(CNN) -- The path that brought U.S. citizen David Coleman Headley to the point of pleading guilty to involvement in two international terrorism plots is complicated and twisted. His life, in many ways, is far from the average American experience, but he's also very much a product of a typical American upbringing. He's an unusual fusion, a product of two worlds, a rare blending of East and West. And because of his unusual background, Headley, experts say, is one of the most unusual and important American-born terrorists. Even his eyes -- one blue and one brown -- reflect the double life he has lived almost since the day he was born. Headley pleaded guilty Thursday to all 12 charges against him in connection with the four-day siege on India's financial capital in 2008 that left more than 160 people dead and a planned attack in Denmark. Headley, the son of an American mother and Pakistani father, was accused of extensive involvement in planning the devastating attacks on hotels in Mumbai, which the Indian government says were carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. At least six Americans were among the dead. Headley, 49, was indicted last October and charged by the U.S. government for conspiracy to murder and maim people in India and provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but he has changed his plea as part of a deal with the government to cooperate with investigators and possibly to avoid the death penalty he might have received if convicted on some of the charges. In the federal courtroom in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, Headley told the judge that he did not dispute any of the 12 charges. By pleading guilty, he also gave up his right to appeal in the case. He faced six counts of conspiracy to bomb locations in India and to murder and maim persons in India and Denmark, and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of U.S. citizens in India. The indictment against him charged that Headley scouted targets in Mumbai for more than two years to set up the November 2008 attacks. He was also accused of planning a terrorist attack on a Danish newspaper, which was never carried out. The newspaper became the target of Muslim fury in 2005 after it published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a manner offensive to Muslims. Even family asks: Who is David Coleman Headley? Now that he's admitted to conspiracy to murder and maim in the Mumbai attack, even members of his own family are wondering who David Headley really is. "I was really shocked. And just didn't expect something like that. And I mean such a hands-on accusation," said William Headley, his uncle, reflecting on when he first learned of the government's accusations against his nephew. "It was like you had poured cold water inside my chest." David Coleman Headley was born in 1960 in Washington, D.C., but with a different name: at birth, he was given the Urdu name Daood Gilani. He was the son of an eccentric, flamboyant and rebellious high society mother from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Serrill Headley; and a strict, formal Pakistani diplomat father, Sayed Salim Gilani. The couple met at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington but moved to Lahore, Pakistan, when their son was very young. "He was the first baby I had anything to do with," his uncle William Headley said. "He was the first baby I ever touched or held or anything like that. And somewhere I have a photograph of me in my pajamas holding little Daood. ... He was a nice-looking little baby." Fractious union of East and West After only a few years, Daood's parents split up, an early sign of the fractious union of East and West. The separation left Daood straddled between his traditional Muslim father and his very Western, very American mother. For a time, his mother remained in Pakistan, but she eventually returned to Philadelphia, where she opened a popular bar called the Khyber

What did he do wrong
who is product of 2 worlds
who is david coleman
what is lashkar - e - tayyiba

Answer: involvement in two international terrorism plots

Answer: David Coleman Headley

Answer: U.S. citizen

Answer: Pakistan-based terrorist group

Summary:
David Coleman Headley is a product of two worlds, a rare blending of East and West .
His mother was a fun-loving Philly socialite; his father was a strict, formal Pakistani .
His arrest in a heroin sting was a turning point in his life, an uncle says .
He's been tied to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba; India says group carried out Mumbai attacks .


(CNN) -- The peanut processing company at the heart of a national salmonella outbreak, Peanut Corp. of America, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in court Friday in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Peanut Corp. of America plants in Georgia and Texas came under scrutiny after the salmonella outbreak.

The documents were filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Virginia.

The bankruptcy papers were signed by Stewart Parnell, the president of Peanut Corp., who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions this week in a congressional hearing.

Bacteria found in the company's Blakely, Georgia, peanut processing plant have been blamed for more than 600 cases of salmonella, including nine deaths.  Watch how bankruptcy could affect case Â»

The Texas Health Department on Thursday ordered products from the company's plant in Plainview, Texas, to be recalled after discovering dead rodents, rodent excrement and bird feathers in the plant.  Watch what health inspectors found Â»

A call to the company's telephone number, which was working earlier this week, elicited a recording that said it was no longer in service.

"The long and the short of it is that we kicked the tires on reorganizing the company, and, frankly, they're just in a position now where they can't even conduct business," said Andrew S. Goldstein, a lawyer for the company. "They can't operate at all, and this just seemed like the inevitable course."

In a written statement, Consumers Union said Friday's declaration shows that Congress needs to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration and hike the penalties it can impose.

"It is unacceptable for corporations to put consumers' health at risk and then simply declare bankruptcy and go out of business when they get caught," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports.

"PCA's declaration of bankruptcy will, among other things, shield it from liability suits filed by consumers who became sick or whose loved ones died as a result of eating PCA's peanut products," she said.

Where was the company plant where dead rodents were found?

What cases were linked to a Georgia plant?

What org says that filing shows need for stronger FDA?

The plants affected by the outbreak are from what state?

What is to blame for hundreds of cases of illnesses?

Where was the plant that was blamed for hundreds of salmonella cases?

What company will be shielded from liability suits?

Answer: Plainview, Texas,

Answer: said Friday's declaration shows that Congress needs to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration and hike the penalties it can impose.

Answer: salmonella

Answer: Consumers Union

Answer: Georgia and Texas

Answer: Bacteria

Answer: a national salmonella outbreak,

Answer: Bacteria found in the company's Blakely, Georgia, peanut processing plant

Answer: Blakely, Georgia,

Answer: Peanut Corp. of America

Answer: shield it from liability suits filed by consumers

Summary:
NEW: Consumers Union says filing shows need for stronger FDA .
NEW: Move will shield company from liability lawsuits, group says .
Bacteria in company plant in Georgia blamed for hundreds of salmonella cases .
Products from company plant in Texas recalled after dead rodents found .


(CNN) -- The people who died Thursday at a spiritual resort in Arizona had spent time in a "sweatbox" similar to what Native Americans and other cultures have used for prayer and purification rituals throughout history. Two people died and were 19 injured after spending up to two hours inside this "sweatbox" at an Arizona resort. And those who use them say they can be dangerous if care is not taken. From Scandinavia to South America to Africa, people have come together in the sauna-like structures -- typically heated by pouring water on hot lava rocks -- for a variety of reasons, said Joseph Bruchac, writer and author of The Native American Sweat Lodge. He's part Abenaki, a tribe concentrated in the northeast United Staes, and part European. "Each tribal nation has its own traditions, so one group might do it differently from another so you cannot generalize too much," said Bruchac, who runs an outdoor education center in Greenfield Center, New York. In North America, most Native American tribes use the term "sweat lodge" to refer to a dome-shaped structure where the intimate ritual of the sweat takes place, said Bruchac, who has his own sweat lodge on his property in the foothills of the Adirondacks. "Sweat lodges are typically used for a ritual preparation, like before a hunt, or nowadays, people might do it before a wedding or dance or some kind of community event as a way of putting yourself in balance," he said. Bruchac noted that incidents like the one in Arizona tend to raise discussion in Native American communities over whether non-Natives should be allowed to adapt traditional ceremonies. "It's a very meaningful ceremony. I can understand why people find it attractive," Bruchac said. "But I consider it sacrilegious and foolish to do someone else's rituals without proper guidance or practice, especially in sweat lodges where you're raising people's body temperatures. With that many people, oxygen is going to be depleted, and if you have heart problems or breathing problems, you could faint or die." No information about the sweatbox at the Angel Valley Resort near Sedona could be found on the Web site Saturday. The two people who died and the 19 others who fell ill there were attending a program by self-help expert James Arthur Ray, authorities said Saturday. Authorities said between 50 and 60 people were in the structure for nearly two hours -- far exceeding the number who ordinarily would participate in a traditional sweat, according to Bruchac. In a typical ritual, the leader of the sweat gathers four to 12 friends, family members or guests inside the structure, usually made of willow and covered with blankets or canvas, he said. "The person running the sweat has to be very aware of the people in the lodge because he takes control of them mentally, physically and spiritually," said Bruchac. "The leader is responsible for them, so he has to be aware of their physical conditions and their motivations, their reasons for being there." After everyone is inside, a firekeeper heats stones, usually lava rocks, and brings them into the lodge, placing them in a hole in the ground and carefully pouring water over the stones to release steam. The technique of releasing the heat is done with great care so that no one is injured by the steam, which can burn skin or lungs if someone inhales it, said Father Raymond Bucko, Director of Native Studies at Creighton University. "Nobody will make it so hot that no one can stand it," said Bucko. "Religious leaders are very careful about people's health in the sweat. If they're not healthy, people can sit outside the sweat and pray and others can go in for them." A ritual of speaking or prayer may follow, depending on the group's intention for gathering. "People talk and often there's lot of humor, but at any time if it's too hot, some one can say so and they will immediately open the door and people are encouraged to go

Who heats stones, places them in hole in lodge and pours water over them?

What has been used in prayer across the globe?

Answer: a firekeeper

Answer: "sweatbox"

Answer: "sweatbox"

Answer: "sweatbox"

Summary:
Sweat lodges are used in prayer and purification rituals across globe .
Deaths raise concerns over non-Natives trying to adapt traditional ceremonies .
Typical Native American sweat lodge used in ritual of prayer and purification .
Firekeeper heats stones, places them in hole in lodge, pours water over them .


(CNN) -- The photographer who took images of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto moments before her assassination Thursday told CNN he was "surprised" to see her rise through the sunroof of her vehicle to wave to supporters after delivering her speech.

Getty Images photographer John Moore captured Benazir Bhutto waving, moments before he heard gunshots.

"I ran up, got as close as I got, made a few pictures of her waving to the crowd," Getty Images senior staff photographer John Moore told CNN's online streaming news service, CNN.com Live, in a phone interview Thursday from Islamabad, Pakistan.

"And then suddenly, there were a few gunshots that rang out, and she went down, she went down through the sunroof," he said. "And just at that moment I raised my camera up and the blast happened. ... And then, of course, there was chaos."  Watch Moore describe Bhutto's final moments »

Moore said he was about 20 yards away from Bhutto's vehicle when he took his photographs. Bhutto was rushed to Rawalpindi General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Moore said he had been following Bhutto's story since her return to Pakistan in October. He was present October 19 when a terror attack targeting her motorcade in Karachi killed 136 people. In the aftermath of that attack, "the rallies had been very small," because of high security, Moore said.

However, the Rawalpindi rally was announced beforehand, he observed.

"Whoever planned this attack -- they had time on their hands to plan everything properly, and you saw the results today," he said.

Between 5,000 and 8,000 were at the Rawalpindi rally, which was held at a parkground, he said. "We [the news media] all expected it to be filled ... but there were less people there than most of us expected to see," he said. "When I talked with a number of people, they said that people were just afraid to come out, for the simple reason that they all remembered what happened in Karachi."

Moore said he himself expected there could be another attack following the Karachi massacre. He said he stayed away from gates at the Rawalpindi parkground, where police were searching people, because he suspected that's where a bomb would go off.

Moore said it was obvious that Bhutto enjoyed being with her supporters. "She was clearly in her element," he said. "She just wanted to get close to the people, and obviously whoever was after her -- they saw that coming." E-mail to a friend

Moore "surprised" to see Bhutto do what?

Answer: former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto

Answer: rise through the sunroof of her vehicle to wave to supporters

Answer: terror attack

Summary:
John Moore took images of Benazir Bhutto moments before death .
Moore "surprised" to see Bhutto rise through sunroof to wave to crowd .
Moore was also at Karachi rally where Bhutto was attacked in October .


(CNN) -- The pilot and co-pilot aboard a FedEx cargo plane were killed when the plane burst into flames Monday while landing at Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan, airport and hospital officials said. Smoke rises from a FedEx cargo plane that crash landed on the tarmac of the Narita International Airport, Tokyo. Both crew members were American men, an official at Narita Red Cross Hospital told CNN. Video from the landing showed the plane bouncing at least twice on the runway and veering left as it turned on its side before bursting into flames. The fire destroyed the aircraft, which was identified by FedEx as a McDonnell Douglas MD-11. Japan's Ministry of Transport said it was the first fatal crash at Narita, which opened in 1978. Strong winds may have played a role in the crash, said Masaru Fujisaki, an airport official. FedEx Express Flight 80 took off from Guangzhou, China, and crashed at Narita about 7 a.m. Monday (6 p.m. Sunday ET), said FedEx spokesman Matt Ceniceros.  Watch more about the cargo plane accident » According to observations at the airport, wind gusts were reported to be between 30 to 50 mph around the time if the crash. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that Narita firefighters had worked through the flaming wreckage to try to rescue two people believed to be the crew. The news agency said the cargo plane was landing on Runway A, the longer of the two runways at Narita, a major international airport. The National Transportation Safety Board in Washington said Sunday night it was sending a team to Japan to assist in the investigation of the crash. CNN's Kyung Lah in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Where was the crashed airplane coming from?

What might have contributed to the plane crash?

What nationality were the pilot and co-pilot?

A FedEx Cargo plane crashed at what Tokyo Airport?

What Nationality were the pilot and co-pilot of the crashed plane?

Answer: Guangzhou, China,

Answer: Strong winds

Answer: American

Answer: Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan,

Answer: Narita

Answer: Strong winds

Answer: Tokyo's Narita

Answer: American

Summary:
FedEx cargo plane crashes and bursts into flames at Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan .
Pilot and co-pilot, both Americans, aboard plane from Guangzhou, China, are killed .
Strong winds may have played a role in the crash, says airport official .
Video shows plane bouncing on the runway and veering left as it turns on its side .


(CNN) -- The pilot and co-pilot of a small cargo jet were killed when their aircraft crashed short of the runway while landing at an airport in suburban Chicago, Illinois, local authorities said. The Learjet 35A was on its final approach into Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, Illinois, when it went down about 1:30 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration reported. The plane crashed into a forest preserve about a mile south of the runway and ended up in a river, said Jay Reardon, the head of a multi-agency firefighting task force that responded to the crash. The two-man crew was found dead at the scene, Reardon said. No emergency was declared before the crash. "To our knowledge, everything appeared normal up until the aircraft was reported down by the tower at Chicago Executive Airport," Reardon said. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun its investigation of the crash. There was no immediate indication of the cause, NTSB senior investigator Pam Sullivan said. "It's way too early to even start narrowing down what could or could not happen," she said. The flight was operated by Royal Air Cargo, a Waterford, Michigan-based carrier that operates a fleet of small jets to deliver "time-sensitive" freight, airport spokesman Michael Standard said. Reardon said the jet appeared to be empty when it went down. The downed plane was en route to Atlanta, Georgia, from Pontiac, Michigan, with a stop in Chicago, according to private Web sites that track air travel. There was no immediate comment from the company.

Who was killed in the plane crash?
where was the plane headed
Who operated the flight?
what happened?
who was killed
What is the name of the airport?

Answer: pilot and co-pilot

Answer: Atlanta, Georgia,

Answer: Royal Air Cargo,

Answer: pilot and co-pilot of a small cargo jet were killed

Answer: pilot and co-pilot of a small cargo jet

Answer: Chicago Executive

Summary:
Pilot, co-pilot killed as plane crashes short of runway .
Learjet was on its final approach into Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, Illinois .
The flight was operated by Royal Air Cargo; no other people onboard .


(CNN) -- The pilot of a Boeing 737 was in the cockpit, preparing to take off with 101 passengers, when police arrested him for flying with a fake pilot's license, investigators said. The 41-year-old Swedish man was poised to fly on Tuesday night from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, to Ankara, Turkey, when investigators "caught the pilot red-handed during his flight preparation," according to a statement from the Dutch National Police Services Agency. Authorities charged him with forgery and flying without a valid license, the statement said. It's apparently not the first time the man, whose identity was not divulged, has tried to fly without a license. Investigators in Sweden charged the man several years ago with flying with a fake license, but they did not pursue the case because they couldn't find him, said Anders Lundblad, a spokesman for the Swedish Transport Agency. The Swedes got a tip recently that the man was flying for a Turkish company and that he would soon be in the Netherlands, Lundblad said. They passed that information to Dutch police, which led to the pilot's arrest at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. The man said he had flown for 13 years for companies in Belgium, Great Britain and Italy, the Dutch police said, though it was unclear whether he had a license for all or part of that time. He recently had a valid license to fly small commercial airplanes, but that license had expired and would not have allowed him to fly passenger aircraft, the Dutch statement said. Lundblad also said the man once had a valid pilot's license. "Why he never renewed it I guess only he knows," he said. CNN's Per Nyberg and Claudia Rebazza contributed to this report.

Where was the Swedish man poised to fly from?

What had he been charged with several years ago by Swedish investigators?

What did investigators charge him with several years ago?

What did authorties charge the man with?

What reasons do a man traveling with false documents?

Answer: Amsterdam,

Answer: flying

Answer: flying

Answer: forgery and flying without a valid license,

Answer: forgery and flying without a valid license,

Answer: from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, to Ankara, Turkey,

Answer: never renewed

Answer: a Turkish company

Summary:
41-year-old Swedish man poised to fly from Amsterdam to Ankara .
Authorities charged him with forgery and flying without a valid license .
Swedish investigators charged man several years ago with flying with a fake license .


(CNN) -- The pilot of a tanker that crashed into the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007, causing a major oil spill, was under the influence of multiple prescription medications that impaired his judgment, federal officials said in a report Wednesday.

The November 2007 crash left a gash in the tanker's side and led to an oil spill that killed more than 2,000 birds.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of the Hong Kong-registered Cosco Busan, was "medically unfit" on November 7, 2007. That, and a master pilot's poor oversight of his performance, were major factors in the crash that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay, the NTSB said.

"How a man who was taking a half-dozen impairing prescription medications got to stand on the bridge of a 68,000-ton ship and give directions to guide the vessel through a foggy bay and under a busy highway bridge is very troubling," said acting NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

The pilot, John Cota, was charged with criminal negligence in federal court last year. He faces two misdemeanor charges that could result in up to 18 months in prison and $115,000 in fines.

The 901-foot ship left Oakland, California, en route to South Korea when Cota gave orders that steered the ship directly toward a support tower on the bridge. While the ship avoided a direct hit, it hit a support system at the tower's base, cutting a 212-foot gash in the ship's side, the NTSB said.

The board ruled that Cota and Chinese master pilot Mao Cai Sun never thoroughly discussed a plan before they took off on a foggy night when visibility was less than a quarter-mile.

The oil spill killed about 2,500 birds of 50 different species, according to the report. The crash caused more than $70 million in environmental cleanup costs, $2 million in damage to the ship and $1.5 million in damage to the bridge.

The report also blamed the ship's operator, Fleet Management Ltd., for not properly training crew members and the U.S. Coast Guard for not providing adequate medical oversight of the pilot.

It said the Coast Guard should have revoked the pilot's license, the pilot should have given a meaningful pre-departure briefing about plans for the voyage and the master pilot should have taken a more active role in ensuring the ship's safety.

"There was a lack of competence in so many areas that this accident seemed almost inevitable," Rosenker said.

What state did this incident take place in?

What did the NTSB say about the pilot of tanker?

Answer: California,

Answer: San Francisco Bay Bridge

Answer: more than 2,000

Answer: John Cota,

Answer: National Transportation Safety Board

Answer: multiple

Answer: 2007

Answer: the San Francisco Bay Bridge

Answer: master pilot's poor oversight of his performance,

Answer: "medically unfit"

Answer: more than 2,000

Summary:
Pilot of tanker that struck San Francisco Bay Bridge "medically unfit," NTSB says .
Man was taking "a half-dozen impairing prescription medications," report says .
Crash in 2007 caused oil spill that killed about 2,500 birds, NTSB says .
Supervisor's poor oversight also cited as factor in NTSB report .


(CNN) -- The pilot of a tanker that crashed into the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007, causing a major oil spill, was under the influence of multiple prescription medications that impaired his judgment, federal officials said in a report Wednesday.

The November 2007 crash left a gash in the tanker's side and led to an oil spill that killed more than 2,000 birds.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of the Hong Kong-registered Cosco Busan, was "medically unfit" on November 7, 2007. That, and a master pilot's poor oversight of his performance, were major factors in the crash that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay, the NTSB said.

"How a man who was taking a half-dozen impairing prescription medications got to stand on the bridge of a 68,000-ton ship and give directions to guide the vessel through a foggy bay and under a busy highway bridge is very troubling," said acting NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

The pilot, John Cota, was charged with criminal negligence in federal court last year. He faces two misdemeanor charges that could result in up to 18 months in prison and $115,000 in fines.

The 901-foot ship left Oakland, California, en route to South Korea when Cota gave orders that steered the ship directly toward a support tower on the bridge. While the ship avoided a direct hit, it hit a support system at the tower's base, cutting a 212-foot gash in the ship's side, the NTSB said.

The board ruled that Cota and Chinese master pilot Mao Cai Sun never thoroughly discussed a plan before they took off on a foggy night when visibility was less than a quarter-mile.

The oil spill killed about 2,500 birds of 50 different species, according to the report. The crash caused more than $70 million in environmental cleanup costs, $2 million in damage to the ship and $1.5 million in damage to the bridge.

The report also blamed the ship's operator, Fleet Management Ltd., for not properly training crew members and the U.S. Coast Guard for not providing adequate medical oversight of the pilot.

It said the Coast Guard should have revoked the pilot's license, the pilot should have given a meaningful pre-departure briefing about plans for the voyage and the master pilot should have taken a more active role in ensuring the ship's safety.

"There was a lack of competence in so many areas that this accident seemed almost inevitable," Rosenker said.

How many birds died?
What was the man taking?
When was the crash?
What bridge was struck?

Answer: 2,000

Answer: multiple prescription medications

Answer: 2007,

Answer: San Francisco Bay

Summary:
Pilot of tanker that struck San Francisco Bay Bridge "medically unfit," NTSB says .
Man was taking "a half-dozen impairing prescription medications," report says .
Crash in 2007 caused oil spill that killed about 2,500 birds, NTSB says .
Supervisor's poor oversight also cited as factor in NTSB report .


(CNN) -- The pilot who made a treacherous crash-landing on New York's Hudson River look like a routine maneuver got a hero's welcome Saturday in his California hometown. Chesley B. Sullenberger was honored Saturday with a celebration in his hometown of Danville, California. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger put his US Airways jetliner down on the Hudson minutes after both engines failed, then walked the length of the drifting Airbus A320 twice to make certain that all 155 people on board got off safely. He was greeted by several thousand cheering people gathered around the town square in Danville, California, for a celebration in his honor. Mayor Newell Arnerich presented Sullenberger with a ceremonial key to the city, an upscale suburb near San Francisco. Sullenberger, who has avoided public comment since the January 15 incident, made very brief remarks. He thanked the crowd for an "incredible outpouring of support." "Circumstance determined that it was this experienced crew that was scheduled to fly on that particular flight on that particular day," Sullenberger said. "But I know I can speak for the entire crew when I tell you we were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do. Thank you."  Watch Sullenberger address the crowd » Sullenberger's wife, Lorrie, fought back tears as she spoke of her husband. "I have always known him to be an exemplary pilot. I knew what the outcome would be that day, because I knew my husband," she said. "Mostly for me, he's the man that makes my cup of tea every morning." Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board continue to piece together details from the double engine failure that hit the plane after it took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport for Charlotte, North Carolina. The jet's left engine, which apparently tore away from the plane on landing impact, was raised from the bottom of the Hudson on Friday. Sullenberger reported to air controllers that his plane had hit birds shortly before both engines shut down. On Saturday, the NTSB said a preliminary examination of the left engine found evidence of "soft body impact damage," the same kind of damage reported on the right engine. An NTSB spokesman said that there was no evidence of organic material such as a dead bird in the left engine but that was not surprising because the engine had been under water for a week. Although the NTSB has not officially confirmed reports of a bird strike, the agency's findings and statements have not done anything to discount the bird-strike reports. Both engines will be shipped to the manufacturer in Ohio, where NTSB investigators will tear them down completely for examination.

What does the left engine show evidence of?

what Thousands greet US Airways pilot in Danville?

What was the investigators trying to do?

Where did thousands greet US Airways pilot?

What did the investigators piece together?

Answer: "soft body impact damage,"

Answer: US Airways

Answer: Danville, California.

Answer: cheering people

Answer: piece together details from the double engine failure that hit the plane after it took off

Answer: ceremonial key to the city,

Answer: by several thousand cheering people

Answer: left engine found evidence of "soft body impact damage,"

Answer: town square in Danville, California,

Answer: details from the double engine failure

Answer: piece together details from the double engine failure that hit the plane

Answer: left engine

Answer: Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board

Answer: Danville, California.

Answer: "soft body impact damage,"

Summary:
NEW: Left engine shows evidence of "soft body impact damage," NTSB says .
Thousands greet US Airways pilot in Danville, California .
"We were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do," he says .
Investigators continue to piece together what happened .


(CNN) -- The pilots' union of Lufthansa began a strike Monday after a last-ditch effort at negotiations over pay and job security failed, a spokeswoman for the airline told CNN.

The four-day work stoppage by the pilots' union of one of the world's largest airlines threatened to disrupt travel on more than two dozen partner airlines later on Monday.

Lufthansa and the pilot's union, Vereinigung Cockpit, met over the weekend as a last-ditch effort to avoid the strike. More than 4,000 pilots walked off the job at midnight Monday (6 p.m. Sunday ET) through Thursday over protracted contract negotiations centering around pay and job security.

The action by Lufthansa pilots signaled growing labor unrest across Europe. The industrial action by the pilots started the same day that British Airways cabin staff were expected to announce the outcome of its strike vote. On Wednesday in Greece, a mass public and private sector strike is being planned to protest the government's austerity plan.

Lufthansa had already canceled two-thirds of its scheduled flights Monday to Thursday ahead of the strike.

The bulk of the disruptions are expected to begin later Monday since most German airports prohibit flights overnight. Still, passengers at Frankfurt Airport on Sunday were already feeling inconvenienced.

"It makes me angry because for me, normally I would (leave) on Monday morning," said one passenger. "Now I have to go Sunday evening and my family's at home and I have to (return) tomorrow night with the train. So it's uncomfortable." "It's inconvenient and it's not justified at all," another passenger said.

Company officials admitted it would have a "heavy influence" on its international operations, which includes flights to 80 countries worldwide.

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In 2008, Lufthansa was the number two international carrier by passengers with 42.2 million, according to the International Air Transport Association.

The threatened walkout came as the airline industry is digging out of the worst one-year drop-off in flights, according to IATA.

In 2009, revenues dropped nearly 15 percent worldwide after generating a record $535 billion the previous year. Passenger travel fell a record 3.5 percent and freight fell more than 10 percent, according to IATA figures.

Lufthansa officials said at a news conference last Thursday it would cost the airline about $33 million a day.

Many of Lufthansa's pilots have been working without a contract since March and more than 90 percent of the union's members voted to strike, said Jorg Handwerg, a pilot and representative for the union.

The union sought a 6.4 percent pay increase. The union is also concerned with the airline's recent buying spree of small regional carriers, such as BMI and Austrian Airlines which, it says, is cannibalizing flights away from union-flown routes.

"We fly less hours and have less potential for (performance-related bonuses)," Handwerg said. "We want to have the opportunity to grow, but instead it shrinks."

In a statement, Lufthansa said: "In addition to demands on job security, however, the union also insisted on a greater say on fundamental entrepreneurial issues, equating to intervention in business management at the airline. That demand cannot be accepted."

The airline is allowing passengers to rebook flights for tickets purchased before February 18 and plans to give German domestic passengers rail vouchers.

But one Lufthansa passenger said she is having trouble reaching a compromise with the airline.

"I spent several hours on the phone with Lufthansa to try and figure out what I can do, but now I've been told that I can't even get a refund," said Ruth Winblad, who is supposed to fly Monday from Gothenburg, Sweden, to Rome, Italy.

Lufthansa is one of the largest carriers on Star Alliance, a network of 26 airlines that share ticketing and routes for international travel. Travelers on Star Alliance flights are advised to check their tickets for Lufthansa flights and contact their carrier about any potential changes, said Markus Ruediger, Star Alliance spokesman.

What is the name of the airline?
What does the strike focus on?
What are they striking for?
How many pilots striked?

Answer: Lufthansa

Answer: over protracted contract negotiations centering around pay and job security.

Answer: pay and job security

Answer: More than 4,000

Summary:
NEW: Estimated 4,000 pilots at German airline Lufthansa begin four-day strike .
The pilots union says strike focuses on pay and conditions issues .
The company says the union is trying to interfere in management decisions .
Lufthansa flies to 80 countries with its main hub being Frankfurt, Germany .


(CNN) -- The possibility of engine fires has prompted General Motors to recall nearly 1.5 million passenger sedans manufactured between 1997 and 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday.

The recall involves certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite.

The recall covers certain mid- and full-size passenger sedans under GM's Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands.

The affected vehicles have naturally aspirated 3.8 liter V6 engines -- that is, engines that use atmospheric pressure rather than a mechanical blower to bring in air for combustion -- according to documents that GM filed with federal regulators last week.

On Friday, the federal government acknowledged the filing and agreed to the plan.

The problem involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking. When a car operates under normal conditions, the manifold can get very hot.

Oil that runs below the manifold's heat shield could ignite and spread to plastic channels that hold spark plug wires.

As a solution, the company recommends a change in the bracket that holds spark plug wires, which will be done free of charge.

Owners and dealers affected by the recall will be notified by letter next month with details.

The vehicles involved are: • 1997-2003 Buick Regals. • 1998-2003 Chevrolet Luminas, Monte Carlos and Impalas. • 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigues. • 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix.

GM issued a recall on a similar engine in 2008, according to the company's filing with the government. That problem was traced to a faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover.

what were the problems
What was recalled
Who will send details to the owners?
What kind of leak is being experienced?
who will send the details
What was the recall for?
What was the problem?
what does the recall involve

Answer: possibility of engine fires

Answer: certain GM vehicles

Answer: GM

Answer: oil

Answer: Owners and dealers affected by the recall

Answer: faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover.

Answer: a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking.

Answer: certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite.

Summary:
Recall involves certain Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac sedans .
Problem involves potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold, then igniting .
General Motors to send details to owners next month .


(CNN) -- The possibility of engine fires has prompted General Motors to recall nearly 1.5 million passenger sedans manufactured between 1997 and 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday.

The recall involves certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite.

The recall covers certain mid- and full-size passenger sedans under GM's Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands.

The affected vehicles have naturally aspirated 3.8 liter V6 engines -- that is, engines that use atmospheric pressure rather than a mechanical blower to bring in air for combustion -- according to documents that GM filed with federal regulators last week.

On Friday, the federal government acknowledged the filing and agreed to the plan.

The problem involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking. When a car operates under normal conditions, the manifold can get very hot.

Oil that runs below the manifold's heat shield could ignite and spread to plastic channels that hold spark plug wires.

As a solution, the company recommends a change in the bracket that holds spark plug wires, which will be done free of charge.

Owners and dealers affected by the recall will be notified by letter next month with details.

The vehicles involved are: • 1997-2003 Buick Regals. • 1998-2003 Chevrolet Luminas, Monte Carlos and Impalas. • 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigues. • 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix.

GM issued a recall on a similar engine in 2008, according to the company's filing with the government. That problem was traced to a faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover.

When will General Motors send details to the owners/

Which companies does the recall involve?

What was the main problem with these cars?

Answer: next month

Answer: certain mid- and full-size passenger sedans under GM's Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands.

Answer: General Motors

Answer: certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite.

Answer: certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite.

Answer: General Motors

Answer: involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking.

Summary:
Recall involves certain Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac sedans .
Problem involves potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold, then igniting .
General Motors to send details to owners next month .


(CNN) -- The power of the Mexican military was on full display Tuesday in Ciudad Juarez, where police reported the third consecutive day without a drug slaying. A federal police officer guards a checkpoint earlier this month in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Ten drug-related killings in a single day were common before 9,500 army troops poured into the blood-soaked border town in the past few weeks, said Mauricio Mauricio, a spokesman for the Juarez municipal police. "It's a much more secure city at this moment," he said. "We haven't had murders with the same regularity and frequency as before." But as President Obama's administration announced plans Tuesday to beef up U.S. security along its border with Mexico, there are questions about whether increased military and police efforts in both nations can yield long-term results. Mexico has been spiraling into a deepening pit of violence, with 6,500 people killed in 2008 and the body count continuing apace this year. Most of that violence is occurring along the border, which worries Washington. Mexican President Felipe Calderon and others have said recently that the United States must share responsibility because the demand for drugs and most of the weapons used by drug cartels comes from north of the border. The drug war and security will be a major topic when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday. Andrew Selee, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute, called Obama's pledge on Tuesday to give $700 million in aid to Mexico and assign an additional 360 staff along the border a "substantive commitment" that shows the United States is serious about attacking the problem. "It's an attempt to really put some substance behind the idea of shared responsibility," Selee said. "They finally committed some of the resources they said they would to this." Success will depend on the follow-through, he said. "Now is the hard part," he said. "It's not easy to follow the money trail or stop the weapons or the criminal networks." Others say the Obama plan falls short. Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, a Washington policy institute, calls it a "militarized strategy" that isn't oriented toward finding solutions based on economic development or social justice programs. "This is a feel-good strategy that is meant to produce the illusion of concrete developments taking place when it's actually just really more of the same," Birns said. "You're talking about a 2,000-mile border, so the odd 16 [agents] here or 12 there is not going to do the trick." On the other hand, Mexico's major military commitment is certainly showing short-term benefits. Before the army arrived in Ciudad Juarez, there had been more than 400 drug killings this year, police spokesman Mauricio said. Since the army arrived, slayings have dropped 95 percent, he said. Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue policy institute, says Mexico's use of the army in Juarez -- and its evident success -- "shows that Mexico is definitely not a failed state. Nobody is going to challenge the government for control of a certain area." Selee sees it as "increased determination from the Mexican government to establish order." But there are limitations to using the military in Mexico, Birns and Hakim said. "There's bad blood that exists between local communities and the military," said Birns. "The Mexican military has not fought a war for years. It's enemy has always been the local population." Hakim noted the cost in money, and to the daily fabric of life. "That's not a cheap way of keeping law and order," he said. "It does a great deal of harm to civilian institutions. The military is not trained to respect human liberties and individual rights." It's an ambivalence that many Mexicans feel: security versus liberties. Polls consistently show that security is the top concern among a vast majority of

What is the top concern among most Mexicans?

What has been consistently shown to be a top concern?

For how many days was there no drug slaying?

What did the police report was third straight day of?

Answer: security

Answer: the third consecutive day without a drug slaying.

Answer: whether increased military and police efforts in both nations can yield long-term results.

Answer: security is the

Answer: military,"

Answer: third consecutive

Answer: security

Answer: without a drug slaying.

Summary:
Police in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, reported third straight day without a drug slaying .
Questions remain about whether increased security efforts can work long term .
Polls consistently show security is top concern among vast majority of Mexicans .
Distrust of military has long been part of social fabric of Mexican life .


(CNN) -- The powerful Service Employees International Union has decided that, because of the $700 billion financial-system bailout, it wants to organize bank workers. Banks that get taxpayer money need to "ensure their workers have a voice," a union spokeswoman says. In an e-mail dated November 12 and obtained exclusively by CNN, a member of SEIU's Private Equity Project outlined initial discussions to organize bank workers "since the banking industry is now being infused with billions of taxpayer dollars." The e-mail was written by SEIU's Inga Skippings to the director of the Washington office of the Association of Community Organizing for Reform Now (ACORN), a longtime ally and partner of the union. "We need to get a handle on who these workers are, working conditions, etc.," Skippings wrote. "Do you have ACORN members who work for banks or Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae? Is there anyway [sic] you could check? The banks we're most concerned about are: -- Fannie Mae  -- Freddie Mac  -- Chevy Chase/B.F.Saul  -- BB&T  -- SunTrust  -- Bank of America/Countrywide  -- Wachovia/Wells Fargo  -- PNC Bank/National City  -- Citigroup "Please let me know and if you have other suggestions, I'd love to hear them." Skippings referred questions to a union spokeswoman, who confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail and that the union is considering targeting the banks for unionizing. "We believe there is special responsibility for companies who receive taxpayer dollars to ensure their workers have a voice on the job," SEIU's Lynda Tran said. "And those workers should have a seat at the table at the companies where decisions that impact the future of their families and the companies that employ them" are made. "We are talking to workers really broadly in banking," she said. SEIU is the fastest-growing trade union in North America, according to its own Web site, with a membership of more than 2 million, including health-care industry workers and state and local government employees. It also represents guards and janitors who work in commercial and residential properties. And its clout continues to grow. SEIU's $85 million in political donations made it the single-largest contributor to either party in the recent elections. The union worked vigorously for the election of Barack Obama, who has named a former union official as his White House political director, a post once held in the Bush administration by Karl Rove. The official, Patrick Gaspard, formerly was executive vice president of politics and legislation for Local 1199, the SEIU's United Healthcare Workers East. SEIU, which broke away from the AFL-CIO in 2005, is known for its successful but sometimes controversial tactics: It often targets private equity groups' leaders, as well as banks and companies, with loud and demonstrative rallies. The union's hierarchy has made no secret it hopes to grow under the incoming Democratic administration. "I would say that we've been very vocal about the optimism about the new administration," SEIU's Tran said. "There are a number of newly elected members of Congress who agree with us on matters relating to working families." One labor professor said SEIU's timing in trying to unionize bank workers may be on target "because financial institutions are at a moment of weakness." "Low-wage earners are the growing sector of the work force," said Gregory DeFreitas, an economics professor at Hofstra University and director of its labor studies program. "This is a very shrewd political move to tie this to the bailouts." DeFreitas said unions tend not to do well in attracting workers during economic recessions because jobs are scarce then. But he said recent surveys indicate a majority of workers would consider organizing, so the public's appetite for unions may be on the upswing. "Bank teller jobs are one of the few jobs that are actually growing," DeFreitas said. "And they are low-wage earners, so it

The e-mail cites how much financial-system bailout as reason for move?

Bailed-out banks have responsibility to ensure workers have what?

E-mails cites how much money for bailout?

The union says it is considering targeting banks for what?

Answer: $700 billion

Answer: powerful Service Employees International Union

Answer: targeting the banks for unionizing.

Answer: a voice,"

Answer: $700 billion

Answer: SunTrust

Answer: unionizing.

Answer: Banks

Summary:
Union says it is considering targeting banks for unionizing .
E-mail from union lists the banks it's "most concerned" about .
E-mail cites $700 billion financial-system bailout as reason for move .
Spokeswoman: Bailed-out banks have responsibility to ensure workers have voice .


(CNN) -- The practice of moving research involving human subjects from wealthy countries to less wealthy countries has grown in recent years, raising a number of ethical and scientific issues that need to be addressed, researchers said in a journal article Wednesday.

More and more clinical trials are being moved to less wealthy nations, a medical journal article reports.

"The question is proportionality," said Dr. Kevin Schulman, director of the Center for Clinical and Genetic Economics at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and one of the study authors. "We should test products where we are going to market them. The populations who take risks to participate in clinical research should be the ones that we anticipate will get the benefits of the research."

He and his co-authors reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that in November 2007, about one-third of clinical trials (157 of 509) were being carried out entirely outside the United States, many of them in developing countries. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of countries where such trials were being carried out more than doubled, while the number in the United States and Western Europe decreased, the researchers at Duke University said.

The shift appears to have been driven at least in part by economics -- a top medical center in India charges about a tenth what a second-tier U.S. medical center would charge per case report, the authors said.

Another incentive to move such work abroad: other countries' regulatory environments can be less burdensome. The authors reported one study that found only 56 percent of 670 researchers surveyed in developing countries said their work had been reviewed by a local institutional review board or a health ministry.

Another study reported that 18 percent of published trials carried out in China in 2004 adequately discussed informed consent for subjects considering participating in research.

In addition, recruitment of study subjects can be easier in developing countries, where a trial subject may get more than a year's pay to participate or participation could be his or her sole means of being able to get treatment, the authors said.

Transparency is yet another issue.

"We know little about the conduct and quality of research in countries that have relatively little clinical research experience," they wrote.

Schulman put it more bluntly.

"We've seen problems with people cheating on clinical trials," he said.

He acknowledged that similar problems have arisen in the United States, but said such misdeeds were less likely to be found out when they happened abroad.

Of critical importance is the fact that some populations' genetic makeup may affect their response to medication, the authors said. For example, they said, some 40 percent of people of East Asian origin have a genetic trait that impairs ethanol metabolism and limits response to nitroglycerin treatment.

"This finding may affect the relevance of trials involving cardiac, circulatory and neurologic disorders that are treated with nitroglycerin or nitric oxide-dependent therapies," they said.

The authors called for regulations governing trials to be reduced while ensuring ethical conduct, for greater use of centralized oversight boards and for research contracts to be written using standardized terms.

"Key strategies for clinical trials should be outlined in formal clinical-development plans, publicly vetted, and submitted to regulatory agencies," they said.

Alan Goldhammer, vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said the industry will study the suggestions and weigh whether to incorporate them.

"We're constantly taking a fresh look at all our documents and revising them as appropriate," he said. "The last thing any company wants to have happen is for a trial site to be called into question and that data then not used for review by the regulatory agency, which could put its approval status in limbo."

The matter has gained in importance with the announcement by the Obama administration that the government will carry out tests to determine which drugs work best.

A spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration, who said she could not be identified because she had not sought permission to talk to the news media

When were the trials done outside of the United States?

Answer: November 2007,

Answer: some populations' genetic makeup may

Answer: Center for Clinical and Genetic Economics at Duke University Medical

Answer: Dr. Kevin Schulman,

Answer: a medical journal article

Summary:
In November 2007, one-third of clinical trials were done outside of United States .
Trials in India, for instance, carry only about one-tenth the costs .
Authors say genetic makeup in countries may affect response to medication .
Report written in the New England Journal of Medicine .


(CNN) -- The president of Toyota said he takes full responsibility for safety issues in the company's cars and vowed to regain the trust of customers in his first interview after appearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

"It is I, the chief executive officer, the one on the very top, should be responsible for this," Akio Toyoda told CNN's "Larry King Live." "I would like to really listen to the customers' voices, and together with the dealership, distributor, suppliers, we need to work together, and we would like to work together and to strive for regaining the trust once again from our customers."

Toyoda appeared earlier before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in a hearing aimed at discovering, among other things, why the automaker was slow to respond to safety issues related to sudden acceleration.

He admitted to King that the day had been difficult, "and I am not confident to what degree our sincerity was conveyed."

Asked what his grandfather, the company founder, would say, Toyoda responded, "He is telling me to regain the trust of those customers who are driving our vehicles."

He vowed to respond more quickly to any future problems.

But he was adamant that the company's products are roadworthy.

"I'd like to say that Toyota vehicles are safe," he said.

Company engineers were not able to reproduce the throttle-control problems, he said, "so, at this point in time, I would say our vehicles are safe."

Toyoda told King he is dedicated to getting back to the basics of the company in providing reliable, high-quality cars to its customers.

"Since I became a president last year in July, I have been sending the messages to all our employees to make better vehicles so that our customers would be very happy to ride our vehicles.

"And we would like to maintain this," he said.

What did the president of Toyota say he takes full responsibility for?

Answer: our sincerity

Answer: cars

Answer: he takes full responsibility for safety issues in the company's

Answer: Akio Toyoda

Answer: the chief executive officer,

Answer: he takes full responsibility for safety issues in the company's

Answer: related to sudden acceleration.

Summary:
The president of Toyota said he takes full responsibility for safety issues .
Toyoda: 'I ... the one on the very top, should be responsible for this'
On hearing: 'Not confident to what degree our sincerity was conveyed'


(CNN) -- The presidents of Sudan and Chad signed a non-aggression agreement late Thursday, aiming to halt cross-border hostilities between the two African nations. Chad President Idriss Deby, right, and Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir, left, shake hands after signing the pact. The signing came after nearly two full days of talks in Dakar, Senegal, between Sudan President Omar al-Beshir and Idriss Deby, the president of Chad. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade facilitated the talks, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with officials from both nations and witnessed the signing of the agreement at about 10 p.m. "The idea is to get the governments of Sudan and Chad to normalize their relations with each other and to halt any action that would allow for the cross-border movement of rebel factions or armed factions of either side that could hurt the other country," said United Nations spokesman Farhan Haq. Each country accuses the other of supporting armed rebel groups that cross the border to attempt to destabilize the government. The rival nations' armies have skirmished several times. The United Nations says refugees and armed groups have been regularly crossing the border between the troubled Darfur region of Sudan and Chad. They allegedly include many of the rebels that attacked N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, in early February. As recently as Thursday, just hours before the agreement was signed, Chad issued a communique saying rebels from Sudan had crossed the border. Chad is still recovering from a failed attempt last month by rebels to overthrow Deby's regime. The United Nations says the swelling number of Darfur refugees and other displaced people living in eastern Chad is causing serious strain on the region. Kingsley Amaning, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Chad, said more than 10,000 people from Darfur, in Sudan, have fled into 12 official refugee camps in eastern Chad. They join some 240,000 Darfurians who have lived in Chad since 2004 because of fighting in their homeland and an estimated 180,000 displaced Chadians also living there. The number of displaced Chadians is growing because of the recent fighting there, Kingsley said. Haq said the United Nations, which has peacekeeping troops in the Darfur region, will work to assure Sudan and Chad carry out the terms of Thursday's deal. The countries have signed several peace agreements in the past, only to see renewed violence flare up. E-mail to a friend

What came after nearly two days of talks?

What did Chad claim before the agreement?

Presidents of which countries signed the agreement?

Who signed agreement aiming to halt cross-border hostilities?

Answer: The signing

Answer: rebels from Sudan had crossed the border.

Answer: presidents of Sudan and Chad

Answer: cross-border hostilities

Answer: presidents of Sudan and Chad

Answer: Chad

Answer: late Thursday,

Answer: Sudan and Chad

Answer: presidents of Sudan and Chad

Answer: rebels from Sudan had crossed the border.

Answer: halt cross-border hostilities between the two African nations.

Answer: rebels from Sudan had crossed the border.

Answer: groups

Answer: a non-aggression agreement

Answer: Idriss Deby,

Answer: presidents of Sudan and Chad

Answer: groups that cross the border to attempt to destabilize the government.

Summary:
Sudan, Chad presidents sign agreement aiming to halt cross-border hostilities .
Signing came after nearly two days of talks between presidents of Sudan and Chad .
Each accuses other of supporting rebels that attempt to destabilize the government .
Just hours before agreement, Chad claimed rebels from Sudan had crossed border .


(CNN) -- The price of big screen televisions has been coming down, but this was ridiculous. Best Buy's Web site offered a 52-inch TV for less than $10, but the deal was too good to be true. Early Wednesday morning, BestBuy.com listed a 52-inch Samsung HDTV for $9.99 -- a savings of more than $1600. As customers jumped on the Web site trying to take advantage of the offer, Best Buy announced it was a "pricing error" and was no longer available. A recorded message on Best Buy's customer service line told customers "we will not be placing any more orders for this unit," and messages were sent on Twitter apologizing "for any disappointment." Customers who placed orders early Wednesday were left wondering if they got away with the bargain. Eric VanBergen of Grand Rapids, Michigan, told CNN he snapped one up for $84.79 -- including $70 shipping and taxes -- at 5:30 a.m. Then, he ordered a second. Dozens of customers were posting to Twitter and Bestbuy.com, saying they also placed often multiple orders. It appears they are out of luck. In a statement, Best Buy apologized for the mistake but said it would "not be honoring the incorrect price." Company representatives posted online messages telling customers "All current and previous orders made for the TV at this price on BestBuy.com will be cancelled, and customers will be refunded in full for the purchase." The company's Web site states Best Buy reserves the right to "revoke offers or correct errors" even if a credit card has already been charged. The price mix-up gave way to customer frustration as people lost out on the deal of the year. ".bestbuy dang you!!!!" was how VanBergen reacted on Twitter after learning that his two confirmation e-mails from Best Buy were meaningless. But it appears there is little else they can do. A spokeswoman for the Federal Trade Commission that investigates consumer complaints told CNN "The FTC act bars unfair and deceptive commercial practices." Those would be cases of phony offers or sweepstakes, rather than a mistake, she said.

how much are best buy offering a 52 inch tv

who got on website to take advantage of bargain?

Answer: "not be honoring the incorrect price."

Answer: "pricing error"

Answer: it would "not be honoring the incorrect price."

Answer: $9.99

Answer: customers

Answer: offered a 52-inch TV for less than $10,

Answer: $9.99

Summary:
Best Buy's Web site offers 52-inch HDTV on Web site for less than $10 .
Customers get on Web site to take advantage of bargain .
Best Buy officials admit "pricing error", says it will not honor TV purchases .


(CNN) -- The question is starting to feel a little old: Whom will Barack Obama pick as his vice president? Sen. Barack Obama has a big event scheduled Saturday. Will his No. 2 man (or woman) be by his side? With the clock ticking (the Democratic VP candidate delivers a big speech next Wednesday) the announcement is at most days and at least a few hours away. Everyday seems to be "the day," the day the guessing game will finally end. In a poke at all of the VP buzz, the Obama campaign sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line "Vice presidential ..." The first line of the e-mail: "Just kidding." The e-mail contained details about Obama's schedule with no mention of any of the potential vice presidential candidates. But if the top contenders have any inside information, they're doing a good job of keeping quiet. Sen. Joe Biden told reporters camped outside his Delaware home Tuesday that it's not him. "You got better things to do, guys; I'm not the guy," he said. Asked where he would be Saturday -- when Obama is reportedly scheduled to hold a campaign event in Springfield, Illinois, that may feature his new running mate -- Biden replied, "here," pointing to his driveway. He softened up a little later that night, telling reporters, "I promise you, I don't know anything." Along with Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine are considered to be among the top tier of VP contenders.  Watch the latest on Obama's VP selection » Bayh has managed to stay out of the spotlight this week. Does that mean he's dodging the question? He hit the Sunday talk show circuit this weekend and tried out the attack dog role, criticizing Republican John McCain for his stance on Georgia, Iraq and national security. When asked about the veepstakes, the former governor said he had "nothing to report today." Kaine, on the other hand, seems to have no qualms about taking the main stage this week. A relative newcomer to national politics, Kaine is scheduled to appear alongside Obama on Thursday as the presumptive Democratic nominee campaigns in central Virginia. Could he be introduced as Obama's No. 2 man? The pair will host an invitation-only town hall meeting Thursday in Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond. Kaine's sturdy performance in the traditionally conservative Richmond suburbs helped vault him to the governorship in 2005. Obama has stops scheduled in Virginia on Wednesday and Thursday before returning home to Illinois for the Springfield event, which takes place where he first kicked off his presidential run. The event marks the beginning of a tour of battleground states leading into next week's convention in Denver, Colorado. The Obama campaign has kept the details on both the timing and selection of the running mate under wraps. They would neither confirm or deny whether Obama would appear with his VP candidate this weekend. iReport.com: Whom do you think Obama should pick? Although the focus in recent days has been on Bayh, Biden and Kaine, there are quite a few other serious contenders, and a curveball pick could always be in the works. Other big names thought to be in the running include retired Gen. Wesley Clark, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, Texas Rep. Chet Edwards, Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Obama's campaign says that when he makes up his mind, he'll send a text message and e-mail to his supporters to let them know who his sidekick will be.

What day does Obama have a big campaign event?

Who is giving a big speech at the convention?

What will the Democratic VP candidate do next Wednesday?

Answer: Democratic VP candidate

Answer: sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line "Vice presidential

Answer: Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine

Answer: Saturday.

Answer: Sen. Barack Obama

Answer: Democratic VP candidate

Answer: "Vice presidential

Answer: delivers a big speech

Summary:
Democratic VP candidate gives big speech next Wednesday at convention .
Barack Obama's campaign sends e-mail with subject: "Vice presidential ..."
Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Tim Kaine considered top tier contenders .
Obama has big campaign event Saturday; VP pick could join him .


(CNN) -- The reaction to Kanye West's hijacking of the microphone from Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards came quickly and unequivocally. Kanye West took the microphone from Taylor Swift during her speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Celebrities and fans alike expressed their disapproval of West interrupting Swift's win for Best Female Video to tout his appreciation of nominee Beyonce. "Taylor, I'm really happy for you," West said after grabbing the microphone from a clearly stunned Swift. "I'll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!" Elliott Wilson, founder and chief executive officer of Rap Radar, sat in front of members of West's entourage at the live Sunday night awards show and said the mood quickly turned from one of surprised amusement to anger.  Watch West grab the microphone from Swift » "At first, people weren't sure if it was kind of like a gag," Wilson said. "You could feel everybody being nervous and not knowing if it was a prank or something. Then people started booing him really loud." Wilson said he believes that West -- who he said bounded on stage from his seat in the front row near Beyonce -- intended to have his say before allowing Swift to continue but said the rapper became angered by the crowd response in a moment that wasn't captured by the MTV cameras. "The reaction to his tantrum was so strong ... and what happened was, he gave everybody the finger," Wilson said. Stars taking to Twitter returned the sentiment with some harsh words for the sometimes mercurial rap star. Singer Pink tweeted, "Kanye West is the biggest piece of [expletive] on earth. Quote me," and Joel Madden of the band Good Charlotte tweeted, "All i'm saying is Taylor Swift is a young chic and you just walk up and grab the mic." Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton said via Twitter that "Taylor Swift deserved that award, damnit. It is what THE PEOPLE voted! My heart broke for her, she looked so sad at the end of that moment." Singer Katy Perry weighed in with "F--- u Kanye. It's like you stepped on a kitten." VMA nominee Kelly Clarkson took to her blog to publish an open letter to West. "What happened to you as a child?? Did you not get hugged enough??" she asked. On Monday, "Taylor Swift," "VMAs," "Kanye's" and "Beyonce" were top trending topics on Twitter.  Watch Swift respond to what happened » Wilson, a noted hip-hop journalist, said there was a great deal of tension inside the event Sunday night before West and his girlfriend, model Amber Rose, left the show. "It was almost like wrestling, when the good guy turns bad and the crowd turns on him," Wilson said. "Every time his name was mentioned, people booed." Wilson said he believes that alcohol may have played a part in West's actions, given that the rapper appeared both on the red carpet and inside the arena with a bottle of cognac. Wilson added that West is well known for such behavior. He appeared uninvited onstage at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards, walked out of the 2004 American Music Awards after losing in the Best New Artist category and reportedly threw a backstage tantrum at the 2007 VMAs because he did not perform on the main stage. "I think Kanye came in to be the bad boy, but he obviously had an emotional spaz moment because he is cool" with Beyonce and her husband, Jay-Z, Wilson said. "I think the alcohol blurred his judgment." Wilson said attendees at the awards show were allowed to have drinks at their seats. Emil Wilbekin, managing editor of Essence.com, said West may have gone too far with his antics this time. "I think that it was not Kanye's place

What did people do when West's name was mentioned?

Who interrupted Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech?

What star interrupted Taylor Swift's speech?

Answer: Twitter

Answer: acceptance

Answer: Taylor Swift

Answer: Kanye West

Answer: booed."

Answer: Kanye West

Answer: booed."

Answer: hijacking of the microphone from Taylor Swift

Answer: Kanye West's

Summary:
Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech .
Celebs take to Twitter and blogs to express outrage .
West is well-known for shocking behavior .
VMA attendee: "Every time his name was mentioned, people booed"


(CNN) -- The reaction to Mackenzie Phillips' detailed account of her sexual relationship with her father, John Phillips, has been explosive, and some of the strongest statements have come from her family. Chynna Phillips said she doesn't think anyone could make up having a consensual incestuous relationship. But as the former actress and musician talked with Oprah Winfrey for the second time this week -- this time about the firestorm that erupted from her hour-long interview Wednesday -- she said she doesn't regret writing her memoir, "High on Arrival." "I understand this is a difficult thing for my family," Phillips told Winfrey via satellite Friday, "but nobody's talking about this, and if I've started a national dialogue, then I'm forever grateful." Phillips said she has gotten letters and Facebook messages from incest survivors, thanking her for coming forward. "It's been heartening and heartbreaking at the same time," she said. John Phillips died in 2001. Two of his former wives, however, have vehemently denied Mackenzie Phillips' accusations. In an statement to CNN, Michelle Phillips, an original Mamas & Papas bandmate who divorced John in 1970, called the situation "very hurtful." "Mackenzie's drug addiction for 35 years has been the result of many unpleasant experiences," Michelle Phillips said. "Whether her relationship with her father is delusional or not, it is an unfortunate circumstance and very hurtful for our entire family." She spoke more strongly to The Hollywood Reporter's Roger Friedman, telling him, "Mackenzie has a lot of mental illness. She's had a needle stuck up her arm for 35 years. ... She did 'Celebrity Rehab,' and now she writes a book. The whole thing is timed." Genevieve Waite, who married John Phillips in 1972, told Winfrey in a statement that "John was a good man who had a lot of problems, [but] he was incapable, no matter how drunk or drugged he was, to have sexual relations with his own child." The fallout from Phillips' decision to reveal her family's secrets has been heartbreaking for her sister Bijou as well. Bijou Phillips supplied a statement to Winfrey stating that Mackenzie told her about the incestuous relationship with their father when Bijou was 13 but later denied it. "This news was confusing and also scary, because I'd lived alone with him since I was 3," she said. "[John Phillips] was Mr. Mom, loving and encouraging; the man who raised me would never be capable of such things." She also questioned why Mackenzie would leave her alone with their father if he'd molested the elder sister. Still, Bijou Phillips showed signs of measured support. "I understand Mackenzie's need to come clean, but it hurts because the man in question isn't here to defend himself," she said. "I hope she can come to terms with this and find peace." Mackenzie Phillips told Winfrey that her family's disbelief and anger saddened her, especially since she and Bijou Phillips have been very close. Phillips recalled the way Bijou immediately came to her aid when she was arrested last year for cocaine and heroin possession. "I love my baby sister, and I miss having contact with her," Mackenzie said. "By the time Bijou was living with my father, I felt she was safe. I did take her out of there if I felt like she wasn't being watched properly," she said in her defense. But she added that Michelle Phillips' statements weren't as surprising. "When Michelle found out I was writing this book, she vowed to do everything to discredit me," Mackenzie told Winfrey. "She's having a textbook reaction, trying to sweep it under the rug. It seems so unkind and ungenerous to lash out in this way; I don't have a history of mental illness. I have a history of drug addiction." Chynna Phillips, who also sat down with Winfrey on

Who believes Mackenzie's claim of incest?

What does Mackenzie Phillips talk about?

Answer: Chynna Phillips

Answer: Michelle Phillips,

Answer: Chynna Phillips

Answer: she has gotten letters and Facebook messages from incest survivors, thanking her for coming forward.

Answer: her sexual relationship with her father,

Answer: "This news was confusing and also scary, because I'd lived alone with him since I was 3,"

Answer: her sexual relationship with her father,

Answer: have vehemently denied Mackenzie

Summary:
Mackenzie Phillips talks about family's reaction to her claims of incest .
Sister Bijou called experience hurtful but hopes Mackenzie finds peace .
John Phillips' ex-wives don't think Mackenzie's story is valid .
Chynna Phillips believes Mackenzie, hopes she uses her experience to help others .


(CNN) -- The reality television show personality who accused football player Shawne Merriman of choking her over the weekend has denied that she was drunk during the incident, her Twitter page said Monday.

Shawne Merriman is accused of restraining reality TV star Tila Tequlia as she tried to leave his home, police say.

"I am allergic to alcohol," said the posting for Tila Nguyen, 27, who goes by Tila Tequila.

"It has been publicly known for years. That is how I got the name Tila 'Tequila' cuz the irony. I can't drink."

The incident began at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, when authorities responded to a disturbance call from Nguyen, the San Diego (California) County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

"Nguyen told deputies she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence," it said.

Merriman, 25, was taken into custody on suspicion of battery and false imprisonment, the statement said.

Deputies saw no physical injuries on Nguyen, who is described on her Twitter page as 4 feet, 11 inches tall and 93 pounds, but she asked to be taken to a hospital, said sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell.  Watch Caldwell talk about the incident »

The San Diego Chargers linebacker released a statement Sunday noting that no charges had been filed and saying he had done nothing wrong.

"I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided," Merriman said. "I in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen, however, paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported."

Merriman said he was looking forward to clearing his name of the "false accusations."

Merriman's lawyer, Todd Macaluso, said Sunday that more than a dozen other people were at the house at the time, and "witness after witness after witness will back up his story 100 percent."

In a statement posted on the Chargers' Web site Sunday, team General Manager A.J. Smith said, "It is disappointing to hear about the issue involving Shawne Merriman.

"We'll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course," Smith said.

The 6-foot, 4-inch 265-pounder is entering his fifth year with the Chargers. The team begins its 2009 NFL regular-season campaign September 14 in Oakland, California, for a game against the Raiders.

Merriman, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, recorded at least 10 sacks in each of his first three seasons, but he was limited to one game last season because of a knee injury that required surgery.

What is Merrimac looking forward to doing?

Answer: "I am allergic to alcohol,"

Answer: she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman

Answer: "I am allergic to alcohol,"

Answer: Merriman

Answer: Tila Tequlia

Answer: clearing his name of the "false accusations."

Answer: Tila Nguyen,

Summary:
Tila "Tequila" Nguyen says NFL's Shawne Merriman choked her .
San Diego Chargers player says she was intoxicated .
"I'm allergic to alcohol. ... I can't drink," Nguyen says on Twitter .
Merriman says he looks forward to clearing his name .


(CNN) -- The recent hacking of a Twitter employee's personal e-mail account is raising questions about the security of storing personal information and business data on the Internet. A Twitter co-founder says password toughness is important to online security. The Web has been buzzing since a hacker allegedly broke into a Twitter administrator's personal e-mail account about a month ago and used that information to access the employee's Google Apps account. That account housed some of Twitter's private financial documents and notes, according to Twitter's official blog. Some of those documents circulated the blogosphere on Wednesday, and TechCrunch, a technology blog, published a Twitter financial forecast. The hacker sent 310 documents to the tech site, according to a post by Michael Arrington, TechCrunch's founder and co-editor. In what appears to be a separate incident, a hacker broke into Twitter chief executive Evan Williams' wife's e-mail account and then accessed Williams' PayPal and Amazon accounts, Twitter says. It's unclear what if any impact the incidents will have on the future of cloud computing, the idea that documents and computing power can be stored "in the cloud" of the Internet rather than on desktops or laptops. Many tech blogs are weighing in on the hacking's impact. Some see the incident as an indication of serious security flaws at Twitter. Others say it's a sign Twitter has gotten big, and any rising company makes a good target for a cyberattack. People outside the Silicon Valley micro-blogging company, such as Twitter account holders, reportedly were not affected in the incident. "This was not a hack on the Twitter service, it was a personal attack followed by the theft of private company documents," Twitter co-founder Biz Stone writes on the company's official blog. Google's suite of online applications, which allows users to share and store calendars, spreadsheets and text documents, is not to blame for the hacking, Stone said in the post, adding that Twitter continues to use Google Apps. "This isn't about any flaw in Web apps," Stone writes. "It speaks to the importance of following good personal security guidelines such as choosing strong passwords." Security experts say it's best for users to create new passwords for each of their online accounts. The passwords generally should be complicated, combining letters, numbers and symbols. And they should be changed often. CNET, a tech site that partners with CNN, says the hack highlights how interconnected information is online -- and how vulnerable that setup is to attack. "Although it seems that Twitter has been thrust into this situation a bit unfairly, a hack along these lines could have happened to the executives of more Web companies than anybody would like to admit," Josh Lowensohn and Caroline McCarthy write on the news site. "What it really highlights is the extreme interconnectedness of the social Web: with the likes of e-mail contact importing and data-portability services like Facebook Connect now commonplace, a savvy hacker can have access to multiple accounts simply by accessing one." Ken Colburn, a computer security expert, recently told CNN.com/Live  that Google Docs are "as secure as anything you're going to do on the Internet. It's not any more or less secure than Microsoft Office." Writing for Mashable, a blog that covers online social media, Stan Schroeder says the latest Twitter breach proves the micro-blogging site needs to address nagging security flaws. "There have been so many problems [at Twitter] over the past couple of months that it's getting hard to keep track of them," he writes. "It's time to fix it once and for all, because these security issues are a dark shadow looming over the otherwise bright future of this company." Adam Ostrow, editor-in-chief at Mashable, says the hacking is "another embarrassing moment in Twitter's torrid growth, but nothing that's likely to bring the house down." Peter Kafka, senior editor at AllThingsD.com, offers

What did the hacker do with the information?

Answer: sent 310 documents to the tech site,

Answer: Twitter administrator's personal e-mail account

Answer: Twitter employee's personal e-mail

Answer: 310 documents

Answer: password toughness is important to online security.

Answer: Twitter employee's personal e-mail

Summary:
A hacker allegedly broke into a Twitter administrator's personal e-mail account .
The hacker stole Twitter financial documents and leaked them to several blogs .
Web is abuzz with opinions on the hacking's impact and the ethics of posting the info .
Twitter says it is seeking legal counsel on the matter .


(CNN) -- The recent incident involving Chelsea and England captain John Terry and Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand has seen the issue of racism in football dominate the headlines.

The decision by London's Metropolitan Police to launch an investigation into what occurred during the October 23 match follows allegations made by Manchester United's Patrice Evra of racial abuse from Liverpool striker Luis Suarez during an English Premier League clash.

These two incidents are just the latest in a year which has seen the issue of race and football at the forefront of coverage of both club and international soccer.

Police are investigating the incident between what two people?

What did Man Utd's Evra accuse Liverpool's Luis Suarez of doing?

Answer: occurred during the October 23 match

Answer: race and football

Answer: Anton Ferdinand

Answer: racial abuse

Answer: racial abuse

Answer: racial abuse

Answer: racial abuse

Summary:
London's Metropolitan Police are to investigate incident between Terry and Ferdinand .
Man Utd's Patrice Evra has also accused Liverpool's Luis Suarez a using a racial slur .
2011 has seen numerous incidents a racism in football .


(CNN) -- The recent ruling of a federal appeals court requiring the family of fallen hero Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder to pay the legal expenses of Fred Phelps and his misguided followers at Westboro Baptist Church is unconscionable.

Like Matthew's father, Albert, I am all too familiar with the hardships associated with losing a son in combat, having lost my son Justin in 2004. It is a tragedy that the thanks given the Snyder family in return for the life of their son is a court order to repay the legal expenses of the hate group that protested at his funeral with signs such as "thank God for dead soldiers."

Beyond simply insulting though, this decision by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals is a slap in the face for every Gold Star family that has lost a loved one in combat. It also represents an egregious misuse of the judicial system; one that sets a dangerous precedent for how the memory of our fallen heroes will be treated. The Supreme Court should immediately move forward with this case and stand up for those who have stood in the face of danger for all Americans.

The legal maneuvers that brought Albert Snyder and his family to this point are enough to make any American shake his or her head in disgust. After Snyder lost his life in 2006, Fred Phelps and his followers showed up at his funeral to spread their message of hate.

Mind you, they didn't know Matthew, and thus had no understanding of the enormous sense of loss his family was feeling; they simply decided that the Snyder family's vulnerability presented an easy platform for their own agenda.

To his credit, Albert Snyder sued the group and won an $11 million judgment against them. However, that award was reduced to $5 million on one appeal and overturned altogether this week by the appeals court.

In fact, not only did the court overturn the original ruling, but it decided to add to the pain and suffering of the Snyder family by imposing more than $16,000 of court fees. Perhaps the judges had forgotten that without the sacrifices of brave soldiers and their families, the American judicial system would have been a long-distant memory.

Beyond the inherent injustice of the court's decision is the message it sends to the thousands of families around the country that have received a tightly wrapped flag and heard the words, "On behalf of a grateful nation ..."

When the Snyder family sued to protect the common decency we should provide to all grieving families, their efforts were met with court orders to pay the legal bills of those who caused their family so much needless pain.

Surely, this is not the kind of thing that Lance Cpl. Snyder or my son, Justin, gave their lives to protect. Has our nation learned nothing from our treatment of returning Vietnam veterans? What would have been the reaction to Fred Phelps and his repugnant actions during World War II? Our veterans and the families of those who didn't return deserve better than this.

Looking ahead, as engagements in Afghanistan draw on and our soldiers answer the call to defend freedom around the world, this case could have a dangerous effect on morale and willingness to serve.

It is time for the Supreme Court to take up this case, not only for families like Albert Snyder but for the families who will bear the ultimate price of freedom in the future. The justices should strike down the ruling of the Virginia court that brushed aside the sacrifice of Lance Cpl. Snyder and restore common sense and basic decency to the way we honor our fallen heroes.

Snyder fought on behalf of all of us, and now his father fights on his behalf. I can only hope that the Supreme Court will restore some measure of justice and dignity to a family so richly deserving of the best the United State has to offer.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Ellsworth.

What court tried the case?
whose son also died in the Marines?
What did John Ellsworth say about it?
Who was ordered to pay court costs?
What did the soldiers do?

Answer: 4th Circuit

Answer: John Ellsworth.

Answer: this case and stand up for those who have stood in the face of danger for all Americans.

Answer: Matthew Snyder

Answer: answer the call to defend freedom

Summary:
Father of a dead Marine was ordered to pay court costs to protesters who picketed funeral .
John Ellsworth, whose son also died in the Marines, says ruling was unconscionable .
He says soldiers and families make great sacrifices to protect the nation .
Ellsworth urges the U.S. Supreme Court to restore justice and dignity to the family .


(CNN) -- The recent snowstorm in China, which has stranded hundreds of thousands of people across the country and killed dozens, is related to the La Nina phenomenon, according to a Chinese weather expert Suzhou, China, is blanketed by the most snow the city has had in 25 years, according to I-Reporter Susan Arthur. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino, which follows El Nino and occurs every few years. During La Nina, sea temperatures over eastern equatorial Pacific are lower than normal. La Nina enhances Arctic weather systems and causes a cold winter in Asia, including in China. As warm and moisture air from the south meets cold air in the north under freezing temperatures, snow forms. "The warm air is very active this year," said Li Weijing, deputy director-general of the National Climate Center of China. As a result, persistent snowstorms occur in central and western China, paralyzing the transport and electricity systems. The current storm, which hit just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday -- China's busiest shopping season -- has shut much of the nation down. China's transportation system and power grid have been paralyzed this week. The storm also has cost the nation's economy $4.5 billion, according to figures released Wednesday by the Civil Affairs Ministry.  Watch how Nanjing is coping with the unusual weather » The winter precipitation had caused at least 49 deaths due to collapsed roofs and treacherous travel conditions, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and local officials said. More than 177 million Chinese were expected to travel by train, and 22 million more by plane, for the February 7 Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. China uses a color system for its snowstorm warning: The current once-in-50-years snowstorm calls for the red warning, the first time such a warning has been issued since the system launches. E-mail to a friend CNN's Clarence Fong contributed to this report.

What did Li say about the warm air this year?

what amount of people have been stranded?

What calls for the first-ever and most severe red warning?

Answer: dozens,

Answer: "The warm air is very active this year,"

Answer: "The

Answer: the red warning,

Answer: hundreds of thousands

Answer: once-in-50-years snowstorm

Summary:
"The warm air is very active this year", said Li.
Current snowstorm calls for the first-ever, most severe red warning .
Hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded, dozens killed .


(CNN) -- The relationship between China and the United States is "the most important" bilateral relationship in the world, a former Chinese foreign ministry official said Monday. Victor Zhikai Gao, now the director of the Beijing Private Equity Association, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that the United States should deal with Beijing "with respect" and not be "too abrasive." "That's the minimum thing we can ask for, I believe," he said on the eve of talks between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. Gao pointed out that China is now the United States' largest creditor nation, holding foreign reserves of more than $2 trillion, about two-thirds of which are assets that are denominated in U.S. dollars. "China-U.S. relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world," Gao said. Obama appears keen to put past U.S.-Chinese disagreements behind him as he seeks Chinese cooperation on a host of issues from the global economy and climate change to nuclear proliferation. He's also looking to China for leadership on how to deal with repressive regimes such as Myanmar and Sudan, both of which are friends of Beijing and major energy suppliers to China. Critics of the U.S. president say he is downplaying what was once a central tenet of U.S. foreign policy, the promotion of human rights and democracy, in order to persuade China to help the United States achieve its foreign policy goals. But Obama insists America "will never waver in speaking up for the fundamental values that we hold dear." Gao acknowledged global concern about China's human rights record, admitting the situation is not perfect. "But if you look at today's human rights issues, and comparing that with what we had 30 years ago, 20 years ago, or 10 years ago, then China has made great improvements," he said. Gao said China and the Chinese people are great admirers of America. But he said, "China's foreign policy is underlined by the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. If it is only up to the United States to discuss human rights issues in China, this is unbalanced." He also tried to reassure critics in the United States, some of whom have accused China of manipulating its currency to keep the cost of Chinese goods artificially low, about the impact of China's rapidly expanding economic power. By some estimates, China's economy will be the same size as the U.S. economy by 2025, though there will still be a huge gap in economic output per person. "Let me make the record straight. Over the past few months since the outbreak of the financial crisis, China has continued to purchase Treasury bonds issued by the U.S. government, rather than reducing them in any way," he said. "So I think the American people need to realize that China has applied a very steady hand and very responsible hand in dealing with issues involving the dollar." Gao said China has no desire to be an enemy of the United States. "Both China and the United States need to give each other due respect and need to incentivize each other. And then we can work together towards a better peace and better world."

Gao says the United States should deal with what?

Answer: Victor Zhikai Gao,

Answer: Beijing "with respect" and not be "too abrasive."

Summary:
Victor Zhikai Gao is now the director of the Beijing Private Equity Association .
Gao says the United States should deal with Beijing "with respect"
Gao says China has no desire to be an enemy of the United States .