Problem: Two prominent newspapers this week used their editorial pages to call for mercy for intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, with one arguing "he deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight."

The New York Times and The Guardian make the case for some sort of plea deal or clemency that would allow Snowden to return to the United States from Russia, where he was granted asylum.

Mercy or dropped charges have occurred in past cases of other high-profile whistle-blowers, such as Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst behind the leak of the Pentagon Papers. But in recent years, the United States has aggressively pursued those who leak government secrets.

Here's a look at how the cases of five prominent leakers -- including Snowden -- have played out:

Daniel Ellsberg

Ellsberg was the military analyst who leaked the 7,000-page Pentagon Papers in 1971.

The top-secret documents revealed that senior U.S. leaders, including three Presidents, knew the Vietnam War was an unwinnable, tragic quagmire. Further, they showed the government had lied to Congress and the public about the progress of the war.

Ellsberg surrendered to authorities and was charged as a spy.

During his trial, the court learned that President Richard Nixon's administration had embarked on a campaign to discredit Ellsberg, illegally wiretapping him and breaking into his psychiatrist's office. All charges against him were dropped. Since then, he has lived a relatively quiet life as a respected author and lecturer.

Chelsea Manning

U.S. Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, who formerly went by the name Bradley, was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of classified documents and videos to WikiLeaks, the online anti-secrecy group.
1. who is Ellsberg?
2. what did the papers reveal?
3. when were the papers released?
4. what did Nixon do to him?
5. what did Nixon do to Ellsberg to discredit him?
6. did Ellsberg go to jail?
7. why not?
8. what happened to the charges?
9. where is Edward Snowden living now?
10. why?
11. who is calling for mercy for him?
Answer: 1. military analyst behind the leak of the Pentagon Papers
2. presidents knew that the Vietnam War was an unwinnable, tragic quagmire
3. 1971
4. unknown
5. wiretapped him and broke into his psychiatrist's office
6. no
7. Because the tactics used against him were illegal
8. they were dropped.
9. Russia
10. He was granted asylum there.
11. The New York Times and The Guardian

Problem: (CNN) -- The Renault Formula One team have agreed to pay damages to their former driver Nelson Piquet Jr. and his ex-world champion father after accusing the pair of lying in the controversial "crashgate" affair.

Renault have confirmed on their official website that they were wrong to issue a press release in September 2009, in which they claimed the Piquets had lied by suggesting the team had forced Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

At the time, Piquet Jr. stated he was ordered to crash by team bosses in order to help teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.

And when the case was heard by the World Motor Sport Council, Renault were handed a two-year suspended F1 ban, enabling the pair to sue for libel in British courts.

Admitting they libeled the duo, a Renault statement read: "The team accepts -- as it did before the World Motor Sport Council -- that the allegations made by Nelson Piquet Junior were not false.

"It also accepts that Mr Piquet Junior and his father did not invent these allegations in order to blackmail the team into allowing him to drive for them for the remainder of the 2009 season.

"As a result, these serious allegations contained in our press release were wholly untrue and unfounded, and we withdraw them unequivocally.

"We would like to apologise unreservedly to Mr Piquet Junior and his father for the distress and embarrassment caused as a result.

"As a mark of the sincerity of our apology and regret, we have agreed to pay them a substantial amount of damages for libel as well as their costs, and have undertaken not to repeat these allegations at any time in the future.
1. Who got in trouble for lying?
2. What were they given as a result?
3. How long?
4. Who presided over the hearing?
5. Did they admit they had lied?
6. Who were the lies about?
7. Anyone else?
8. Who?
9. What year did this begin?
10. When did the incident in question happen?
11. At what event?
12. What was someone told to do on purpose?
13. Why?
14. Who said to do it?
15. Did this incident have a nickname?
16. Which was?
17. Was the father ever #1?
18. Did the two get anything out of it?
19. What?
20. What country could they do the suing at?
Answer: 1. The Renault Formula One team
2. F1 ban
3. two-year suspended
4. World Motor Sport Council
5. yes
6. Nelson Piquet Junior
7. yes
8. his father
9. 2009
10. 2008
11. Singapore Grand Prix.
12. to crash
13. to help teammate Fernando Alonso win
14. team bosses
15. yes
16. crashgate
17. yes
18. yes
19. a substantial amount of damages
20. Britian

Problem: Farmer John loves to have parties! Everyone says that he has the best parties in the neighborhood. He invites all of his friends to his farm and cooks lots of food. Bill is Farmer John's best friend. Bill often comes over to the farm early to help Farmer John cook the food. They like to make sandwiches, salad, pasta and bacon. Bill always makes the pasta. Mary also comes to help Farmer John decorate the farm. Mary likes to put up lots of pink decorations all around the farm. She also brings her friend Jessica. Jessica's favorite colors are blue and green so she brings plenty of blue and green balloons to help make everything look pretty. After everyone has finished setting up the farm all the guests come over. Robert is always the first person to show up. He brings fried chicken and likes to eat a lot of food. He always eats a plate of bacon first. When he is done he eats a big plate of pasta. When everyone else arrives at the party, they play a game in the living room. Farmer John enjoys playing pin the tail on the unicorn. Whoever wins the game gets a big piece of cake. Last time they played, Jessica got the cake.
1. What did Farmer John like to have?
2. Did he throw the best parties?
3. Does he cook food for them?
4. Who is Bill?
5. What does he help Farmer John do?
6. What kind of food?
7. Who makes the pasta?
8. What are jessica's favorite colors?
9. Does she bring ballons those colors?
10. What happens when they finish setting up?
11. Who is the first to show up?
12. What does he bring with him?
13. What does he eat first?
14. What does he eat after that?
15. Do they play a game in the living room?
16. Whats the prize?
17. Who one last time?
18. Does Robert like to eat lots of food?
Answer:
1. parties
2. yes
3. yes
4. Farmer John's best friend
5. cook the food
6. sandwiches, salad, pasta and bacon
7. Bill
8. blue and green
9. yes
10. guests come over
11. Robert
12. fried chicken
13. a plate of bacon first
14. a big plate of pasta
15. yes
16. a big piece of cake
17. Jessica
18. yes