Mali (i/mli/; French: [mali]), officially the Republic of Mali (French: Republique du Mali), is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of just over 1,240,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi). The population of Mali is 14.5 million. Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert, while the country's southern part, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Niger and Senegal rivers. The country's economy centers on agriculture and fishing. Some of Mali's prominent natural resources include gold, being the third largest producer of gold in the African continent, and salt. About half the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 (U.S.) a day. A majority of the population (55%) are non-denominational Muslims.

Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire (for which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire. During its golden age, there was a flourishing of mathematics, astronomy, literature, and art. At its peak in 1300, the Mali Empire covered an area about twice the size of modern-day France and stretched to the west coast of Africa. In the late 19th century, during the Scramble for Africa, France seized control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan. French Sudan (then known as the Sudanese Republic) joined with Senegal in 1959, achieving independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. Shortly thereafter, following Senegal's withdrawal from the federation, the Sudanese Republic declared itself the independent Republic of Mali. After a long period of one-party rule, a coup in 1991 led to the writing of a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic, multi-party state. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. what country is the article about?
2. when was the new constitution written?
3. which countries joined in 1959
4. is Mali a 1 party state?
5. how many natural resources of Mali are named?
6. what religion are most people?
7. what percent are non-denominational muslim?
8. what is the official name of Mali?
9. where is Mali located?
10. what is the population?
11. does anyone live in poverty?
12. is there fishing there?
Answer: 1. Republic of Mali
2. 1991
3. French Sudan and Senegal
4. No
5. Two
6. Non-denominational Muslims.
7. 55%
8. The Republic of Mali
9. West Africa
10. 14.5 million
11. Yes
12. Yes

New York (CNN) -- A Berlin-bound United Airlines flight returned Saturday night to Newark Liberty International Airport after a problem developed in the left engine, officials said.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing flames spewing from engine right after the plane took off.

A tire blew during takeoff and flew into an engine, FBI spokeswoman Barbara Woodruff said. The Federal Aviation Administration said it could not confirm that.

Flight 96, with 173 passengers and crew, circled the airport and burned fuel before landing at 8:05 p.m., according to the FAA. United described it as a "mechanical issue."

Potential FAA cuts would create big hassles for fliers

The crew of the Boeing 757 reported a problem after it left New Jersey for Berlin, said FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. The engine was operating properly before it landed, she told CNN.

Eyewitness Keisha Thomas, who was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike, said she witnessed fireballs near a wing shortly after the plane took off.

Thomas heard a loud sound, describing it as "pow, pow, pow."

Djenaba Johnson-Jones, who lives across the river from the airport, said she heard an unusual noise and saw fire, but not smoke, coming from the aircraft's left engine.

Eyewitness Dennis Ostolaza said he heard a "propeller sound" akin to a military helicopter as the plane gained altitude after takeoff, with "black smoke and fire spitting out of the engine."

The flight left the gate at 5:53 p.m.; witnesses reported seeing the engine flames shortly before 6:30 p.m.

Recovered wreckage fails to solve case of missing pilot What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who is an FBI spokeswoman?
2. On what flight did this occur?
3. How many people on board?
4. What time did it touch down on the ground?
5. Where did it land?
6. Where was it supposed to be going to?
7. Did problems occur in the right engine?
8. What kind of plane was it?
9. Who is Keisha Thomas?
10. Where was she?
11. Did she hear anything?
12. How did she say it sounded?
13. When did the flight leave the airport
14. When did the flames occur?
15. What did United say was the cause?
16. What was coming out of the engine?
17. What caused this all?
18. Who lives across the river?
19. Did she see smoke?
Answer: 1. Barbara Woodruff
2. Flight 96
3. 173
4. 8:05 p.m.
5. Newark Liberty International Airport
6. Berlin
7. No
8. Boeing 757
9. An eyewitness
10. On the New Jersey Turnpike
11. Yes
12. "pow, pow, pow."
13. 5:53 p.m
14. right after the plane took off.
15. a "mechanical issue."
16. flames
17. unknown
18. Djenaba Johnson-Jones
19. No

Defying warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Friday, but it broke apart before escaping the earth's atmosphere and fell into the sea, officials said.

"It flew about a minute, and it flew into the ocean," said Noriyuki Shikata, a spokesman for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

He added that Japanese authorities "have not identified any negative impacts, so far," though he said the international ramifications could be significant. "This is something that we think is a regrettable development," he said.

Joseph Cirincione, president of the global security foundation The Ploughshares Fund, told CNN that the launch's apparent failure "shows the weakness of the North Korea missile program" and suggests that the threat from North Korea has been "exaggerated."

"It's a humiliation," he told CNN. "I wouldn't want to be a North Korean rocket scientist today."

In an unusual admission of failure, the North Korean state media announced that the rocket had not managed to put an observation satellite into orbit, which Pyongyang had insisted was the purpose of the launch.

In the past, North Korea has insisted that failed launches have been successful.

"Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure," the official Korean Central News Agency said in a report, which was also read out in a news broadcast on state-run television.

The United States, South Korea and other countries see the launch as a cover for a ballistic missile test.

"Our government strongly criticizes their action," said South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Sung Hwan. "They have ignored the starvation of their people and spent money on missiles. It is very unfortunate." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What did the country do?
Answer:
1. launched a long-range