(CNN) -- Gillette said Saturday it was "limiting" golfer Tiger Woods' role in its marketing programs to give him the privacy he needs to work on family relationships after disclosures of his "infidelity."

In a statement, the Boston, Massachusetts-based body grooming company said it supports Woods' decision to take "an indefinite break" from professional golf. On his Web site Friday, Woods admitted to infidelity and said he was taking a break from the sport to focus on his family.

"In the midst of a difficult and unfortunate situation, we respect the action Tiger is taking to restore the trust of his family, friends and fans," Gillette spokesman Mike Norton said in the statement. "We fully support him stepping back from his professional career and taking the time he needs to do what matters most. We wish him and his family the best.

"As Tiger takes a break from the public eye, we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs," Norton said.

Woods' Friday posting said: "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person."

"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children," Woods' statement said. "I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try."

Woods, 33, who tops the sport's world rankings, crashed his car outside his Florida mansion late last month. Authorities issued a citation for careless driving, and he was given a $164 fine.

Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck and declined to talk with investigators on several occasions.

In the week following the crash, Woods apologized for "transgressions" that let his family down. The same day, US Weekly published a report alleging that Woods had an affair with Jaimee Grubbs, a 24-year-old cocktail waitress.

US Weekly's report followed a National Enquirer article before the crash that the athlete was having an affair with New York nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel, an assertion she vigorously denied, according to The New York Post.

It was not immediately clear how Woods' hiatus would affect his other sponsorships, which include Nike, Gatorade and Electronic Arts.

"He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era," Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in a statement. "We look forward to his return to golf. He and his family have Nike's full support."

The statement did not elaborate on whether Woods' announcement would impact his business relationship with the sports company, which has worked with him for more than a decade.

Woods has won three U.S. Open titles and the Masters tournament and the PGA tournament each four times. The PGA Tour said it supports Woods and looks forward to his return to the game.

"We fully support Tiger's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family. His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family's request for privacy," the PGA Tour said in a statement Friday. "We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."

EA Sports, the company that makes Woods' video game, also said it is standing behind the golfer.

"We respect that this is a very difficult and private situation for Tiger and his family. At this time, the strategy for our Tiger Woods PGA TOUR business remains unchanged," said David Tinson, a company spokesman.

who is tiger woods
who support woods
What did Woods ask for?
Who pledged their support to Woods?
What did Woods admit to?

Answer: professional golf.

Answer: Gillette

Answer: forgiveness.

Answer: Gillette

Answer: infidelity

Summary:
Grooming company cuts back on Tiger Woods' time after admission of "infidelity"
Woods admits to cheating on wife, plans "indefinite break" from golf .
Woods: "I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness"
Nike, EA Sports, PGA Tour pledge support to Woods .


(CNN) -- Going into the eighth season finale of "American Idol," Adam Lambert looks like the favorite against competitor Kris Allen. But should Lambert even be on the show, since he has performed professionally in the national Broadway tour of "Wicked"? Former 'American Idol' runner-up Diana DeGarmo says it's getting harder for the average person to get on the show. Diana DeGarmo, runner-up in the third season of "American Idol," spoke with HLN's Mike Galanos on Prime News about whether or not an amateur stands a chance on the show. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity: Mike Galanos: What were the stipulations as to your past history before you joined "American Idol"? How much could you do before they'd say, "You aren't an amateur anymore. You're more of a professional"? Diana DeGarmo: Each contract for each show has gotten a little stronger and a little stronger. Prior to me doing "American Idol," I had done things like theater, but at that point nowhere near on a professional level. The cool thing is they keep it fair by having little things in the contract about how you can't release a record nationally with a record label -- things like that. But people who have been signed prior can, of course, be on the show. Galanos: Do you think the "rags-to-riches" story is lost and we are going to get more and more people who have more and more experience? DeGarmo: I think people now realize that "American Idol" is such a launching spot for anyone's career. People that maybe would have not done it a few years ago, saying, "Oh, I'm too professional," maybe take a little bit of a second glance at the show because they realize it's such a launching pad. But I do think it's a little harder for the everyday Joe to get in it. Galanos: Do you think Adam has an unfair advantage since he was an understudy for the Broadway tour of "Wicked"? DeGarmo: Not really, because it's all about performing. So it's just about what you are doing at that exact moment up there on the "American Idol" stage. I think Kris and Adam are just two totally different performers, but I think they are pretty even when it comes down to the end of the day.

what did degarmo say about everyday jow?

Answer: all

Answer: I do think it's a little harder for the

Answer: Adam Lambert

Answer: "American Idol,"

Answer: Adam Lambert

Answer: it's getting harder for the average person to get on the show.

Summary:
DeGarmo: It's harder for the "everyday Joe" to get on "American Idol"
It's more about what you're doing on the 'Idol' stage, she says .
Kris Allen and Adam Lambert compete in the season finale .


(CNN) -- Going to the beach has become a lot like looking for hotel accommodations: If it has a one-star ranking, you know you're in for nothing but trouble. A new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council ranked the water quality of 200 U.S. coastal beaches using a five-star guide, and the results are far from a day at the beach. Laguna Beach in Orange County, California, is one of the NRDC's five-star beaches for water quality. "Nationwide, 7 percent of beach water samples are so contaminated with human or animal waste that they're not conducive for swimming," said Nancy Stoner, co-director of the NRDC's water program and lead author for the report. "For the fourth year in a row, NRDC found that there were more than 20,000 beach closings last year because of human or animal waste in the water." Pollutants found in beach water are frequently the result of storm water or sewage overflow, and it's not something to take lightly, especially if small children, pregnant women or the elderly are spending time in the surf. Swimming in polluted water can lead to ear infections and stomach viruses, as well as more serious diseases like meningitis and hepatitis, Stoner said. The Environmental Protection Agency sets a standard for beach water quality, and when water quality tests reveal that pollution has exceeded that standard, the beach is closed. "The problem," Stoner said, "is that it does take 24 hours or longer to produce test results," meaning if the beach was contaminated on Thursday, you won't know about it until Friday. And once those results are produced, there's no guarantee that the cause is identifiable. While storm water and sewage are often the culprit for closures, for 62 percent of the 20,000 beach closures that occurred last year, the cause of the pollution was unknown. But with precious few weeks of beach season left, now is not the time to avoid sand and surf like the plague. Thankfully, not all beaches are polluted equally -- the NRDC hands out five stars to beaches that meet health standards more than 95 per cent of the time and quickly notify beach goers with signs and Internet alerts when there's a potential problem. Standout states include Delaware, New Hampshire and Virginia, which boast having pristine, nearly pollution-free shores. Virginians however should take note: Fairview Beach in King George County is certainly not one of those. According to Stoner, this beach is considered to be one of the worst offenders, particularly because it consistently fails more than 25 percent of its water quality tests. Hands down, one of the best beaches is Ocean City, Maryland, which does well year after year because of its clean water and strict water quality monitoring, two factors that earned the popular East Coast beach five stars. In nearby Delaware, Dewey and Bethany beaches also earned a stamp of approval from the NRDC. Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are two of California's five-star beaches, but stay away from Doheny Beach and Avalon Beach, which both failed more than 25 percent of their water quality tests in 2008. If you're in the Great Lakes region and looking for quality beach time, strongly consider booking a trip to one of the coasts. "From 2005 to 2008, the Great Lakes consistently tested the dirtiest. In 2008, 13 percent of beach water samples violated public health standards," Stoner said. But no matter which beach you frequent, five-star or not, you should always take precautions by avoiding beaches with obvious sources of pollution, like nearby open pipes and trash. Wait at least 24 hours after a heavy rain before hitting the waves again, allowing potential pollutants to dissipate. To see how your closest beach stacks up, visit http://www.nrdc.org/.

How many beaches were ranked in the study?

Which city ranks as one of the best for water quality?

Answer: "Nationwide, 7 percent of beach water samples are so contaminated with human or animal waste that they're not conducive for swimming,"

Answer: Laguna Beach in Orange County, California,

Answer: 200

Answer: Laguna Beach in Orange County, California,

Answer: Laguna Beach in Orange County, California,

Summary:
New study ranked 200 U.S. beaches according to water quality tests .
Delaware, New Hampshire and Virginia have the cleanest beach water .
Ocean City, Maryland, consistently ranks as one of the best for water quality .
Fairview Beach in Virginia consistently ranks as one of the worst .


(CNN) -- Goldendoodle? Bernese Mountain Dog? Irish wolfhound? Chihuahua? Gina Goodman says a Pomeranian would be a good pet because they're like a stuffed animal come to life. After selecting a chief of staff, President-elect Barack Obama quickly turned to the more pressing issue of finding the perfect puppy for his girls, Sasha and Malia. "We have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic," Obama said Friday in Chicago, Illinois. "On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog. But, obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts, like me." CNN asked iReporters to weigh in on what kind of dog he should get and what to name it. The response was tremendous. After all, everyone's got an opinion about which pooch will be the Obamas' best friend. Gail Hurson, who lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, shared the opinion of many iReporters who want the Obamas to get a shelter dog. She says these pups appreciate having loving owners and a place to call home. iReport.com: What do you think the Obamas should pick? "Mr. Obama, I say give your girls both a puppy of their own to care for, and give those dogs a second chance, like this country is going to get now that you've been elected to lead us back on track," Hurson said in her iReport. Although there was a mix of monikers for the First Dog, many iReporters believe that Hope would be a good name. "I really believe that with a new president in the White House, there will be hope," Teri Satterlund said. The Troutdale, Oregon, resident wants the dog's name to reflect Obama's message of change. Barbara Martinez remembered that Malia is allergic to dogs, so she suggested that Obama get a Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle. Both breeds are hypoallergenic and have a sweet temperament, perfect for a family with children, she said.  See some of the more popular hypoallergenic breeds » America's Yankee Doodle Dandy would make for a great name, Martinez said. Of course, it's a mouthful, but "Dude," "Doodle" or "Dandy" could work as nicknames. Finding a name that would celebrate Obama's African heritage was what led Don Belgard to the name Ubuntu. The Pittsfield, Maine, resident said Ubuntu is an African philosophy that promotes "peace, harmony and good will." Because Dale Jacquef shares a birthday with Obama -- August 4 -- he jokes that he is qualified to give some puppy advice. The San Jose, California, engineer says his Alaskan Klee Kai is a big hit with everyone. "All my daughter's friends go crazy over him, so I thought it would be a good one for the Obamas." Elizabeth Shumway of Geneva, New York, envisions the Obamas having a fluffy Bernese Mountain Dog. These "big, cuddly pieces of fur" take a while to grow up, maintaining their puppy playfulness, Shumway said. "I could picture them standing in front of the White House with this big, beautiful dog." Huguette Rainforth raised Irish wolfhounds on her farm outside Montreal, Canada, for seven years and thinks the Obamas should get one, too. Rainforth thinks Obama and an Irish wolfhound would make a fine pair because of their comparable personalities. "I think it's a very noble dog. It's very loyal, trustworthy," she said. "I just felt it was the dog for him." A Pomeranian would be the perfect pooch for Obama, according to Gina Goodman, who runs a petsitting service out of her home in Malvern, Pennsylvania. "They would be ideal for the sweet little Obama girls because they would be like having their stuffed animals come alive for play," she wrote in her iReport. Paris Pujol's pet Rocco died a month ago, but she will always remember him for being a great pup. The white Chihuahua loved to zip

What animals ranked on the top of the list?

Answer: get a shelter dog.

Answer: get a shelter dog.

Answer: Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle.

Answer: kind of dog he should get and

Summary:
CNN.com readers suggest the perfect presidential pet .
Labs, Pomeranians and a llama top the list .
Many said the Obamas should pick a mutt from the shelter .
Tell us what you think at iReport.com .


(CNN) -- Golf was considered a sport of the capitalist elite and banned in Eastern Europe under the rule of communist regimes -- but in the 20 years since the Berlin Wall has fallen there has been a renaissance of the game in the region. Gary Player has overseen the development of two courses on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria. With rising disposable income and an increasing interest in leisure pursuits, a growing number of courses, more television coverage and availability of EU funds, the future of the industry in Eastern Europe is bright. Bulgaria is one country where the sport is on the up. Eight years ago there were no golf courses but --to fulfil the increasing domestic demand and as a means to attract tourists to the region -- the country could be set for a  boom in golf development. Kancho Stoychev, vice president of Bulgarian Golf, believes that despite there being only 200 registered players in a country whose population is eight million there is set to be an explosion of interest in the sport. See CNN's Justin Armsden's report on the development of golf in Eastern Europe. » "It is an absurdly low figure, but now I believe that there'll be a switch because we have six nice golf courses," Stoychev told CNN. "We can already see there is a high increase in interest and it'll evolve quite quickly. "We have some advantages in Bulgaria. We have an excellent coastlines, we are a small country but very diverse, so the country is geographically and naturally perfect for golf." The potential in Eastern Europe has also been recognized by golf legend Gary Player, whose course design company has been working on projects in the region. Having just opened a course in Poland, Player's design company is building two more in Bulgaria - BlackSeaRama which is already open, and Thracian Cliffs which is scheduled to be finished by July 2010. Player told CNN: "You want to take golf to new areas, like Poland, you want to bring it to Bulgaria, where people never thought that they could play golf where people associated golf with just rich people. "You can play down here along the ocean and ten minutes up the mountain you have a links course, which is the complete opposite, people who love golf will be in for a golfing treat." The knock-on effect of the presence of a high-profile name such as Player in the region ensures it has caught the eye of influential figures within the industry. Ryan Lauder, director of marketing at TaylorMade added: "Eastern Europe is coming along, although there is still not the number of golfers or golf courses that we have in Western Europe, looking to the future it is a great opportunity for us."

Who has been designer for Golf in several Eastern European countries?

All together, how many Golf developments Bulgaria has?

Answer: Gary Player

Answer: on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

Answer: two courses on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

Answer: Gary Player

Answer: six

Answer: development of two courses on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

Answer: two

Summary:
Golf has made progress in Eastern Europe since the collapse of communism .
Developments in Bulgaria have seen six courses open in the past eight years .
Gary Player has designed courses in several Eastern European countries .
The region has a great potential for development of golf in the future .


(CNN) -- Golf's $10 million jackpot is well and truly up for grabs this weekend after the FedExCup series pacesetters faltered in Friday's second round.

Five players are guaranteed to take home the loot if they can claim the Tour Championship's additional $1.44 million first prize on Sunday, but it was Adam Scott who moved into pole position at the halfway stage.

The Australian started the week 19th in the PGA Tour's standings, but a five-under-par 65 at East Lake gave him a one-shot tournament lead and catapulted him into top spot in the end-of-season playoffs.

Webb Simpson, who leads the FedEx standings, was tied for 19th after his 70 -- which dropped him below Scott in the projected points. He bounced back from four early bogeys with a late birdie and an eagle.

"I've got to win and I imagine Webb must have to finish pretty low to give me a chance," Scott, who birdied the last two holes for the second day in a row, told the PGA Tour website.

"I just figured if I win this week, I'll be happy no matter what. I'll finish what I think has been a really good season, moving in the right direction with everything, and look forward to next season."

Veteran Korean K.J. Choi matched the resurgent Scott, who has bloomed since taking on Tiger Woods' former caddy Steve Williams.

Choi went into the weekend on seven-under 133 to be one shot clear of another in-form Australian, Jason Day, and world No. 1 Luke Donald.

"You never know what can happen in the next two days," said Choi, who regularly donates part of his winnings to charities.

"You know, if I were able to win that money ... I could put the money to good use through my foundation. But there's still two days left, so all I can do is try to finish it out and hope for the best."

Donald was the best of the top five as the Englishman carded 68, one shot worse than Day.

Big-hitting Bubba Watson burst into contention with a 64 to be tied for fifth with first-round leader Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas (67) and Hunter Mahan (68).

Bradley, who won his first major at nearby Atlanta Athletic Club six weeks ago, followed up his opening 64 with a 71.

Fellow American Jason Dufner, who he beat in a playoff at the PGA Championship, was another shot back on 136 after a 70.

No. 2 Dustin Johnson suffered two double bogeys in his 73 to fall to a tie for 26th in the 30-man field to a projected fourth overall.

England's No. 3 Justin Rose was in a group of three at the bottom of the heap after a 75 dented his hopes.

what did shoots five-under 65 to move one clear of Korea's K.J. Choi?

Who is one of five who will claim $10million?

Answer: Adam Scott

Answer: PGA

Answer: Korean K.J. Choi

Answer: Adam Scott

Answer: Adam Scott

Summary:
Adam Scott leads at the halfway stage of the Tour Championship in Atlanta .
Australian shoots five-under 65 to move one clear of Korea's K.J. Choi .
He also takes top spot in FedEx Cup points projections from Webb Simpson .
Simpson one of five players who will claim $10 million with victory on Sunday .


(CNN) -- Golfer Tiger Woods Tuesday addressed a racially-tinged remark made by his former caddy, telling reporters Steve Williams apologized and is not a racist.

"It was a wrong thing to say, something that we both acknowledge," Woods said, speaking at the Lakes Golf Club in Sydney, site of this week's Australian Open, according to his website.

Woods and Williams met earlier in the day, and shook hands after Williams apologized, the website reported.

Williams -- who was fired by Woods in July -- was being presented with a satirical award Friday night at an awards dinner in Shanghai, China, for comments he made after his new boss, golfer Adam Scott, defeated Woods at the Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio in August.

Should Williams be punished for his remarks?

According to media reports, when asked about those comments during his acceptance speech Friday night, Williams said: "I wanted to shove it up that black a--."

Shortly afterward, the New Zealander issued a contrite statement on his website.

"I apologize for comments I made last night at the Annual Caddy Awards dinner in Shanghai," the statement said. "Players and caddies look forward to this evening all year and the spirit is always joking and fun.

"I now realize how my comments could be construed as racist," Williams' statement said. "However I assure you that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to Tiger and anyone else I have offended."

Woods said Tuesday that Williams "did apologize. It was hurtful, certainly, but life goes forward."

But he said he does not believe Williams is a racist. "There's no doubt about that," Woods said, according to his website. "It was a comment that shouldn't have been made and certainly one that he wished he didn't make."

Both the PGA Tour and the European Tour condemned Williams' comment, but he will not face sanctions.

Scott said earlier he had discussed the matter with Williams and accepted his apology. "There is absolutely no room for racial discrimination in any walk of life, including the game of golf," Scott said, according to the article on Woods' website.

Williams said in July he was shocked and disappointed that Woods had severed their 12-year relationship, especially after he remained loyal to the golfer during the sex scandal in which he was embroiled for several months.

"Given the fact of my loyalty and the way that I stood by this guy through thick and thin ..." Williams told CNN affiliate Mediaworks in New Zealand at the time. "And the timing of it is very poor, from my perspective."

Williams said the sex scandal had caused him to lose respect for Woods.

"Well, I think when you're great friends with somebody and a situation like this occurs, you obviously lose some kind of respect," Williams said.

In announcing he would no longer be working with Williams, Woods said it was "time for a change."

"Stevie is an outstanding caddy and a friend, and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments," Woods said in July. "I wish him great success in the future."

Who did Woods play?
Who said he was sorry?
What started the incedent?
What did Woods say?
What is Tiger Woods famous for?
Where did they meet?
What was Williams's comment?

Answer: Adam Scott,

Answer: Steve Williams

Answer: racially-tinged remark

Answer: "It was a wrong thing to

Answer: Golfer

Answer: Lakes Golf Club in Sydney,

Answer: "I wanted to shove it up that black a--."

Summary:
Tiger Woods met with Steve Williams and the two shook hands .
"It was a wrong thing to say," Woods said about Williams' comment .
Williams issued an apology shortly after the Friday night remarks .


(CNN) -- Google said Tuesday's widespread Gmail outage occurred when the company took some servers offline to perform routine maintenance, causing its remaining routers to become overloaded with traffic. Many Gmail users encountered this error message when trying to access their e-mail Tuesday. "We know how many people rely on Gmail for personal and professional communications, and we take it very seriously when there's a problem with the service," wrote Ben Treynor, a Google vice president of engineering, Tuesday in a 9:59 p.m. ET post on the Gmail blog. "Thus, right up front, I'd like to apologize to all of you -- today's outage was a Big Deal, and we're treating it as such," Treynor wrote. Gmail, Google's popular free e-mail service, was inaccessible to many of its tens of millions of users for about 100 minutes Tuesday afternoon, prompting widespread chatter on Twitter and other social networks. Gmail's problems were a top trending topic on Twitter, with users trading updates and posting links to blogs such as Mashable, which published a post called, "5 Things to Do While Gmail is Down." (No. 1: "Immediately flood Twitter with tweets alternately proclaiming 'Gmail is down!' and inquiring 'Is Gmail down?' ") "When something like this used to happen, you would wonder if it was just you," Rachel Sklar, editor-at-large of Mediaite.com, told CNN. "Here, it was immediate that you knew what was going on because of Twitter, and you knew that everyone had the same problems." People couldn't access Gmail via the Web interface Tuesday because their requests couldn't be routed to a Gmail server, Treynor explained. He said Google's engineers are compiling a list of things they intend to fix or improve as a result of their investigation into the outage. "We've turned our full attention to helping ensure this kind of event doesn't happen again. Some of the actions are straightforward and are already done -- for example, increasing request router capacity well beyond peak demand to provide headroom," he wrote. Gmail had 36.9 million U.S. users in June, according to ComScore, a company that measures Internet use. Gmail remains the third-most popular Web-based e-mail service, after Yahoo! Mail and Microsoft's Hotmail. CNN Audience Interaction Producer Eric Kuhn contributed to this story.

What Google service experienced  widespread outage Tuesday afternoon?

What did Google say happened to the remaining routers?

When were widespread outages experienced?

What day did the widespread outage take place?

Answer: company took some servers offline

Answer: Gmail

Answer: overloaded with traffic.

Answer: 100 minutes

Answer: Tuesday.

Answer: Tuesday's

Answer: Tuesday.

Summary:
NEW: Gmail outage occurred when some servers were taken offline for maintenance .
NEW: Google says its remaining routers became overloaded with traffic .
Google's free e-mail service suffered widespread outage Tuesday afternoon .
Google said Gmail outage lasted about an hour and 40 minutes .


(CNN) -- Gordon Gekko-inspired suspenders may have faded from Wall Street and lunch isn't for wimps anymore, but if there's one thing that hasn't changed in the last two decades it's this: greed is good.

With his new film director Oliver Stone is back to exposing financial chicanery, this time showcasing how complex and unfettered the system has become since his 1987 hit film "Wall Street."

What did he find when he returned to the scene after more than two decades? After years of bank deregulation, Wall Street "got ridiculous, and I mean it's insane. It became a financial casino," he told CNN.

That outrageous environment serves as the backdrop for "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps," a follow-up film which, amid massive bank bailouts, sweeping financial reform in Washington and investigations into the practices of Wall Street's leading firms, couldn't be more timely.

In the movie, Michael Douglas reprises the role of corporate shark Gordon Gekko. Fresh out of prison, he finds himself in a new financial era dominated by complex products and securities.

"Money Never Sleeps," which is slated for release in September, is a "bookend" rather than a sequel, to the 1987 film, Stone says.

Stone, whose father worked on Wall Street as a broker, set out to tell a morality tale about excess in the original film, with Gekko positioned as the bad guy.

But judging by the recent financial crisis, not many Wall Streeters took Stone's message to heart. Instead of being seen as a villain in the 1980s, Gekko became a paragon of success for a generation of traders and business school graduates.

Douglas, who won a Best Actor Oscar for the first "Wall Street," said he's always surprised at the reaction MBA students have to Gekko, the suspender-sporting character out to win at all costs.

"They would come up to me and say, 'Hey Gordon, he's the man,'" he told CNN at Cannes, where the film premiered earlier this month. "And probably a lot of those guys...are heading up investing banking companies now," he said.

In the follow up film, Gekko is looking to get back into the Wall Street game and finds a way through his estranged daughter's boyfriend, a young investment banker played by Shia LaBeouf.

Joining the cast, which includes Susan Sarandon and Josh Brolin, was like "stepping into a cage of lions," LaBeouf said. "I felt like an underdog coming onto this set. I'm the 'Transformers,' kid. It's just like, it's daunting."

LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan, who plays Gekko's daughter, play a young couple with ideals. (The couple has also been linked together offscreen.) But their integrity is tested and "everybody has double motives," Stone said.

A director known for offering provocative viewpoints, particularly in political films like "W," "JFK" and "Nixon" -- his next film, "South of the Border," is about Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez -- Stone initially wasn't interested in telling another story about Wall Street.

When the producer of the original film and 20th Century Fox made a deal for a follow up film, Stone wasn't on board. "I didn't event want to do a sequel and I turned them down," he said.

What changed? The financial meltdown of 2008, which unleashed the worst crisis since the Great Depression and caused the economy to suffer in Stone's words, a "triple bypass heart attack."

The financial crisis "was an event of monumental importance socially, economically, for the United States," he said. "It wasn't a perfect storm, it was a systematic breakdown that was due because it's the way the system is run."

While the director certainly harbors strong feelings about the financial system, he also had his fun with the film. He appears briefly, as does Charlie Sheen, who

who plays role of ideal investment banker?

"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" is the follow up to what Oliver Stone film?

Answer: "Wall Street."

Answer: Michael Douglas

Answer: It became a financial casino,"

Answer: Gordon Gekko.

Answer: reprises the role of corporate shark Gordon Gekko.

Answer: Shia LaBeouf.

Answer: a young investment banker

Answer: Street."

Summary:
"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" is the follow up Oliver Stone's 1987 hit film "Wall Street"
Stone discovered a "ridiculous" and "insane" system in Wall Street when making the sequel .
Michael Douglas reprises his role as corporate raider Gordon Gekko .
Shia LaBeouf plays the role of a young, ideal investment banker .


(CNN) -- Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia delivered the Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address on Wednesday night. Here is a transcript of the speech. McDonnell: Thank you very much. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Bob McDonnell. Eleven days ago, I was honored to be sworn in as the 71st governor of Virginia. I'm standing in the historic House Chamber of Virginia's Capitol, a building designed by Virginia's second governor, Thomas Jefferson. It's not easy to follow the president of the United States. And my 18-year-old twin boys have added pressure to me tonight by giving me exactly 10 minutes to finish before they leave to go watch "SportsCenter." (LAUGHTER) I'm joined by fellow Virginians to share a Republican perspective on how to best address the challenges facing our nation today. We were encouraged to hear President Obama speak this evening about the need to create jobs. All Americans should have the opportunity to find and keep meaningful work, and the dignity that comes with it. (APPLAUSE) Many -- many of us here tonight -- and many of you watching -- have family or friends who have lost their jobs. In fact, 1 in 10 Americans is unemployed. That is unacceptable. Here in Virginia, we've faced our highest unemployment rate in more than 25 years, and bringing new jobs and more opportunities to our citizens is the top priority of my administration. Good government policy should spur economic growth and strengthen the private sector's ability to create new jobs. (APPLAUSE) We must enact policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation so America can better compete with the world. What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class. It was Thomas Jefferson who called for "a wise and frugal government which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned." He was right. Today, the federal government is simply trying to do too much. Last year, we were told that massive new federal spending would create more jobs immediately and hold unemployment below 8 percent. In the past year, more than 3 million people have lost their jobs, and yet the Democratic Congress continues deficit spending, adding to the bureaucracy, and increasing the national debt on our children and our grandchildren. The amount of debt is on pace to double in five years and triple in 10. The federal debt is now over $100,000 per household. This is simply unsustainable. The president's partial freeze announced tonight on discretionary spending is a laudable step, but a small one. The circumstances of our time demand that we reconsider and restore the proper limited role of government at every level. (APPLAUSE) Without reform, the excessive growth of government threatens our very liberty and our prosperity. In recent months, the American people have made clear that they want government leaders to listen and then act on the issues most important to them. We want results, not rhetoric. We want cooperation, not partisanship. (APPLAUSE) There is much common ground. All Americans agree that we need health -- health care system that is affordable, accessible, and high quality. But most Americans do not want to turn over the best medical care system in the world to the federal government. Republicans in Congress have offered legislation to reform health care, without shifting Medicaid costs to the states, without cutting Medicare, and without raising your taxes. And we will do that by implementing common sense reforms, like letting families and businesses buy health insurance policies across state lines and ending frivolous lawsuits against doctors and hospitals that drive up the cost of your health care. And our solutions aren't 1,000-page bills that no one has fully read, after being crafted behind closed doors with special interests. In fact, many of our proposals are available online at solutions.gop.gov, and we welcome your ideas on Facebook and Twitter. (LAUGHTER) All Americans

What was Gov. Bob McDonnell's response to State of the Union speech?

What he said about what American`s want?

Who has serious concerns about Obama's terrorist policy?

Who has concerns about Obama's terrorist policy?

Bob McDonnell is the governor of which U.S. state?

Did Gov. Bob McDonell responds to State of the Union speech?

Answer: Thank you very much. Thank you.

Answer: government leaders to listen and then act on the issues most important to them.

Answer: We were encouraged to hear President Obama speak this evening

Answer: Gov.

Answer: Bob McDonnell.

Answer: Virginia

Answer: McDonnell of Virginia delivered the Republican response

Summary:
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia responds to State of the Union speech .
Americans don't want to turn health care over to government, he says .
McDonnell: GOP has serious concerns about Obama's terrorist policy .


(CNN) -- Governments and charities have spent billions to try to wipe out poverty, but award-winning economist Esther Duflo says we really don't know if that money has been well spent.

But as a result of Duflo's pioneering work, we may be getting some answers to that question. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor has led the way in showing how the scientific method can be applied to determining what policies actually work.

Duflo last month won the John Bates Clark Medal, which is awarded to an American economist under the age of 40 who has made the "most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge."

In her talk at the TED2010 conference in Long Beach, California, Duflo pointed out that Africa has received a great amount of development aid, but the African economies have not made a lot of progress in improving their gross domestic product.

"If we don't know whether we are doing any good, we are not any better than the medieval doctors and their leeches. Sometimes the patient gets better, sometimes the patient dies. Is it the leeches? Is it something else? We don't know."

Read more about Esther Duflo on TED.com

In three areas, Duflo said her research techniques can help answer vital questions:

• Giving away bed nets treated with insecticide to prevent the spread of malaria works, despite fears by some that free nets would not be valued by recipients and might be used instead as fishing nets.

• If you want to enhance the effectiveness of the educational system in a developing country, you can sometimes have a great impact by indirect means. For example, if the nation is one where children suffer from intestinal worms, spending $100 on deworming the children can be many times more effective in getting them educated than simply spending the $100 on paying for teachers, school meals and other school expenses.

• In the Indian state of Rajasthan, Duflo found that by creating a monthly camp and giving away kilo-sized bags of lentils, there was a significant increase in the number of parents who brought their children to be immunized with potentially life-saving vaccines.

Duflo said, "It's not the Middle Ages anymore. It's the 21st century. And in the 20th century, randomized, controlled trials have revolutionized medicine by allowing us to distinguish between drugs that work and drugs that don't work. And you can do the same randomized, controlled trial for social policy. You can put social innovation to the same rigorous, scientific tests that we use for drugs."

What can the scientific method determine?

What scientific method can determine the outcome of the policies on poverty?

what method can determine which policies work?

Answer: "most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge."

Answer: policies actually work.

Answer: we really don't know if that money has been well spent.

Answer: John Bates Clark Medal,

Answer: and charities

Answer: randomized, controlled trial

Answer: John Bates Clark Medal,

Answer: scientific

Summary:
Esther Duflo: We don't know if billions in aid to fight poverty actually worked .
She says scientific method can determine which policies work .
Duflo received award as most accomplished American economist under the age of 40 .


(CNN) -- Governors in three Eastern Seaboard states Friday called on National Guard troops to help evacuate people from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida.

Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power.

Ida lost momentum but not the ability to generate winds and rain as it made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast earlier this week, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service had flood advisories in effect Friday for areas of coastal Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

At least 160 National Guard troops were deployed in sections of Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey to evacuate residents in high-water areas as well as provide cots, sandbags and potable water, according to the Pentagon's National Guard Bureau.

"About 40 members of the Delaware National Guard have provided support to civilian emergency relief agencies in Kent and Sussex counties," the bureau said.

The New Jersey National Guard sent 18 guardsmen with trucks to help with evacuations in the Cape May and Atlantic counties, where the governor Thursday declared a state of emergency due to flooding, Guard officials reported

Almost 100 guardsmen with high-water vehicles were helping firefighters in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency, saying the remnants of Ida had combined with another storm to cause dangerous conditions in some areas. By early afternoon, at least 155,000 customers were without power in the state -- mostly in and around Norfolk, according to the Dominion Power Web site.

"With the National Weather Service indicating that eastern Virginia could experience flooding and storm surge comparable to the effects of a Category 1 hurricane, it's critical that Virginians make the necessary preparations," Kaine said. "While we will continue to monitor conditions, the commonwealth is preparing for a period of coastal flooding through at least Friday evening."

When did the storm happen?
What has left no power?
Where could flood happen?
What number had no power?
Where did the storm occur?
What did the National Guard do?

Answer: Friday

Answer: Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm

Answer: Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Answer: 155,000

Answer: U.S. Gulf Coast

Answer: evacuate residents in high-water areas as well as provide cots, sandbags and potable water,

Summary:
Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power.
Flood advisories were in effect Friday in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
National Guard Bureau: At least 160 troops were deployed to assist in high-water areas .
Dominion Power: By early afternoon, at least 155,000 in Virginia had no electricity .


(CNN) -- Governors in three Eastern Seaboard states Friday called on National Guard troops to help evacuate people from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida. Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power. Ida lost momentum but not the ability to generate winds and rain as it made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast earlier this week, forecasters said. The National Weather Service had flood advisories in effect Friday for areas of coastal Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. At least 160 National Guard troops were deployed in sections of Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey to evacuate residents in high-water areas as well as provide cots, sandbags and potable water, according to the Pentagon's National Guard Bureau. "About 40 members of the Delaware National Guard have provided support to civilian emergency relief agencies in Kent and Sussex counties," the bureau said. The New Jersey National Guard sent 18 guardsmen with trucks to help with evacuations in the Cape May and Atlantic counties, where the governor Thursday declared a state of emergency due to flooding, Guard officials reported Almost 100 guardsmen with high-water vehicles were helping firefighters in Portsmouth, Virginia. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency, saying the remnants of Ida had combined with another storm to cause dangerous conditions in some areas. By early afternoon, at least 155,000 customers were without power in the state -- mostly in and around Norfolk, according to the Dominion Power Web site. "With the National Weather Service indicating that eastern Virginia could experience flooding and storm surge comparable to the effects of a Category 1 hurricane, it's critical that Virginians make the necessary preparations," Kaine said. "While we will continue to monitor conditions, the commonwealth is preparing for a period of coastal flooding through at least Friday evening."

Where were flood advisories in effect for?

Answer: at least 155,000 customers

Answer: flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida.

Answer: coastal Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Answer: areas of coastal Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Answer: At least 160 National Guard

Answer: at least 155,000 customers were

Summary:
Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power.
Flood advisories were in effect Friday in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
National Guard Bureau: At least 160 troops were deployed to assist in high-water areas .
Dominion Power: By early afternoon, at least 155,000 in Virginia had no electricity .


(CNN) -- Grace, Kara and Trichelle were created to fill a void for young black girls who for so long have been playing with dolls that don't look like them. Stacy McBride-Irby, creator of the new Barbie, poses with the dolls. The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women. Some have cheered the new dolls. Others jeered them, saying they're not black enough. "I love the black Barbie. It's about time," Jua Simpson said on CNN's iReport, a user-generated news community. "But the hair is still a step backwards, since most of our hair is not straight and light brown." Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles, such as afros or braids. "Many people have criticized the dolls for either having hair that's too long or too straight, but I have long, straight hair that I straightened. But it's my hair and a part of me," said Tanisa Zoe Samuel, an African-American iReporter from the Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. "Black women come in all shades, shapes and varieties that there is just no way to capture everyone with three dolls." iReport.com: Samuel shares her thoughts on the new Barbie The dolls were created by Stacy McBride-Irby, an African-American who watched her daughter play with dolls and wanted to create a doll that looked more like her. McBride-Irby said she has heard the criticism, but she also has received many kudos. "They mean so much to me because they did come from a positive place," McBride-Irby said. "My daughter loves the dolls. I've had dads thank me for creating this line of dolls that represent their little girls. These dolls are for girls all over the world." This is not the first time Mattel has released an ethnic doll that drew criticism.  See photos of the black Barbie dolls » In 1997, Mattel collaborated with cookie maker Nabisco to create Oreo Fun Barbie. The black version of the doll, which sported an Oreo-shaped purse, was criticized by some who noted that "Oreo" is a derogatory term in the black community. The word is used to describe someone who is perceived as black on the outside and white on the inside. For some, the talk about dolls is not just child's play. Some think early play with dolls can affect a girl's self-esteem later in life. Actress Nia Long, who appears in comedian Chris Rock's new documentary, "Good Hair," recently talked about the issue on CNN. "Historically, the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated," Long said. "This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves."

What did CNN iReporter Jua Simpson say ?

Who said "I love the black Barbie. It's about time,"?

What makes the new black Barbies different?

who has fuller lips, curlier hair, more African-American features?

Answer: "I love the black Barbie. It's about time,"

Answer: The new black Barbies released by Mattel

Answer: Jua Simpson

Answer: Some have cheered

Answer: released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women.

Answer: The new black Barbies

Summary:
New black Barbies have fuller lips, curlier hair, more African-American features .
Some have cheered the dolls; others have criticized them for being unrealistic .
"I love the black Barbie. It's about time," said CNN iReporter Jua Simpson .
iReport.com: Share your thoughts on the new black Barbie .


(CNN) -- Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John Legend will perform at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," airing on Thanksgiving on CNN. John Legend will sing "If You're Out There" from his just-released album "Evolver." Hosted by CNN's Anderson Cooper, the program honors the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. The show will be broadcast globally on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español at 9 p.m. ET/PT November 27 (0200 GMT November 28). Each of this year's top 10 CNN Heroes will be honored in a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter. Actors Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek, Forest Whitaker, Meg Ryan, Terrence Howard, Lucy Liu, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez are among the stars participating in the event.  See photos of the presenters » In addition, actor Hugh Jackman will present People magazine's 2008 Heroes Among Us award to six recipients honored by the magazine this year. People is partnering with CNN for this portion of the telecast. Keys will perform "Superwoman" from her hit album "As I Am." Legend, backed by the Los Angeles-based Agape Choir, will sing "If You're Out There" from his just-released album "Evolver." The evening will culminate with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year, chosen through a six-week online poll that generated more than 1 million votes. Viewers were asked to select the CNN Hero who inspired them the most from among the top 10 CNN Heroes selected by a blue-ribbon panel. The Hero of the Year will be awarded $100,000 in addition to the $25,000 that each of the top 10 CNN Heroes receives. Voting for the CNN Hero of the Year has now closed.  Watch a close-up look at the CNN Hero Award » Award-winning producer-director Joel Gallen returns to executive produce this year's program. Among his credits, Gallen produced telethon events supporting victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina, winning an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for "America: A Tribute to Heroes." Kodak Theatre is a 3,400-seat venue that opened in November 2001 and is best known as the first permanent home of the Academy Awards.

What winners are performing at CNN Heroes event?

Who will perform at the CNN Heroes event?

Answer: Alicia Keys and John Legend

Answer: the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008

Answer: 9 p.m. ET/PT November 27

Answer: p.m. ET/PT November 27

Answer: "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,"

Answer: on Thanksgiving

Answer: Viewers

Answer: Thanksgiving

Answer: Alicia Keys and John Legend

Summary:
Grammy winners to perform at CNN Heroes event .
The show will honor the top 10 CNN Heroes, as selected by a distinguished panel .
It airs globally at 9 p.m. ET November 27 (0200 GMT November 28)
The program culminates with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year .


(CNN) -- Grammy-winning trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, a leading figure in jazz during a five-decade career, has died at age 70, about a month after suffering a heart attack, his publicist said Tuesday. In the 1970s, Freddie Hubbard made a series of funk- and fusion-oriented albums, such as the 1970 hit "Red Clay." Hubbard died Monday morning in Sherman Oaks, California, outside Los Angeles, after a long battle with heart disease, spokesman Don Lucoff told CNN. He had been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack the day before Thanksgiving and took a turn for the worse last week, Lucoff said. "Freddie Hubbard, in terms of the advent of modern jazz, the birth of bebop, was probably among the five greatest trumpet players that has ever lived ... He's really right up there with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Roy Eldridge, an innovator and great composer," Lucoff said. A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Hubbard moved to New York in the late 1950s. By the mid-1960s, he was playing alongside such major jazz figures as Art Blakey, Oliver Nelson, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. In the early 1970s, he made a series of funk- and fusion-oriented albums, such as the 1970 hit "Red Clay" and 1972's Grammy-winning "First Light." "The thing that set Freddie Hubbard apart was he played rapidly, he played soulfully and he really set the pace for a lot of the trumpet players who have come after him in the last 20 or 30 years," Lucoff said. Hubbard was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006. He is survived by wife, Briggie, and son Duane.

How old was Hubbard at the time of this article?

When was Hubbard named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master?

In what year was Hubbard named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master?

What are Art Blakely and Herbie Hancock known for?

Answer: 70,

Answer: jazz

Answer: heart disease,

Answer: Art Blakey, Oliver Nelson, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Answer: 2006.

Answer: 2006.

Answer: jazz

Answer: National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master

Answer: Grammy-winning

Answer: Freddie Hubbard

Answer: Freddie Hubbard,

Summary:
Grammy-winning trumpeter long fought heart disease, spokesman says .
Hubbard played with major jazz figures including Art Blakey and Herbie Hancock .
Hubbard was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006 .


(CNN) -- Greece international central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos has completed his transfer to English Premier League side Liverpool after signing a two-year contract with the club. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has turned to Kyrgiakos because of defensive injury worries. The 30-year-old has passed a medical to finalize his switch from AEK Athens, and will go straight into the squad for Monday's home match against Aston Villa at Anfield. He is likely to partner Jamie Carragher in the heart of Liverpool's defense, taking the place of teenager Daniel Ayala who made his full debut in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Stoke. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is without two key defenders through injury. Danish center-back Daniel Agger will have an operation on his back in Germany on Tuesday, and will be out for six weeks while Martin Skrtel is still struggling with a damaged jaw, sustained at Tottenham last weekend, and is not expected to be fit to face Villa. Benitez has been searching for defensive cover for weeks, having tried to sign Stoke's Ryan Shawcross and Hull's Michael Turner. He was also linked with West Ham's England defender Matthew Upson. But Liverpool's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are believed to have put the block on any further major signings, meaning that Benitez has had to search for the cheaper options. He has snapped up Kyrgiakos for just $3.3 million and Benitez said of his latest signing: "He has had experience in Scotland with Rangers and in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt as well as with the Greek national side. Benitez told Liverpool's official Web site: "He is strong and good in the air, and we were looking for experience and he is the perfect answer." Kyrgiakos, who has been capped 50 times by Greece described his decision to move to England as "the biggest challenge of my career". The tough-tackling defender moved back to Greece in 2008 after one season at Rangers and two with Eintracht Frankfurt.

What does Kyrgiakos do?
Who is Kyrgiakos?
Where is Kyrgiakos from?
Who moved to Liverpool?

Answer: central defender

Answer: international central defender

Answer: Greece

Answer: Sotirios Kyrgiakos

Summary:
Greece international central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos moves to Liverpool .
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez swoops because of recent defensive injuries .
Kyrgiakos, 30, likely to make Liverpool debut against Aston Villa on Monday .


(CNN) -- Greece is in a state of political turmoil sparked by Prime Minister George Papandreou's call earlier this week for a referendum on the latest bailout package from Europe.

A confidence vote in his government is scheduled for Friday night -- in the meantime, uncertainty rules.

The crisis is unfolding as leaders of the G-20 group of nations meet in Cannes, France, for economic talks, amid fears that a debt default in Greece could send shock waves through the global economy.

So what could come next for Greece? Analysts see several potential scenarios.

The vote of confidence in Papandreou's government is expected to go ahead as planned, despite discussions Thursday on the formation of an interim coalition or national unity government.

If he wins the confidence vote, he could claim a fresh mandate for his ruling Socialist PASOK party -- although even some within his party think its days in charge are numbered.

Senior PASOK lawmaker Tilemachos Chytiris told Greek state TV channel ERT that ideally Papandreou would win the vote, but a national unity government would then be formed.

If he loses the vote, the government would go into caretaker status until early elections can be held, said Heather Conley, senior fellow and director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state.

"What's a foregone conclusion is that Papandreou would have to step down and allow a technocratic government that would receive the full support of parliament to be that caretaker," she said.

In another scenario, the leader of the main opposition New Democracy party said Thursday that his party could enter a coalition government with the PASOK party, as an interim stage leading to new elections.

Papandreou's office said he is prepared to enter a national unity government with the opposition, but rejected the condition that early elections be held.

Opposition leader Antonis Samaras later Thursday said Papandreou should step down and called for snap elections within six weeks.

Under Greek law, a vote cannot be held until at least 30 days after elections are called, meaning that the Greek people would go to the polls in early December at the soonest.

In that case, it would be likely that the conservatives would win the most votes but would not have a parliamentary majority, forcing them to form a coalition government, said Kostas Gemenis, an assistant professor of politics at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

That coalition could include far-right parties or PASOK, but with the New Democracy lawmakers in the driver's seat.

The conservatives have said Greece needs to bargain harder with Europe on any deal.

Another scenario is that PASOK and the conservatives join in a longer-term grand coalition, or unity, government.

That option would give greater stability, as it would avoid elections, and could ensure that Greece stayed in the euro and the European Union, said Gemenis.

As for the planned referendum, the likelihood of it taking place appears to be diminishing.

Papandreou told his Cabinet Thursday he was backing off from a referendum vote because the opposition New Democracy party had agreed to the need to pass austerity measures required by the bailout.

And the office of Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said Friday he had confirmed to the European Commission that the referendum had been scrapped.

That news would certainly come as a relief to Europe's leaders. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Papandreou in Cannes Wednesday that Greece would have to leave the euro zone if voters rejected the bailout plan.

But Greece could find it hard to put the cat back in the bag now it's been allowed out, Conley said.

Although some observers say the referendum will not survive if Papandreou does not, she foresees a scenario where the Greek people demand a say in decisions that will affect them, and their country, for decades.

She warns it could also lead to the governments of other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Italy, facing calls for difficult decisions to be put them to a referendum.

The recent crisis has prompted talk of a "democracy deficit," she

When did George Papandreou face a confidence vote?

What does Greece need to accept to remain in the eurozone?

What do some in Papandreou's party say is needed?

Who feels a national unity government is needed?

Answer: Friday night

Answer: bargain harder with Europe on any deal.

Answer: referendum on the latest bailout

Answer: Tilemachos Chytiris

Answer: A confidence vote in his government

Summary:
NEW: Some in Papandreou's party say a national unity government is needed .
PM George Papandreou faces a confidence vote late Friday .
The main opposition leader calls for him to resign and for snap elections .
Greece has to accept tough bailout terms if it wants to stay in the eurozone .


(CNN) -- Greece's economic turmoil threatens to topple the eurozone, shake the global financial markets and bring down the protagonist in the political drama: embattled Prime Minister George Papandreou.

Papandreou has been at the center of the financial storm in Europe, with his political future on the line after a turbulent day of political wrangling between the government and opposition.

As the 59-year-old comes under fire for his call for a referendum on the latest bailout package from Europe, the world is anxiously watching.

And uncertainty looms for a man surrounded by power from an early age.

Born in Minnesota and educated in the United States, Sweden and several other countries, Papandreou has seen the world as a student and a diplomat.

The son and grandson of former leaders, Papandreou is a product of Greece's political establishment. His grandfather served as prime minister in the 1960s, a position assumed about two decades later by his father after he founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, or PASOK party.

During his first run for Greece's top job in 2004, Papandreou did not shy away from touting his family legacy.

"I am very, very honored to have such a name," he said at the time. "It is a heavy responsibility, but it is the Greek people in the end who make the decision."

While his name is a political institution in the South European nation, his rise to power was hardly preordained -- considering he was born more than 5,000 miles from Athens, on June 16, 1952, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

His father, Andreas, joined the University of Minnesota faculty five years earlier as an associate economics professor, rising later to full professor before leaving in 1955 for a post at the University of Berkeley in California.

"He was a most charismatic character: His eyes seemed to burn with zeal," Scott Maynes said of the elder Papandreou in a University of Minnesota economics department newsletter.

"It bothered me that he seemed to see the CIA under every bed ... But what impressed me most of all about Papandreou was the strong commitment he inspired."

The prime minister's mother, Margaret Chant, graduated with a journalism degree in 1946, from the Twin Cities university.

Six years later, the same year her son was born, she earned her master's degree in public health.

In a letter in the 1972 edition of the University of Minnesota alumni news magazine, Margaret Chant Papandreou explained how her family left the United States in 1959 and settled into "political life" in Greece.

She wrote then that she initially spoke little Greek, though her children -- young George included -- "attended Greek schools." Her friends, she said, tended to be educated in England or the United States. And she particularly bristled at what she deemed Greece's "machismo" culture, and the tendency of men in authority to demean and unfairly punish women who spoke out.

"They detested me," Chant Papandreou recalled of those aligned against her and her husband. "I had 'mingled too much in politics,' they declared... If I weren't in the fight for the liberation of Greece, I'd surely be in the fight for the liberation of Greek women."

The Papandreou family's lives turned upside down following a military coup in April 1967, leading to a globe-trotting existence evident in the schools the prime minister attended including in Illinois, Stockholm and Toronto.

Papandreou also attended Amherst College, a small and prestigious liberal arts institution in central Massachusetts where he roomed with Antonis Samaras, according to Amherst's news office.

Samaras would later become his primary political rival as the leader of Greece's conservative New Democracy party. He has described the prime minister as untrustworthy and demanded he resign and call for snap elections in six weeks.

After attending schools in far-flung cities, he eventually returned to Greece and immersed himself in politics. He first won election to parliament in 1981 and within a few years, he was a key figure in his father's PASOK's party.

While still a parliamentary

When did he first run for top job?
who was born in Minnesota?
Where was George Papandreou born?

Answer: 2004,

Answer: Papandreou

Answer: Minnesota

Summary:
George Papandreou was born in Minnesota .
He is the son and grandson of former Greek prime ministers .
During his first run for top job in 2004, he did not shy away from touting his family legacy .


(CNN) -- Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to use the words "carcinos" and "carcinoma" in 400 BC to describe tumors, which led to the term "cancer" being coined. Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to use the words "carcinos" and "carcinoma" to describe tumors, which led to the term 'cancer." Since his day, medical advances in the treatment of cancer have evolved significantly. Below we chart some of the key moments in the battle against cancer. 1890 -- William Stewart Halsted, the first professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Yale, performs the first mastectomy to treat breast cancer. 1895 -- Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-ray radiation, which makes the detection of tumors in the body much easier and non-invasive. Later in 1899, Tage Anton Ultimus Sjogren becomes the first person to successfully treat cancer with X-rays. 1896 -- Removal of the ovaries is performed for the first time to treat breast cancer. 1898 -- Marie and Pierre Curie discover radium and later use it to treat tumors. 1900 --Thor Stenbeck cures a patient with skin cancer using small doses of daily radiation therapy. This technique is later referred to as fractionated radiation therapy. 1900s -- Dr. George Papanicolaou invents the Pap smear test after his findings suggest that vaginal cell smears reveal the presence of cancer. 1943 -- The first electron linear accelerator is designed for radiation therapy. Today, it is widely used for treatment of cancer. Late 1960s -- Lars Leksell develops the Gamma Knife -- a radiosurgical tool that uses a high dose of radiation to eradicate cancerous cells. 1964 -- The Epstein-Barr virus is linked to human cancer for the first time. 1974 -- Dr. Lawrence Einhorn finds a cure for advanced testicular cancer. This changes the cure rate from 5 percent to 60 percent. 1975 -- Scientists Georges Kohler and Cesar Milstein develop tailor-made antibodies in large quantities in a laboratory, leading to ways of attacking cancer and diagnosing disease. They go on to win the Nobel Prize in 1984. 1976 -- Michael Bishop and Harold Varmus discover oncogene, a gene that, when mutated or expressed at high levels, helps turn a normal cell into a cancer cell. They win the 1989 Nobel Prize. 1980s -- Anti-nausea drugs are developed to suppress the side effects of chemotherapy. 1991 -- The U.S. Human Genome project begins. The first gene transfers in humans also take place in that same year. 1998 -- Tamoxifen, a drug that helps reduce the risks of breast cancer by half in women is approved for wide use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 2004 -- The FDA approves Avastin, a monoclonal antibody that restricts tumor growth by blocking the formation of new blood vessels for the treatment of metastatic cancer. 2007 -- The FDA approves Nexavar, an oral inhibitor for liver cancer. This is the only drug approved for liver cancer. 2008 -- German scientist Harald zur Hausen wins a Nobel Prize for his research that found that oncogenic human papilloma virus, or HPV, causes cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women. He made the discovery in the early 1980s. Sources: Emory University, Cure Today, Britannia.com CNN intern Priyanka Deladia contributed to this report

Who  discovered X-ray radiation in 1895?

In which decade were anti-nausea drugs to suppress chemotherapy side effects created?

Name the person that won the Nobel Prize

Answer: 1895

Answer: Lars Leksell

Answer: research that found that oncogenic human papilloma virus, or HPV, causes cervical

Answer: a radiosurgical tool that uses a high dose of radiation to eradicate cancerous cells.

Answer: Lars Leksell

Answer: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen

Answer: 1980s

Answer: Michael Bishop

Summary:
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-ray radiation in 1895 .
Lars Leksell develops the Gamma Knife in 1960s .
Anti-nausea drugs to suppress chemotherapy side effects created in 80s .
German scientist Harald zur Hausen wins a Nobel Prize in 2008 for HPV work .


(CNN) -- Greek voters will go to the polls to elect a new government two years early, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced Thursday. Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis says he wants to enact reforms in response to the international financial crisis. He called the early elections in response to pressure from the opposition Socialist Party, which threatened to block the election of a president in February if there was no general election first. Karamanlis is also seeking a mandate from the voters for reforms in response to the international financial crisis, he said. "It's up to the citizens to decide who has the right plan to govern and face the economic challenges," he said in a speech to the country. "We have two very difficult and critical years ahead of us," he said in the speech on Wednesday. "There is only one path that offers hope and potential: We take -- without delay, without procrastination -- take all necessary measures to address these problems. By design and desire. We need to build the solid foundation that will ultimately get us out of this crisis stronger." He said the country needs "stringent control on public spending," "war on tax-evasion" and "bold structural reforms." The new elections will be held October 4, Karamanlis announced Thursday after meeting President Karolos Papoulias, who officially dissolves parliament. Karamanlis' term was not due to expire until September 2011. But Socialist party leader George Papandreou insisted on new elections before the end of Papoulias' term as president in February. The Greek constitution requires the two major parties to agree on the election of a president, giving either party an effective veto. Karamanlis called Papandreou's stance "blackmail." Parliament will be dissolved on September 7, Karamanlis said on his Web site. Karamanlis' conservative New Democracy party suffered a sharp setback in European elections in June, when the Socialists matched New Democracy's tally of eight seats, with 36 percent of the vote. That election was seen as a litmus test for Karamanlis at a time of political and economic uncertainty with the economy shrinking and the country staring at a recession after nearly 15 years of high-profile growth. CNN's Efty Katsareas and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Name the prime minister that announced elections on Thursday

Which country is Kostas Karamanlis the Prime Minister of?

He called early elections in response to pressure from which opposition party?

What did the Prime Minster call a war on?

PM called for war on what type of evasion?

Which party was responsible for the pressure placed on the Prime Minister to call early elections?

Answer: early elections

Answer: Kostas Karamanlis

Answer: Kostas Karamanlis

Answer: Greek

Answer: Socialist

Answer: tax-evasion"

Answer: tax-evasion"

Answer: Socialist

Answer: Thursday.

Summary:
Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced elections Thursday .
Called early elections in response to pressure from opposition Socialist Party .
PM called for "stringent control on public spending ... war on tax-evasion"


(CNN) -- Griffin Bell, who served as attorney general in the Carter administration, has died, according to the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 90. Griffin Bell is sworn in as attorney general in January 1977. Former President Jimmy Carter issued a statement saying that he and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were deeply saddened by Bell's death. "A trusted and enduring public figure, Griffin's integrity, professionalism, and charm were greatly valued across party lines and presidential administrations," Carter said. "As a World War II veteran, federal appeals court judge, civil rights advocate, and U.S. attorney general in my administration, Griffin made many lasting contributions to his native Georgia and country. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family." The son of a south Georgia cotton farmer, Bell passed the Georgia bar exam while still a student in law school, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. He went on to help build the prominent Atlanta law firm King and Spalding, and then to serve as the nation's top legal officer. He was a chairman of John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign, and Kennedy appointed him to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1961. As a federal judge, Bell was involved in desegregation rulings in the 1960s, and he became known as a moderate legal voice in the South. Fellow Georgian Jimmy Carter nominated Bell as attorney general in 1976. He was confirmed shortly after Carter's inauguration but only after sometimes difficult Senate hearings. Bell's memberships in private segregated clubs and some of his decisions as a federal judge became issues. He was confirmed in January 1977 by a Senate vote of 75 to 21. Bell's tenure as attorney general followed the Watergate era, and he was credited with helping restore public confidence in the Justice Department during the late 1970s. Bell resigned as attorney general in 1979 to return to private law practice in Atlanta with King and Spalding. He resurfaced in the public eye periodically, including in 2004 when he was listed among Georgia Democrats who endorsed President George W. Bush for re-election. Also in 2004, he co-authored an independent study ordered by FBI Director Robert Mueller of the FBI's internal disciplinary procedures. The report sharply criticized the FBI and called its methods for determining punishments for its agents "seriously flawed."

What did his nomination restore confidence in the 1970s?

Who did the Georgia Democrats endorse in 2004?

Who nominated Bell for attorney general?

Answer: Justice Department

Answer: 2004

Answer: President George W. Bush

Answer: "A trusted and enduring public figure, Griffin's integrity, professionalism, and charm were greatly valued across party lines and presidential administrations,"

Answer: Bell

Answer: Jimmy Carter

Answer: attorney general in the Carter administration,

Answer: Georgia

Answer: President George W. Bush

Answer: Jimmy Carter

Summary:
President Jimmy Carter nominated Griffin Bell as attorney general in 1976 .
Bell credited with helping restore confidence in Justice Department in late 1970s .
His "integrity, professionalism, and charm" valued across party lines, Carter said .
In 2004, he was listed among Georgia Dems who endorsed Bush for re-election .


(CNN) -- Grocery store shelves are bare. Food left in refrigerators has rotted in the absence of electricity. Houston and Galveston are hungry. Ashia Turner and her family, from Galveston, wait at a shelter for a bus that will take them to a hotel on Tuesday. The Houston Food Bank is "utterly overwhelmed with people asking for help," its president, Brian Greene, said Tuesday. The food bank needs 500,000 pounds of food a day for the next six weeks to satisfy the "staggering" needs of Texans who have no food or water after the storm, he said. "People don't grasp just how many people live here," said Greene, who was executive director of New Orleans' Food Bank when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. He lost his home in Katrina, and lived at the New Orleans food bank for weeks using a garden hose as a shower. Most of the Houston food bank's volunteers' homes were damaged and they don't have power. "It's a very similar situation that I saw following Katrina: when the caregivers themselves [are] victims, it just becomes difficult on a far larger scale than you would think," he said. iReport.com: How are you getting by after Ike? He pointed out that while Katrina's devastation was spread over a greater area, more people have been affected by Hurricane Ike. Greene said the food bank normally distributes aid through local charities, churches and other faith-based organizations. But many were wiped out by the storm or are unable to function because of the lack of electricity or phone service. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has said several times that they are constantly shipping two days' worth of food every day to make sure supplies do not wane. FEMA has established at least 60 distribution sites across the region to give away water, ice and food. There are long waiting lines at those stations crowded with thousands of people. iReport.com: Long lines for help Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday issued an emergency order that authorized public utilities to lay temporary power lines to restore electricity to 1.5 million customers. Houston Mayor Bill White spoke at a 9 p.m. news conference about food distribution. "If we could figure out how to get a big block of ice on your doorstep, we'd do it," he said. The city is working to get people refrigerated food, but he cautioned, "There's a limited number of [FEMA] trucks" that contain supplies. Fuel is being shipped back to the region, he said. Motorists should stop topping off their tank and only pump the amount of gas they need. Thousands of people remain in shelters throughout the state. FEMA said it was instituting a transitional sheltering program, allowing some evacuees who are unable to return home to stay in hotels or motels. FEMA will pay for the lodging directly to hotels and motels, the agency said. iReport.com: Ike evacuees get help in Austin Galveston was so ravaged that city officials told the 15,000 to 20,000 people who stayed on the island during Ike to leave. For those who evacuated, the message was: Stay away. There's not enough clean drinking water and if people came back it would result in a "downward spiral" that officials cannot handle right now, Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc said Monday. "Sometimes the aftermath of the storm is worse than the storm itself," Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said Monday. "There's nothing to come here for right now. ... Please leave."  Watch how Ike wiped out neighborhoods » In Houston, a curfew remained in place, banning citizens from the streets from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. iReport.com: Shattered Houston buildings A bottled or boiled water advisory for the Houston area was not lifted as had been hoped -- with the exception of Bellaire, which gave the OK for its tap water Tuesday. Houston city officials said water in one location was being retested. Harris County, which includes Houston, said it had crews working to clear roads in downtown Houston, and said most streets were

Who needs 500,000 pounds of food a day for the next 6 weeks?

What hurricane caused damage in Galveston?

How much food is needed per day by the food bank?

Answer: 1.5 million

Answer: Thousands of

Answer: Houston

Answer: 1.5 million customers.

Answer: Katrina

Answer: Ike.

Answer: 500,000 pounds of food a day

Summary:
Houston food bank needs 500,000 pounds of food a day for next 6 weeks .
Thousands still in shelters, 1.5 million without power in Texas .
President inspects hurricane damage in Galveston, promises help .
Floodwaters rising on Missouri, Mississippi rivers from Ike's weekend deluge .


(CNN) -- Ground-to-air missiles at the 2012 Olympic Games? It's not a new sport added to the London line-up, but proof that Britain's government is taking security seriously.

Defense secretary Phillip Hammond has confirmed that such weapons will be at the disposal of those tasked with ensuring public safety at the UK capital's summer showpiece.

He told parliament that a full range of options would be available for protecting the Games, which kick off on July 27.

Hammond was asked by his predecessor, Liam Fox, to confirm if a "full range of multilayered defense and deterrents" would be on hand, including surface-to-air missiles.

"I can assure him that all necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of the London Olympic Games will be taken including -- if the advice of the military is that it is required -- appropriate ground-to-air defenses," Hammond replied.

Earlier on Monday, British newspaper The Guardian had claimed the United States was planning to send 1,000 security personnel, including FBI agents, to the Olympics after developing concerns about arrangements.

The paper said that the UK government is having to field more and more questions on security from its U.S. counterpart, with one source saying of the White House: "They are being very demanding."

It also claimed the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has decided to more than double the amount of security guards protecting the 32 Olympic sites across the country to 21,000 from 10,000.

The Guardian quoted the UK Home Office, responsible for home security, as saying its Olympic planning was "on track" and that the funding was in place.

"The government is committed to delivering a safe and secure Games that London, the UK and the world can enjoy," a spokesman said.

What is available to protect London 2012?

Which country is claimed to be unhappy with the level of security?

What are available to protect London 2012?

Answer: Defense secretary

Answer: Phillip Hammond

Answer: "full range of multilayered defense and deterrents"

Answer: U.S.

Answer: missiles

Answer: Phillip Hammond

Answer: missiles

Summary:
MP tells British parliament ground-to-air missiles available to protect London 2012 .
Defense secretary Phillip Hammond says a range of security options are available .
British newspaper had claimed the U.S. was unhappy with planned level of security .


(CNN) -- Growing up in a small Sri Lankan fishing town, cricket changed Sanath Jayasuriya's life. But his association with the game and humanitarian work has also helped transform the lives of many others. Jayasuriya's stature and shot-making led to comparisons with India's Sachin Tendulkar. "Without cricket I would have a small job in my home town. My mother is happy to say my name," he told CNN in Hong Kong. His mother's pride in his success has an extra poignancy as Jayasuriya's fame in some part helped his mother survive the south Asian tsunami on December 26, 2004. She was swept away by the first wave and only by calling out to get attention, saying she was Jayasuriya's mother, did a rescuer manage to spot her among the debris and destruction and pull her to safety. Thousands of others, including many of Jayasuriya's friends and neighbors, were not so fortunate, and the impact that the disaster had on Jayasuriya's hometown of Matara and many other parts of Sri Lanka is still felt today. "Even now when many people hear the word (tsunami), they are still scared. When my mother hears it, she still can't run," he said. After nearly 20 years of international cricket, the 39-year-old is now just as happy to put bowling attacks to the sword as well as working as a UN Goodwill Ambassador. "Coming from Sri Lanka you need to do a lot of charity work and help in anyway you can. People love cricket and they look to cricketers, so as a team Sri Lanka also does a lot for charity. It's a personal commitment," he told CNN. On the pitch he has always been just as committed to helping his team. Making his international Test match debut in 1991, he captained the Sri Lankan team for four years until 2003 and hit memorable centuries against every other Test side, bar the West Indies and New Zealand. He retired from the five-day version of the game in 2007. However it was in the one day game that the all-rounder has really made his mark. As part of the Sri Lankan team that won the World Cup in 1996, he played an explosive innings of aggressive shot-making that has been credited with revolutionizing the way in which batsman play the game. In 2005 he became only the fourth batsman to reach 10,000 runs in one-day matches and his current stats stand at 12785 runs from 421 one-day internationals. Having made his name in the 50-over version of the game he's still involved in cricket's latest revolution; the even shorter Twenty20 game that is being touted as the future of popularizing the sport. "Cricket has changed all over the world. For the public to watch this game we need for it to change. You can now enjoy all that in around 3 hours (with Twenty20). The Indian Premier League (IPL) is good for cricket and good for cricketers. The one-day game will be phased down." Throughout his career he's shown his own resilience adapting to changing circumstances on the cricket pitch as well as off it. Before the 2003 World Cup he took the decision not to sign a contract with the Sri Lankan cricket board, citing the loss of potential earnings it would mean for him and fellow players. Despite not being a confrontational personality, the tension between himself and the Sri Lankan cricket board led to his resignation from the captaincy in 2003. With no Test cricket to play this year, Jayasuriya found himself omitted from the Sri Lanka squad for 2008 series one-day series against the West Indies. However his fine form while playing in the IPL -- he ended its inaugural season as the third highest run scorer with 514 runs and hitting 31 sixes -- convinced the selectors to pick him for the upcoming one-day series between Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. "Looking back I could never have thought I would have come this far. Buddhism helped me a lot. It says that you should take the

What country's cricketer became a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador?

what organization is he an ambassador for?

Which cricketer will be a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador

Who is the highest run scorer in Test matches?

Answer: Sri Lankan

Answer: Sri Lankan team

Answer: Sanath Jayasuriya's

Answer: Sri Lanka

Answer: UN Goodwill

Answer: cricket

Answer: Sanath Jayasuriya's

Answer: Sachin Tendulkar.

Answer: working as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.

Answer: UN Goodwill Ambassador.

Summary:
Sri Lankan cricketer recognized as changing the way one-day cricket is played .
The first cricketer to be a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador .
Sri Lanka's highest run scorer in Test matches and one-day internationals .


(CNN) -- Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has declared a state of national calamity because so many citizens do not have food or proper nutrition. Sisters Vidalia, left, and Maribel Agustin, who suffer from malnutrition, sit at a shelter in Guatemala in August. Speaking in a nationally televised address late Tuesday, Colom said his declaration will make it easier to get food to the thousands of Guatemalan families who are in dire need. "This will help us access resources from the international community that are generously offered for this type of situation and to mobilize national resources more rapidly," he said. The United Nations' World Food Programme says Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean. Chronic undernutrition affects about half of the nation's children under the age of 5, the U.N. agency said. Colom said the nation's food problems are the result of a drought this year, global warming and the effects of the international economic crisis. He also cited the Central American nation's "history of unfairness that has made Guatemala live since long ago with high and shameful poverty levels, extreme poverty and undernutrition." According to the World Bank, about 75 percent of Guatemalans live below the poverty level, which is defined as an income that is not sufficient to purchase a basic basket of goods and basic services. Almost 58 percent of the population have incomes below the extreme poverty line, which is defined as the amount needed to purchase a basic basket of food. "This is the cause of the food and nutritional crisis that this country is going through," Colom said. "There is food. What we don't have are the financial means so that those who are affected can buy the available food. ... Let's not wait until we have a famine to act." Poverty is more pronounced among indigenous populations and those who live in rural areas. In the nation's highlands, where many indigenous people live, seven of 10 children under age 5 are malnourished, the World Food Programme says. About 40 percent of the nation's more than 13.2 million citizens are indigenous Mayans, according to the CIA World Fact Book.

Who is receiving aid from the international community?

What does Colom blame for food problems?

What country has the highest malnutrition in Latin America?

Answer: a drought this year, global

Answer: Guatemalan families who are in dire need.

Answer: to get food to the thousands of Guatemalan families who are in dire need.

Answer: Guatemala

Answer: his declaration will make it easier to get food to the thousands of Guatemalan families who are in dire need.

Answer: to get food to the thousands of Guatemalan families who are in dire need.

Answer: drought

Answer: Guatemala

Summary:
Declaration will make it easier to get food to those in need, president says .
President Alvaro Colom says Guatemala welcomes aid from international community .
Guatemala has highest rate of malnutrition in Latin America, U.N. says .
Colom blames food problems on drought, global warming, economic crisis .


(CNN) -- Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom should leave office during the investigation into whether he was connected to three recent slayings, his 2007 presidential opponent said Thursday. Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has said he has no intention of giving up power over the slayings inquiry. Retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina, who lost to Colom in a runoff, said Guatemala is suffering its worst crisis since the democratic process began in 1985 after years of civil war. Demonstrations will continue and anger will mount unless Colom temporarily steps out of the way to allow an unblemished probe, he said. "We want an impartial investigation, a transparent investigation," Perez told CNN. "The president must leave his post." The crisis started Monday with the surfacing of a video in which Guatemalan attorney Rodrigo Rosenberg said Colom, the president's wife and a top aide would be responsible if something happened to the lawyer. Rosenberg was gunned down Sunday while riding his bike in Guatemala City. He had recorded the video last week. Rosenberg was being threatened with death, he said, because he had blamed Colom and his associates for the April slayings of a prominent businessman and his daughter. Rosenberg had represented the businessman. They were killed, Rosenberg said, because they had refused to participate in acts of corruption as the president wanted. "It's the time-honored tradition in Guatemala that if someone gets in your way, there's likely to be a violent outcome," said Donald J. Planty, the U.S. ambassador to Guatemala from 1996 to 1999. Colom took to the airwaves Monday night to vehemently deny that he, his wife or the aide had any connection to the slayings. He promised a full investigation and said he would accept international help, asking the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to become involved. A Guatemalan newspaper reported Thursday that an FBI agent had arrived in the country in connection with the investigation. But Rosenberg supporters say they don't believe the Guatemalan government can carry out an impartial and thorough investigation and want Colom out. Perez said Vice President Jose Rafael Espada could take over until the investigation is complete. "We are only asking that the state be strengthened," Perez said. "If he doesn't do this, we believe the situation will get worse." Colom said in an interview Tuesday night with CNN en Español that he has no intention of resigning or otherwise giving up power. He blamed the deaths on unnamed people who want to bring down his government. "It is evident that [Rosenberg's video statement] was written by someone who has been in on this plan to destabilize the government and for reasons that I don't know, because I don't know why Mr. Rosenberg mentions us in that video," Colom said. For Perez and other critics, that's not good enough. "The president has not wanted to confront this and has given evasive answers," Perez said. "Until the president confronts this, indignation will increase." Some analysts say Colom needs to get the nation under control immediately. "It's a very worrisome situation," said Planty, the former U.S. ambassador. "The country is in very serious trouble." There were rumors two to three weeks ago that the military might stage a coup, Planty said. "The security situation is out of control," he added. Heather Berkman, a Latin America analyst with the Eurasia Group consulting firm, calls it "a major political scandal." Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, a Washington policy institute, agrees with that assessment. "It's very damning for the president. Very damning," he said. Fernando Carrera Castro, a fiscal analyst and executive director of the Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Fiscales, said the upheaval could further tear apart a poverty-ridden nation trying to heal from a deadly civil war. The three recently slain Guatemalans -- Rosenberg, businessman Khalil Musa and his daughter -- came from the upper economic class. As a result, Carrera said, many wealthy Guatemalans are being "radicalized"

What does the President blame the deaths on?

For what reason should the president step aside

Who does the President blame the death on?

Answer: Colom and his associates

Answer: Rodrigo Rosenberg

Answer: Colom and his associates

Answer: Rosenberg

Answer: want to bring down his government.

Answer: he was connected to three recent slayings,

Answer: want to bring down his government.

Answer: Rosenberg

Answer: Rosenberg

Answer: unnamed people

Summary:
Lawyer who blamed Guatemala's president for two slayings was killed Sunday .
In video released after his death, lawyer says to blame president if he is slain .
President should step aside during inquiry, says man who lost '07 presidential race .
President blames deaths on people he says want to bring down his government .


(CNN) -- Guinea-Bissau will hold a runoff presidential election Sunday, five months after the leader of the West African nation was assassinated by a group of soldiers. Supporters of former president and current candidate Malam Sanha rally in Bissau. The race is between two former heads of state, Kumba Yala and Malam Sanha. The candidates won the most votes in the first round of balloting June 28. Analysts hope the new president will usher in an era of stability to the nation of 1.5 million. The former Portuguese colony has had a history of military coups since its independence in 1974. President Joao Bernardo Vieira became president in 1980 after a military coup. He was accused of purging political rivals and suppressing dissent, but several coup attempts in the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. He was finally ousted in 1999 -- and re-elected in 2005. Vieira was killed in March to reportedly avenge the death of the country's military chief a day earlier. Yala, who took office in 2000, was unseated in a military coup after three years. Sanha served as interim president for a few months before his opponent's term. The conflicts have ravaged the nation's infrastructure and economy, leaving it among the poorest in the world. Guinea-Bissau has been battling a booming drug trade and is considered a major transit point for smuggling cocaine into Europe. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, who urged voters to be peaceful, said he hoped the election would provide a clean start. "The secretary-general hopes this election will mark a clear step forward for Guinea-Bissau in achieving political stability and security, and in fostering the social and economic conditions necessary to consolidate peace and fully realize human rights," Ban's representative said in a statement. A 1998 conflict led to the closure of the U.S. Embassy, which operates from neighboring Senegal.

How many months have passed since the assassination?

Answer: U.N. chief

Answer: to be peaceful,

Answer: Guinea-Bissau

Answer: Kumba Yala

Answer: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon,

Answer: five

Answer: Kumba Yala and Malam Sanha.

Answer: president

Summary:
West African state holds elections five months after president assassinated .
Runnoff candidates Kumba Yala, Malam Sanha are both former heads of state .
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urges Bissau-Guineans to vote peacefully .
Guinea-Bissau has suffered succession of coups since independence from Portugal .