15,000 of those troops are still alive, according to the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. A provision tucked inside the stimulus bill that President Obama signed calls for releasing $198 million that was appropriated last year for those veterans. Those who have become U.S. citizens get $15,000 each; non-citizens get $9,000.

"I'm very thankful," said Patrick Ganio, 88, the coalition's president. "We Filipinos are a grateful people."

Ganio was among the tens of thousands of Filipinos at the infamous battle of Bataan, a peninsula on Manila Bay opposite the Philippine capital. He was captured and beaten by Japanese troops before ultimately being freed, suffering from malaria and then resuming his service to the U.S. military.

"The record of the Philippine soldiers for bravery and loyalty is second to none," Truman wrote to the leaders of the House and Senate in 1946. "Their assignment was as bloody and difficult as any in which our American soldiers engaged. Under desperate circumstances they acquitted themselves nobly."

Though Truman said the Rescission Act resulted in "discrimination," he signed it.

"There can be no question but that the Philippine veteran is entitled to benefits bearing a reasonable relation to those received by the America veteran, with whom he fought side by side," he said. "From a practical point of view, however, it must be acknowledged that certain benefits granted by the GI bill of rights cannot be applied in the case of the Philippine veteran."

Some historians say financial concerns were paramount: The cost of funding full veterans benefits to all those Filipinos, particularly in the wake of the costly war, would have been a heavy burden.

The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity offers a different explanation. "In 1946, discrimination against people of color was the rule of law," the group says in a document it submitted to the Obama-Biden transition team in November.

"The second-class treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is another example from this historical period."

For decades, Filipino activists and their supporters have fought for the full benefits. They've petitioned and picketed. Almeda, a widower who now lives in Virginia with his daughter, once chained himself to the fence outside the White House.

"I was fined $50 for civil disobedience and was arrested," he says now, chuckling. He says he was just looking for answers.

Despite encouraging words from U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, the benefits were never restored.

"Only 70,000 Philippine veterans remain alive, and they hope to stay alive long enough to see those benefits reinstated," CNN reported in 1997. "There's a bill, stuck in committee in Congress, that would do just that."

That effort, just like so many before, fell apart.

"We were loyal to the United States. Even up to now, we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us in many ways," said Franco Arcebal, another leader of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. "It

Who were promised full military benefits to enlist?

Answer: 15,000

Answer: Filipinos

Answer: Filipinos

Answer: $15,000

Answer: Truman

Summary:
Filipinos were promised full military benefits to enlist .
President Truman later signed act reneging on promise .
Only about 15,000 of the troops are still alive .
U.S. citizens will get $15,000; non-citizens will get $9,000 .


(CNN) -- More than a month after the Plastiki set sail from San Francisco, the six-person crew has made it to Christmas Island, nearly marking the halfway point of the ship's journey to cross the Pacific Ocean.

Upon their arrival, the crew was greeted at by local residents who performed cultural songs and dances, as well as offered them drinks and chocolate -- traditional treats on the Republic of Kiripbati island.

The vessel embarked from San Francisco on March 20. The arrival on Christmas Island is the first time since the ship left California that that the crew -- David de Rothschild, Jo Royle, David Thomson, Olav Heyerdahl, Vern Moen and Max Jourdan -- disembarked from their ship, constructed of more than 12,000 plastic bottles.

After participating in the arrival ceremony, the crew members spoke to 1,000 high school students about the importance of recycling, and led a discussion to address the challenges the students face in their own efforts to promote sustainable practices.

The crew had the additional opportunity to interact with the local community while the Plastiki was re-stocked and underwent a maintenance check and minor repairs.

Also on Christmas Island, filmmaker Moen will leave the Plastiki to return to California, where his wife gave birth to their son last month. In his place, Graham Hill, the founder of environmental website Treehugger, will be joining the crew.

The Plastiki has sailed 3,617 nautical miles of it 11,000-mile journey. Its final destination is Sydney, Australia.

What number of days did it take to reach Christmas Island?

who interacts with the local community and promotes its sustainability message

Answer: a month

Answer: Christmas

Answer: The crew

Answer: practices.

Summary:
The Plastiki crew reaches Christmas Island 39 days after it set sail from San Francisco .
This is nearly the expedition's halfway point and is the first time the crew touches land .
The crew interacts with the local community and promotes their message of sustainability .


(CNN) -- More than just the quintessential Seattle shopping experience, Pike Place Market is a tourist attraction in its own right. This historic farmers market is the place to pick up all manner of fresh local produce, as well as handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings. Keep your camera handy to snap the colorful floral displays and the fishmongers tossing whole salmon to each other. Flying fish at Pike Place Market. If Pike Place whets your appetite for fresh produce, check out the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market (5330 Ballard Avenue, Sundays) for delicious farm-fresh goodies. Another great Sunday market is the weekly Fremont Flea Market (400 N 34th Street), a cornucopia of used, vintage and antique goods. For the avid antiques hunter the underground Pioneer Square Antiques Mall (602 First Avenue) has more than 60 stalls. If you prefer big brand names you'll want to head downtown, where you'll find the likes of Banana Republic (500 Pike Street) and a colossal Nike Town (1500 6th Avenue). Downtown is also home to Macy's (1601 Third Avenue), still known to locals as "The Bon" from its former incarnation as Bon Marché. Macy's can be good for a bargain, but the city's best department store is the flagship Nordstrom (500 Pine Street), famed for it exemplary customer service. For something more cutting edge, Capitol Hill and Belltown are full of funky boutiques and vintage clothing stores. Crossroads Trading Company (325 Broadway Avenue E and 4300 University Way) is a good option for second-hand threads, while sneaker freaks will find that Gems (615 Western Avenue) is a treasure trove of fancy footwear. Bibliophiles will love Seattle for its numerous independent books stores. Set aside a couple of hours to visit the Elliot Bay Book Company (101 South Main Street), a vast space crammed full of new and used books. It boasts an excellent selection of titles about the region, a pleasant café and readings or signings almost every night. University Bookstore (4326 University Way) has a huge selection, while Fremont Place Books (621 N 35th Street) is a cozy little place with an interesting range of titles. If you're planning an expedition into the beautiful wilderness around Seattle, you can get kitted out at the flagship REI (222 Yale Avenue N). There's everything you'll need for hiking, biking, rock climbing and skiing, and you can even hire stuff, so you won't have to drag it all back home with you. Bamboozle your friends by getting them an eccentric souvenir from Archie McPhee (2428 NW Market Street). Of course, eccentric is a relative term, but squirrel underpants (which, apparently, are also suitable for hamsters, frogs and gerbils) and inflatable fruitcakes should qualify as eccentric by most standards. If you plan to visit this bazaar of the bizarre you should note that Archie's is set to move to the corner of North 45th Street and Stone Way North, in Wallingford, some time next year. Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop | ...................... Do you agree with our Seattle picks? Send us your comments and suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best.

where is this located?
Downtown is the place for what?
Where are chain stores?
what do they sell?
Does Seattle have bookshops?

Answer: Seattle

Answer: to pick up all manner of fresh local produce, as well as handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

Answer: downtown,

Answer: handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

Answer: numerous independent books stores.

Summary:
You have to visit Pike Place Market, a fantastic, historic farmers market .
Downtown is the place for chain stores; Capitol Hill is great for boutiques .
Seattle is full of independent bookshops --  Elliot Bay Bookstore is the best .
Archie McPhee is a bizarre store where you can buy some quirky souvenirs .


(CNN) -- More than nuclear bomb tests, the suicide of former South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun has stunned the South Korean public. While the news has shocked the nation, perhaps the level of surprise at the method wasn't as great. The suicide of former president Roh has shocked South Korea. In a country with one of the highest suicide rates among economically advanced countries, traditional concepts of honor and public "face" remain powerful social forces. According to World Health Organization figures, rates of suicide in South Korea doubled to 21.9 deaths per 100,000 people between 1996 and 2006. The United Nations cites that 90 percent of suicide cases were caused by mental disorders, but socio-cultural and economic pressures play a large part. While each case of suicide has a number of complex personal issues, the connection between suicide and honor has a historical basis in many Asian countries. "There are cultural histories in Asian societies of honorable suicide, such as hara-kiri in Japan, where the person assumes total responsibility," said Dr. Erminia Colucci, research fellow at the University of Melbourne's School of Population Health. "In many western countries, a suicide in someone of Roh's position might be more about looking for understanding. In collectivist societies, like Japan and Korea, where a person's identity is more tied closely to other groups, suicides can be seen as the ultimate way to rebuild or reclean your image, if it changes." "I think there is something paradoxical in it. On one hand, some see it as a way of maintaining status and restoring honor to you and the people you represent, but the pressure from that group could contribute to you considering suicide." Roh was under investigation for corruption and some believe the pressures he felt just became too great. "Roh had come to power as a human rights lawyer, as an uneducated outsider pledging to clean up Korean politics, so it was particularly hard on him to have what he stood for and the reality of what happened under his administration. I think that was particularly hard for him to take," David King, director of the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California told CNN. Watch more on the rise and fall of Roh In a suicide note to his family, Roh described his life as "difficult" and was sorry for making "too many people suffer." Roh had said he was ashamed about the scandal and in the first round of questioning, he said he was losing face and that he was disappointing his supporters. In South Korea, Roh is the latest and highest profile of recent suicides of public figures. In late 2008, two South Korean actors took their lives. Police cited malicious online rumors as a possible cause for the suicide of Cho Jin-sil in October 2008. The blogs and chat rooms had speculated that she had been pressuring fellow actor Ahn Jae-hwan to repay a debt before he took his own life in September 2008.  Video: How South Korean continue mourning » High-profile suicides can make for lurid headlines, which Dr Paul Yip, director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong, believes are far from helpful in combating suicide rates. "Common in Asia is to sensationalize suicides, especially among celebrities. Often the local or national media publish lots of details of how it was done. The media (in Hong Kong) has got better in their responsible reporting," he said. "Whenever famous people kill themselves there is an effect on those people who are most vulnerable from a similar age group -- we see this in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan and China, " said Yip. "People at risk can see Roh's death as an example and say, 'Well if he can do it, so can I'. Neither Roh nor any of the high-profile people who have committed suicide would have thought about this affect. There are a number of complex issues. There isn't just one that leads someone to take their life." Copycat deaths

What remain strong social forces in many Asian societies?

Answer: "People at risk can see Roh's death as an example and say, 'Well if he can do it, so can I'. Neither Roh nor any of the high-profile people who have committed suicide would have thought about this affect. There are a number of

Answer: traditional concepts

Answer: of honor and public "face"

Answer: caused by mental disorders, but socio-cultural and economic pressures play a large part.

Answer: each case of suicide

Answer: traditional concepts of honor and public "face"

Answer: South Korea.

Answer: South Korea.

Summary:
South Korea has one of the highest rates of suicide in developed countries .
Concepts of honor and "face" remain strong social forces in many Asian societies .
Suicide is a complex mix of issues, but ideas of 'honorable' death persist .


(CNN) -- More than two dozen times in the past three years, authorities came to Phillip and Nancy Garrido's ramshackle home at 1554 Walnut Ave. in Antioch, California, a rural property where Jaycee Dugard is said to have been confined for 18 years. Jaycee Dugard was locked in a shed tucked under a blue tarp in her alleged captor's backyard. And each time, they left without learning of the secret shed where Dugard lived. The Garridos have pleaded not guilty to charges of abduction and forcible rape. They are being held without bail in the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez, California. After she was abducted in June 1991, at age 11, Dugard's disappearance spawned a massive search that continued, on and off, for almost two decades. Federal agents remained committed to the case, chasing thousands of leads. But they apparently never had the Garridos on their radar. The case of the missing girl evoked deep emotions that rippled across the South Lake Tahoe community. Strangers threw fundraisers and parades to raise money for search efforts. Friends and neighbors wore T-shirts bearing images of Dugard's smiling face to give the case exposure. Elementary school students toted signs that encouraged the community to stay committed to the hunt for their classmate. All they wanted was to find little Jaycee Lee Dugard. And for some of that time, authorities were visiting the home of the couple now accused of abducting her.  Watch an FBI agent talk about why clues were missed » Interviews with public officials show that parole officers, law enforcement officials and firefighters visited the Garrido household but left without realizing that the kidnapped girl had grown to adulthood and was living in a soundproof shed hidden in the backyard. Two Dozen Contacts There were at least 16 visits from parole officers and seven by the fire department. There was also one by the sheriff's office responding to an allegation that people were living in the backyard. State and local authorities have now begun internal investigations to find out why none of these visits uncovered the existence of Dugard, now 29, and her children, Starlet, 15, and Angel, 11. Their makeshift home of tents, tarps and sheds was tucked behind a 6-foot wall at the rear of the Garrido property. "I feel confident the sheriff will use this as an example of how to do things better," said Federal Glover, a district supervisor for Contra Costa County who also heads the community's public safety committee. "From this lesson, we will not have this type of missed opportunity occur again." One of the first red flags authorities might have caught was in 1993, two years after the kidnapping. Garrido, who had been released from prison after serving 11 years for a 1976 kidnapping, violated his parole in April 1993. It is unclear what he did or how the violation was flagged. As a result, he was placed in federal prison for one month and then released on house arrest for three months. He returned to the Antioch home, where he lived with his wife and his elderly mother. Violation Wasn't Reported to Nevada But the parole violation was never reported to the state of Nevada, where the first kidnapping and rape had occurred, said Gail Powell, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Public Safety. "The state of Nevada would have taken some action," Powell said. "I don't know what, but some action could have meant putting him back in prison, pulling him off parole." In 1999, the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections agreed to take responsibility and authority for supervising Garrido's parole because he resided in that state. Garrido's most recent parole agent visited the home at least twice a month since December, according to California corrections officials. Sometimes the visits were unannounced, said Gordon Hinkle, a department spokesman. Parole officers also checked on Garrido frequently before 2008, Hinkle said, but he did not know how often or how many parole officers visited Garrido's residence. The parole agent who most recently entered Garrido's backyard didn't notice any children

Officials visited Garrido home more than two dozen times in?

Who checked up on Garrido at least twice a month?

Phillip Garrido's parole officer checked up on him at least?

Garrido's parole officer checked on him how often?

How many times have officials visited Garrido home in the past three years?

Garrido's parole officer checked up on him how many times per month?

Official have visited Garrido home more than two dozen times in the past how many years?

Answer: the past three years,

Answer: the Garrido household

Answer: his parole

Answer: most recent parole agent

Answer: Phillip and Nancy Garrido's

Answer: twice a month

Answer: than two dozen

Answer: than two dozen times

Answer: than two dozen

Answer: than two dozen

Answer: April 1993.

Answer: 1993.

Answer: April 1993.

Answer: three

Summary:
Officials visited Garrido home more than two dozen times in past three years .
Phillip Garrido's parole officer checked up on him at least twice a month .
Garrido violated parole in 1993, but offense wasn't reported to all the right agencies .