(CNN) -- After two years of denial about the European periphery's solvency problem, European policymakers are finally, grudgingly, facing reality. They are recognizing that Greece is almost certain to default by year-end. And they have concluded that it is imperative to recapitalize Europe's banks and to erect an effective "firewall" around Spain and Italy to reassure markets that if Greece defaults, the crisis will be contained there.

But it remains to be seen whether this recognition will be translated into credible and effective measures by the time of the scheduled November 3 G-20 Summit. If past performance is any guide, one has to wonder whether this will be yet another doleful instance of domestic political constraints, especially in Germany and France, resulting in a "too little too late" European policy response to an ever deepening crisis.

How deep? Greece's International Monetary Fund adjustment program is in tatters. The IMF itself is now acknowledging that Greece's economy, which has already contracted by around 12% since 2009, will contract meaningfully further in 2012. And the IMF is also recognizing that Greece will not meet the IMF's budget targets for 2011 and 2012. As a result, Greece's public-debt-to-GDP level will soon rise to 172%, or more than twice the level that might be considered manageable.

As if to underline how unsustainable is the Greek situation, in the midst of the deepest of domestic recessions, the Greek government is now being required by the IMF to undertake further painful fiscal adjustment measures to meet its ever elusive budget deficit targets. Not only is the IMF insisting that Greece introduce an unpopular property tax, but it is also asking a Pan-Hellenic Socialist, or PASOK, government whose very existence depends on public sector patronage, to cut public wages and to reduce public employment. Little wonder that social and political tensions in Greece are now on the boil.

The IMF is acknowledging that the Greek government will need more funding to finance its 2012 budget deficit. This is inducing the IMF to seek substantially greater debt reduction from Greece's bank creditors through the "voluntary" debt exchange. As might be expected, the banks are resisting the IMF's proposal, and this could complicate the IMF finalizing its intended program review by mid-November.

Mindful of the 2008-2009 Lehman experience, European policymakers are fully aware that a Greek default could cause real contagion to the rest of the European periphery. They are particularly fearful that a Greek default could engulf Spain and Italy, Europe's third and fourth largest economies respectively, which would pose an existential threat to the Euro.

But despite these perceived risks, and reflecting domestic political constraints from electorates opposed to further bailouts, European policymakers seem to be in no rush to put a credible firewall in place. In particular, they have yet to come up with a concrete proposal to leverage up the European Financial Stability Facility -- the euro zone's temporary bailout fund -- from its present size of EUR 440 billion ($600 billion) to the EUR 2 trillion range ($2.8 trillion), that most market analysts think would be needed to shield Spain and Italy from the fallout of a hard Greek default.

And responding to increased banking sector strains that both the IMF and the European Central Bank fear could tip Europe back into recession, European policymakers are proposing a coordinated European effort to recapitalize the European banking system. However, they have yet to come up with concrete proposals as to how they will increase the European banking system's capital by the EUR 200 billion ($267 billion) that the IMF estimates would be necessary to put Europe's banks back on a sound footing. Public differences between the French and the German governments on who should pay for the bank recapitalization are not encouraging.

The late MIT economics professor Rudi Dornbusch famously said that in economics things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could. Hopefully, European policymakers will now recognize that in Greece we are all too likely to be in "the faster than you thought they could" phase of the crisis. For if they

Who must act to create firewall?
What country could be in default?
What needs to create a firewall?
Who must recapitalize?
What must policymakers do?
Who claims Greece will default?

Answer: European policymakers

Answer: Greece

Answer: European policymakers

Answer: Europe's banks

Answer: that it is imperative to recapitalize Europe's banks and to erect an effective "firewall" around Spain and Italy to reassure markets that if Greece defaults, the crisis will be contained there.

Answer: European policymakers

Summary:
Desmond Lachman: European policymakers finally facing likelihood of Greek default .
He says they know they must recapitalize Europe's banks to stop "contagion's" spread .
He says action difficult politically, bailout unpopular, so they have not taken any concrete steps yet .
Lachman: Policymakers must act to create "firewall" to prevent Lehman-style crisis .


(CNN) -- Aftershocks rattled southern Taiwan in the hours after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook the island, but left it relatively unscathed. Thursday morning's quake was followed by more than 15 aftershocks, the largest reaching 4.8. Taiwan's interior ministry reported 12 minor injuries -- nine in Kaohsiung county, two in Jia Yi county and one in Tainan county. The quake struck about 8:20 a.m. (7:20 p.m. Wednesday ET) in a mountainous region about 25 miles northwest of Taitung, on the southeast coast, and 40 miles east of Tainan and Kaohsiung on the southwest coast. The region includes Taiwan's Maolin National Scenic Area and is still recovering from a direct hit by Typhoon Morakot that killed hundreds in August. The typhoon dumped more than two feet of rain, causing serious mudslides in the south, including one that buried the village of Shiao Lin under 50 feet of mud. Shuo Hong, an orthopedic surgeon in Taipei, about 155 miles away from the epicenter, felt the earthquake during a meeting at a hospital. "We were debating whether or not to run for shelter, but the hospital is safe," he said "It is built to resist a 7.0-magnitude earthquake. "It was shaking for about 20 to 30 seconds, shaking more than what we expected," Hong said. Were you there? Did you feel it? The Taiwan Ministry of Interior and the National Fire Agency said electricity was cut off in parts of Kaohsiung county, Jia Yi city and Jia Yi county. Taiwan's official news agency reported that a fire broke out in Jia Yi city. Residents in southern Taiwan reported cracks in some buildings and major bridges. Train service was also disrupted in some areas, Taiwanese media reported. Two small hotels near the epicenter that were contacted by CNN reported no damage, though the buildings shook for a few seconds during the quake. Albert Yu, communications manager of the humanitarian organization World Vision, told CNN he was about half-way through a 90-minute trip via high-speed train from Taipei to Tainan when the quake struck. Passengers did not feel the quake, he said, but operators stopped the train and announced what had happened before inspecting the tracks for stability. During the delay, Yu said people were calm, "opening laptops ... and chatting with people around them." Yu said World Vision "has already been on high alert responding to the quakes in Haiti and Chile, so we're closely monitoring reports in the earthquake in southern Taiwan." Residents in Taipei, the capital, also felt the shaking. Earthquakes are far from uncommon on the nearly 14,000-square-mile island -- about the size of the U.S. states of Maryland and Delaware combined -- which sits across the juncture of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the same general region in December. The island took a double hit on December 26, 2006, when earthquakes of 7.1 and 6.9 magnitude hit eight minutes apart. The largest recorded quake to strike Taiwan was an 8.0-magnitude quake in 1920, but the worst earthquake disaster stemmed from a 7.1-magnitude quake in 1935 that killed more than 3,200 people -- followed by a 6.5-magnitude quake that killed more than 2,700 people three months later. More recently, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,400 people in 1999. CNN's Christine Theodorou and Journalist Andrew Lee contributed to this report

What size earthquake rocked southern Taiwan?

Which country did the earthquake affect?

How many aftershocks followed the earthquake?

What did residents in southern Taiwan report

Answer: struck about 8:20 a.m. (7:20 p.m. Wednesday

Answer: 6.4

Answer: Taiwan

Answer: 15

Answer: more than 15

Answer: Taiwan

Answer: magnitude 6.4

Answer: magnitude 6.4

Answer: cracks in some buildings and major bridges.

Summary:
NEW: Quake followed by more than 15 aftershocks, the largest reaching 4.8 .
6.4 quake rocks southern Taiwan at about 0120 GMT; no immediate reports of deaths .
Quake hits northwest of Taitung, on the southeast coast .
Residents in southern Taiwan report blackouts; train services disrupted .


(CNN) -- Age has slowed Sonic, the beloved blue hero from an earlier generation of video games, but Sega may have finally rehabilitated the venerable hedgehog.

"Sonic Generations," which arrives in stores Tuesday for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, comes at an opportune time.

With a crucial holiday season imminent, Sega Sammy Holdings hasn't produced a stellar Sonic game in about a decade, and the company's game division has performed especially sluggishly this year.

But "Sonic Generations," coming on the 20th anniversary of the franchise, looks like a promising candidate to buck these trends. The first batch of reviews have been positive, and the game has received more preorders than any previous Sonic game, which is an early barometer for success.

Sega also managed to build some buzz for the game at video game expos like E3, although those conventions have not been particularly kind to other Sonic games.

Encouraged by the favorable feedback, Sega is throwing its marketing weight behind the game. These initiatives include traditional advertising, constructing a Sonic-themed playground in East Oakland, California, and a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The original "Sonic the Hedgehog" debuted on Sega's Genesis game system in 1991. Since the heydays of Sega going head-to-head with Nintendo for home console domination, the company has ceased selling hardware, started developingÂ for multiple systems and merged with Sammy, which makes pachinko slot machines in Japan.

Perhaps as a result, Sega's flagship franchise, which is developed by the aptly named Sonic Team, has slumped. Sonic's and Mario's "platformer" genre -- in which cartoonish characters navigate increasingly challenging maze-like levels -- was once a blockbuster seller, but it's been surpassed by first-person shooters such as "Call of Duty" and "Battlefield." Nintendo has managed to maintain the high quality of Mario games over the years, but Sega has struggled to remake Sonic for the fast-paced 21st-century game industry.

"Sonic Generations" is designed to "take Sonic back to the pure elements," Yasuhiro Noguchi, a senior producer who led development on the Western version of the game, said in an interview.

Some previous games in the series became preoccupied with elaborate story lines and slower-paced exploration. American and European players may have been put off by elements of the plots that were geared toward audiences in Japan, where Sonic Team is based.

"The team tries very hard not to bias it for a particular territory," Noguchi said. "They don't necessarily do stuff that is very, very specific to, say, their home territory. That's one of the learnings that has kind of informed their development DNA in the last 20 years -- that Sonic is loved internationally."

For "Sonic Generations" and its predecessor, "Sonic Colors" for the Wii, Sega recruited writers from the television show "Happy Tree Friends." They pen straightforward scripts that they hope will resonate with players outside of Asia, where Sonic's market is bigger. However, the writers must also adhere to standards set by Sega's Japan-based Sonic Committee, which is tasked with upholding the integrity of the Sonic brand.

"Sonic is a beloved franchise," Noguchi said. "Disney has Mickey, and we have Sonic."

"Sonic Generations" is looking to polish the franchise's legacy and reverse the recent decline of Sonic's popularity, said Patrick Riley, a U.S.-based development director for the company. "I think that fans recognize that as far as the quality, Sonic is moving in the right direction."

The game melds the classic two-dimensional action with three-dimensional exploration.

"We're truly bringing the 'A game' on 'Sonic Generations,' " Noguchi said. "In some ways, it is sort of a celebration and a sendoff for the first generation of Sonic."

"Sonic Generations" will dip into past successes in its attempt to rebuild the franchise. Levels from classic Sonic games, such as the memorable

What anniversary does the "Sonic Generations" celebrate?

Sega is trying to revive its flagship with what franchise?

How many years has it been since Sega last released a Sonic game?

Answer: 20th

Answer: Sonic,

Answer: Sega

Answer: the 20th

Answer: about a decade,

Answer: "Sonic Generations,"

Summary:
Sega is looking to revive its flagship franchise with "Sonic Generations"
Sega has not released a stellar Sonic game in about a decade .
"Sonic Generations" celebrates the series' 20th anniversary .


(CNN) -- Agents arrested 20 out of 42 people accused in a California Medicaid fraud ring that allegedly bilked the state out of nearly $4.6 million and put the lives of disabled children at risk, a prosecutor said. The defendants are accused of either posing as licensed nurses or organizing a scheme to send unlicensed nurses to provide home- or school-based care to disabled patients, many of them children with cerebral palsy or other developmental disabilities, the office of the U.S. attorney for central California said in a written statement. The long defendant's list makes the case the largest of Medicaid fraud in California, U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien said in the statement. Each defendant has been charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and at least one count of health care fraud, according to the statement. Some parents and patients became suspicious of the nurses when they noticed their lack of skills. "In one case, a 'nurse' was unable to replace a tracheotomy tube that had fallen out of a young patient's neck. In another case, an impostor nurse simply fled a medical situation when she apparently was unable to provide assistance," according to the statement. Some of the unlicensed nurses had foreign training, but never passed a U.S. qualifying nursing exam, the attorney's office said, while others had no medical training at all. Two defendants -- Susan Bendigo and Priscilla Villabroza, the accused ringleaders -- were charged separately. Bendigo and Villabroza instructed the workers to lie about their status and used the names of licensed nurses on documents, the indictment says. Villabroza operated a home health agency -- the Santa Fe Springs company Medicare Plus Home Health Providers -- the indictment said. Villabroza, a registered nurse, knowingly hired unlicensed nurses and billed Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, for the work of licensed vocational nurses from August 2004 through 2007, the indictment alleges. Villabroza pleaded guilty last year to five federal counts of health care fraud, the attorney's office said. Bendigo, a registered nurse, was also director of Santa Fe Springs' Excel Plus Home Health Services, which provided nurses to home health agencies, according to the indictment. Bendigo also was charged last year but fled the country, the statement said. Officials think she is hiding in the Philippines, said U.S. attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek. Villabroza is awaiting sentencing, and could be sent to prison for up to 50 years, Mrozek said. Each of the 42 new defendants faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each charge if convicted, according to the statement.

When did patients become suspicious of the nurses?

What is the largest Medicaid fraud in California?

Answer: people accused in a California Medicaid fraud ring

Answer: they noticed their lack of skills.

Answer: California

Answer: Susan Bendigo and Priscilla Villabroza,

Answer: Some parents and patients

Answer: unlicensed nurses

Answer: bilked the state out of nearly $4.6 million and put the lives of disabled children at risk,

Summary:
Prosecutor: Long defendants list makes case the largest Medicaid fraud in California .
"Nurses" cared for disabled patients, many of them children, in homes, schools .
Patients became suspicious of nurses when they noticed their lack of skills .
Ringleaders accused of telling workers to lie about status, using real nurses' names .


(CNN) -- Agnieszka Radwanska faces a nervous wait to see if she will make the WTA Tour Championships after losing to Czech Lucie Safarova in the second round of the Kremlin Cup Wednesday.

Victory for the pole would have seen her qualify as the eighth and final player, but Safarova battled to a 6-4 4-6 6-4 win in Moscow.

France's Marion Bartoli, seeded fourth at the tournament, can now pip Radwanska if she takes the title Sunday.

The 22-year-old Radwanska came into the event off the back of claiming titles in Japan and China, but continued her poor run against Safarova, who is now 4-1 in their clashes.

Safarova will now play Russia's Vera Dushevina, who beat compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-2 7-6.

Earlier, top seed and home favorite Vera Zvonareva cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-1 6-1 win over Serbian teenager Bojana Jovanovski in just 64 minutes.

"I took into consideration all of the mistakes I made in my previous meeting with Jovanovski at this year's Australian Open," Zvonareva said.

Zvonareva had taken three sets to win their clash at the opening grand slam of the season.

But Italian Francesca Schiavone, the 2009 champion, went out, losing 6-4 5-7 7-6 to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.

In the men's ATP tournament being run at the same time, defending champion and second seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia cruised through his opening match with a 6-4 6-4 win over Spain's Pere Riba.

Russia's fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, a three-time champion, saw off compatriot Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5 6-2 and will next face Germany's Michael Berrer, who shocked Italy's eighth seed Andreas Seppi 4-6 6-3 6-2.

Who misses a chance to seal spot in WTA Championships?

Answer: Nadia Petrova

Answer: Francesca Schiavone,

Answer: Viktor Troicki

Answer: Agnieszka

Answer: Agnieszka

Answer: Viktor Troicki

Answer: Czech Lucie Safarova

Summary:
Agnieszka Radwanska crashes out of Kremlin Cup to Lucie Safarova .
Pole Radwanksa misses chance to seal spot in WTA Championsips .
Marion Bartoli can claim final place if she wins Kremlin Cup .
Defending men's champion Viktor Troicki eases to opening victory over Pere Riba .


(CNN) -- Ahead of the 31st anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country will show its support to the revolution on February 11.

"Our revolution has changed the patterns and the equations of the world," he said in a nationally televised interview.

Ahmadinejad spoke on the occasion of the Ten Days of Dawn, which lead up to the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

He said that enemies who plotted against Iran during the election protests last year continue to plot, but despite all the economic sanctions on the country, they are not succeeding.

"This year, they have mobilized themselves again to harm the Iranian nation and to stop them, but they failed," he said, adding that the capitalist powers who are against Iran have peaked.

Specifically, he cited the United States and United Kingdom as nations that have tried to interfere with Iran's domestic issues.

"They adopted their stances, and they failed," Ahmadinejad said. "This is a clear defeat for them."

On the nuclear issue, Ahmadinejad said that Iran seeks such production for peaceful purposes only. The United States and other nations have expressed concern that Iran wants to acquire nuclear weapons.

The same countries who doubt Iran could, instead, partner with Iran and build the nuclear plants themselves if they wanted, he said.

"Russia, France and the United States can come and sign contracts to build the power plants. It serves our interests as well as theirs. Of course, if they don't come to do this, we will reach a point [where we will] build our own power plant," he said.

The Iranian leader also mentioned the three American hikers who have been detained, saying that negotiations are ongoing.

"We don't like anyone in jail or in prison, but these people have violated our borders, and it has a defined penalty," he said, adding that there are Iranians "languishing within American jails."

He hinted at a possible prisoner swap.

"We are approaching this from a humanitarian perspective and see how it goes," Ahmadinejad said.

U.S. State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said the United States is prepared to answer any questions about Iranians in U.S. custody.

"It's hard to know what he meant from these fragmentary comments, but we have made clear that we want consular access to our citizens in Iranian custody," Duguid said. "If President Ahmadinejad's comments suggest that they are prepared to grant us access through the Swiss and resolve the cases of the three hikers and others in custody, we would welcome that step. It is long overdue."

CNN's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

How many American Hikers are being detained by Iran?

Who did the leader say was trying to interfere with Iran's affairs?

When is the anniversary of the Revolution?

What lead up to the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution?

Answer: three

Answer: United States and United Kingdom

Answer: February 11.

Answer: Ten Days of Dawn,

Answer: his country will show its support to the revolution on February 11.

Summary:
The Ten Days of Dawn lead up to the February 11 anniversary of the Islamic Revolution .
In nationally televised interview, leader says U.S., UK trying to interfere in Iran's affairs .
Iran is holding three American hikers who have been detained since July 31 .
Ahmadinejad says negotiations for their release continue .


(CNN) -- Air accident investigators are to resume the search for the flight data recorders from an Air France airliner that mysteriously crashed off Brazil six months ago, according to media reports Sunday.

Flight 447 went down in stormy weather in the Atlantic Ocean while flying from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France in June.

Investigators have not yet established the cause of the crash which killed all 228 passengers, and large parts of the plane -- including both flight recorders -- have never been found, despite an extensive search operation that included a French navy submarine.

Jean-Paul Troadec, director of the Investigation and Analysis Bureau, told reporters that a new search, approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) off Brazil's northeast coast, will begin in February, according to Agence France-Presse.

The new underwater sweeps will last a maximum three months and involve sonar and robot submarines, he said.

Troadec was in Rio de Janeiro to speak to the relatives of the 58 Brazilians who were on board, AFP said. "We tried to convince the families that we are conducting the investigation with the full intention of getting to the truth," he said.

Troadec added that an upcoming report about the fatal crash contained "no surprises" but did set out "new details, notably in terms of safety recommendations."

Tests have already brought into question the performance of pitot tubes, which are used to measure the pressure exerted on the plane as it flies through the air, and are part of a system used to determine air speed.

Flight 447 sent out 24 automated error messages before it crashed that suggested the plane may have been flying too fast or too slow through the thunderstorms, officials have said.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a directive in late August requiring airlines to replace pitot tubes manufactured by Thales Avionics on Airbus A330s and A340s. It said airlines should replace them with other Thales tubes and those manufactured by Goodrich.

how many months will last the new underwater sweeps?

Answer: in the Atlantic Ocean

Answer: maximum three

Answer: 447

Answer: the cause of the crash which killed all 228 passengers,

Answer: Atlantic Ocean

Answer: stormy weather

Answer: maximum three months

Answer: three

Summary:
Flight 447 went down in the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, killing 228 people .
Investigators have not yet established the cause of the crash .
New underwater sweeps will last a maximum three months, investigators say .


(CNN) -- Air travel security is being increased as authorities continue to question how a man got explosives on a U.S.-bound passenger jet, according to federal officials, including the president and his homeland security chief.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday that officials would review how anti-terrorist watch lists are maintained.

Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, who is accused of trying to blow up a flight carrying 300 passengers, was on a general list that contained 550,000 other names, but he was still allowed to travel to the United States.

A senior administration official said the suspect was not on a no-fly list because "the info on him was not deemed specific enough to pull his visa or put him on a no-fly list."

"Under the existing protocols, it requires an interagency process and the identification of other negative information that's credible ... and that process whittles down from 500,000 [names] or so that are on the generic list to the fewer than 5,000 that are on the no-fly list," Napolitano said. "We are going to be looking at that process and how those lists are created, maintained, updated, exchanged and the like, because clearly this individual should not have been able to board this plane carrying that material."

AbdulMutallab is accused of trying to blow up a Northwest flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day.

Officials say he carried an explosive device that contained pentaerythritol tetranitrate, an explosive also known as PETN. Part of the device, which failed to detonate, was sewn into his underwear, a law enforcement official said Monday.

President Obama, in his first public comment since the incident, said Monday that screening and security procedures for all flights were immediately enhanced, including an increase in the number of air marshals on international flights.

The federal system for tracking potential terrorism suspects will be reviewed because the latest incident showed that it had possible failings, the president said.

All screening policies, technologies and procedures for air travel will be reviewed "to determine just how the suspect was able to bring dangerous explosives aboard an aircraft and what additional steps we can take to thwart future attacks," Obama said.

A Department of Homeland Security official who asked not to be identified said Sunday that the ranks of the air marshals have been increased by cutting vacations and leave, and by pulling in marshals from instructional and administrative posts.

On CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, Napolitano said air marshals are assigned randomly to flights.

Current and former marshals contacted by CNN took exception to Napolitano's claims, saying that although there is an element of randomness to increase unpredictability, the assignments of air marshals are largely based on intelligence and an analysis of which flights are most vulnerable or most attractive to terrorists.

Despite a possible tragedy, Napolitano said the response system worked, as passengers and crew avoided panic and subdued the suspect while authorities notified other flights in the air of the situation and kept the air transport system operating.

"Once the incident happened, we were able to immediately notify the 128 flights in the air, as well as airports on the ground domestically, internationally, our law enforcement partners, other allies, institute immediate safe procedures to make sure that this could not happen on other flights and that people were watching out for it on other flights, even as we focused on what went wrong prior to this one," Napolitano added Monday.

The Transportation Security Administration invoked a "one hour rule" after the thwarted attack, which prohibited passengers on international U.S.-bound flights from leaving their seats during the last hour of a flight, sources said. In addition, passengers had to stow pillows and blankets, and maps viewed on in-flight entertainment screens were disabled during the final hour of flight.

The TSA has modified the rule, however, giving airlines and crews discretion over implementation, sources said.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin and Brian Todd contributed to this report.

What else Homeland security said about the terrorist?

What does Napolitano say about Air Marshals?

which will be revised according to the national security chief

who says that air marshals are assigned randomly

What Janes Napolitano said about marshals?

Answer: would review how anti-terrorist watch lists are maintained.

Answer: that officials would review how anti-terrorist watch lists are maintained.

Answer: how anti-terrorist watch lists are maintained.

Answer: Napolitano

Answer: no-fly list,"

Answer: are assigned randomly to flights.

Summary:
NEW: Screening procedures enhanced; more marshals put aboard .
NEW: Homeland security chief says terrorist lists to be reviewed .
Janet Napolitano says air marshals are assigned randomly .
Current, former marshals take exception to Napolitano's claims .


(CNN) -- Airline passengers are already able to check in to flights, download boarding passes, select a seat on the go and keep an eye on the upgrades list thanks to recent evolutions in smartphone technology, and the options just keep growing.

A global industrywide Airline IT Trends Survey shows that more than 90% of the airlines surveyed are increasing their investment in mobile capabilities to ease the hassles of getting through the airport and improve the in-flight experience. And the airlines are likely to find a way to generate revenue, too.

So what's a flier to expect from airline apps on the horizon? In the not-too-distant future, you'll probably be able to rent a car, pay bag fees and use augmented reality to find the nearest airport bar through your airline's smartphone app.

Delta Air Lines is putting emphasis on improving mobile functionality. While some airline apps allow travelers to make flight reservations (a feature that Delta has not introduced but promises is coming), the world's largest carrier is one of the few airlines that gives customers the ability to adjust travel itineraries from their mobile device.

Delayed Delta passengers who miss a connection now can immediately rebook a different flight and download a new boarding pass, all while in the air.

The airline has some new app plans up its sleeve as well. Delta declines to give a release date for the feature, but it is close to unveiling a new tool where travelers can track checked baggage from their mobile devices, according to Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec. (They can already do so on the airline's website.)

The airline eventually could offer other services on its mobile app that are already listed on its website, such as the ability to search for hotel and car rental reservations, Skrbec said.

GuestLogix, a company that creates onboard merchandising technology, is already trying to integrate these services into an airline app with the launch of its OnTouch Mobile Concierge platform, which it pitched to major airlines this week, a company official said. The mobile app does not just offer access to itinerary details, but it also functions as a one-stop shop for airline passengers to make in-air purchases related to their trip, such as in-flight refreshments and arrangements for ground transportation, dining and entertainment in the destination city.

GuestLogix says it is in talks with most major North American carriers about implementing the OnTouch Mobile Concierge, which would likely be offered by airlines as a separate app from the ticketing-based ones that exist.

"We are providing airlines with the opportunity to offer their passengers a streamlined experience," said Brett Proud, GuestLogix's executive vice president of new markets and products. "Disparity within the mobile channel is a huge issue despite the fact that consumers are increasingly expecting cross-platform integration and a consistent experience. The fully integrated mobile platform that we have built allows travelers to check in to flights and hotels, view travel information and updates, and receive offers from multiple airline carriers, hotels and other services -- all at one time, and in one place."

The hope is the OnTouch Mobile Concierge will also allow airlines to generate new revenue streams by capitalizing for the first time on destination-related purchases.

But integrating outside products and services into airline apps is not the only way that airlines hope to customize the passenger experience while increasing revenue. According to Delta's Skrbec, the demand is likely there for airlines eventually to offer add-ons such as standby upgrades and the ability to pay for extra checked baggage through mobile applications, but industry research suggests that offering those types of mobile transactions won't happen overnight.

According to a report released this year by Amadeus, a company that develops technology for the travel industry, ancillary services -- from premium seating to in-flight meals -- are unlikely to be sold on airlines' mobile platforms on a widespread level for another year or two.

So more add-ons and products will be available, but is help on the way for slogging through the airport?

American, United and Continental airlines currently offer airport maps in their mobile apps

who is increasing their investment in mobile capabilities?

which app provides the ability to adjust travel plans?

Answer: more than 90% of the airlines surveyed

Answer: their investment in mobile capabilities

Answer: Delta Air Lines

Answer: the ability to search for hotel and car rental reservations,

Summary:
Airlines are increasing their investment in mobile capabilities .
Ancillary services are likely to be incorporated into the mobile menu .
Delta's app provides the ability to adjust travel plans from mobile devices .


(CNN) -- Airline passengers left stranded by a freak snowstorm that pounded the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states were waiting to get to their destinations Sunday, many after spending a restless night on cots or airport floors.

"Whatever kind of system they had, it completely and utterly broke down," said passenger Fatimah Dahandari, who spent a night in Hartford, Connecticut's Bradley International Airport while trying to get to New York. "It looks like a refugee camp in here."

More than 4 million people in at least five states were without power Sunday as the storm moved offshore. Up to five deaths, some in traffic accidents, were blamed on the storm.

Dhandari said her Boston-to-New York flight diverted to Connecticut after being told there was a problem on a runway at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and the JetBlue plane did not have enough fuel to continue circling.

"We land in Connecticut and then it was one series of problems after another," she said. Her flight spent nine hours "literally sitting on the runway" with no food and water, she said. Passengers were told the plane was waiting to refuel, then was waiting for a gate, then had to get behind another plane that had an emergency on board, she said.

By the time it was her plane's turn, the plane was snowed in and could not move, she said, so there was another wait to get a truck to tow it to the gate. Once she got into the airport, Dahandari said everything was closed, providing passengers with no food options. They were told that the hotels were booked, she said, and if they left the airport they could not come back in.

She spent a night on the floor, and Sunday morning was standing in line with hundreds of others, hoping to receive a boarding pass and a spot on board a flight.

Cell service inside the airport was spotty, she said, and "everybody's phones are dying. People are trading chargers and laptops."

Overall, she said, passengers have been calm. "I keep waiting for somebody to freak out, but nobody is." She said people were being courteous to airline employees, despite their irritation, as "they're kind of stuck here too."

The fashion consultant had hoped to attend two private Halloween parties in New York Saturday night that were important to her business, and planned to wear a $400 custom-made costume.

"Not only is this the worst traveling experience I've ever had, it's also the worst Halloween I've ever had," she said.

JetBlue spokeswoman Victoria Lucia said in a statement Sunday that 17 flights were diverted on Saturday "due to a confluence of events, including infrastructure issues in New York/JFK and Newark (New Jersey)." Six of those flights were diverted to Hartford, the statement said.

"We worked with the airport to secure services, including remote deplaning and (lavatory) servicing," Lucia said. "Obviously, we would have preferred deplaning much sooner than we did, but our flights were six of the 23 reported diversions into Hartford, including international flights."

In addition, Bradley Airport "experienced intermittent power outages, which made refueling and jetbridge deplaning difficult," she said. "We apologize to the customers impacted by this confluence of events, as it remains JetBlue's responsibility to not simply provide safe and secure travel, but a comfortable experience as well."

Passengers will receive a refund on their flight, as well as a voucher for the same amount as their round-trip fare, Lucia said later Sunday.

The airline said on its web site that it was waiving change or cancel fees, along with fare differences, for travelers in a handful of airports -- Hartford; Newark, New Jersey; Newburgh, New York; New York from JFK or LaGuardia airports; and Westchester County, New York.

Passenger Mara Dhaerman was also stranded in Hartford and said her JetBlue flight, initially from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to

What airline is providing refunds to passengers?

how many million people are without power

Answer: More than 4 million

Answer: five

Answer: JetBlue

Answer: 4

Answer: More than 4 million

Summary:
NEW: Conn. governor tells residents to expect record low temperatures .
More than 4 million people are without power .
JetBlue: Passengers are getting refunds, round-trip voucher .
As many as five people are killed .


(CNN) -- Airlines are uncertain about when commercial service to disaster-ravaged Haiti will resume. In the meantime, some carriers are organizing relief efforts.

American Airlines canceled its five round-trip flights on Wednesday and Thursday. The airline is allowing passengers with plans to travel to Haiti this month to change their plans without fee or penalty through February 14, spokesman Tim Smith said in an e-mail.

"We are completely out of Haiti today, no scheduled operations -- we don't know yet for how long," he said.

American Airlines plans to offer its frequent flier program members mileage incentives for contributing to the Red Cross, Smith said. The carrier flew three American Eagle aircraft into Haiti on Wednesday carrying 30,000 pounds of relief supplies for airline employees and local hospitals and aid efforts. The airline plans to send more relief flights on Thursday and Friday.

"The airport tower is badly damaged, and while I don't know the precise status of the runway, flights (including ours and Air France's) did make it out last night," Smith said Wednesday afternoon.

U.S. Embassy staff at the Port-au-Prince airport said the tower and the lights were working, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Wednesday.

Spirit Airlines, which operates one flight a day between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and  Port-au-Prince also canceled Wednesday and Thursday flights.

Customers with reservations for travel to, from or through Haiti between Wednesday, January 13, and Sunday, January 17, may rebook their travel without penalty, provided the new departure is on or before February 7, according to Spirit's Web site. The airline will waive the change fee for travelers who move their travel beyond February 7, but it will charge for any difference in fare.

The airline plans to resume service as soon as the airport in Port-au-Prince reopens.

"At this time we don't know when we'll be able to get flights in and out," Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson said via e-mail.

The airline will give 5,000 free Spirit miles to the first 200,000 members of its frequent flier program who donate at least $5 to UNICEF, the Red Cross or Yéle Haiti. Members must register online to participate.

Delta Air Lines has canceled its only flight Wednesday in and out of Port-au-Prince from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. There are no details on when the airline will resume commercial service, spokesman Anthony Black said.

JetBlue Airways does not fly into Haiti, but the airline is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers scheduled to fly into neighboring Dominican Republic on Wednesday. The airline's operations in the Dominican Republic have not been disrupted, but customers who don't feel comfortable flying can move their flights back, spokeswoman Alison Croyle said.

Passengers who were scheduled to fly to, from or through Puerto Plata, Santiago or Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday may cancel without penalty and receive a full refund or reschedule to fly Thursday or Friday with no fees, Croyle said.

American Airlines cancelled it's flight to where?

American Airlines cancels it for what days?

Answer: when we'll be able to get flights in and out,"

Answer: Haiti

Answer: organizing relief efforts.

Answer: American Airlines

Answer: passengers with

Answer: Wednesday and Thursday.

Answer: 30,000 pounds of relief supplies

Summary:
American Airlines cancels its Wednesday and Thursday flights to Haiti .
Spirit Airlines: "We don't know when we'll be able to get flights in and out"
Carriers plan to assist in transporting relief supplies, offer fundraising incentives .


(CNN) -- Akil Vohra quit a lucrative job in international trade litigation to take up something he strongly believes in -- as a legal expert, a Muslim and, most importantly, he says, as an American. He wanted to make sure that Muslims could fulfill zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam that mandates the giving of alms. Zakat is especially important during the holy month of Ramadan, which ends on Saturday. But after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a dark cloud hung over Muslim charities as the federal government heightened scrutiny over terrorism concerns. Zakat suddenly became a risky religious obligation. Agencies all over America from women's shelters and health clinics to inner-city community centers saw donation checks dry up. "The fear of giving was very real, said Vohra, 33, who now works for San Francisco-based Muslim Advocates, an agency that was created to address two needs in post-September 11 America: racial profiling of Muslims and charitable giving. Muslim Advocates partners with the Better Business Bureau to attain accreditation for Muslim nonprofits so that agencies can attain greater transparency and overcome perceptions of wrongdoing. Plus, people can feel more at ease about their donations. The Muslim Charities Accreditation Program, which began in August 2008, examines nonprofits and trains agency leaders to comply with the federal government's legal and financial regulations, said Vohra, the program's legal counsel. Just before the start of Ramadan a month ago, three nonprofit organizations had met all 20 standards required for accreditation. Vohra said several others are going through the process. In turn, Vohra hopes that Muslim charities will start seeing more dollars come their way. "We don't make comments on which group to give to," Vohra said. "What we're concerned about is giving the right way -- best practices for zakat. "To be able to give freely is a right of all Americans." he said. Vohra takes phone calls from people around the nation seeking guidance. "We're planning to send money," people tell him. "Is this group OK? What's the best way to send our donation?" Because of the widespread concerns, Muslim Advocates decided to upload a guidance video on YouTube. It asks people to consider donating to U.S.-registered tax exempt charitable organizations. It tells them to make the intent of their donation clear, keep records and perhaps ask for proof that the funds were used for their intended purpose. The guidance became essential after the federal government cracked down on Muslim groups in 2001, Vohra said. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Bush administration froze the assets of three U.S. charities -- the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, Global Relief Foundation and Benevolence International Foundation -- during Ramadan in 2001. Six others have been shuttered to date, the ACLU said. Only one, the Holy Land Foundation, was tied to terrorism after five of its leaders were convicted of providing money to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. "The government's actions against these three charities were the start of a pattern of conduct that violated the fundamental rights of American Muslims' charitable giving in accordance with their faith," the ACLU wrote in a report published in June. It said the result was that many in the American Muslim community restricted or stopped their donations altogether out of fear that they would be investigated for terrorism. Vohra, however, is hopeful the tide is turning. President Obama signaled change in his historic speech to the Muslim world delivered in Cairo, Egypt, earlier this year. Obama said he was committed to working with American Muslims to ensure they can fulfill zakat. Vohra said the accreditation program, along with new government perspective, can return confidence and comfort to a religious obligation for Muslims. "It's been tough for American Muslims post 9/11," he said. "This has to do with civic engagement, to be treated as full Americans."

What did the government start cracking down on after 9/11 attacks?

What are charities counting on to overcome wrong perceptions?

Who cracked down on Muslim charities after 9/11?

What do charities hope will overcome perceptions of wrongdoing?

Answer: donation checks

Answer: will start seeing more dollars come their way.

Answer: Muslim groups

Answer: Better Business Bureau

Answer: Vohra

Answer: greater transparency

Summary:
U.S. government started cracking down on Muslim charities after 9/11 attacks .
Donation checks to shelters, community centers started to dry up .
Charities hope accreditation will overcome perceptions of wrongdoing .


(CNN) -- Akio Toyoda's appearance before U.S. legislators on Wednesday represents not just a fact-finding mission by committee members and a public relations move by Toyota, but a clash of cultures that in many ways created the recall controversy.

"They turned a rather ordinary recall into a brand-threatening crisis," said Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies at Temple University's Japan campus in Tokyo.

Indeed, a key reason why Toyoda is in the hot seat is because the company leadership responded in a very Japanese fashion, Japan watchers say.

"Their decision-making process was painfully slow, but the international media and concerned customers don't want to wait so long for answers," Kingston said. "Anytime the public hears 'brake' and 'problem' in the same sentence, they want quick answers."

Toyoda's long silence as the company deliberated what to do is a hallmark of the Japanese culture of consensus building.

"The decision-making process is really the planning process in Japan -- you don't see a lot of rapid response to a strategic issue," said Michael Alan Hamlin, president of Team Asia, which provides communications advice to multinational companies.

Difficult, too, will be how Toyoda handles hostile questioning, especially since most of his public experience has been before a largely deferential Japanese press.

"There is a huge difference in how Japanese media cover companies," said Hamlin, who lived in Japan for a decade. "They are careful not to upset or annoy business leaders too much, because they don't want their access to information or press conferences blocked because of negative reporting.

"In the West, you take Microsoft, Google or GM -- once they are big, successful companies, they are targets (of aggressive media)," he said. "That's the trade-off for visibility and success."

How the two audiences -- American and Japanese -- view Toyoda's performance may be very different because of cultural differences in body language.

"Japanese when in an apology mode -- especially before an authority like the U.S. Congress -- will be very humble. That means, you don't necessarily look people in the eye," said Deborah Hayden, Tokyo managing partner of Kreab & Gavin Anderson Worldwide, a communications consultancy. "From a Western perspective, that can be mistaken as weakness or perhaps trying to hide something."

Also, Japanese language tends to be indirect -- whereas before the committee members are likely to pepper him with direct questions and "be a bit of political theater," Hamlin added.

"He's got to walk a very fine line of polite respect -- which Japanese have in bucket loads -- and the confidence of being head of one of the largest, most respected companies in the world," Hayden said.

Toyoda's long silence is a hallmark of what countries culture of consensus building?

What companys handling of the recall crisis has elements of a culture clash

What is the hallmark of Japanese culture?

Answer: Japan

Answer: Toyota,

Answer: Toyota,

Answer: long silence

Summary:
Toyota's handling of the recall crisis has elements of a culture clash .
Toyoda's long silence is a hallmark of the Japanese culture of consensus building .
Toyoda has little experience dealing with hostile questions from the public .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda ended days of speculation Sunday by confirming that one of its chemical weapons experts was killed last week along with three other "heroes," according to a statement posted on a radical Islamist Web site. Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar was among four "heroes" killed last week, an al Qaeda statement says. The statement, dated July 30, provided no details on how or when the al Qaeda operatives were killed. It was signed by al Qaeda's top leader in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid. A senior Pakistani official said last week it was a "near certainty" that weapons expert Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar died in a U.S. airstrike Monday in Pakistan's tribal region. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that if reports of the strike were true, the U.S. violated Pakistani sovereignty. Umar, who is also known as Sheikh Abu Khabab al-Masri, was on the U.S. State Department's list of 37 wanted terrorists, and the U.S. had offered $5 million for information leading to his death or arrest. "Although Abu Khabab is gone, he left behind him a generation who will seek revenge and punishment with God's help," the al Qaeda statement said. "And while the 'expert' is gone, he left behind experts who were taught and trained under his hands throughout the years." Umar was killed along with Abu Mohammed Ibrahim Bin Abi al-Faraj al-Masri, Abd al-Wahab al-Masri, and Abu Islam al-Masri, the statement said. Umar, a 55-year-old Egyptian, ran a chemical-and-explosives training camp for terrorists in Derunta, Afghanistan, before the fall of the Taliban, U.S. officials said. "Since 1999, he has distributed training manuals that contain instructions for making chemical and biological weapons," according to the U.S. Rewards for Justice program. "Some of these training manuals were recovered by U.S. forces in Afghanistan." Rewards for Justice said Umar was believed to be in Pakistan, continuing to train al Qaeda terrorists and other extremists. He was reportedly near the site of a U.S. airstrike more than two years ago in the Pakistani mountain village of Damadola. The strike targeted a dinner gathering believed to include terrorists. Initial reports that Umar died in the January 2006 strike later proved erroneous.

Who left behind him a generation who will seek revenge?

What would violate Pakistani sovereignty?

Answer: Abu Khabab

Answer: Mustafa Abu al-Yazid.

Answer: a U.S. airstrike

Answer: The statement,

Summary:
Statement provides few details, is signed by al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan .
Statement: Weapons expert "left behind him a generation who will seek revenge"
Pakistani PM said if U.S. conducted airstrike, it violated Pakistani sovereignty .
Reports that al Qaeda weapons expert was killed in 2006 proved erroneous .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Afghanistan last month that killed seven CIA employees and contractors and a Jordanian military officer, according to a statement posted on Islamist Web sites. Mustafa Abu Yazid, al Qaeda's commander of operations in Afghanistan and its No. 3 man, said the attack avenged the death of Baitullah Mehsud, leader of the Taliban in Pakistan who was killed in a missile strike last August, and al Qaeda operatives Saleh al-Somali and Abdullah al-Libi. The December 30 blast at a U.S. base in Khost, in southeastern Afghanistan, killed seven CIA operatives including two from private security firm Xe, formerly known as Blackwater. The eighth victim was Jordanian Army Capt. Sharif Ali bin Zeid, a cousin of Jordan's King Abdullah II. A former U.S. intelligence official identified the suicide bomber as Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, a Jordanian doctor who acted as a double agent. He was recruited as a counterterrorism intelligence source, according to a senior Jordanian official. U.S. sources said bin Zeid was the Jordanian operative working closely with al-Balawi, who was from the same hometown as the onetime leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Jordanian and U.S. intelligence agencies apparently believed that al-Balawi had been rehabilitated from his extremist views and were using him to hunt Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2 figure, the former intelligence official said. The al Qaeda statement posted Wednesday identified al-Balawi as Hamam Khalil Mohammed Abu Malal, who used the name Abu Dujana Khorasani. It said Abu Dujana was a well-known Islamist author and a preacher on jihadi Web sites, an immigrant for his faith and a fighter who sacrificed himself and his money for his God and belief. "May God accept him as a martyr who was able to infiltrate the Americans' forts," the statement said. "We ask God to bless the people who follow your path, Abu Dujana," it said. "Let them know that your brothers are following your path and they will not have peace of mind until they slaughter the Americans and let the Islamic nation be proud for having men like you among its sons." Several groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, one of the worst blows ever to America's intelligence community. Some analysts said that militant groups may be competing for credit to spread the word and attract fresh donations and recruits. In a posting on its Web site last week, the Taliban in Afghanistan claimed that the bomber was an Afghan National Army soldier. On Sunday, however, Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud said in an e-mail that his arm of the Islamic movement carried out the attack, also citing the reason as revenge for Baitullah Mehsud's killing.

what Suicide bombing killed seven CIA employees and contractors?

who claims responsibility for last month's Afghanistan bombing?

what Several groups have claimed responsibility for?

Answer: Al

Answer: seven

Answer: December 30 blast at a U.S. base in Khost, in southeastern Afghanistan,

Answer: has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Afghanistan last month that

Answer: Al

Answer: claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing

Answer: suicide bombing in Afghanistan last month that

Answer: Al

Answer: seven CIA employees and contractors and a Jordanian military officer,

Summary:
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for last month's Afghanistan bombing, say Islamist Web sites .
Suicide bombing killed seven CIA employees and contractors and a Jordanian military officer .
Al Qaeda says attack avenged deaths of leader of the Taliban in Pakistan and operatives .
Several groups have claimed responsibility for the attack .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden called Israel's recent offensive in Gaza a "holocaust," according to a purported message from him posted on an Islamist Web site. Osama bin Laden, in an undated photo, apparently taped a message calling Israel's Gaza offensive a holocaust. "The holocaust of Gaza in the midst of this long siege is an important and historic event and an articulate tragedy which affirms the need for detachment of the Muslims from the hypocrites. It is not right that our condition after what happened in Gaza be like our condition prior to it," the message said. Al Qaeda says it wants to liberate the mosque from Israeli control. The message -- an audiotape played over a still image -- is called "Practical Steps to Liberate Palestine" and it is dated March 2009, according to terrorism analyst Laura Mansfield. The more than 33 minutes-long tape includes English subtitles, and English and Arabic transcripts were released by As Sahab, al Qaeda's media production center, Mansfield said. The authenticity of the tape could not be verified. The message says it's "clear" some Arab leaders have "conspired" with what it calls the "Zionist-crusader alliance" against the Palestinians in Gaza. "They are the ones that America describes as the moderate leaders in our world," the message says. The speaker urged Muslims to help insurgents "liberate" Iraq. "For those honest in their desire to deliver al-Aqsa mosque, they should back the Mujahideen in Iraq with everything they need in order to liberate Mesopotamia," the message said, alluding to the Jerusalem mosque regarded as the third holiest place in Islam. "And with that they will have defeated the Zionists' biggest ally," referring to the United States. Then, the fighters should move on to Jordan to "liberate all of Palestine from the sea to the river" from Israel. When talking about Palestine, the speaker is referring to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River that includes the Jewish state of Israel and the Palestinian lands of the West Bank and Gaza. In his last purported audio message in January, bin Laden called for a jihad, or holy war, to stop Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

A speaker from what group urged liberation?

Answer: Al Qaeda

Answer: Muslims to help insurgents "liberate" Iraq.

Summary:
NEW: Message condemns Arab leaders who "conspire" with Israel .
NEW: Speaker on Al-Jazeera urges liberation "from the sea to the river"
Arabic-language news network doesn't reveal source of recording .
Israeli offensive killed 1,300 Palestinians; 13 Israelis also died .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has apparently released a new audio message calling for a jihad, or holy war, against Israel for its Gaza campaign.

Osama bin Laden, in an undated photo, apparently taped a message calling for jihad against Israel.

The 22-minute message contains "an invitation" from bin Laden to take part in "jihad to stop the aggression against Gaza."

The audio message was posted on a radical Islamist Web site that has posted other statements from bin Laden in the past.

CNN could not independently confirm the authenticity of the message, but the speaker's voice was similar to other recordings that bin Laden has made.

While not naming President-elect Barack Obama, bin Laden refers to the future of the United States in the face of the current global economic crisis.  Watch as experts discuss Osama message »

"[America is] now drowning in a global financial crisis," he said. "They're even begging all nations, small and large, for help. America is no longer feared by its enemies nor respected by its allies.

"The decline of the American power is one of the main reasons for Israel's rushed and barbaric aggression on Gaza in a desperate attempt to take advantage of the last days of [President] Bush's term in office."

He appears, however, to refer to Obama, saying "Bush leaves his successor with the worst inheritance ... two long guerrilla wars and no options. He either withdraws and faces military defeat, or carries on and drowns his nation in financial trouble."  Watch Obama comment on bin Laden's message »

The message also names Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

"Here is Biden, the vice president of the president-elect ... [he] says that the crisis is bigger than they expected and that the American economy, all of it, is open to collapse," bin Laden said.

On December 20, Biden said in an interview that the economy "is in much worse shape than we thought it was in."

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the message "demonstrates [bin Laden's] isolation and continued attempts to remain relevant at a time when al Qaeda's ideology, mission and agenda are being questioned and challenged throughout the world."

He noted that the message also appears to be "an effort to raise money as part of [al Qaeda's] ongoing propaganda campaign."

"The United States promotes an alternative, hopeful ideology while continuing to partner with over 90 countries to pursue terrorists wherever they are," Johndroe said.

The last time bin Laden released an audio message was in mid-May, timed to coincide with Israel's 60th anniversary. That message urged his followers to liberate Palestine.

Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza on December 27 to stop Hamas rocket strikes on southern Israel. The death toll in Gaza was nearing 1,000 on Wednesday, including more than 300 children, according to Palestinian medical sources.

The Israeli toll stood at 13, including three civilians, according to Israeli police and military officials.

Bin Laden, who is about 51, is the head of the al Qaeda terrorist network, which was responsible for the September 11, 2001, attack on the United States that killed 2,751 people.

He's been in hiding since the U.S. assault on Afghanistan that followed the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. government is offering a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture.

President Bush, whose term ends next week, told CNN's Larry King on Tuesday that he remains optimistic that bin Laden would be found.

Asked by King, "Are we ever going to find bin Laden?" Bush replied: "Yes, of course, absolutely. We've got a lot of people out there looking for him, a lot of assets. You can't run forever."

The message is important to the incoming U.S. president because it signifies that bin Laden is still "out there," said Tim Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana who served on both the

what is the effect of the global economic crisis on U.S power

Answer: "demonstrates [bin Laden's] isolation and continued attempts to remain relevant at a time when al Qaeda's ideology, mission and agenda are being questioned and challenged throughout the world."

Answer: "jihad to stop the aggression against Gaza."

Answer: on a radical Islamist Web site

Answer: America is no longer feared

Answer: to other recordings that bin Laden has made.

Answer: other recordings that bin Laden has made.

Summary:
White House says Web message shows bin Laden's isolation .
Message says global economic crisis is reducing U.S. power in the world .
Audio message posted on radical Islamist Web urges jihad in Gaza's defense .
Speaker's voice was similar to recordings that bin Laden has made in the past .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen has claimed responsibility for Friday's suicide bombing attack on a building housing Yemeni security forces. Al Qaeda in Yemen have claimed that Ahmed bin Said bin Omar al-Mashjari, right, carried out Friday's attack. "This attack was carried out in revenge for our brothers whose blood is on the hands of the infidel Yemeni forces," according to an e-mailed statement that included a photo of the alleged suicide attacker. The photo identifies the attacker as Ahmed bin Said bin Omar al-Mashjari -- also known as Abu Dajjana al-Hadarmi -- from Yemen's Hadramout governate where the attack took place. He is standing next to another man whose face is covered in front of a black-and-white banner. Both men have weapons slung across their shoulders; guns and ammunition belts are also pictured beneath the banner in the background. Al-Mashjari is wearing a black and white head covering, but his face is visible. The e-mailed statement was dated July 25, the day of the attack, but it was distributed and posted online on Sunday. According to Yemen's state-run news agency SABA, a suicide car bomber crashed the white 2003 KIA into the gates of the security camp in the southern city of Sayoun on Friday, prompting guards to open fire on the attacker. The SABA report gave no details on casualties. Yemen's Interior Ministry said four people were killed and 12 were injured, but the Yemen Post, an English-language newspaper that covers events in Yemen, put the number at 10 dead and about a dozen wounded. Hadramout's governor Saleh al-Khanbashi described the bombing as a criminal terrorist act, and threatened to track down and bring to justice those responsible, SABA reported. CNN Senior Arab Affairs Editor Octavia Nasr contributed to this report

Who planted the bomb?
what type of bomb was it?
How many died?
who is taking responsibility?
Al Qaeda's Yemen claims?

Answer: Ahmed bin Said bin Omar al-Mashjari

Answer: suicide car bomber

Answer: 10

Answer: Al

Answer: a building housing Yemeni security forces.

Summary:
NEW: Web site shows photo of alleged suicide attacker along with statement .
Al Qaeda's Yemen branch claims responsibility for suicide bombing attack .
Car bomb exploded at a building housing security forces Friday in southern city .
Sources in the country put the death toll from blast between 4 and 10 .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda's north African wing has released an audio message from an Italian man whom it says it has kidnapped and has set a 25-day deadline for the Italian government to meet its demands.

The message was accompanied by a still photograph, posted on Islamist Web sites, showing a bearded man kneeling in front of a group of six armed and masked men.

The group, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, says the man is Cicala Sergio.

The group says it has been holding the man and his wife for two months. The audio message, dated February 24, urges the Italian government to meet the group's demands in 25 days -- although it was unclear what those demands are.

"If you want to guarantee the safety of these two Italian captives, you need to pressure your government and urge them to respond to the legitimate demands," the statement said.

CNN could not immediately determine the authenticity of the message.

In June, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb executed a British man after the British government did not give in to its demand to release Abu Qatada, a Jordanian considered to be al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe.

The group began life as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat with aspirations to overthrow the Algerian government.

Around 2004, it joined forces with al Qaeda and extended its reach across North and West Africa.

CNN's Saad Abedine contributed to this report.

What nationality was the man who was killed?

Answer: an Italian man whom

Answer: it was unclear

Answer: Italian

Answer: Cicala Sergio.

Answer: Cicala Sergio.

Answer: Al Qaeda

Summary:
The group, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, says man is Cicala Sergio .
It was unclear what the group's demands were .
In June the group executed a British man after UK refused to release Abu Qatada .


(CNN) -- Al Qaeda's second-in-command called on Pakistanis to back Islamic militants in the country's tribal areas against what he called an ongoing assault by American "crusaders" and the Pakistani army. Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri appears in a video released on September 2, 2006. Punishment from God was promised for Muslims who did not follow the words of Ayman al-Zawahiri in a video that appeared on radical Islamist Web sites Thursday. "The war in the tribal areas and Swat [Valley] is an inseparable part of the crusaders' assault on the Muslims the length and breadth of the Islamic world," al-Zawahiri said in the video, titled "Path of Doom." "This is the battle, briefly and plainly; and this is why anyone who supports the Americans and Pakistan army -- under any pretext, ploy or lie -- is in fact standing with, backing and supporting the crusaders against Islam and Muslims." The Pakistani military is fighting Taliban militants in the country's north, and missile attacks from suspected U.S. drones have targeted militant leaders -- one of them killing Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban. Reports from the region suggest government troops have dislodged the Taliban from many areas of the North West Frontier Province, but militant attacks continue daily. In the video, Al-Zawahiri suggested that the United States has wider goals in the region. "They want to eliminate the Mujahedeen (Islamic militants) in the tribal areas so they can seek to smother the Jihad in Afghanistan," he said. NATO-led forces are battling the Taliban across the border in Afghanistan as well. U.S. and British forces launched offensives in Helmand province this summer. Al-Zawahiri warned Muslims that they have a religious duty to support the jihad, or struggle, or face punishment from God. "No people abandons Jihad without Allah giving them a general punishment," he said, quoting the Quran. Al-Zawahiri also prayed for the annihilation "the Americans and Jews" and anyone who might help them.

Which person calls Pakistanis to back Islamic militants in a video?

What is the name of the person who speaks in the video?

Who callled Pakistanis to back Islamic militants?

Who calls Pakistanis to back Islamic militants?

Where did the video, in which Ayman al-Zawahiri speaks, appear?

Which group is the Pakistani military is fighting?

Answer: Ayman al-Zawahiri

Answer: Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri

Answer: Ayman al-Zawahiri

Answer: Ayman al-Zawahiri

Answer: radical Islamist Web sites

Answer: Al

Answer: Taliban militants

Summary:
Al Qaeda's second-in-command calls Pakistanis to back Islamic militants in video .
The Pakistani military is fighting Taliban militants in the country's north .
Video, in which Ayman al-Zawahiri speaks, appeared on radical Islamist Web sites .


(CNN) -- Al Sadd coach Jorge Fossati praised his team for overcoming a "big injustice" to become the first Qatari football club to reach the Asian Champions League final.

The former Uruguay coach saw his Doha-based team record a 2-1 aggregate victory over Suwon Bluewings after losing 1-0 to South Korea's two-time Asian champions on Wednesday, despite having key players suspended following an ill-tempered first leg last week.

"Of course we are very, very happy," the 58-year-old told the Asian Football Confederation website. "To overcome them was difficult. There were many problems and yet we won and that's why I am happy.

"You know we had to play this game with big injustice. We didn't have some players because of non-football issues. In this situation, we tried to do our best with whatever resources we had."

Five players and coaches were suspended for the match at the Sheik Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, after a mass brawl broke out following Al Sadd's controversial second goal in the 2-0 win in Suwon on October 19.

The fighting erupted after Senegal striker Mamadou Niang scored his and Al Sadd's late second goal while Suwon's players were tending to an injured teammate, presuming play had been halted.

Former Marseille forward Niang was later sent off and missed the return leg along with Ivory Coast attacker Kader Keita and goalkeeping coach Suhail Saber Ali, while Suwon were missing Macedonian striker Stevica Ristic and coach Ko Jong-Su.

But even without their star players, Al Sadd held on after Oh Jang-Eun had given Suwon a 1-0 lead with a sixth-minute volley, as Khalfan Ibrahim hit the Koreans' crossbar with a vicious long-range shot before halftime.

Earlier on Wednesday, South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors advanced to the November 5 final courtesy of a 5-3 aggregate win over Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad.

After a 3-2 away success last week, the 2006 Asian champions won 2-1 thanks to first-half goals from Brazil forward Eninho.

Al Ittihad's only response was a late consolation goal from former Bordeaux winger Wendel Geraldo, after both teams had been reduced to 10 men.

Al Ittihad, the 2004 and 2005 champions, suffered an early blow when Naif Hazazi -- the scorer of both first-leg goals -- was sent off in the 11th minute for a headbutt, while Jeonbuk substitute Krunoslav Lovrek received a second yellow card late in the match.

Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-Hee was pleased his team would have home advantage at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

"We got what we wanted," said Choi, a former Suwon coach. "We are at home for the final and that is an advantage for us. The lead we took from the first leg gave us some breathing space at home but we knew well that Al Ittihad are a very good team.

"We expected them to come at us strongly and we were ready for that. Eninho's goals were a big help but we still had work to do and were able to get the result we needed."

Jeonbuk will attempt to keep the Champions League title in South Korean hands for the third year in succession, after Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma's victory in 2010 and the Pohang Steelers' 2009 triumph.

With waht score Jorge Fossati's team beat South Korea's Suwon Bluewings?

when Al Sadd will face Jeonbuk Motors, after Koreans beat Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad?

Answer: Jeonbuk Motors

Answer: Doha-based team

Answer: 2-1

Answer: 2010

Summary:
Al Sadd the first Qatari football club to reach Asian Champions League final .
Jorge Fossati's team beat South Korea's Suwon Bluewings 2-1 on aggregate .
Al Sadd will face Jeonbuk Motors, after Koreans beat Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad .
The final will be at Jeonbuk's Jeonju World Cup Stadium on November 5 .


(CNN) -- Al-Jazeera broadcast on Thursday an audiotape on which a voice identified as Osama bin Laden declares "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine." Terrorist leader Osama bin Laden spoke on a video released by al Qaeda in September. The voice calls for the people of neighboring countries "to do their best in supporting their mujahedeen brothers in Iraq." "My speech to you is about the siege of Gaza and the way to liberate it," he said. "The Gaza siege is a direct result of Annapolis," he adds, apparently referring to the site of November's summit in Annapolis, Maryland, where Israeli and Palestinian leadership agreed to work toward a two-state solution. The voice also calls on "Muslims in the neighboring countries" to support the "mujahedeen in Iraq." The broadcast comes a day after another statement attributed to the al Qaeda leader condemned European countries for siding with the United States in Afghanistan and for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting to Islam's prophet, Mohammed. "This is the greater and more serious tragedy, and the reckoning for it will be more severe," the speaker in the five-minute audio recording says. The speaker said Muslims have not responded by mocking Jesus, whom they consider a prophet as well. "The laws of men which clash with the legislation of Allah the Most High are null and void, aren't sacred and don't matter to us," he said. The speaker dismissed claims of free speech in his statement, citing European countries' laws against denying the existence of the Holocaust. Bin Laden also said in his earlier message that "the crownless king in Riyadh" -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah -- could have prevented the publication of the cartoons "if it mattered to him." "If there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions," he said. Though the voice sounds like bin Laden, CNN has not been able to confirm that it is him. However, a radical Islamist Web site reported earlier Wednesday that a statement from bin Laden was coming soon. The notice appeared on Al-Ekhlaas, known for carrying statements and videos from al Qaeda and its allies. Analysis of previous statements has indicated that bin Laden was the speaker, and a U.S. intelligence official said there was no reason to think the recorded voice was not bin Laden's. Bin Laden, who was behind the terrorist network's September 11 attacks, has been in hiding since the U.S. assault on Afghanistan that followed those strikes. His last public statement was an audio message issued in December, when he urged his followers in Iraq to continue battling U.S. troops there. Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The latest statement included no date reference beyond the cartoon controversy, which began in late 2005 when a Danish newspaper published a dozen cartoons about Islam, including one that depicted Mohammed wearing a turban resembling a bomb. Violent protests erupted in early 2006 after other European newspapers reprinted the images as a matter of free speech. Some Muslims believe it is forbidden by the Quran to show an image of the prophet at all, and others were offended that the cartoon by artist Kurt Westergaard appeared to depict Mohammed as a terrorist. Westergaard said he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror. Several newspapers in Denmark reprinted the controversial cartoons in February after Danish authorities arrested several people who were said to be plotting a "terror-related assassination" of the cartoonist. That sparked violent protests in three Afghan cities this month, with Muslim students burning flags and chanting anti-Western statements. The message said the publication of the drawings in question "came in the framework of a new crusade in which the Pope of the Vatican has played a large, lengthy role." Pope Benedict is scheduled to visit the United States next month, with scheduled stops at the White House, the United

What country does Bin Laden say is the perfect base?

What group does Bin Laden urge support for?

Answer: "Iraq

Answer: Terrorist leader Osama

Answer: "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine."

Answer: "mujahedeen in Iraq."

Answer: bin Laden,

Answer: "mujahedeen in Iraq."

Answer: "mujahedeen in Iraq."

Answer: liberate Palestine."

Answer: Osama bin Laden

Summary:
NEW: Al-Jazeera broadcast says tape in Bin Laden saying, 'Iraq is perfect base'
NEW: That base is ideal "to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine," he says .
NEW: Bin Laden allegedly urges support for "mujahedeen brothers in Iraq."
The identity of the speaker cannot be independently determined .


(CNN) -- Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj arrived home in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum early Friday after nearly six years in the U.S. Navy prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj at a hospital in Khartoum after his release from Guantanamo Bay. "I was so happy that I cried," al-Hajj told the Qatar-based Arabic news network by phone from his hospital room, where he was taken after arriving at the airport. "It is our right to be happy and to rejoice, but we also miss our brothers that we left behind and who live in very difficult conditions." An official with the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said the transfer brought to an end a matter that the United States and Sudan considered to be "of great mutual concern." Al-Hajj, a Sudanese citizen in his late 30s, was captured in Afghanistan in December 2001 by Pakistani intelligence officers and handed over to the United States, which accused him of being an "enemy combatant." A senior Pentagon official confirmed the journalist's release. Al-Hajj was held without being charged or given a trial, Al-Jazeera reported. The cameraman was on a legitimate assignment and carried a work visa at the time of his capture, the network said. It also reported that the U.S. plane that carried al-Hajj had about 20 other former detainees aboard who also had been released from Guantanamo Bay. The plane dropped off a Moroccan national, identified as Al-Saeed Bou Jaadiya, the network said. Al-Jazeera aired video showing a bearded al-Hajj being carried from the plane in Khartoum by U.S. military personnel and laid on a stretcher. He was transported to Al-Amal Hospital. "He was brought in here by ambulance and entered to the intensive care unit on a stretcher," said Al-Jazeera Director General Wadah Khanfar from the hospital. "He was exhausted and very sick, and he's receiving the necessary care in the hospital." Khanfar said he was awaiting word from doctors on his medical condition. In a statement, U.S. Charge D'Affaires Alberto Fernandez of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said the transfer "is a result of many factors and the work of many hands. An important one was the cooperation between the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum and the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence and Security Service." Al-Hajj had been on a hunger strike for more than a year and was being force-fed, said Zachary Katznelson, a lawyer who has worked on al-Hajj's case since August 2005 and last visited him three weeks ago. "Al-Hajj is remarkably thin," Katznelson said. "He looks like an ill man." The journalist was conscious, but did not appear to speak to anyone as paramedics rolled his stretcher inside. Family members stooped to kiss him as the gurney passed. "I would have hoped they were here with me now. I look forward to the moment," al-Hajj said told Al-Jazeera before being reunited with his family. Earlier, al-Hajj's wife spoke to the network about his release. "Now I can think differently," Asma Ismailov said. "Now I can plan my life differently. Everything will be all right, God willing." Al-Hajj's young son, Mohammed, said he would "kiss his head" when he sees his father. "I'll tell him that I love him and I need him." The Sudanese government told Al-Jazeera that al-Hajj faced no charges in Sudan and is a free man. The network also said the United States placed some conditions on al-Hajj's release, including one that prevents him from any political activity. Reporters Without Borders, which campaigned for al-Hajj's release, said in a statement that the cameraman "never should have been held so long." "U.S. authorities never proved that he had been involved in any kind of criminal activity,"

Who did Pakistani intelligence officers capture?

What work was Sami al-Hajj  doing when he was captured?

Answer: Sami al-Hajj

Answer: Khartoum

Answer: Pakistani intelligence officers

Answer: Al-Jazeera cameraman

Answer: Khartoum

Summary:
Sami al-Hajj arrives home in Sudan and is taken to hospital, network says .
Pakistani intelligence officers captured him in Afghanistan in December 2001 .
Al-Hajj was transferred to U.S. custody and held without charges or trial .
Al-Jazeera said he was on an assignment when he was apprehended .


(CNN) -- Alan Kardec scored a spectacular second-half winner for Brazil against Costa Rica to set up a replay of the 1993 Under-20 World Cup final against Ghana in Egypt.

Costa Rica midfielder David Guzman, left, battles for the ball with Brazil captain Giuliano.

Four-time champions Brazil edged a 1-0 victory against underdogs Los Ticos in Cairo after the Black Satellites qualified for the final for the third time with a 3-2 victory against suspension-hit Hungary in the first semi.

Striker Kardec's 67th-minute goal, his fourth of the tournament, lit up an otherwise uninspiring match as he crashed home a superb volley from a tight angle after substitute Bertucci's left-wing cross bounced to the far post.

Costa Rica had lost their opening game of the tournament to Brazil by a morale-sapping 5-0, but bounced back to reach the last four, beating hosts Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in the previous rounds.

The Central Americans came closest to scoring in the first half as David Guzman's 25-yard free-kick forced a fine save from Brazil goalkeeper Rafael.

However, the South Americans' dominance of possession -- they had an incredible 70 percent of the play -- finally told, with players lining up to take potshots at Costa Rica's goal.

But Los Ticos held on bravely, and even sent goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado to the other end of the pitch for three late corners, but the lack of quality in crucial areas was telling.

Ghana will be seeking to win the tournament for the first time on Friday, having lost to Brazil in the 1993 final and to Argentina in 2001.

The Africans looked lethal in attack against a Hungary side missing three key players following the dramatic 3-2 victory over Italy in the quarterfinals, but suffered from defensive lapses.

Dominic Adiyiah netted twice to give Ghana a 2-0 halftime lead before Marco Futacs pulled one back, but Abeiku Quansah crashed a spectacular late goal to make it 3-1 and substitute Adam Balajti set up a tense finish.

Striker Adiyiah netted the opener from close range in the ninth minute after Andre Ayew pounced on Adam Presinger's poor back-pass and rounded goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.

He then scored a tournament-leading eighth goal in the 31st minute with a powerful header from Samuel Inkoom's cross.

Balazs Megyeri hit the post for Hungary in the second half before fellow substitute Marko Futacs reduced the deficit in the 73rd minute after a pass into the penalty area from Andras Simon.

Roland Varga and Janos Szabo both squandered golden chances to level, the latter from a simple header, and Ghana made the most of their escapes when Quansah crashed in a shot off the underside of the crossbar in the 81st minute.

David Addy's lapse allowed Balajti to comfortably sidefoot home just three minutes later, but it was Ghana who looked most likely to score again as Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu smashed a fierce long-range shot against the bar in time added on.

Where is the under-20 World Cup being held?

What was the score of Brazil vs Costa Rica?

Answer: Ghana

Answer: Brazil

Answer: Brazil

Answer: Egypt.

Answer: 5-0,

Answer: Hungary

Answer: Los Ticos

Summary:
Brazil beat Costa Rica 1-0 to reach final of the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt .
Four-time champions face Ghana in a repeat of the tournament's 1993 final .
Ghana qualified for the final for the third time with 3-2 win over Hungary in Cairo .
The Black Satellites led 2-0 at halftime through top scorer Dominic Adiyiah .


(CNN) -- Alanis Morissette was the definition of "fierce" when she arrived on the American music scene with one of the big break-up songs of the '90s, "You Oughta Know." But behind that tough exterior were secrets of a difficult past. "As a teen, I was both anorexic and bulimic," Alanis Morissette recently told Health magazine for its December issue. "I was a young woman in the public eye, on the receiving end of a lot of attention, and I was trying to protect myself from men who were using their power in ways I was too young to know how to handle." By the time Morissette was 14, she had already starred in a popular Canadian children's show, started her own record label and had a publishing contract with MCA Canada, according to her Web site. "Disappointment, sadness and pain hit me hard, and I tried to numb those feelings through my relationship with food. For four to six months at a time, I would barely eat. I lived on a diet of Melba toast, carrots, and black coffee," she said. "I began recovering at 18, when a sweet friend confronted me." Now that she's older, Morissette, 35, said she's no longer starving herself and has begun to look at eating as "a sort of spiritual practice." Her healthier view of food and nutrition is thanks in no small part to a book she discovered a few years ago called "Eat to Live." "It's become my bible, pushing me to completely reorient my thinking about what to put into my body. ... Now I concentrate on eating high-nutrient foods like fruit, nuts, collards, kale and spinach. I'm obsessed with them. I even put spinach in my smoothies," the Canadian musician admitted. The seven-time Grammy Award winner has also sworn off dairy, on a tip from Woody Harrelson, no less. "Woody Harrelson [told] me I needed to get rid of the dairy in my fridge to clear up my skin," she said. It's had a positive effect: Morissette said her skin "looks great now." But all of that health consciousness doesn't mean Morissette has lost appreciation for the more delectable things in life. "Don't get me wrong," she said in the interview, "I still indulge in a glass of wine or chocolate -- treats are mandatory. Without deviating from the day-to-day healthy diet once in a while, it wouldn't be sustainable for me, and that's what I wanted: an approach to eating to last my entire life." Resolving her issues with food and body image has helped Morissette to develop clarity in other areas of her life as well. "I'm really clear about what my life mission is now. There's no more depression or lethargy, and I feel like I've returned to the athlete I once was. I'm integrating all the parts of me -- jock, musician, writer, poet, philosopher -- and becoming stronger as a result," she said. "I hope my effort shows any woman battling an eating disorder or poor body image that she's not alone -- support is out there -- and inspires her to discover her inner athlete. It doesn't matter what your fitness-skill level is." Health magazine's December issue hits newsstands November 24.

What did Morissette tell magazine?
what is the reason for the diet
What is Morissette doing now?
what was the disorder

Answer: "I was a young woman in the public eye, on the receiving end of a lot of attention, and I was trying to protect myself from men who were using their power in ways I was too young to know how to handle."

Answer: "Disappointment, sadness and pain

Answer: she's no longer starving herself and has begun to look at eating as "a sort of spiritual practice."

Answer: anorexic and bulimic,"

Summary:
Alanis Morissette told Health magazine that she had an eating disorder as a teen .
Morissette now is focusing on her diet as "a sort of spiritual practice"
Her new outlook has spread to the way she views balancing all aspects of her life .
She hopes to be a role model for other girls struggling with eating disorders .


(CNN) -- Alaskan musher Lance Mackey has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and set an Iditarod record for most consecutive wins, according to race officials. Mackey, 39, of Fairbanks has dominated the sport in recent years and is the 2007-2010 Iditarod champion.

Mackey completed the 1,049-mile Iditarod race, which was broadcast live on IditarodInsider.com, in just under nine days. He was cheered across the finish line in Nome by family and friends, including his father, Dick Mackey, the 1978 Iditarod champion.

The senior Mackey greeted his son at the finish line with a hug, saying, "You've done something that will never be repeated, son."

Dick Mackey told race commentators his son "is highly competitive and he likes to get the best out of his dogs. ... I don't think anybody trains them any better than he does."

Mackey could be heard on the broadcast microphones speaking to his dog team just before reaching the famous burled arch on Nome's Front Street, "Nice, nice. This is so cool. We're almost there, guys. You did such a good job."

Arriving in Nome at 2:59 p.m. local time, Mackey's official time was 8 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 9 seconds.

Mackey, a throat cancer survivor who says he began racing "at birth," was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in February "for capturing multiple titles in two of the world's longest sled dog races."

Mackey is also a four-time champion of the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest race from Fairbanks to Nome as well as the record holder for the most consecutive first place finishes in that race.

Second place in the Iditarod went to Yukon musher Hans Gatt. Past champion musher Jeff King came in third.

King, from Denali, Alaska, received praise and gratitude from the Iditarod Trail Committee earlier this season when he donated $50,000 toward the 2010 Iditarod prize purse after learning the race was experiencing financial trouble because a shortage of sponsors.

More than 54 teams remained on the Iditarod trail headed toward Nome, including rookie Jamaican musher Newton Marshall, who was in 48th place. Marshall trained with Mackey this season in preparation for his first Iditarod run.

Fourteen of the original 71 teams that entered this year's race have scratched en route. A "Red Lantern" will be presented to the last place finisher in the dog race, an Alaska tradition dating back to 1953, according to Alaska Magazine.

What does Mackey like to get the best out of?

Answer: Lance Mackey

Answer: told race commentators his son "is highly competitive and he likes to get the best out of his dogs. ... I don't think anybody trains them any better than he does."

Answer: Iditarod

Answer: of his dogs.

Answer: for most consecutive wins,

Answer: Fairbanks

Answer: 1,049-mile

Answer: throat

Summary:
Alaskan musher Lance Mackey sets Iditarod record for most wins in a row .
Mackey, a throat cancer survivor, completes 1,049-mile race in just under nine days .
Mackey's father, 1978 Iditarod winner, says son "likes to get the best out of his dogs"


(CNN) -- Alex Ferguson celebrates 25 years as Manchester United manager on Sunday, and the Scotsman has called his reign at Old Trafford a "fairytale."

Ferguson, who turns 70 this month, has overseen United's recent dominance of English football, guiding the Red Devils to 12 English Premier League titles and five FA Cups.

Continental success has also been achieved, with Ferguson leading United to two European Champions League triumphs in 1999 and 2008.

The highlight of the former Scotland coach's reign so far arrived in 1999, when United's Champions League final win over Bayern Munich completed an historic treble which also included Premier League and FA Cup triumphs.

United he stands: The real Fergie

"It's been a really fantastic spell for me and something you don't think is going to happen," Ferguson told the club's official website. "It's been a bit of a fairytale to last so long and I appreciate that."

Ferguson, who arrived at United from Scottish outfit Aberdeen on November 6 1986, was quick to praise the vast array of star players he has been able to work with during a quarter of a century at the club.

"I've been very fortunate to have some of the best players in the game and, when I look back on these players I think about how fortunate I am.

Ferguson's top 25 Manchester United moments

"It's incredible when you look at who's been here - Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside, Brian McClair, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona. What a collection of fantastic players."

It could all have been very different for United and Ferguson, with the Glasgow native originally planning to retire from football in 2002.

But Ferguson changed his mind, remained in the Old Trafford dugout and last season helped United to a record 19th English title -- overtaking the mark previously set by archrivals Liverpool.

Ferguson refuses to set a date for when he will step aside at United, saying he will remain in the job as long as his health allows.

"I'll continue as long as I feel healthy enough to do it," he said. "In management, things change as the years go on. It's different now even to seven or eight years ago. A lot of things have changed."

United's neighbors Manchester City currently lead England's top flight, five points clear of Ferguson's team.

Former United captain Steve Bruce brings his Sunderland team to Old Trafford for a Premier League clash on Saturday.

How many years does the Scottish manager celebrate?

What does Ferguson call his Manchester United reign?

What number of years are they celebrating?

Answer: 25

Answer: 12

Answer: Glasgow

Answer: a "fairytale."

Answer: "fairytale."

Answer: Ferguson

Answer: 12

Answer: 25

Answer: football,

Summary:
Alex Ferguson calls his Manchester United reign a 'fairytale'
The Scottish manager celebrates 25 years at Old Trafford this weekend .
Ferguson has won 12 EPL titles, 5 FA Cups and two European Champions League crowns .


(CNN) -- Alex Ferguson's quarter of a century in charge of Manchester United has been rich and varied and, of course, accompanied by a glittering list of trophies.

From the joyous highs of European Champions League triumphs in Barcelona and Moscow, to the lows of bust-ups with David Beckham and watching Jose Mourinho pip him to two titles, every moment has been played out in the full glare of the media spotlight.

With countless memorable quotes and games under his belt, Ferguson will celebrate his 25 years in charge of the Premier League champions on Sunday, a day after his side face Sunderland in their quest for a record 20th league title.

Here, CNN World Sport chronicles the key moments of his momentous reign at Old Trafford as he survived an indifferent start to his United career to become one of the most successful managers the English game has ever seen.

who chronicles the top 25 moments of Alex Ferguson's career

who has  won 37 trophies in his quarter of a decade

who would reach 25 years in charge of Manchester United

Answer: CNN World Sport

Answer: Ferguson's

Answer: Ferguson's

Answer: 25 years in charge of the Premier League champions

Answer: 20th

Summary:
Will Tidey chronicles the top 25 moments of Alex Ferguson's Manchester United career .
Ferguson will reach 25 years in charge of Manchester United on Sunday .
The Scot has won 37 trophies in his quarter of a decade at Old Trafford .