WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Insurgents' use of roadside bombs has increased dramatically in Afghanistan this year, according to Pentagon statistics, and the United States' top military official is calling them the "No. 1 threat" to troops there. An IED is exploded by U.S. Marines near the remote village of Baqwa, Afghanistan, in March. In June there were 736 incidents in Afghanistan involving roadside bombs, called improvised explosive devices or IEDs, and 82 "effective attacks," ones that caused casualties among coalition forces, the figures show. That was up from 263 incidents and 25 effective attacks in February, with the numbers increasing each month, said the Pentagon's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, an agency dedicated to thwarting roadside bombs. The number of coalition forces killed and wounded by such bombs has climbed, though not steadily, from 18 killed and 33 wounded in February to 23 killed and 166 wounded in June, the agency said. No numbers were provided for July, but such attacks have continued this month. In the latest, roadside bombs killed two NATO-led troops on Thursday, one in eastern Afghanistan and the other in southern Afghanistan. The military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in that country. And at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in response to a reporter's question that the biggest threat to coalition troops in Afghanistan is improvised explosive devices.  Watch Adm. Mullen address efforts in Afghanistan » He noted that they "have become more and more sophisticated over time" and that they are being combined with "more and more sophisticated attacks from the Taliban, where they use IEDs as well as other tactics to inflict or to fight our troops."

Question: how much number were in july?

Question: What has been called the weapon of choice for insurgents?

Question: how many coalition troops were injured in june

Question: how many incidents were in June?

Question: What is the name of the weapon of choice for insurgents?

Question: What number of incidents in June caused casualties?

Question: What has continued this month?

Question: where are these incidents taking place

Answer: No

Answer: IEDs

Answer: 166

Answer: 736

Answer: IEDs

Answer: 736

Answer: attacks

Answer: in Afghanistan

Summary:
Pentagon agency: 82 incidents in June caused casualties among coalition troops .
Military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in Afghanistan .
No numbers were provided for July, but such attacks have continued this month .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Interrogation tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation and slapping did not violate laws against torture when there was no intent to cause severe pain, according to a Bush-era memo on the tactics released Thursday.

Attorney General Eric Holder says government workers who followed protocol won't be prosecuted.

"To violate the statute, an individual must have the specific intent to inflict severe pain or suffering," said an August 2002 memo from then-Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee to John Rizzo, who was acting general counsel for the CIA.

"Because specific intent is an element of the offense, the absence of specific intent negates the charge of torture. ... We have further found that if a defendant acts with the good faith belief that his actions will not cause such suffering, he has not acted with specific intent," Bybee wrote.

The Bybee opinion was sought on 10 interrogation tactics in the case of suspected al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah.

The memo authorized keeping Zubaydah in a dark, confined space small enough to restrict the individual's movement for no more than two hours at a time. In addition, putting a harmless insect into the box with Zubaydah, who "appears to have a fear of insects," and telling him it is a stinging insect would be allowed, as long as Zubaydah was informed the insect's sting would not be fatal or cause severe pain.

"If, however, you were to place the insect in the box without informing him that you are doing so ... you should not affirmatively lead him to believe that any insect is present which has a sting that could produce severe pain or suffering or even cause his death," the memo said.

Other memos allowed the use of such tactics as keeping a detainee naked and in some cases in a diaper, and putting detainees on a liquid diet.

On waterboarding, in which a person gets the sensation of drowning, the memo said, "although the waterboard constitutes a threat of imminent death, prolonged mental harm must nonetheless result" to violate the law.

Authorities also were allowed to slap a detainee's face "to induce shock, surprise or humiliation" and strike his abdomen with the back of the hand in order to disabuse a detainee's notion that he will not be touched, the memos said.

Bybee noted in the memo that the CIA agreed all tactics should be used under expert supervision. Other memos said waterboarding can be used only if the CIA has "credible intelligence that a terrorist attack is imminent" and if a detainee is believed to have information that could prevent, disrupt or delay an attack, and other methods fail to elicit the information.

Another memo to Rizzo, from Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Steven G. Bradbury on May 10, 2005, noted that nudity could be used as an interrogation technique.

"Detainees subject to sleep deprivation who are also subject to nudity as a separate interrogation technique will at times be nude and wearing a diaper," it said, noting that the diaper is "for sanitary and health purposes of the detainee; it is not used for the purpose of humiliating the detainee and it is not considered to be an interrogation technique."

"The detainee's skin condition is monitored, and diapers are changed as needed so that the detainee does not remain in a soiled diaper," the memo said.

Another Bradbury memo laid out techniques and when they should be used in a "prototypical interrogation."

"Several of the techniques used by the CIA may involve a degree of physical pain, as we have previously noted, including facial and abdominal slaps, walling, stress positions and water dousing," it said. "Nevertheless, none of these techniques would cause anything approaching severe physical pain."

All of the CIA techniques were adapted from military "survival evasion resistance escape" training, according to a May 30, 2005, memo from Bradbury to Rizzo.

"Although there are obvious differences between training exercises and actual interrogations, the fact that the United States uses similar techniques on its own troops for training purposes strongly suggests that

Question:
What must one have intent to do?
Who was guidance offered to?
Which actions will not be prosecuted?
What law is the memo about?

Answer: the specific

Answer: Rizzo.

Answer: tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation and slapping

Answer: against torture

Summary:
Memo: To violate torture law, must have intent to inflict severe suffering .
Obama says releasing memos vital to maintaining transparency, accountability .
Legal memos offered guidance to CIA on "enhanced interrogation"
No prosecution for actions consistent with memos, official says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Iranian-Americans demonstrated on the streets of Washington on Wednesday evening, marching from Iranian diplomatic offices to the Russian embassy, in protest of both governments' actions. A Tuesday meeting of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, and Dmitry Medvedev has angered Iranian-Americans. The demonstration came in the wake of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Moscow on Tuesday, despite allegations of ballot fraud in Ahmadinejad's re-election last week. "We're hoping that the world attention does not end from what the Iranians are doing right now, because this is not going to end in the next few days, because this is a long haul, a long battle," said Washington protest and group organizer Morteza Ahmady. "Iranians are very capable of deciding their own destiny." The group Whereismyvote.org organized the demonstration of about 100 people and aims to build support for its "global protest" this Saturday. "I think it's a very new thing from a historical point of view; it's a civic movement. People try to keep it as nonviolent and civil as possible," said group organizer Negar Mortarzavi. In Russia, Ahmadinejad was welcomed as the "newly re-elected president of Iran," with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling reporters, "the issue of elections in Iran is an internal affair of the Iranian people." Eighty-five percent of the country's 46 million eligible voters went to the polls on Friday, an unprecedented turnout, Iran's interior ministry said. When the ballots were counted, the government declared Ahmadinejad the winner, with 62.63 percent of the vote. The man many analysts had widely expected to win, Mir Hossein Moussavi, received 33.75 percent. The speed with which the election results were released -- two hours after polls closed -- insulted the Iranian people, said Ahmady, who cited that as a sign of fraud. Moussavi's camp has demanded new elections. Sarah, a Washington protester who would give only her first name, agreed. "We're not saying that pro-Ahmadinejad supporters don't exist; they do exist," she said. "And we're saying that, yes, if they indeed did win the vote, then the election should be theirs, because we are a democratic people. But we don't feel comfortable with the numbers that came out of Iran. And we're not saying that we don't accept it altogether. We're just asking for a revote."

Question: Where did they march?

Question: Who hosted Mahmoud Admadinejad after the election?

Question: Where do they march from?

Answer: marching from Iranian diplomatic offices to the Russian embassy,

Answer: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Answer: Iranian diplomatic offices

Summary:
They march from Iranian to Russian embassies, protesting both governments .
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after election .
D.C. protest organizer: "This is a long haul, a long battle"
Iran has been gripped by protests since Ahmadinejad was declared victor in election .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It isn't clear whether the United States will ever be able to declare victory in Iraq, the top U.S. commander there said Thursday. Army Gen. Ray Odierno speaks to reporters at the Pentagon  on Thursday. "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years," Army Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters at the Pentagon. About 123,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq now, and President Obama says all combat forces will be gone by the end of August 2010, leaving as many as 50,000 noncombat troops to advise and train Iraqi forces before leaving by the end of 2011. Odierno has said he wants to draw down the U.S. forces at a faster rate than planned if the security situation allows it. On Thursday, he said he expected the number of U.S. troops to drop to 120,000 by the end of October, and to as few as 110,000 by the end of 2009. "What we've done here is we're giving Iraq an opportunity in the long term to be a strategic partner of the United States, but more importantly, be a partner in providing regional stability inside of the Middle East," Odierno said. Odierno also highlighted continuing security issues inside the country, saying Iraqi security forces have recently seized several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs. "If you're training people ... in Iran to come back into Iraq, and you're providing them rockets and other things, I call that significant because it still enables people to conduct attacks not only on U.S. forces but on Iraqi civilians," Odierno said. At a congressional hearing Wednesday, Odierno said the main threat to stability in Iraq are Arab-Kurd tensions, adding there has been difficulty bringing the two sides together for possible joint patrols. "We've had some very good meetings," he said. "But we still have some ways to go on that."

Question: How many U.S. troops are presently in Iraq?

Question: What were the remarks made to reporters?

Question: How many U.S. troops in Iraq?

Question: How many troops does Odierno want to keep in Iraq?

Question: What did Iraqi security forces recently seize?

Question: Who makes remark to reporters at Pentagon?

Question: What was in the weapons caches?

Question: what did they seize

Question: What did Iraqi security forces seize?

Question: Who made remarks to the reporters?

Question: What number could the troops drop to by January?

Question: what remarks did he make

Answer: About 123,000

Answer: "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years,"

Answer: About 123,000

Answer: 110,000

Answer: several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: Army Gen. Ray Odierno

Answer: Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: several "very large" caches of Iranian-made rockets and armor-piercing munitions

Answer: Army Gen. Ray Odierno

Answer: 110,000

Answer: "I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq, because first off, I'm not sure we'll know for 10 years or five years,"

Summary:
U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno makes remark to reporters at Pentagon .
About 123,000 U.S. troops in Iraq; could drop to 110,000 by January, he says .
Odierno: Iraqi security forces recently seized caches of Iranian-made weapons .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It was a heartwarming sight: Laura Ling and Euna Lee landing on U.S. soil and being reunited with their families. To the elation of their families, Bill Clinton returned to the U.S. with journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Then, after an appropriate amount of time for hugs and kisses, Bill Clinton appeared, descending from his movie-producer friend's plane like an angel from heaven. An emotional Ling practically referred to the former president as a messiah, describing to the media and well-wishers waiting at the airport how she and Lee thought they were being sent to a hard-labor camp, only to walk through a door to find Clinton. The crowd broke into loud applause. For all of those who wondered what Bill would do in Hillary Clinton's diplomatic world, wonder no longer. As details of the Clinton mission came out, it was revealed that the North Koreans themselves asked for Clinton, promising amnesty for the women upon delivery of the former president, whose visit eluded them while he was in office. The deal was done even before Clinton stepped on the plane. So what is next for Bill Clinton? If the mere thought of a meeting with him is enough to move a regime notorious for never moving, can the Obama administration use that star power to rescue three American hikers who ventured into Iran and are believed to be held by Iranian authorities? Can Clinton head off two Russian attack submarines cruising in the Atlantic off the East Coast of the United States? Former presidents are used as envoys and undertake humanitarian missions all the time. Then-President Clinton used former President Jimmy Carter to travel to North Korea in 1994 to negotiate the end to the first nuclear crisis. Clinton and his predecessor, George H.W. Bush, were tapped by Bush's son, then-President George W. Bush, to lead relief efforts to help Asian and African nations devastated by the 2004 tsunami and again in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. But the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton and President Obama is complex, to say the least. After a bitter-fought battle during the Democratic primaries, Hillary Clinton supporters were looking for a robust role for her in exchange for her support of Obama, with many even suggesting her as a possible candidate for vice president. That idea was short-lived. The Obama team wanted Hillary far from the West Wing. And they wanted Bill even farther. When Obama tapped Hillary to be his secretary of state, there was no shortage of critics who asserted that her husband's global foundation and role as a high-paid public speaker would present a conflict of interest. The Clintons agreed to strict rules of the road to avoid such conflicts going forward. However Hillary never demurred in her praise for what her husband has accomplished, both during his eight years in the White House or post-presidency. Hillary herself has said she considered her husband a trusted adviser and could even consider using him where appropriate. He is a former president, after all. Bill Clinton has largely stayed out of the limelight, quietly continuing his globetrotting on behalf of the world's poor and downtrodden. In May, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed him as the United Nations' special envoy to Haiti in an effort to refocus international attention on the Caribbean country's deep economic problems and environmental decay. But with the success of his North Korean mission so quick and easy, it's conceivable that Bill Clinton could add the role of "diplomatic cleaner" to his resume -- a version of Harvey Keitel's role as Winston Wolfe in the movie "Pulp Fiction" -- a fixer of messy problems, which he solves with a combination of stylish charisma and lucid thinking under pressure. The Obama administration has no shortage of messy foreign policy problems that Hillary Clinton knows could use a Winston Wolfe.

Question: Who had a successful mission to North Korea?

Question: Who was detained in North Korea?

Question: Who did the ex-president retrieve?

Question: Where is Clinton going?

Question: Which movie character was Clinton compared to after his successful mission?

Answer: Bill Clinton

Answer: Laura Ling and Euna Lee

Answer: journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

Answer: U.S.

Answer: Winston Wolfe

Summary:
Spotlight returns to Bill Clinton after successful mission to North Korea .
Ex-president's speedy retrieval of detained journalists could set stage for new role .
In "Pulp Fiction," characters turned to Winston Wolfe to calmly solve messy problems .
Analysis: Clinton's charms could be used with Wolfe-like efficiency around globe .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- It was the annual revving of the engines Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial as thousands of motorcyclists converged on Washington to honor those who have served the country. Members of Rolling Thunder ride into Washington on Sunday. Riders from Rolling Thunder, a group created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA, rolled into the nation's capital, greeting crowds of supporters who lined the streets. "It's a great tribute to people that have sacrificed everything, including their life," said rider Mick Smith. He and fellow Vietnam veteran Juan Cruz rode their motorcycles from Pennsylvania. "It's a brotherhood that we have, veterans of the foreign wars," Cruz said. "The camaraderie is so perfect that we don't need anything else. We forget about our problems." Lyn Seidler was among the spectators who lined the motorcycle route in the hot and humid weather to greet the bikers as they passed over the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington. "The servicemen made a sacrifice," Seidler said. For her, cheering on Rolling Thunder was a way to help celebrate troops, "and to say thank you," she said. After completing their rides, the bikers gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial. "I'm here today to honor our veterans, our fallen veterans, to help the living by supporting the dead," Cruz said. The Defense Department says there are more than 88,000 soldiers still listed as missing in action from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined. -CNN's Lauren Pratapas contributed to this report

Question: What is Rolling Thunder?

Question: How many are missing in action?

Question: What does the rider call the Rolling Thunder?

Question: How many soldiers listed as missing in action?

Question: What does Rolling Thunder bring attention to?

Question: How many soldiers are listed as missing in action?

Question: What did Rolling Thunder create?

Answer: a group created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Answer: 88,000

Answer: a great tribute to people that have sacrificed everything, including their life,"

Answer: more than 88,000

Answer: soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Answer: more than 88,000

Answer: bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA,

Summary:
Rolling Thunder created to bring attention to soldiers listed as POW or MIA .
"It's a brotherhood that we have, veterans of the foreign wars," rider says .
Defense Department: More than 88,000 soldiers listed as missing in action .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Kyrgyzstan's decision to close a key U.S. military base is "regrettable," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, but it won't affect the U.S. military effort in nearby Afghanistan. Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. On Friday, Russia announced it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. The United States uses Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan as a route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced Tuesday that "all due procedures" were being initiated to close the base. "It's regrettable that this is under consideration by the government of Kyrgyzstan, and we hope to have further discussions with them," Clinton told reporters Thursday after a meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. "But we will proceed in a very effective manner no matter what the outcome of the Kyrgyzstan government's deliberations might be." Bakiyev made his announcement at a news conference in Moscow, Russia, following news reports of a multimillion-dollar aid package from Russia to Kyrgyzstan. Lavrov said on Russian television that his country intends to help get vital cargo -- but no weapons or troops -- to NATO troops in Afghanistan. The United States asked to transport the cargo through Russian territory to Afghanistan, Lavrov said. The U.S. military is planning to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to halt a resurgence of the Taliban. Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, described Manas as having "an important role in the deployment of these forces" and in refueling aircraft. Senior State Department officials said the State and Defense departments are working with Kyrgyzstan to keep the lease to the base. The officials said the Kyrgyzstan government has not yet responded to an offer to renew the lease. Discussions are being conducted through the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan and relevant State Department and Pentagon bureaus, the officials said. One official said the United States has almost 18 months to renegotiate the lease before it expires and hopes Kyrgyzstan will reconsider their position. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell called Manas "a hugely important air base." "It provides us with launching point to provide supplies in Afghanistan. We very much appreciate [Kyrgyz] support in using that base, and we hope to continue," he said at a daily news briefing earlier this week. Clinton said the Defense Department "is conducting an examination as to how else we would proceed that will not affect whatever decisions we make." Petraeus was in Kyrgyzstan last month, partly to lobby the government to allow the United States to keep using the base. He said he and Kyrgyz leaders did not discuss at all the possible closure of the base and said local officials told him there was "no foundation" for news reports about the issue. The mountainous former Soviet republic is Central Asia's second poorest country. The United States pays about $63 million a year for use of the base and employs more than 320 Kyrgyz citizens there, Petraeus said. The base has been in operation since December 2001 under U.N. mandate. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported Tuesday that Russia would offer Kyrgyzstan a $300 million, 40-year loan at an annual interest rate of 0.75 percent, and write off $180 million in Kyrgyz debt. Kyrgyzstan also is home to a Russian military base, at Kant, that officially opened in 2003. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov told Russian news agency Interfax it was coincidence that talk of the base closure comes at the same time as the loan. "The Russian decision to grant a major loan has nothing to do with the pullout of the U.S. air base from the Kyrgyz territory," Chudinov said. The relationship between the United States and Kyrgyzstan was damaged when a U.S. airman killed a Kyrgyz citizen in December 2006. The airman was transferred out of Kyrgyzstan, and the dead man's family was offered compensation. Petraeus said in January an investigation into the death was being reopened. In announcing the base closure, Bakiyev said he was not satisfied

Question: what does united states use

Question: Who uses Kyrgyz base as a route for troops and supplies in Afghanistan?

Question: Who says it will help transport U.S. nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan?

Question: What says Russia?

Question: russia says what

Question: who says procedures had been initiated to close base

Answer: Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan

Answer: The United States

Answer: Russia

Answer: announced it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan,

Answer: it would assist the U.S. in transporting nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan,

Answer: President Kurmanbek Bakiyev

Summary:
NEW: Russia says it will help transport U.S. nonmilitary cargo to Afghanistan .
United States uses Kyrgyz base as a route for troops and supplies in Afghanistan .
Kyrgyz president says procedures had been initiated to close base .
Move follows news of a multimillion-dollar aid package from Russia .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Last week's "balloon boy" incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, an agency representative said Tuesday. The Heene family -- including Falcon, second from right -- on CNN's "Larry King Live" last week. Richard and Mayumi Heene, whose son Falcon was thought for several hours to have flown away in a homemade balloon, are facing a number of local charges, a Colorado sheriff said this week. The Fort Collins couple could be charged with conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and attempting to influence a public servant, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday. The family also probably will be charged with filing a false police report, which is a misdemeanor, Alderden said. Their lawyer, David Lane, said the sheriff was overreaching and that the family deserves the presumption of innocence.  Watch the Heenes' friends talk about the incident » FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere confirmed Tuesday that the agency was "investigating the circumstances" of the incident, in which police and military scrambled to rescue the 6-year-old boy, who later turned out to be hiding in his family's attic. A source familiar with the investigation said no record has been found indicating that Richard Heene called the FAA. The agency does not record all of its calls, and the search for a record of any call is continuing, the source said. The Heenes may have violated FAA regulations barring people from flying balloons or kites within 5 miles of an airport, an FAA official said. The official declined to be named because the case is under investigation. The giant silver balloon was apparently not visible on radar, the official said, and the FAA is relying on pilot reports to determine its approximate flight path during the roughly three hours it was aloft Thursday. CNN's Mike M. Ahlers in Washington contributed to this story.

Question: who is facing charges

Question: What does the Heene family deserve?

Question: What will Federal Aviation Administration do?

Question: who deserves the presumption of innocence

Question: What are the balloon owners facing?

Question: What are balloon's owner facing?

Question: who might have called the faa

Question: What is the Federal Aviation Adminstration looking into?

Question: What did the lawyer say?

Answer: Richard and Mayumi Heene,

Answer: the presumption of innocence.

Answer: "investigating the circumstances"

Answer: the family

Answer: a number of local charges,

Answer: number of local charges,

Answer: Richard Heene

Answer: Last week's "balloon boy" incident

Answer: the sheriff was overreaching and that the family deserves the presumption of innocence.

Summary:
Federal Aviation Administration looking into "escaped balloon" story .
Balloon's owners already facing several local charges .
Heene family deserves presumption of innocence, lawyer says .
No proof that Richard Heene called FAA when balloon set off, source says .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Mexican and Colombian officials working with U.S. agents have seized about $41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced Monday. Colombian authorities seized $11.2 million in U.S. currency in Buenaventura, Colombia, on September 9. The U.S. agency, commonly called ICE, says the seizures were made September 9-18. It called them the largest seizure of cash ever found in shipping containers destined for Colombia and the largest for the agency since its inception. According to ICE: • On September 9, Colombian customs inspectors and Colombian national police, acting on intelligence reports, seized $11.2 million in U.S. currency hidden in two shipping containers. The containers were aboard a vessel that sailed from the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was headed to Buenaventura, Colombia. Colombian customs inspectors said it was the most cash ever seized by police at a port in the nation. • On September 10, a second seizure of U.S. currency estimated at $11.2 million also was made at the Buenaventura port. • On September 11, a shipment of $11 million was discovered hidden inside two shipping containers at the Port of Manzanillo. • On September 14, ICE special agents, along with Colombian authorities, discovered three additional shipping containers in Buenaventura containing about $5 million in $100 and $50 bills. These shipping containers also originated in Manzanillo. • On September 18, authorities seized $2.15 million in $100 bills concealed inside two containers aboard a vessel that arrived in Manzanillo. "This seizure represents a bad day for organized crime," ICE Director John Morton said at a Monday news conference in Washington. "Forty-one million dollars is not a rounding error. The loss of that kind of money hurts." All of the money was concealed in sacks of fertilizer chemicals in containers transported on commercial ships, Morton said.  Watch investigators uncover cash » "When it's packed in very large containers, it's extremely difficult to probe; it's extremely difficult to X-ray. And so it was a very good means of concealing currency," he said. The ports of Buenaventura and Manzanillo are key points along a well-known route used for smuggling cocaine northward to Mexico and then on to the United States, and for sending cash back into Colombia, where most of the cocaine originates, ICE said in a news release. Morton called the smugglers "very, very sophisticated," saying they were using the lawful shipping trade to send drug profits from the U.S. through Mexico to Colombia. Morton said the money will be forfeited in accordance with the laws of the nations where it was seized, with Colombia keeping $28 million and Mexico getting $13 million. "None of these monies will be forfeited to the United States," he said. While large, this month's cash seizure is not a record. In March of 2007, officials in Mexico officials confiscated $207 million in cash in what was then called the largest drug-related cash seizure in history. ICE is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, investigating financial crime, trade fraud, narcotics smuggling and cash smuggling, the agency said. ICE was established in 2003 after the Homeland Security Act of 2002. CNN's Mike M. Ahlers and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

Question: Joint operation nets about how many million  in cash?

Question: Who calls ports key points in drug trade route?

Question: The cash was hidden where?

Question: Who is working with U.S. agents?

Answer: $41

Answer: ICE

Answer: in shipping containers,

Answer: Mexican and Colombian officials

Summary:
Joint operation nets about $41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers .
Mexican, Colombian authorities working with U.S. agents seize money in 2 ports .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement calls ports key points in drug trade route .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Mohammed Ismail was released from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in early 2004 and sent back to Afghanistan to be set free. A guard talks with a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, earlier this year. Within four months, the U.S. military said, he was recaptured in Afghanistan attacking U.S. troops there, with paperwork on him that said he was a Taliban in good standing. He is just one of 74 former Guantanamo Bay detainees who the military says were active in, or were suspected of being active in, fighting against the United States or committing terrorist acts after being released. Another is Abdullah Gulam Rasoul, who was released from Guantanamo in December 2007 and set free in Afghanistan. Rasoul has become a powerful Taliban military commander in southern Afghanistan, the military said, and the United States suspects he is responsible for several attacks on U.S. forces there. A senior U.S. military official said he believes Rasoul is using his former Guantanamo experience to build on his "rock star status" among the Taliban. Abd al Hadi Abdallah Ibrahim al Shaikh of Saudi Arabia, who was released in 2007, was arrested in 2008 by Saudi authorities on suspicion of supporting terrorism inside that country, the military said. On Tuesday, the Pentagon released information that showed 14 percent of former detainees have turned to, or are suspected of having turned to, terrorism activity since being released from Guantanamo. The data represent the most recent statistics of former detainees tracked by military and other U.S. government intelligence agencies. The report shows that of the more than 530 detainees released from the prison, 27 have been confirmed to have engaged in terrorist activities and 47 are suspected of participating in some kind of terrorist act. The statistics indicate that there has been a slight increase since the end of 2008, and the number of released detainees turning to or suspected of turning to the insurgency is almost doubled from the 7 percent in that category a few years ago, according to Pentagon officials familiar with the information. The report said that between December 2008 and March 2009, nine former detainees were added to the confirmed list, six of whom were moved over from the suspected list. The Pentagon's definition for "suspected" is significant reporting indicating a person is involved in terrorist activities and an analysis showing a match to an identity of a former detainee. The report defines "confirmed" as a preponderance of evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, photo match or reliable or well-corroborated intelligence that can identify a former detainee at Guantanamo. In January, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said 62 former Guantanamo detainees may have gone on to participate in terrorism or military activity. That number included 18 who had been directly tied to an attack or attacks and 43 who were suspected of such action, Pentagon officials said at the time. "What's clear is we are not seeing recidivism on the decline," according to a defense official who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to say what officials think is the reason for the numbers having gone up, but said the United States does monitor as best as it can detainees who have been released from Guantanamo. The Pentagon released the names of almost 30 former detainees confirmed or suspected to have gone on to fight, with examples of what these men had done after their release. Abdullah Saleh Ali al-Ajmi, for example, was released in 2005 to Kuwait. In April 2008 he blew himself up in Mosul, Iraq, killing a number of Iraqis, the Pentagon said. Yousef Muhammed Yaaqoub was released from Guantanamo and sent back to Afghanistan to be freed in 2003. The Pentagon documents show that he rejoined the Taliban as a commander in southern Afghanistan, and planned a jailbreak in Kandahar and a "nearly successful capture of the town of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan." Yaaqoub was killed fighting U.S. troops on May 7, 2004, according to the Pentagon data, and his memorial service in Pakistan drew a number of wanted Taliban leaders. Other examples released by the Pentagon show men

Question: What are 14 percent suspected of turning to?

Question: What is the amount of ex-detainees?

Question: What prrcent turn to or a suspected of turning to terrorism?

Question: How many detainees have gone on to fight?

Question: How many ex-detainees' names were released?

Question: How many turn to terrorism activities?

Question: What has doubled from a few years ago?

Answer: terrorism activity

Answer: 530

Answer: 14 percent

Answer: 74

Answer: almost 30

Answer: 14 percent of former detainees

Answer: number of released detainees turning to

Summary:
Pentagon: 14 percent turn to, or are suspected of turning to, terrorism activities .
Rate has doubled from that of a few years ago, Pentagon officials say .
Names of almost 30 ex-detainees believed to have gone on to fight released .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Nearly 6.2 million students in the United States between the ages of 16 and 24 in 2007 dropped out of high school, fueling what a report released Tuesday called "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

A new report on high school dropouts in the United States calls for a national re-enrollment strategy.

The total represents 16 percent of all people in the United States in that age range in 2007. Most of the dropouts were Latino or black, according to a report by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago, Illinois.

"Because of the widespread, pressing nature of the crisis and the large numbers of young people who have already dropped out, a national re-enrollment strategy should be a fundamental part of America's national education agenda," the report says.

However, the report notes, the "absence of new funding at the federal and state level since the 1980s has led to decades of disinvestment in re-enrollment programs across the country."

Despite the funding cutbacks, there have been re-enrollment successes nationally and in a number of cities including Chicago; Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Portland, Oregon, the report says.

"These programs have found that young people who have left high school before earning a diploma are not dead-end dropouts, but often are in fact students waiting and looking for opportunities to re-enroll and finish high school," the study says. "The most successful programs are small (80-150 students), offering comprehensive after-school and summer activities, led by experienced principals and teachers, focused on learning in the real world, well-funded with local school site program and fiscal control, and track specific, measurable outcomes for student achievement including skill gains, enrollment, attendance, credit gains, promotions and graduations."

Jesse Williams, 22, was one of those dropouts who is now working on her degree.

She said a street shooting in which one friend died and two were wounded was the start of her losing interest in school.

"My junior year I dropped out," she said at a summit in Washington on Tuesday. "Too much gang violence, teachers discriminating because of the color of my skin, or where I come from."

Now re-enrolled in a Chicago school dedicated to bringing dropouts back to education, Williams said, "They help me in my classwork. I have a mentor that checks up on me monthly. She goes to my house, sees if there's anything that I need."

Researchers for the study analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Surveys, household data from the Current Population Survey, national data on GED certificate awards and other official sources to examine the problem at the national level and in the nation's 12 largest states: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

Men and blacks and Hispanics of both genders are among those particularly prone to dropping out of high school.

"As these data show, this dropout crisis is disproportionately affecting America's communities of color," said Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. "Youth from all communities deserve an equal chance at educational success."

Among the findings in the report, "Left Behind in America: The Nation's Dropout Crisis:"

The dropout situation at the state level was similarly widespread:

The report emphasized the importance of having at least a high school education.

"In the current global economy, having at least a high school diploma is a critical step for avoiding poverty, and a college degree is a prerequisite for a well-paying job," the study says. "The costs of dropping out of high school today are substantial and have risen over time, especially for young men, who find it almost impossible to earn an adequate income to take care of themselves and their families."

The report

Question: how many dropouts?

Question: Who dropped out the most?

Question: What did the report conclude?

Question: who ran the study?

Question: What did the report emphasize the importance of?

Question: What did the study find?

Question: What did the study show?

Question: what ethnicity has the highest dropout rate?

Question: What does the study examine?

Answer: 6.2 million

Answer: Latino or black,

Answer: "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

Answer: Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts,

Answer: having at least a high school education.

Answer: Men and blacks and Hispanics of both genders are among those particularly prone to dropping out of high school.

Answer: "a persistent high school dropout crisis."

Answer: Latino or black,

Answer: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Surveys,

Summary:
Newly released study examines rates of high school dropouts .
Study finds African-American and Latino youths prevalent among dropouts .
Urban League head: crisis hitting "America's communities of color"
Report also emphasizes importance of obtaining high school diploma .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Negotiations between the United States and Libya that could result in compensation for past acts of state-sponsored terrorism by Libya are under way, a senior State Department official said Friday. The wreckage of Pan Am 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland; the bombing killed 270 people in 1989. U.S. and Libyan officials met Wednesday and Thursday, the official said. The nations hope to hammer out a deal in which Libya would "resolve all outstanding claims in good faith" and offer "fair compensation" to victims and their families, he said. "We are just at the beginning of this process. The goal is to get something that is fair and comprehensive," the official said. The official said that any agreement would cover about eight acts, including the 1989 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground; and the 1986 bombing of the La Belle disco in Berlin, Germany, that killed two people and injured at least 120, including 40 Americans. Outstanding terrorism claims have been a problem for Libya in its attempts to normalize relations with the United States and to begin development of its oil resources. Libya has expressed disappointment that it has failed to reap any political and economic benefits promised by the U.S. government and others after Libya renounced terrorism and stopped development of weapons of mass destruction. And some of the largest U.S. oil companies are eager to begin exploration and development of Libya oil fields, among the 10 largest in the world. The new negotiations and development of an agreement would ideally fulfill all outstanding lawsuits against Libya and allow investment to move forward. A joint U.S.-Libyan statement said, "Both parties affirm their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously in the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism."

Question: What number of acts would be covered in  possible agreement?

Question: What country renounced  terrorism?

Question: what Lybia has tried to normalize?

Question: what nations are hoping?

Question: what would be covered in possible agreement?

Question: How many acts are covered in agreement?

Question: What is the number of acts in the agreement?

Question: What countries are involved?

Question: What country has tried to normalize relations with U.S.?

Question: What country's wants to explore Libya's oil fields?

Question: How many acts would be covered in a possible agreement?

Question: Where do U.S. oil companies want to explore and develop?

Answer: eight

Answer: Libya

Answer: relations with the United States

Answer: United States and Libya

Answer: about eight acts,

Answer: eight

Answer: eight

Answer: United States and Libya

Answer: Libya

Answer: United States

Answer: eight

Answer: Libya

Summary:
Nations hoping for deal in which Libya would compensate terrorism victims .
Eights acts would be covered in possible agreement .
Libya has tried to normalize relations with U.S. by renouncing terrorism .
U.S. oil companies want to explore and develop Libya's oil fields .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he is giving up his proposal to grant driver's licenses to undocumented workers, a plan he said would "improve the safety and security of the people of my state."

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer says Wednesday in Washington that opposition to his plan doomed it.

Spitzer said he was giving up because he had concluded that "New York state cannot successfully address this problem on its own."

He said he wanted to act because of the failure of the federal government to deal with immigration policy and the impact that failure was having on New York.

"I would suggest to you what everyone already knows, " Spitzer said. "The federal government has lost control of its borders. It has allowed millions of undocumented workers to enter our country and now has no solution to deal with them."

The effect was about 1 million undocumented workers in New York state, "many of whom are driving without licenses," said Spitzer, surrounded at a news conference by members of his state's congressional delegation.   Watch Spitzer explain why he's withdrawing the proposal »

Spitzer said licensing workers who did not have Social Security numbers, which New York had done in the past, would have aided law enforcement and would have made the state's streets safer and more secure.

However, Spitzer acknowledged that "you don't need a stethoscope to hear the heartbeat of the public," saying he had concluded that opposition to his plan would have doomed it.

"You have polarization on this issue that has defied resolution," he said. Watch what a hornet's nest the proposal stirred up

Spitzer put forward his proposal in September, saying it would bring New York's estimated 1 million illegal immigrants "out of the shadows."

In October, the governor said there would be three tiers of licenses, ranging from a license restricting travel, a document called Real ID for legal residents and a stricter one that would allow people to travel into Canada.

U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-New York, on Wednesday thanked Spitzer for making the effort to bring about change, noting that undocumented workers "are part of the economy, they are part of what America's supposed to be."

"There is no question that we lack the leadership on the national level to change the tone," Rangel said. "And that is the reason why leaders all over the country -- mayors and governors -- are trying so desperately hard to deal locally with a problem that is basically a national problem."

One influential member of New York's congressional delegation missing from the briefing was Sen. Hillary Clinton, considered the front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. A spokesman from her office said she couldn't attend the news conference because of a scheduling conflict.

As the plan became a topic of national discussion, critics accused her of failing to take a definitive stance on the issue. In a debate last week, Clinton said Spitzer's plan "makes a lot of sense" but stopped short of endorsing it.

On Wednesday, Clinton issued a written statement supporting Spitzer's decision to withdraw the proposal.

"His difficult job is made that much harder by the failure of the Congress and the White House to pass comprehensive immigration reform," Clinton said.

"As president, I will not support driver's licenses for undocumented people and will press for comprehensive immigration reform that deals with all of the issues around illegal immigration, including border security and fixing our broken system."

Clinton's rivals quickly pounced on her statement.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, called her action "flip-flopping cubed," and Bill Burton, a spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, also sharply criticized Clinton for switching her views on the issue.

"When it takes two weeks and six different positions to answer one question on immigration, it's easier to understand why the Clinton campaign would rather plant their questions than answer them," Burton said.

Seventy-

Question: Who says she will not support licenses for illegal immigrants?

Question: Who says federal government "has lost control of its borders"?

Question: What did Gov. Eliot Spitzer say?

Answer: Sen. Hillary Clinton,

Answer: Spitzer

Answer: he is giving up his proposal to grant

Summary:
NEW: Rivals criticize Clinton for changing stance .
Sen. Hillary Clinton says she will not support licenses for illegal immigrants .
N.Y. governor describes "polarized" public opinion on immigration .
Gov. Eliot Spitzer says federal government "has lost control of its borders"


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- North Korea is to blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Friday. Hyun Hak-Bong (right), North Korea's deputy negotiator to six-party talks, crosses the border into South Korea on June 5. The destruction of the plant's cooling tower is part of an agreement with the United States aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country. The North Korean government has invited news organizations, including CNN, to witness the event. Earlier this year, Pyongyang agreed to disable its nuclear reactor and provide a full accounting of its plutonium stockpile, "acknowledge" concerns about its proliferation activities and its uranium enrichment activity, and agree to continue cooperation with a verification process to ensure no further activities are taking place. North Korea has been taking Yongbyon's main reactor apart, but imploding the cooling tower is an exceptionally important psychological step given that the highly recognizable shape of the structure is synonymous with nuclear power plants. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, says it would take a year to rebuild if North Korea decided to go back on its agreement, and that the construction could not be done in secret. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended U.S. diplomacy toward North Korea last week, saying the deal with Pyongyang made Asia and the U.S. safer. Speaking at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank, Rice said that "North Korea will soon give its declaration of nuclear programs to China." China is the host of the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, along with Russia, South Korea, Japan and the United States. Rice spoke in advance of her upcoming trip to Asia where she will be attending a meeting of G8 foreign ministers and meeting with her Asian counterparts. Rice said once North Korea submits its declaration, President Bush will notify Congress he intends to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and scrap some sanctions levied against North Korea because of nuclear concerns. But she noted that there would be no practical effect to loosening the restrictions because North Korea still was under the same sanctions because of other areas of U.S. law. Rice said a 45-day review would then begin to see if North Korea is telling the truth and living up to its end of the deal struck in the six-party talks. "Before those actions go into effect, we would continue to assess the level of North Korean cooperation in helping to verify the accuracy and completeness of its declaration," she said. "And if that cooperation is insufficient, we will respond accordingly." The United States softened its demand that North Korea publicly admit to having a highly enriched uranium program and to providing Syria with nuclear technology, key unanswered questions that have left negotiations stalled for months. North Korea has already handed over about 18,000 documents on its nuclear past to the U.S., which the U.S. says are critical to verify North Korea's claims. Rice said that the deal with North Korea wasn't perfect but offered the U.S. the best chance to learn about North Korea's nuclear history. "We must keep the broader goal in mind: the elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons and programs, all of them," she said. "North Korea has said that it is committed to this goal. We'll see." Rice said that "no final agreement can be concluded" unless the U.S. verifies North Korea's claims. CNN State Department Correspondent Elise Labott contributed to this report

Question: What is North Korea going to destroy?

Question: What does North Korea plan to destroy?

Question: What was the long term aim?

Question: What country was it?

Question: How long will the cooling tower take to rebuild?

Question: What was the US agreement?

Question: How long will it take to rebuild cooling tower?

Question: How long does the U.N say the cooling tower take to rebuild?

Question: How long does the U.N. say the cooling tower would take to rebuild?

Question: What does North Korea plan to do?

Question: What is North Korea planning to do?

Question: What is part of the agreement with the U.S?

Question: Which country plans to destroy the cooling tower?

Answer: a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor

Answer: a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor

Answer: denuclearizing the Korean peninsula

Answer: North Korea

Answer: a year

Answer: denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country.

Answer: a year

Answer: a year

Answer: a year

Answer: blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor

Answer: blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor

Answer: The destruction of the plant's cooling tower

Answer: North Korea

Summary:
North Korea plans to destroy nuclear plant's cooling tower .
Implosion is part of an agreement with the United States .
U.N. says the cooling tower would take a year to rebuild .
Long-term aim is to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- One of the the country's most powerful unions stepped up its campaign for a hotly disputed labor bill Monday, holding a rally on the eve of the bill's formal introduction in Congress. Workers rally in support of the Employee Free Choice act in Lafayette Square in Washington on Monday. The legislation -- the Employee Free Choice Act -- would create an alternate process for bringing a union into a workplace. It is supported by President Barack Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership, but is fiercely opposed by most congressional Republicans and corporate leaders, who fear it will saddle a sagging business community with new burdens at the worst possible time. Business leaders "believe in this old market-worshipping, privatizing, deregulating, trickle-down [policy] that took the greatest economy on the Earth and sent it staggering forward because of their greed and their selfishness," declared Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern. "Without the Employee Free Choice Act ... the rich will get richer and the rest of us will fend for ourselves." Sterns issued his warning as his 1.8 million-member union prepared for a daylong Capitol Hill lobbying blitz on behalf of the bill Tuesday. Democrats and Republicans may disagree sharply over the merits of the legislation, but leaders on both sides of the aisle freely admit it has the potential to significantly reshape the balance of power between business and labor for the first time in years. The controversial act would allow employees to signal support for unionizing by openly signing a card demanding it. If a majority signed, the company involved would have 90 days to negotiate union representation. It would also stiffen federal laws barring employers from intimidating or firing workers who try to bring in a union. The traditional option to vote by secret ballot would still be available. But critics say the measure -- dubbed the "card check" bill by its opponents -- would effectively eliminate union elections, removing a fundamental hard-earned right of workers and forcing some workers into unions they don't want to join. Some corporate leaders have reacted angrily against the measure. If a retailer has not gotten involved with fight over this bill, he "should be shot," Bernie Marcus, co-founder and former CEO of The Home Depot, said during a conference call about the act last October. Retailers who don't speak out against it "should be thrown out of their goddamn jobs." "This is how a civilization disappears," Marcus said. "I'm sitting here as an elder statesman, and I'm watching this happen, and I don't believe it." Dave Bego, a business owner in Indianapolis, Indiana, shares Marcus' concern. Bego is the owner of EMS, which provides janitors to businesses around the country. The family-owned company has been under fire from the SEIU, which argues that EMS intimidates, harasses and violates the rights of workers wanting to unionize. It has made the company a target of repeated protests for about three years. Bego said the claims are unfounded, and it's the union that has harassed him. He said the union has sent his clients threatening letters for using his company, staged noisy protests, confronted employees, blocked building entrances and even released balloons in a client's building to disrupt business. But he told CNN his workers don't want a union because they make more in pay and benefits without having to pay SEIU's labor dues. "We have several hundred people working for us in Indianapolis [alone]," Bego said. "They've been after us for almost three years, and they've got only about 10 or 12 people interested in what they said. If our people really needed protecting, don't you think they'd be out in mass droves in the street with the union protesting EMS? Do you think we'd still be in business? I don't think so." But union workers CNN talked to say workers at EMS are afraid to speak out because they might get fired, as Shaneka Brown said she was. "We're not

Question: What did the home Depot ceo say?

Question: What was the rally in support of?

Question: In support of what is the rally held?

Question: Who says "this is how a civilization disappears"?

Question: How many days would the company have to negotiate?

Answer: If a retailer has not gotten involved with fight over this bill, he "should be shot,"

Answer: Employee Free Choice act

Answer: Employee Free Choice act

Answer: Marcus

Answer: 90

Summary:
One of largest unions holds rally in support of Employee Free Choice Act .
Bill would let employees openly sign a card demanding a union .
If a majority sign, company would have 90 days to negotiate .
Home Depot CEO, critic of bill says "this is how a civilization disappears"


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Police arrested 26 demonstrators at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday during a protest of federal AIDS policy, a Capitol police spokeswoman said. A man is placed in a van Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of unlawfully demonstrating in the Capitol. Police arrested the protesters on suspicion of unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct at the Capitol rotunda, spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said. The protesting group, Health Global Access Project, said in a statement that 27 people were arrested. The 10 a.m. demonstration by dozens of AIDS activists for increased funding of AIDS programs coincides with this week's congressional talks over the financing of a health care reform plan. Members of Health Global Access Project entered the busy rotunda and chained themselves together with plastic chains, Schneider said. They lay on the ground holding up signs while some amused bystanders watched as police tried to persuade the protesters to disperse. Police took those who refused into custody. Group members knew they risked arrest, the group said in its statement, but they wanted to grab the attention of lawmakers and President Obama, who they accused of creating a "flawed budget proposal" that did not include critical HIV/AIDS funding. "HIV is not in recession," Omolola Adele-Oso of DC Fights Back said in the statement. "So why are we bailing out the bankers with $9 trillion, but breaking promises to fund life-saving AIDS programs in the U.S. and around the world at a fraction of that cost?" The group wants increased HIV/AIDS funding in the health care plan and requested that the government "fully fund" global AIDS programs and housing programs for low-income AIDS sufferers, they said. They argue that the administration's budget proposal "essentially flatlines global AIDS funding." HIV/AIDS funding increased for 2010 under a Department of Health and Human Services budget. Obama applauded former President Bush in December for his funding of global AIDS programs and said he planned to continue the work for AIDS relief in Africa. About 33 million people worldwide have HIV, according to the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 1.1 million people living in the United States are infected with HIV/AIDS. More than 13 percent of those newly diagnosed in 2006 transmitted the disease through injection drug use, the CDC reported. Health Global Access Project also wants Congress to lift the federal ban on funding syringe exchange so clean needles are available to users, Jose De Marco said in the statement. De Marco, who has HIV, is a member of the AIDS activist organizations ACT UP Philadelphia and Proyecto Sol Filadelphia.

Question:
What is there a federal ban on?
What ban does the group want lifted?
What does the group want?
Who chained themselves together?
Who chained themselves?
What did the demonstators do?

Answer: funding syringe exchange

Answer: funding syringe exchange

Answer: to grab the attention of lawmakers and President Obama,

Answer: Members of Health Global Access Project

Answer: Members of Health Global Access Project

Answer: entered the busy rotunda and chained themselves together with plastic chains,

Summary:
Police: Demonstrators chained themselves together, lay on ground in rotunda .
Protesters: Federal government needs to spend more on AIDS programs .
Group also wants Congress to lift the federal ban on funding syringe exchange .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday admitted he made a mistake in handling the nomination of Tom Daschle as his health and human services secretary, saying Daschle's tax problems sent a message that the politically powerful are treated differently from average people.

President Barack Obama is interviewed by CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday.

Daschle, the former Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, withdrew earlier Tuesday as news that he failed to pay some taxes in the past continued to stir opposition on Capitol Hill.

"I think I screwed up," Obama said in a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper.

"And I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again."

Daschle had apologized Monday for what he said were honest mistakes, calling them an embarrassment. The series of errors included improperly reporting $15,000 in charitable donations, failing to list $80,000 in lobbying income due to what Daschle said was a paperwork error, and not reporting as income a car and driver loaned to him by a friend and business associate.  Watch Obama admit mistake »

Daschle recently filed amended tax returns and paid more than $140,000 in back taxes and interest for 2005 to 2007.

Those tax issues, as well as questions over whether work he did after his stint in the Senate amounted to lobbying, gave critics ammunition to question Obama's call for a change of culture in Washington.

"Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes."  Watch the full interview with Anderson Cooper »

Obama defended Daschle's original appointment, saying "nobody was better-equipped to deal both with the substance and policy of health care."

"He understands it as well as anybody, but also the politics, which is going to be required to actually get it done," Obama said.

Earlier, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs insisted Daschle's decision to withdraw was made on his own, not as a result of any prodding from the administration.

In a written statement, Daschle acknowledged the political problem he had created for the administration. Still, Obama insisted the mistake was his.  Read how CNN analysts assess the situation »

Obama also said he's going to crack down on businesses using taxpayer money to excessively pay executives. He plans a Wednesday announcement of mechanisms to keep that from happening.

"I'm going to be talking about executive compensation and changes we're going to be making there," he said. "We've now learned that people are still getting huge bonuses despite the fact that they're getting taxpayer money, which I think infuriates the public."  Watch Obama discuss getting tough on executives »

The president also spoke about the struggling economy, the use of the label "war on terror," and lighter topics, including the family dog and his efforts to stop smoking.

Thinking about the nation's faltering economy keeps him up at night, Obama said. He also addressed criticism that there is too much spending in the current stimulus package bill written by House Democrats. iReport.com: Was Daschle properly vetted?

"Look, the only measure of my success as president when people look back five years from now or nine years from now is going to be, did I get this economy fixed. I have no interest in promoting a package that doesn't work," Obama said.

Cooper also asked Obama about reports that he is not using former President Bush's phrase, "war on terror," to refer to the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan.

"Words matter in this situation because one of the ways we're going to win this struggle is through the battle of hearts and minds," Obama said. "I think it is very important for us to recognize that we have a battle or a war against some

Question:
What did Obama tell Anderson Cooper?
What does Obama tell CNN?
What did the message state?
Who takes responsibility?
What did the statements involve?
Who apologized for mistakes with taxes?
What did Obama also discuss?

Answer: admitted he made a mistake in handling the nomination

Answer: "I think I screwed up,"

Answer: the politically powerful are treated differently from average people.

Answer: President Barack Obama

Answer: Daschle acknowledged the political problem he had created for the administration.

Answer: Tom Daschle

Answer: getting tough on executives

Summary:
Obama tells CNN's Anderson Cooper: 'I take responsibility for it'
President says message was sent that the politically powerful are treated differently .
Daschle apologizes for what he says were honest mistakes involving taxes .
Obama also discusses declining economy and fight against terrorist groups .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday admitted he made a mistake in handling the nomination of Tom Daschle as his health and human services secretary, saying Daschle's tax problems sent a message that the politically powerful are treated differently from average people. President Barack Obama is interviewed by CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday. Daschle, the former Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, withdrew earlier Tuesday as news that he failed to pay some taxes in the past continued to stir opposition on Capitol Hill. "I think I screwed up," Obama said in a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. "And I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again." Daschle had apologized Monday for what he said were honest mistakes, calling them an embarrassment. The series of errors included improperly reporting $15,000 in charitable donations, failing to list $80,000 in lobbying income due to what Daschle said was a paperwork error, and not reporting as income a car and driver loaned to him by a friend and business associate.  Watch Obama admit mistake » Daschle recently filed amended tax returns and paid more than $140,000 in back taxes and interest for 2005 to 2007. Those tax issues, as well as questions over whether work he did after his stint in the Senate amounted to lobbying, gave critics ammunition to question Obama's call for a change of culture in Washington. "Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes."  Watch the full interview with Anderson Cooper » Obama defended Daschle's original appointment, saying "nobody was better-equipped to deal both with the substance and policy of health care." "He understands it as well as anybody, but also the politics, which is going to be required to actually get it done," Obama said. Earlier, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs insisted Daschle's decision to withdraw was made on his own, not as a result of any prodding from the administration. In a written statement, Daschle acknowledged the political problem he had created for the administration. Still, Obama insisted the mistake was his.  Read how CNN analysts assess the situation » Obama also said he's going to crack down on businesses using taxpayer money to excessively pay executives. He plans a Wednesday announcement of mechanisms to keep that from happening. "I'm going to be talking about executive compensation and changes we're going to be making there," he said. "We've now learned that people are still getting huge bonuses despite the fact that they're getting taxpayer money, which I think infuriates the public."  Watch Obama discuss getting tough on executives » The president also spoke about the struggling economy, the use of the label "war on terror," and lighter topics, including the family dog and his efforts to stop smoking. Thinking about the nation's faltering economy keeps him up at night, Obama said. He also addressed criticism that there is too much spending in the current stimulus package bill written by House Democrats. iReport.com: Was Daschle properly vetted? "Look, the only measure of my success as president when people look back five years from now or nine years from now is going to be, did I get this economy fixed. I have no interest in promoting a package that doesn't work," Obama said. Cooper also asked Obama about reports that he is not using former President Bush's phrase, "war on terror," to refer to the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan. "Words matter in this situation because one of the ways we're going to win this struggle is through the battle of hearts and minds," Obama said. "I think it is very important for us to recognize that we have a battle or a war against some

Question: What did Daschle apologize for?

Question: Who did Obama say is treated differently?

Question: Who does Obama tell he takes responsibility?

Question: What did Obama say?

Question: What else does Obama discuss?

Question: What did Obama tell Anderson Cooper?

Question: Who apologised?

Question: Who apologized for what he says were honest mistakes?

Question: What did Obama discuss?

Answer: honest mistakes,

Answer: the politically powerful

Answer: CNN's Anderson Cooper.

Answer: "I think I screwed up,"

Answer: also said he's going to crack down on businesses using taxpayer money to excessively pay executives.

Answer: "I think I screwed up,"

Answer: President Barack Obama

Answer: Tom Daschle

Answer: getting tough on executives


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Bush has expressed his "deep concern" and regret to Iraq's prime minister over the desecration of a Quran by an American soldier, the White House said Tuesday. President Bush called Nuri al-Maliki over the incident, al-Maliki's office says. The leaders are seen in September. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Bush spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday in one of their regularly scheduled secure video teleconferences. "President Bush expressed his deep concern over the incident and told Prime Minister Maliki that the soldier has been reprimanded by his commanders and removed from Iraq," Johndroe said. Al-Maliki's office on Tuesday said Bush issued an apology for the action on behalf of the United States and "promised to present the soldier to the courts." The office said Bush made the apology in a call to al-Maliki on Tuesday morning. An American staff sergeant -- a sniper section leader -- used a Quran for target practice in Iraq earlier this month. The U.S. commander in Baghdad issued a formal apology Saturday and read a letter of apology by the shooter.  Watch the U.S. military formally apologize » The sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader "with prejudice," officially reprimanded by his commanding general, dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the United States, the U.S. military said. Reports of the Quran desecration have enraged Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere around the world. The soldier, whose name was not released, shot at a Quran on May 9, villagers said. The Quran used in the incident was discovered two days later, according to the military. A tribal leader said "the criminal act by U.S. forces" took place at a shooting range at the Radhwaniya police station on Baghdad's western outskirts. After the shooters left, an Iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled Quran. Pictures of the Quran show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages. Officials said the soldier asserted he wasn't aware the book was the Quran, but U.S. officials rejected the claim. On Saturday, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, appeared with leaders from Radhwaniya and apologized. "I come before you here seeking your forgiveness," Hammond said to tribal leaders and others at the ceremony. "In the most humble manner I look in your eyes today and I say please forgive me and my soldiers." Hammond also read a letter from the shooter, who called his actions "shortsighted, very reckless and irresponsible," but he insisted he was not being malicious. "I sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together," the letter said. Hammond said the soldier's actions were tantamount to "criminal behavior." "I've come to this land to protect you, to support you -- not to harm you -- and the behavior of this soldier was nothing short of wrong and unacceptable," the general said. Another military official kissed a Quran and presented it as "a humble gift" to the tribal leaders. Many Iraqi leaders said the apology alone would not suffice.  Watch villagers protest the desecration » On Monday, the Iraqi Islamic Party, the movement of Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, condemned what it said was a "blatant assault on the sanctities of Muslims all over the world." The party said it reacted to the news "with deep resentment and indignation" and wants the "severest of punishments" for the action. "What truly concerns us is the repetition of these crimes that have happened in the past when mosques were destroyed and pages of the holy Quran were torn and used for disgraceful acts by U.S. soldiers," al-Hashimi said. "I have asked that first this apology be officially documented; second a guarantee from the U.S. military to inflict the maximum possible punishment on this soldier so it would be a deterrent for the rest of the

Question: What did n American staff sergeant use for target practice?

Question: What did President Bush promise to do?

Question: What did the Iraqi Islamic Party demand?

Question: What was demanded for the soldier?

Question: What did an American staff sergeant use for target practice?

Question: What did the Iraqi Islamic Party has demand for the soldier?

Answer: used a Quran

Answer: the courts."

Answer: "severest of punishments" for the action.

Answer: maximum possible punishment on this

Answer: a Quran

Answer: "severest of punishments"

Summary:
Nuri al-Maliki's office: President Bush "promised to present the soldier to the courts"
An American staff sergeant used a Quran for target practice .
Iraqi Islamic Party has demanded "the severest of punishments" for the soldier .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Bush on Wednesday signed a sweeping energy bill that he said would help the country become "stronger, cleaner and more secure." President Bush on Wednesday signs a bill raising auto fuel economy standards for the first time in decades. The bill -- approved overwhelmingly Tuesday by the House of Representatives -- raises automotive fuel economy standards for the first time in more than three decades, requiring a corporate average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. It also boosts federal support for alternative fuel research and energy conservation efforts. A Republican filibuster in the Senate removed provisions that Bush objected to that would have eliminated tax breaks for oil companies and a requirement that electric utilities produce a portion of their power from alternative sources. The current fuel-economy standards of 27.5 miles per gallon for passenger cars and 22.2 for light trucks were established in 1975. The new bill sets a single average standard for manufacturers. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said Tuesday's bill was "a great, wonderful first step for an energy revolution that starts in America and ripples throughout the world." But Reid said Democrats would continue pushing to shift federal tax breaks away from fossil-fuel producers and into renewable energy research -- one of the party's top priorities when it took control of Congress in January. House opponents such as Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, complained that the bill will undo many of the efforts made to foster increased production of fossil fuels in an energy bill passed in 2005. "I understand the consequences of elections. I understand there's a new majority," said Barton, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. "I do not understand how what made sense two years ago doesn't make sense today." Barton called the legislation a "no-energy" bill and "a recipe for recession," arguing its mandated conservation measures would raise prices for fuel, homes and appliances for consumers. E-mail to a friend CNN's Ed Henry contributed to this report.

Question: What does the new law raise?

Question: What has raised efficiency standards?

Question: What did the majority leader say?

Question: When was the last law?

Question: What does the law do?

Question: What did the senate majority leader call the bill?

Question: Who calls bill a "great, wonderful first step?"

Answer: automotive fuel economy standards

Answer: a bill

Answer: Tuesday's bill was "a great, wonderful first step for an energy revolution that starts in America and ripples throughout the world."

Answer: 1975.

Answer: the country become "stronger, cleaner and more secure."

Answer: "a great, wonderful first step for an energy revolution that starts in America and ripples throughout the world."

Answer: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,

Summary:
New law raises auto fuel efficiency standards .
Increase to fleet average of 35 miles per gallon is first in 32 years .
Senate majority leader calls bill a "great, wonderful first step"


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Obama affirmed his support for a woman's "right to choose" on Thursday, the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that led to the legalization of abortion, as thousands of anti-abortion activists descended on the National Mall to challenge his position.

President Obama issued a statement defending Roe v. Wade for protecting "women's health and reproductive freedom."

Roe v. Wade "not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters," Obama said in a statement.

The landmark 1973 decision held that a woman's right to abortion was protected by the right to privacy under the Constitution's 14th Amendment, voiding most state laws against abortion at the time.

Nellie Gray, who helped organize the anti-abortion March for Life on the Mall, invited Obama to speak at the rally.

"America needs your strong leadership as president of all the people to stop the intentional killing of an estimated 3,000 pre-born boys and girls each day and the brutalizing of mind, heart and body of pregnant mothers."

Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, said she believes that while abortion should remain an option, increasing the availability and affordability of birth control and reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies is the real solution.

"I think what everyone ought to be interested in doing, whether they are or not, is reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies," Gandy told CNN. "Because if we reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, it will by definition reduce the number of abortions and reduce a lot of the pain and despair that has befallen women in these economic times, who cannot afford to enlarge their families when they don't have a job and they don't have a way to put food on the table for the kids that they have now.

"If we could all work together to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, it would dramatically change the debate on this issue."

Obama has so far not struck down rules reinstated by the Bush administration eight years ago, prohibiting U.S. money from funding international family planning groups that promote abortion or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion services.

The "Mexico City policy" was initially put in place by President Ronald Reagan and suspended during Bill Clinton's presidency. Its opponents refer to it as the "global gag order."

About 20 anti-abortion rights lawmakers spoke at the rally Thursday, pushing for a renewed effort to overturn Roe v. Wade.

"At what instant does life begin?" asked Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, focusing on younger crowd members who answered, "Conception!"

"And the next question is, " he continued, "President Obama, when did your life begin?"

Other legislators detailed their plans to keep the issue on the table in Congress and on the minds of voters.

Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio, told the crowd she plans to introduce what she calls the "Juno Bill," referencing the hit 2008 film of the same title in which a high school teenager gives her baby up for adoption.

"It will provide a tax credit to those women, just as we allow abortions to be tax deductible, it will provide a tax credit so that they can carry out their pregnancy, give that baby to a loving arm and not have to worry about the consequences or the costs involved," she said.

Throughout the rally, speakers urged bold action for their cause.

Gandy said the fight will also continue on the pro-abortion rights side.

"There's no question we have a pro-choice president now, but he can't do it alone," she said. "He can't pass legislation. He can't stop what's going on at the state and local level and so the battle rages on ... at the congressional level, at the state and local level and certainly at the Supreme Court."

She said the number of unwanted pregnancies is

Question: What did Obama say about private family matters?

Question: what did obama say?

Question: What did Obama do on the anniversary of Roe?

Question: what does a rally organizer say to obama?

Answer: that government should not intrude on

Answer: Roe v. Wade "not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters,"

Answer: affirmed his support for a woman's "right to choose"

Answer: when did your life begin?"

Summary:
Obama: "Government should not intrude on our most private family matters"
Obama released statement on Roe anniversary while protesters descended on Mall .
Rally organizer to Obama: Stop intentional killing" of unborn babies .
Former President Bush typically spoke by phone to rally each year .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Obama declared Monday that his stimulus plan is "starting to work" and that 2,000 transportation projects -- costing much less than expected -- are under way.

President Obama on Monday says the transportation projects will help create or save jobs.

"Competition for these projects is so fierce, and contractors are doing such a good job cutting costs, the projects are consistently coming in under budget," Obama said Monday.

The president gave a rapid-fire list of savings: a bid for road work in Connecticut is $8.4 million less than the state budgeted; Louisiana has a project coming in $4.7 million less than expected; projects in Colorado are averaging about 30 percent under the state forecast; and some bids in California are nearly half of what the state projected.

The administration said those savings will stretch the agency's $48 billion stimulus budget.

"Our recovery dollars can go further, and we can do more projects," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "This is great news."

LaHood hosted the president and vice president at his department's headquarters in Washington for the  announcement. Officials did not give an overall estimate of money saved from competitive bids.

The three leaders also claimed a victory in the amount of transportation work approved so far, saying the agency has approved its 2,000th infrastructure project as part of the stimulus.

"Some may have thought it would have taken months to get to this point," Obama said, "but we have approved these projects in just 41 days."  Watch as Obama says projects are coming in ahead of schedule »

The stimulus bill was signed February 17, but transportation dollars did not begin flowing until later.

The president said the 2,000th transportation project to receive stimulus funds is one to widen and add an overpass to a stretch of Interstate 94 near Portage, Michigan. Vice President Joseph Biden plans to attend the groundbreaking in June.

Obama said the highway projects from the stimulus bill will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year.

He pointed to the aggressive contractor interest in transportation projects, along with tax cuts going to millions of families from the stimulus plan, and implied it marks a turning point in the economic recovery effort.

"Today, I think it's safe to say that this plan is beginning to work," the president said.

Question: Projects are consistently coming in under budget

Question: what have stimulus dollars funded?

Question: what will savings stretch?

Question: what didn't the official give?

Question: How many transportation projects have stimulus dollars funded?

Answer: transportation

Answer: 2,000 transportation projects

Answer: the agency's $48 billion stimulus budget.

Answer: did not

Answer: 2,000

Summary:
NEW: President Obama: "Projects are consistently coming in under budget"
Stimulus dollars have funded 2,000 transportation projects, officials say .
Administration says savings will stretch $48 billion stimulus budget for infrastructure .
Officials didn't give overall estimate of money saved from competitive bids .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Obama drew big laughs at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner Saturday, taking jabs at his administration, his Republican rivals and even himself. President Obama delivers some one-liners at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday. "I would like to talk about what my administration plans to achieve in the next 100 days," Obama said. "During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days." He added later, "I believe that my next 100 days will be so successful, I will be able to complete them in 72 days -- and on the 73rd day I will rest." The Democratic president poked fun at the Republican Party, saying it "does not qualify for a bailout" and conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh "doesn't count as a troubled asset."  Watch Obama deliver laughs at dinner » Obama touched on a few gaffes during his short time in office, from Vice President Joe Biden's verbose tendencies to an unfortunate Air Force One photo op that frightened New Yorkers -- playfully pointing his finger at his young daughters. "Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight because they're grounded," he said. "You can't just take Air Force One on a joyride to Manhattan -- I don't care whose kids you are."  Watch celebrities mingle before dinner » As the world shakes off swine flu fears that started in Mexico, Obama noted his old rivalry with former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, who now serves as secretary of state. "We had been rivals during the campaign, but these days we could not be closer," the president said. "In fact, the second she got back from Mexico, she pulled me into a hug and gave me a big kiss -- told me to get down there myself."  Gallery of celebrity guests » Obama even took on former Vice President Dick Cheney, who wasn't in attendance: "He is very busy working on his memoirs, tentatively titled, "How to Shoot Friends and Interrogate People." Obama took a somber tone, though, when specifically addressing the reporters in the room -- noting the financial struggles that have afflicted the newspaper industry.  Watch reporters arrive for dinner » "Across the country, there are extraordinary, hardworking journalists who have lost their jobs in recent days, recent weeks, recent months," he said. "I know each newspaper and media outlet is wrestling with how to respond with these changes. ... Not every ending will be a happy one. "It is also true that your ultimate success as an industry is essential to the success of our democracy -- it's what makes this thing work," Obama said.

Question: who was the guest speaker?

Question: What is essential to democracy?

Question: What did Obama deliver?

Question: Which party does not qualify for a bailout?

Question: when did this happen?

Answer: President Obama

Answer: ultimate success as an industry

Answer: some one-liners at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner

Answer: Republican

Answer: on Saturday.

Summary:
Obama delivers zingers at White House correspondents' annual dinner .
President jokes Republican Party "does not qualify for a bailout"
Obama also pokes fun at Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton .
Obama says journalism industry's success is essential to democracy .


WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- President Obama huddled with top military, foreign policy and national security advisers Wednesday as part of an ongoing review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. President Obama and his national security team meet in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday. The meeting, the fifth such gathering in recent weeks, came as the administration continued to weigh a call for as many as 40,000 additional troops in Afghanistan from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in that country. McChrystal has said the extra manpower is necessary to implement an effective counterinsurgency strategy. Wednesday's meeting, however, focused on efforts to strengthen the American civilian mission in Afghanistan, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. Obama also received a report on ongoing efforts to train Afghan security forces, Gibbs added. While McChrystal is pushing for a major troop increase, others in the administration are advocating a different approach. Vice President Joe Biden has called for a counterterrorism strategy, which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. "I will tell you that our principal goal remains to root out al Qaeda and its extremist allies that can launch attacks against the United States or its allies," Obama said Tuesday. "That's our principal mission. We are also obviously interested in stability in the region, and that includes not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan." Obama has come under intense pressure from several leading senators to follow McChrystal's recommendation, a move vehemently opposed by many liberal Democrats. As Obama huddled with his national security team, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said he's not ready yet to support sending additional troops to Afghanistan. Hoyer also told reporters he has serious questions about U.S. chances for success in the region and the stability of the Afghan government. "Afghanistan has not been a successful venue for many great powers in the past," Hoyer said. "I can't think of any. I think we also need to have some degree of confidence that the government in Afghanistan is a viable government that can create confidence within its people. I have reservations about whether that has happened at this point in time." The majority leader also argued that the situation in Afghanistan can't be viewed in isolation and requires a regional approach that includes Pakistan and India. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Sunday that any added military deployment that fell short of McChrystal's request "would be an error of historic proportions." "And I think the great danger now is a half-measure, sort of a -- you know, [trying] to please all ends of the political spectrum," McCain told CNN's John King. "I have great sympathy for the president, making the toughest decisions that presidents have to make, but I think he needs to use deliberate speed," he said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, argued that U.S. troops would be put in "jeopardy" if Obama does not listen to McChrystal. "I don't know how you put somebody in who's as crackerjack as Gen. McChrystal, who gives the president very solid recommendations, and not take those recommendations if you're not going to pull out," she said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Feinstein heads the Senate Intelligence Committee. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Wednesday that he is increasing British troop levels in Afghanistan to 9,500, an increase of 500. The British have the second-largest contingent in Afghanistan, after the United States, according to NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Obama announced a plan to send 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March. A total of 65,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in the war-torn country. CNN's Richard Greene and Adam Levine contributed to this report.

Question: What did the Vice president call for?

Question: Do leading senators want the president to approve the request for additional U.S. troops?

Question: What has the vice president called for?

Question: What is the vice president calling for?

Question: What does the gathering focus on?

Question: What does the administration weigh to call for?

Question: Leading senators are urging for what?

Answer: a counterterrorism strategy, which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Answer: review of

Answer: a counterterrorism strategy, which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Answer: a counterterrorism strategy,

Answer: using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents

Answer: as many as 40,000 additional troops in Afghanistan

Answer: to follow McChrystal's recommendation,

Summary:
Gathering focuses on efforts to strengthen civilian mission .
Administration continues to weigh call for additional U.S. troops .
Leading senators have urged president to approve request .
Vice president has called for counterterrorism strategy .