text:
(CNN) -- Stocks on key Asian exchanges dropped modestly early Monday on what is likely to be an eventful day in world markets, following Standard and Poor's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating.

In early Tokyo trading, the Nikkei index fell 124 points, or 1.3%.

South Korea's KOSPI index slipped 1.6%. In Australia, the All Ordinaries index lost 0.7%. The Shanghai composite started 0.8% lower.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index tumbled 2.6% at the open.

Similarly, U.S. stock futures fell around 1.7% in early electronic trading Sunday.

The futures were the first U.S. gauge of investor sentiment following Friday night's downgrade, removing the United States' AAA status for the first time. They give an indication of how investors will react when regular-hours U.S. trading begins at 9:30 a.m. ET Monday.

Besides the U.S. downgrade, investors are concerned about the debt crisis in some European nations, though actions on the part of the G7 and the European Central Bank Sunday helped to allay some of those fears.

Financial representatives of leading industrial nations said they are committed to taking "all necessary measures to support financial stability and growth in a spirit of close cooperation and confidence."

They welcomed the "decisive actions taken in the U.S. and Europe" and "the additional policy measures announced by Italy and Spain to strengthen fiscal discipline and underpin the recovery in economic activity and job creation."

"We are committed to taking coordinated action where needed, to ensuring liquidity, and to supporting financial market functioning, financial stability and economic growth," G7 finance ministers and central bank governors said in a Sunday night statement.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner had been expected to take part in a conference call with representatives of the other G7 nations to discuss the downgraded U.S. credit rating, a G7 official told CNN.

The G7 nations are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the United States.

Similarly, the European Central Bank made a bid to calm markets Sunday. It said it would implement a bond-purchase program and welcomed announcements by Italy and Spain on new measures meant to reduce their deficits. It told the governments of those countries that a "decisive and swift implementation" of reforms is "essential."

The move represents an escalation in the official response to Europe's debt crisis, which is now more than a year old and until recently was contained to smaller economies like Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde cheered the announcements.

"I welcome the statements from the European Central Bank, from the leaders of Germany and France as well as from the G7, and their renewed commitment to take all necessary action in a coordinated way to ensure stability and liquidity in the financial markets. This cooperation will contribute to maintaining confidence and spurring global economic growth," she said in a statement.

Middle Eastern markets, the first to open since the downgrade, were sharply lower on Sunday. Israel's market temporarily halted trading at one point and finished down more than 6%, while the Dubai Financial Market General Index fell 3.7%.

The General Index on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was down more than 2.5%, while in Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All-Share Index dropped nearly 5.5% in trading Saturday.

U.S. officials are talking to a "wide range of investors" about the downgrade by the credit agency to try to "mitigate" any short-term negative impact from Friday's announcement, a Treasury official told CNN.

Top Standard & Poor's officials said Sunday that the downgraded credit rating for the United States was both a call for political consensus on significant deficit reduction and a warning of possible further credit problems down the road.

"We have a negative outlook on the rating and that means that we think the risks currently on the rating are to the downside," said David Beers, the S&P global head of sovereign ratings, on "Fox News Sunday."

However, Beers said markets were reacting to the debt crises in some European countries and fears of a global economic slump, rather than the U.S. credit downgrade alone.

John Chambers, the S&P head of sovereign ratings, told ABC's "This Week" program Saturday that it could take years for the United States to return to AAA status.

"Well, if history is a guide, it could take a while," Chambers said. "We've had five governments that lost their AAA that got it back. The amount of time that it took for those five range from nine years to 18 years, so it takes a while."

The agency's concerns "are centered on the political side and on the fiscal side," Chambers said.

"So it would take a stabilization of the debt as a share of the economy and eventual decline," he said. "And it would take, I think, more ability to reach consensus in Washington than what we're observing now."

Both Beers and Bill Miller, chairman and chief investment officer at Legg Mason Capital Management, told the Fox program that they don't expect the U.S. downgrade to cause a spike in interest rates, one of the possible results of the higher risk now attached to U.S. debt.

"I don't think we'll pay more in interest," Miller said, calling the downgrade more of a symbolic event than an economic event. However, he warned of continuing market volatility in coming days driven by uncertainty.

Rating agencies such as S&P, Moody's and Fitch analyze risk and give debt a grade that is supposed to reflect the borrower's ability to repay its loans. The safest bets are stamped AAA. That's where the U.S. debt has stood for years.

Moody's first assigned the United States an AAA rating in 1917. Fitch and Moody's, the other two main credit ratings agencies, maintained the AAA rating for the United States after last week's debt deal, though Moody's lowered its outlook on U.S. debt to "negative."

A negative outlook indicates the possibility that Moody's could downgrade the country's sovereign credit rating within a year or two.

U.S. Treasury officials received S&P's analysis Friday afternoon and alerted the agency to an error that inflated U.S. deficits by $2 trillion, said an administration official, who was not authorized to speak for attribution. The agency acknowledged the mistake, but said it was sticking with its decision.

The administration official called it "a facts-be-damned decision ... Their analysis was way off, but they wouldn't budge."

Saturday, Gene Sperling, director of Obama's National Economic Council, criticized S&P's call.

"The magnitude of their error and the amateurism it displayed, combined with their willingness to simply change on the spot their lead rationale in their press release once the error was pointed out, was breathtaking. It smacked of an institution starting with a conclusion and shaping any arguments to fit it," he said.

But Beers defended his agency's move on Sunday, telling the Fox program: "The underlying debt burden of the U.S. government is rising and will continue to rise over the next decade."

CNN's Tom Cohen, Kyung Lah and Mark Meinero contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Stocks

text: on

text: key

text: Asian

text: exchanges

text: dropped

text: modestly

text: early

text: Monday

text: on

text: what

text: is

text: likely

text: to

text: be

text: an

text: eventful

text: day

text: in

text: world

text: markets

text: following

text: Standard

text: and

text: Poor

text: 's

text: downgrade

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: credit

text: rating

text: In

text: early

text: Tokyo

text: trading

text: the

text: Nikkei

text: index

text: fell

text: points

text: or

text: South

text: Korea

text: 's

text: KOSPI

text: index

text: slipped

text: In

text: Australia

text: the

text: All

text: Ordinaries

text: index

text: lost

text: The

text: Shanghai

text: composite

text: started

text: lower

text: Hong

text: Kong

text: 's

text: Hang

text: Seng

text: index

text: tumbled

text: at

text: the

text: open

text: Similarly

text: U.S.

text: stock

text: futures

text: fell

text: around

text: in

text: early

text: electronic

text: trading

text: Sunday

text: The

text: futures

text: were

text: the

text: first

text: U.S.

text: gauge

text: of

text: investor

text: sentiment

text: following

text: Friday

text: night

text: 's

text: downgrade

text: removing

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: AAA

text: status

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: They

text: give

text: an

text: indication

text: of

text: how

text: investors

text: will

text: react

text: when

text: regular

text: hours

text: U.S.

text: trading

text: begins

text: at

text: a.m.

text: ET

text: Monday

text: Besides

text: the

text: U.S.

text: downgrade

text: investors

text: are

text: concerned

text: about

text: the

text: debt

text: crisis

text: in

text: some

text: European

text: nations

text: though

text: actions

text: on

text: the

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: and

text: the

text: European

text: Central

text: Bank

text: Sunday

text: helped

text: to

text: allay

text: some

text: of

text: those

text: fears

text: Financial

text: representatives

text: of

text: leading

text: industrial

text: nations

text: said

text: they

text: are

text: committed

text: to

text: taking

text: all

text: necessary

text: measures

text: to

text: support

text: financial

text: stability

text: and

text: growth

text: in

text: a

text: spirit

text: of

text: close

text: cooperation

text: and

text: confidence

text: They

text: welcomed

text: the

text: decisive

text: actions

text: taken

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: additional

text: policy

text: measures

text: announced

text: by

text: Italy

text: and

text: Spain

text: to

text: strengthen

text: fiscal

text: discipline

text: and

text: underpin

text: the

text: recovery

text: in

text: economic

text: activity

text: and

text: job

text: creation

text: We

text: are

text: committed

text: to

text: taking

text: coordinated

text: action

text: where

text: needed

text: to

text: ensuring

text: liquidity

text: and

text: to

text: supporting

text: financial

text: market

text: functioning

text: financial

text: stability

text: and

text: economic

text: growth

text: finance

text: ministers

text: and

text: central

text: bank

text: governors

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: Sunday

text: night

text: statement

text: Treasury

text: Secretary

text: Tim

text: Geithner

text: had

text: been

text: expected

text: to

text: take

text: part

text: in

text: a

text: conference

text: call

text: with

text: representatives

text: of

text: the

text: other

text: nations

text: to

text: discuss

text: the

text: downgraded

text: U.S.

text: credit

text: rating

text: a

text: official

text: told

text: CNN

text: The

text: nations

text: are

text: the

text: United

text: Kingdom

text: France

text: Germany

text: Italy

text: Japan

text: Canada

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Similarly

text: the

text: European

text: Central

text: Bank

text: made

text: a

text: bid

text: to

text: calm

text: markets

text: Sunday

text: It

text: said

text: it

text: would

text: implement

text: a

text: bond

text: purchase

text: program

text: and

text: welcomed

text: announcements

text: by

text: Italy

text: and

text: Spain

text: on

text: new

text: measures

text: meant

text: to

text: reduce

text: their

text: deficits

text: It

text: told

text: the

text: governments

text: of

text: those

text: countries

text: that

text: a

text: decisive

text: and

text: swift

text: implementation

text: of

text: reforms

text: is

text: essential

text: The

text: move

text: represents

text: an

text: escalation

text: in

text: the

text: official

text: response

text: to

text: Europe

text: 's

text: debt

text: crisis

text: which

text: is

text: now

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: year

text: old

text: and

text: until

text: recently

text: was

text: contained

text: to

text: smaller

text: economies

text: like

text: Greece

text: Ireland

text: and

text: Portugal

text: International

text: Monetary

text: Fund

text: Managing

text: Director

text: Christine

text: Lagarde

text: cheered

text: the

text: announcements

text: I

text: welcome

text: the

text: statements

text: from

text: the

text: European

text: Central

text: Bank

text: from

text: the

text: leaders

text: of

text: Germany

text: and

text: France

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: from

text: the

text: and

text: their

text: renewed

text: commitment

text: to

text: take

text: all

text: necessary

text: action

text: in

text: a

text: coordinated

text: way

text: to

text: ensure

text: stability

text: and

text: liquidity

text: in

text: the

text: financial

text: markets

text: This

text: cooperation

text: will

text: contribute

text: to

text: maintaining

text: confidence

text: and

text: spurring

text: global

text: economic

text: growth

text: she

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Middle

text: Eastern

text: markets

text: the

text: first

text: to

text: open

text: since

text: the

text: downgrade

text: were

text: sharply

text: lower

text: on

text: Sunday

text: Israel

text: 's

text: market

text: temporarily

text: halted

text: trading

text: at

text: one

text: point

text: and

text: finished

text: down

text: more

text: than

text: while

text: the

text: Dubai

text: Financial

text: Market

text: General

text: Index

text: fell

text: The

text: General

text: Index

text: on

text: the

text: Abu

text: Dhabi

text: Securities

text: Exchange

text: was

text: down

text: more

text: than

text: while

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: the

text: Tadawul

text: All

text: Share

text: Index

text: dropped

text: nearly

text: in

text: trading

text: Saturday

text: U.S.

text: officials

text: are

text: talking

text: to

text: a

text: wide

text: range

text: of

text: investors

text: about

text: the

text: downgrade

text: by

text: the

text: credit

text: agency

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: mitigate

text: any

text: short

text: term

text: negative

text: impact

text: from

text: Friday

text: 's

text: announcement

text: a

text: Treasury

text: official

text: told

text: CNN

text: Top

text: Standard

text: Poor

text: 's

text: officials

text: said

text: Sunday

text: that

text: the

text: downgraded

text: credit

text: rating

text: for

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: was

text: both

text: a

text: call

text: for

text: political

text: consensus

text: on

text: significant

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: and

text: a

text: warning

text: of

text: possible

text: further

text: credit

text: problems

text: down

text: the

text: road

text: We

text: have

text: a

text: negative

text: outlook

text: on

text: the

text: rating

text: and

text: that

text: means

text: that

text: we

text: think

text: the

text: risks

text: currently

text: on

text: the

text: rating

text: are

text: to

text: the

text: downside

text: said

text: David

text: Beers

text: the

text: S&P

text: global

text: head

text: of

text: sovereign

text: ratings

text: on

text: Fox

text: News

text: Sunday

text: However

text: Beers

text: said

text: markets

text: were

text: reacting

text: to

text: the

text: debt

text: crises

text: in

text: some

text: European

text: countries

text: and

text: fears

text: of

text: a

text: global

text: economic

text: slump

text: rather

text: than

text: the

text: U.S.

text: credit

text: downgrade

text: alone

text: John

text: Chambers

text: the

text: S&P

text: head

text: of

text: sovereign

text: ratings

text: told

text: ABC

text: 's

text: This

text: Week

text: program

text: Saturday

text: that

text: it

text: could

text: take

text: years

text: for

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: AAA

text: status

text: Well

text: if

text: history

text: is

text: a

text: guide

text: it

text: could

text: take

text: a

text: while

text: Chambers

text: said

text: We

text: 've

text: had

text: five

text: governments

text: that

text: lost

text: their

text: AAA

text: that

text: got

text: it

text: back

text: The

text: amount

text: of

text: time

text: that

text: it

text: took

text: for

text: those

text: five

text: range

text: from

text: nine

text: years

text: to

text: years

text: so

text: it

text: takes

text: a

text: while

text: The

text: agency

text: 's

text: concerns

text: are

text: centered

text: on

text: the

text: political

text: side

text: and

text: on

text: the

text: fiscal

text: side

text: Chambers

text: said

text: So

text: it

text: would

text: take

text: a

text: stabilization

text: of

text: the

text: debt

text: as

text: a

text: share

text: of

text: the

text: economy

text: and

text: eventual

text: decline

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: it

text: would

text: take

text: I

text: think

text: more

text: ability

text: to

text: reach

text: consensus

text: in

text: Washington

text: than

text: what

text: we

text: 're

text: observing

text: now

text: Both

text: Beers

text: and

text: Bill

text: Miller

text: chairman

text: and

text: chief

text: investment

text: officer

text: at

text: Legg

text: Mason

text: Capital

text: Management

text: told

text: the

text: Fox

text: program

text: that

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: expect

text: the

text: U.S.

text: downgrade

text: to

text: cause

text: a

text: spike

text: in

text: interest

text: rates

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: possible

text: results

text: of

text: the

text: higher

text: risk

text: now

text: attached

text: to

text: U.S.

text: debt

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: we

text: 'll

text: pay

text: more

text: in

text: interest

text: Miller

text: said

text: calling

text: the

text: downgrade

text: more

text: of

text: a

text: symbolic

text: event

text: than

text: an

text: economic

text: event

text: However

text: he

text: warned

text: of

text: continuing

text: market

text: volatility

text: in

text: coming

text: days

text: driven

text: by

text: uncertainty

text: Rating

text: agencies

text: such

text: as

text: S&P

text: Moody

text: 's

text: and

text: Fitch

text: analyze

text: risk

text: and

text: give

text: debt

text: a

text: grade

text: that

text: is

text: supposed

text: to

text: reflect

text: the

text: borrower

text: 's

text: ability

text: to

text: repay

text: its

text: loans

text: The

text: safest

text: bets

text: are

text: stamped

text: AAA

text: That

text: 's

text: where

text: the

text: U.S.

text: debt

text: has

text: stood

text: for

text: years

text: Moody

text: 's

text: first

text: assigned

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: an

text: AAA

text: rating

text: in

text: Fitch

text: and

text: Moody

text: 's

text: the

text: other

text: two

text: main

text: credit

text: ratings

text: agencies

text: maintained

text: the

text: AAA

text: rating

text: for

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: after

text: last

text: week

text: 's

text: debt

text: deal

text: though

text: Moody

text: 's

text: lowered

text: its

text: outlook

text: on

text: U.S.

text: debt

text: to

text: negative

text: A

text: negative

text: outlook

text: indicates

text: the

text: possibility

text: that

text: Moody

text: 's

text: could

text: downgrade

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: sovereign

text: credit

text: rating

text: within

text: a

text: year

text: or

text: two

text: U.S.

text: Treasury

text: officials

text: received

text: S&P

text: 's

text: analysis

text: Friday

text: afternoon

text: and

text: alerted

text: the

text: agency

text: to

text: an

text: error

text: that

text: inflated

text: U.S.

text: deficits

text: by

text: trillion

text: said

text: an

text: administration

text: official

text: who

text: was

text: not

text: authorized

text: to

text: speak

text: for

text: attribution

text: The

text: agency

text: acknowledged

text: the

text: mistake

text: but

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: sticking

text: with

text: its

text: decision

text: The

text: administration

text: official

text: called

text: it

text: a

text: facts

text: be

text: damned

text: decision

text: Their

text: analysis

text: was

text: way

text: off

text: but

text: they

text: would

text: n't

text: budge

text: Saturday

text: Gene

text: Sperling

text: director

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: National

text: Economic

text: Council

text: criticized

text: S&P

text: 's

text: call

text: The

text: magnitude

text: of

text: their

text: error

text: and

text: the

text: amateurism

text: it

text: displayed

text: combined

text: with

text: their

text: willingness

text: to

text: simply

text: change

text: on

text: the

text: spot

text: their

text: lead

text: rationale

text: in

text: their

text: press

text: release

text: once

text: the

text: error

text: was

text: pointed

text: out

text: was

text: breathtaking

text: It

text: smacked

text: of

text: an

text: institution

text: starting

text: with

text: a

text: conclusion

text: and

text: shaping

text: any

text: arguments

text: to

text: fit

text: it

text: he

text: said

text: But

text: Beers

text: defended

text: his

text: agency

text: 's

text: move

text: on

text: Sunday

text: telling

text: the

text: Fox

text: program

text: The

text: underlying

text: debt

text: burden

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: is

text: rising

text: and

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: rise

text: over

text: the

text: next

text: decade

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Tom

text: Cohen

text: Kyung

text: Lah

text: and

text: Mark

text: Meinero

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: whats Losses are modest in Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Shanghai?

answer: Stocks

text: Stocks

question: what happened in seoul

answer: South Korea's KOSPI index slipped 1.6%.

text: South Korea's KOSPI index slipped 1.6%.

question: whose stock futures tumble around 1.7% in early electronic trading?

answer: U.S.

text: U.S.

question: what happened in tokyo

answer: Nikkei index fell 124 points,

text: Nikkei index fell 124 points,


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, said Sunday he believes U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011.

Gen. Ray Odierno says the U.S. is working with Iraq to maintain security improvements as it looks to withdraw.

On CNN's "State of the Union," chief national correspondent John King asked Odierno to rate his confidence, on a scale of 1 to 10, that U.S. troops would be out by the end of the timeline agreed by the U.S. and Iraqi governments.

"As you ask me today, I believe it's a 10 -- that we will be gone by 2011," Odierno responded.

One of the key architects of the troop "surge" strategy in Iraq, Odierno said conditions in the war-torn country have "improved significantly" in the past year or so.

"Obviously, we still have some very serious incidents ... but, again, it's much safer," he said.

Nine U.S. troops were killed in March, the lowest monthly toll since the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, he said.  Watch Odierno share his assessment with CNN's John King Â»

"So, there's been a clear improvement of security here," Odierno said. "The issue is: Can we maintain that? Can the Iraqis maintain it? And that's what we're working through now. We want them to be able to maintain this stability as we pull out."

But less than two weeks into April, the U.S. toll for the month is already at nine. Asked whether the attacks were a sign of increased coordinated violence, Odierno responded that "there are some cells out there who are still capable of conducting suicide attacks," though he described the cells as "very small."  Watch as general discusses joining Facebook Â»

The U.S. military has made it more difficult for foreign fighters to get into Iraq through Syria, but there is still support for the Iraqi insurgency coming from Iran, he said.

Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraqi national security adviser, said the Iraqi government is making improvements in handling its own security.

"We, the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight," al-Rubaie told "State of the Union."

"And we believe that now we are leading and we are planning and carrying out most of the combat operations in the country, " he said, "and the United States forces are moving or transitioning to a more support role, more training, more providing more logistical support, rather than engaging in a huge military or kinetic combat operations."

Al-Rubaie was mum when asked how President Obama has differed from former President George W. Bush.  Watch al-Rubaie discuss Iraq's future Â»

"I don't want to elaborate on differences," al-Rubaie said. "But I believe that President Obama understands the situation in Iraq and I believe he wants to stick by ... the withdrawal agreement."

Odierno described Obama as "very attentive."

"He listens. He's incredibly intelligent. He talks through the issues," Odierno said. "He makes a decision and then we execute those decisions, and that's all you can expect out of your commander-in-chief. And I've been very pleased with the interaction that I've been able to have with him."

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Gen.

text: Ray

text: Odierno

text: the

text: top

text: U.S.

text: military

text: commander

text: in

text: Iraq

text: said

text: Sunday

text: he

text: believes

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: will

text: be

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: Gen.

text: Ray

text: Odierno

text: says

text: the

text: U.S.

text: is

text: working

text: with

text: Iraq

text: to

text: maintain

text: security

text: improvements

text: as

text: it

text: looks

text: to

text: withdraw

text: On

text: CNN

text: 's

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: chief

text: national

text: correspondent

text: John

text: King

text: asked

text: Odierno

text: to

text: rate

text: his

text: confidence

text: on

text: a

text: scale

text: of

text: to

text: that

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: would

text: be

text: out

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: timeline

text: agreed

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Iraqi

text: governments

text: As

text: you

text: ask

text: me

text: today

text: I

text: believe

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: that

text: we

text: will

text: be

text: gone

text: by

text: Odierno

text: responded

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: key

text: architects

text: of

text: the

text: troop

text: surge

text: strategy

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Odierno

text: said

text: conditions

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: torn

text: country

text: have

text: improved

text: significantly

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: or

text: so

text: Obviously

text: we

text: still

text: have

text: some

text: very

text: serious

text: incidents

text: but

text: again

text: it

text: 's

text: much

text: safer

text: he

text: said

text: Nine

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: were

text: killed

text: in

text: March

text: the

text: lowest

text: monthly

text: toll

text: since

text: the

text: beginning

text: of

text: the

text: Iraq

text: War

text: in

text: he

text: said

text: Watch

text: Odierno

text: share

text: his

text: assessment

text: with

text: CNN

text: 's

text: John

text: King

text: Â

text: So

text: there

text: 's

text: been

text: a

text: clear

text: improvement

text: of

text: security

text: here

text: Odierno

text: said

text: The

text: issue

text: is

text: Can

text: we

text: maintain

text: that

text: Can

text: the

text: Iraqis

text: maintain

text: it

text: And

text: that

text: 's

text: what

text: we

text: 're

text: working

text: through

text: now

text: We

text: want

text: them

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: maintain

text: this

text: stability

text: as

text: we

text: pull

text: out

text: But

text: less

text: than

text: two

text: weeks

text: into

text: April

text: the

text: U.S.

text: toll

text: for

text: the

text: month

text: is

text: already

text: at

text: nine

text: Asked

text: whether

text: the

text: attacks

text: were

text: a

text: sign

text: of

text: increased

text: coordinated

text: violence

text: Odierno

text: responded

text: that

text: there

text: are

text: some

text: cells

text: out

text: there

text: who

text: are

text: still

text: capable

text: of

text: conducting

text: suicide

text: attacks

text: though

text: he

text: described

text: the

text: cells

text: as

text: very

text: small

text: Watch

text: as

text: general

text: discusses

text: joining

text: Facebook

text: Â

text: The

text: U.S.

text: military

text: has

text: made

text: it

text: more

text: difficult

text: for

text: foreign

text: fighters

text: to

text: get

text: into

text: Iraq

text: through

text: Syria

text: but

text: there

text: is

text: still

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: insurgency

text: coming

text: from

text: Iran

text: he

text: said

text: Mowaffak

text: al

text: Rubaie

text: Iraqi

text: national

text: security

text: adviser

text: said

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: government

text: is

text: making

text: improvements

text: in

text: handling

text: its

text: own

text: security

text: We

text: the

text: government

text: of

text: Iraq

text: and

text: the

text: security

text: forces

text: in

text: Iraq

text: are

text: much

text: more

text: suited

text: now

text: for

text: this

text: fight

text: al

text: Rubaie

text: told

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: And

text: we

text: believe

text: that

text: now

text: we

text: are

text: leading

text: and

text: we

text: are

text: planning

text: and

text: carrying

text: out

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: combat

text: operations

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: he

text: said

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: forces

text: are

text: moving

text: or

text: transitioning

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: support

text: role

text: more

text: training

text: more

text: providing

text: more

text: logistical

text: support

text: rather

text: than

text: engaging

text: in

text: a

text: huge

text: military

text: or

text: kinetic

text: combat

text: operations

text: Al

text: Rubaie

text: was

text: mum

text: when

text: asked

text: how

text: President

text: Obama

text: has

text: differed

text: from

text: former

text: President

text: George

text: W.

text: Bush

text: Watch

text: al

text: Rubaie

text: discuss

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: future

text: Â

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: elaborate

text: on

text: differences

text: al

text: Rubaie

text: said

text: But

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: President

text: Obama

text: understands

text: the

text: situation

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: I

text: believe

text: he

text: wants

text: to

text: stick

text: by

text: the

text: withdrawal

text: agreement

text: Odierno

text: described

text: Obama

text: as

text: very

text: attentive

text: He

text: listens

text: He

text: 's

text: incredibly

text: intelligent

text: He

text: talks

text: through

text: the

text: issues

text: Odierno

text: said

text: He

text: makes

text: a

text: decision

text: and

text: then

text: we

text: execute

text: those

text: decisions

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: all

text: you

text: can

text: expect

text: out

text: of

text: your

text: commander

text: in

text: chief

text: And

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: very

text: pleased

text: with

text: the

text: interaction

text: that

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: have

text: with

text: him

question: What does the Iraqi adviser say?

answer: "We, the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight,

text: "We, the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight,

question: What does the general say?

answer: U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011.

text: U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011.

question: who is odierno

answer: top U.S. military commander in Iraq,

text: top U.S. military commander in Iraq,

question: What did the Iraqi national security adviser say?

answer: i government is making improvements in handling its ow

text: i government is making improvements in handling its ow

question: When should US troops be withdrawn by?

answer: 2011,"


text:
ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) -- Iason Athanasiadis' ordeal began at the airport, shortly after he checked in for his flight to leave Tehran.

Iason Athanasiadis said he endured hours of questioning over several weeks in sound-proofed rooms by interrogators he could not see.

"I was heading to the gate," the Greek-British journalist said. "This guy materialized on my right. He said 'are you Iason Fowden?' [Athanasiadis' passport name]. I said 'yeah that's me.' He said 'please step to the side ... you're not going to be flying tonight.'"

It was an ominous introduction to Iran's security apparatus.

Athanasiadis spent the next 21 harrowing days in Iranian prisons, accused of espionage, subjected to interrogations and, on several occasions, beatings.

The journalist, a freelance writer and gifted photographer who had been on assignment for the Washington Times newspaper at the time of his arrest, spoke to CNN by phone from his parents' home in Athens Thursday, several days after an extraordinary international lobbying effort helped secure his release.

Athanasiadis has extensive experience reporting in Iran. He also did graduate level academic work in Iran in 2004, as part of a program sponsored in part by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The young freelance reporter realized he was in serious danger at the airport in Tehran on June 19, when a half dozen plain-clothed security officers arrived and began leading him out of the building. The reporter resisted, and began yelling to crowds of nearby passengers that he was a journalist.

"I got kind of pulled kicking and screaming and getting punched behind an escalator," Athanasiadis recounted.

While being dragged outside to an unmarked car, the journalist said he managed to get the attention of a Western-looking woman waiting in the airport. To this day, Athanasiadis says he does not know the woman's name. But he believes she was instrumental in helping spread the word of his detention.

"She was the best thing that happened to me that day," Athanasiadis said. "I just said 'I'm a Greek reporter for the Washington Times. Please contact the Greek Embassy.' And she ran after me with a note pad and pen and asked me to spell my name."

International human rights organizations estimate thousands of Iranians have gone missing, since the Iranian government launched its crackdown on opposition activists and journalists following the disputed June 12 presidential elections. Eyewitnesses in Tehran say many families are still struggling to determine the whereabouts and official status of their detained relatives.

But in Athanasiadis' case, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced it was working for the journalist's release just days after his arrest.

That night, Athanasiadis says security officers forced him to ride into Tehran from the airport, with his head buried in his lap. Later, when he tried to make a phone call from a police station in Tehran, Athanasiadis said security forces tackled him, threw him to the ground, beat him with a club and pepper-sprayed him.

Eventually, they transferred him to Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where he witnessed new Iranian prisoners being delivered by the busload to the prison gates.

That is where the interrogation began.

Dressed in a prison-issue uniform, Athanasiadis endured hours of questioning over the next several weeks in sound-proofed rooms where he was never allowed to see his interrogator.

"I just sat in one of these school desk situations, a chair with a desk extension," he explained. "I was told to face the wall ... and they sat behind me and they crooned into my ear."

On the second day of his incarceration, a prosecuting judge told Athanasiadis, a fluent Farsi speaker, that he was facing charges of espionage.

Since incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of the June 12 election, opposition candidates and their supporters have accused the Iranian government of falsifying election results. In response, the Iranian government has accused Western governments, particularly Britain, of organizing large protests in the streets of Tehran and other cities.

"The lesson I take from this is that the Iranians," Athanasiadis said, "have decided to start arresting foreigners."

Last May, an Iranian-American freelance journalist named Roxana Saberi, was released after being detained for four months on charges of espionage. This week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy demanded the release of 23-year old Clotilde Reiss, a French academic reportedly arrested last week on charges of spying. Meanwhile Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian who freelanced for Newsweek, is another prominent intellectual now sitting in an Iranian prison.

According to the New York-based organization Committee to Protest Journalists, Iran is now the "world's top jailer of journalists," with at least 30 reporters and bloggers in prison.

Unfortunately, few of these prisoners enjoyed the international support that was rallied on behalf of Athanasiadis, said Michalis Kosmides, a Greek journalist and vice president of the Foreign Press Association in London.

After learning of his colleague's arrest, Kosmides launched a Facebook page titled "Free Iason."

Meanwhile, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Istanbul, also intervened. He sent a high-ranking cleric and a letter to the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, to plead for Athanasiadis' release "on humanitarian grounds," said Father John Chryssavgis, an adviser to the patriarch.

"Iran has separate nodes of power," Kosmides said. "The patriarch's statement appealed to one node with religious sentiments."

Athanasiadis says the lowest point came 19 days after his arrest, when it appeared he would be released.

"They took me to the airport, the Greek ambassador met me with a ticket. We started heading towards the gates, then we suddenly veered off to the escalator," the 30-year old journalist said. "I promptly got re-arrested and spent this very strange night in a windowless room listening to bags thumping through the chutes and listening to departure announcements ... it was the most scary time."

It took another 24 hours of intense diplomacy led by Greek ambassador Nikolaos Garilidis before Athanasiadis finally flew safely out of Tehran.

Throughout his ordeal and the countless accusations of spying, Athanasiadis said he realized one thing about his captors: they had never bothered to read any of the articles he has published over the years about Iran.

"I was shocked that they would arrest someone who had lived in Iran and had such a record of trying to introduce Iranian society to an outside audience."

text: ISTANBUL

text: Turkey

text: CNN

text: Iason

text: Athanasiadis

text: ordeal

text: began

text: at

text: the

text: airport

text: shortly

text: after

text: he

text: checked

text: in

text: for

text: his

text: flight

text: to

text: leave

text: Tehran

text: Iason

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: he

text: endured

text: hours

text: of

text: questioning

text: over

text: several

text: weeks

text: in

text: sound

text: proofed

text: rooms

text: by

text: interrogators

text: he

text: could

text: not

text: see

text: I

text: was

text: heading

text: to

text: the

text: gate

text: the

text: Greek

text: British

text: journalist

text: said

text: This

text: guy

text: materialized

text: on

text: my

text: right

text: He

text: said

text: are

text: you

text: Iason

text: Fowden

text: Athanasiadis

text: passport

text: name

text: I

text: said

text: yeah

text: that

text: 's

text: me

text: He

text: said

text: please

text: step

text: to

text: the

text: side

text: you

text: 're

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: flying

text: tonight

text: It

text: was

text: an

text: ominous

text: introduction

text: to

text: Iran

text: 's

text: security

text: apparatus

text: Athanasiadis

text: spent

text: the

text: next

text: harrowing

text: days

text: in

text: Iranian

text: prisons

text: accused

text: of

text: espionage

text: subjected

text: to

text: interrogations

text: and

text: on

text: several

text: occasions

text: beatings

text: The

text: journalist

text: a

text: freelance

text: writer

text: and

text: gifted

text: photographer

text: who

text: had

text: been

text: on

text: assignment

text: for

text: the

text: Washington

text: Times

text: newspaper

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: of

text: his

text: arrest

text: spoke

text: to

text: CNN

text: by

text: phone

text: from

text: his

text: parents

text: home

text: in

text: Athens

text: Thursday

text: several

text: days

text: after

text: an

text: extraordinary

text: international

text: lobbying

text: effort

text: helped

text: secure

text: his

text: release

text: Athanasiadis

text: has

text: extensive

text: experience

text: reporting

text: in

text: Iran

text: He

text: also

text: did

text: graduate

text: level

text: academic

text: work

text: in

text: Iran

text: in

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: program

text: sponsored

text: in

text: part

text: by

text: Iran

text: 's

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Foreign

text: Affairs

text: The

text: young

text: freelance

text: reporter

text: realized

text: he

text: was

text: in

text: serious

text: danger

text: at

text: the

text: airport

text: in

text: Tehran

text: on

text: June

text: when

text: a

text: half

text: dozen

text: plain

text: clothed

text: security

text: officers

text: arrived

text: and

text: began

text: leading

text: him

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: building

text: The

text: reporter

text: resisted

text: and

text: began

text: yelling

text: to

text: crowds

text: of

text: nearby

text: passengers

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: a

text: journalist

text: I

text: got

text: kind

text: of

text: pulled

text: kicking

text: and

text: screaming

text: and

text: getting

text: punched

text: behind

text: an

text: escalator

text: Athanasiadis

text: recounted

text: While

text: being

text: dragged

text: outside

text: to

text: an

text: unmarked

text: car

text: the

text: journalist

text: said

text: he

text: managed

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: attention

text: of

text: a

text: Western

text: looking

text: woman

text: waiting

text: in

text: the

text: airport

text: To

text: this

text: day

text: Athanasiadis

text: says

text: he

text: does

text: not

text: know

text: the

text: woman

text: 's

text: name

text: But

text: he

text: believes

text: she

text: was

text: instrumental

text: in

text: helping

text: spread

text: the

text: word

text: of

text: his

text: detention

text: She

text: was

text: the

text: best

text: thing

text: that

text: happened

text: to

text: me

text: that

text: day

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: I

text: just

text: said

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: Greek

text: reporter

text: for

text: the

text: Washington

text: Times

text: Please

text: contact

text: the

text: Greek

text: Embassy

text: And

text: she

text: ran

text: after

text: me

text: with

text: a

text: note

text: pad

text: and

text: pen

text: and

text: asked

text: me

text: to

text: spell

text: my

text: name

text: International

text: human

text: rights

text: organizations

text: estimate

text: thousands

text: of

text: Iranians

text: have

text: gone

text: missing

text: since

text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: launched

text: its

text: crackdown

text: on

text: opposition

text: activists

text: and

text: journalists

text: following

text: the

text: disputed

text: June

text: presidential

text: elections

text: Eyewitnesses

text: in

text: Tehran

text: say

text: many

text: families

text: are

text: still

text: struggling

text: to

text: determine

text: the

text: whereabouts

text: and

text: official

text: status

text: of

text: their

text: detained

text: relatives

text: But

text: in

text: Athanasiadis

text: case

text: the

text: Greek

text: Foreign

text: Ministry

text: announced

text: it

text: was

text: working

text: for

text: the

text: journalist

text: 's

text: release

text: just

text: days

text: after

text: his

text: arrest

text: That

text: night

text: Athanasiadis

text: says

text: security

text: officers

text: forced

text: him

text: to

text: ride

text: into

text: Tehran

text: from

text: the

text: airport

text: with

text: his

text: head

text: buried

text: in

text: his

text: lap

text: Later

text: when

text: he

text: tried

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: phone

text: call

text: from

text: a

text: police

text: station

text: in

text: Tehran

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: security

text: forces

text: tackled

text: him

text: threw

text: him

text: to

text: the

text: ground

text: beat

text: him

text: with

text: a

text: club

text: and

text: pepper

text: sprayed

text: him

text: Eventually

text: they

text: transferred

text: him

text: to

text: Tehran

text: 's

text: notorious

text: Evin

text: prison

text: where

text: he

text: witnessed

text: new

text: Iranian

text: prisoners

text: being

text: delivered

text: by

text: the

text: busload

text: to

text: the

text: prison

text: gates

text: That

text: is

text: where

text: the

text: interrogation

text: began

text: Dressed

text: in

text: a

text: prison

text: issue

text: uniform

text: Athanasiadis

text: endured

text: hours

text: of

text: questioning

text: over

text: the

text: next

text: several

text: weeks

text: in

text: sound

text: proofed

text: rooms

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: never

text: allowed

text: to

text: see

text: his

text: interrogator

text: I

text: just

text: sat

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: these

text: school

text: desk

text: situations

text: a

text: chair

text: with

text: a

text: desk

text: extension

text: he

text: explained

text: I

text: was

text: told

text: to

text: face

text: the

text: wall

text: and

text: they

text: sat

text: behind

text: me

text: and

text: they

text: crooned

text: into

text: my

text: ear

text: On

text: the

text: second

text: day

text: of

text: his

text: incarceration

text: a

text: prosecuting

text: judge

text: told

text: Athanasiadis

text: a

text: fluent

text: Farsi

text: speaker

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: facing

text: charges

text: of

text: espionage

text: Since

text: incumbent

text: president

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: was

text: declared

text: the

text: winner

text: of

text: the

text: June

text: election

text: opposition

text: candidates

text: and

text: their

text: supporters

text: have

text: accused

text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: of

text: falsifying

text: election

text: results

text: In

text: response

text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: has

text: accused

text: Western

text: governments

text: particularly

text: Britain

text: of

text: organizing

text: large

text: protests

text: in

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Tehran

text: and

text: other

text: cities

text: The

text: lesson

text: I

text: take

text: from

text: this

text: is

text: that

text: the

text: Iranians

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: have

text: decided

text: to

text: start

text: arresting

text: foreigners

text: Last

text: May

text: an

text: Iranian

text: American

text: freelance

text: journalist

text: named

text: Roxana

text: Saberi

text: was

text: released

text: after

text: being

text: detained

text: for

text: four

text: months

text: on

text: charges

text: of

text: espionage

text: This

text: week

text: French

text: President

text: Nicolas

text: Sarkozy

text: demanded

text: the

text: release

text: of

text: old

text: Clotilde

text: Reiss

text: a

text: French

text: academic

text: reportedly

text: arrested

text: last

text: week

text: on

text: charges

text: of

text: spying

text: Meanwhile

text: Maziar

text: Bahari

text: an

text: Iranian

text: Canadian

text: who

text: freelanced

text: for

text: Newsweek

text: is

text: another

text: prominent

text: intellectual

text: now

text: sitting

text: in

text: an

text: Iranian

text: prison

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: based

text: organization

text: Committee

text: to

text: Protest

text: Journalists

text: Iran

text: is

text: now

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: top

text: jailer

text: of

text: journalists

text: with

text: at

text: least

text: reporters

text: and

text: bloggers

text: in

text: prison

text: Unfortunately

text: few

text: of

text: these

text: prisoners

text: enjoyed

text: the

text: international

text: support

text: that

text: was

text: rallied

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: Michalis

text: Kosmides

text: a

text: Greek

text: journalist

text: and

text: vice

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: Foreign

text: Press

text: Association

text: in

text: London

text: After

text: learning

text: of

text: his

text: colleague

text: 's

text: arrest

text: Kosmides

text: launched

text: a

text: Facebook

text: page

text: titled

text: Free

text: Iason

text: Meanwhile

text: the

text: spiritual

text: leader

text: of

text: the

text: Eastern

text: Orthodox

text: Church

text: the

text: Ecumenical

text: Patriarch

text: Bartholomew

text: of

text: Istanbul

text: also

text: intervened

text: He

text: sent

text: a

text: high

text: ranking

text: cleric

text: and

text: a

text: letter

text: to

text: the

text: Iranian

text: Consulate

text: in

text: Istanbul

text: to

text: plead

text: for

text: Athanasiadis

text: release

text: on

text: humanitarian

text: grounds

text: said

text: Father

text: John

text: Chryssavgis

text: an

text: adviser

text: to

text: the

text: patriarch

text: Iran

text: has

text: separate

text: nodes

text: of

text: power

text: Kosmides

text: said

text: The

text: patriarch

text: 's

text: statement

text: appealed

text: to

text: one

text: node

text: with

text: religious

text: sentiments

text: Athanasiadis

text: says

text: the

text: lowest

text: point

text: came

text: days

text: after

text: his

text: arrest

text: when

text: it

text: appeared

text: he

text: would

text: be

text: released

text: They

text: took

text: me

text: to

text: the

text: airport

text: the

text: Greek

text: ambassador

text: met

text: me

text: with

text: a

text: ticket

text: We

text: started

text: heading

text: towards

text: the

text: gates

text: then

text: we

text: suddenly

text: veered

text: off

text: to

text: the

text: escalator

text: the

text: old

text: journalist

text: said

text: I

text: promptly

text: got

text: re

text: arrested

text: and

text: spent

text: this

text: very

text: strange

text: night

text: in

text: a

text: windowless

text: room

text: listening

text: to

text: bags

text: thumping

text: through

text: the

text: chutes

text: and

text: listening

text: to

text: departure

text: announcements

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: most

text: scary

text: time

text: It

text: took

text: another

text: hours

text: of

text: intense

text: diplomacy

text: led

text: by

text: Greek

text: ambassador

text: Nikolaos

text: Garilidis

text: before

text: Athanasiadis

text: finally

text: flew

text: safely

text: out

text: of

text: Tehran

text: Throughout

text: his

text: ordeal

text: and

text: the

text: countless

text: accusations

text: of

text: spying

text: Athanasiadis

text: said

text: he

text: realized

text: one

text: thing

text: about

text: his

text: captors

text: they

text: had

text: never

text: bothered

text: to

text: read

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: articles

text: he

text: has

text: published

text: over

text: the

text: years

text: about

text: Iran

text: I

text: was

text: shocked

text: that

text: they

text: would

text: arrest

text: someone

text: who

text: had

text: lived

text: in

text: Iran

text: and

text: had

text: such

text: a

text: record

text: of

text: trying

text: to

text: introduce

text: Iranian

text: society

text: to

text: an

text: outside

text: audience

question: How many days was Athanasiadis in prison?

answer: 21

question: How many days did the journalist spend in jail?

answer: 21 harrowing

text: 21 harrowing

question: For how many days was Iason Athanasiadis  in prison?

answer: 21 harrowing

text: 21 harrowing

question: Which country demonstrated their diplomatic efforts?

answer: Greek

text: Greek

question: Who had the journalist been on assignment for?

answer: Washington Times

text: Washington Times

question: Who was arrested in the Tehran airport?

answer: Iason Athanasiadis

text: Iason Athanasiadis

question: At what location was Iason Athanasiadis  arrested?

answer: the airport in Tehran

text: the airport in Tehran

question: What is Iason Athanasiadis  occupation?

answer: journalist

text: journalist


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Brand new runways are opening at three major airports Thursday, giving the aviation community something to cheer about in a year of dismal economic and travel news.

Washington Dulles International Airport's new runway opens Thursday ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

Washington Dulles International Airport will get a fourth runway, its first runway addition since the airport opened in 1962.

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport's new runway is part of a massive, multi-billion dollar modernization program. Previously, six of the airport's seven runways intersected. When the entire project is completed in 2014, the airport will have eight runways in parallel configurations considered safer and more efficient.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's new runway is being especially welcomed because of the region's notoriously wet climate. The airport's third runway will allow planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather. The current runways are too close to allow simultaneous operations in foul weather. Airport officials claim the new runway will cut delays in half.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said travelers will benefit from coast to coast.  See runways at the three airports Â»

"It is going to make a difference," Peters said. "It is going to allow us to conduct more operations, meaning more takeoffs and landings per hour at these airports and will help move passengers efficiently through.

"That, we hope, will give travelers a good experience this holiday season," she said.

President Bush, this week, touted the arrival of the three new runways, noting that 14 new runways will have opened during his administration.

However, aviation experts warn airport infrastructure still lags behind demand, and that real estate realities in the New York area, perceived to be the epicenter of aviation delays, mean that new runways are least likely to be built where they are most needed.  Watch what Web sites offer best travel deals Â»

"It would really be nice if we had even one new runway" at each of the nation's most congested airports, namely LaGuardia, Newark and JFK," aviation consultant Darryl Jenkins said. "It would do an enormous amount to relieve congestion throughout the entire nation." iReport.com: What are your holiday travel plans?

Jenkins said new runways in New York are pipe dreams because of land constraints and local opposition.

"Local opposition wins. There's no opposition that is as tough to beat down as local opposition," he said.

Chicago O'Hare's International Airport, which has purchased more than 500 single-family homes to make room for expansion, remains in court battles with several property owners.

Aviation experts argue the experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia demonstrate that new runways are invaluable to airlines and travelers. A new runway that opened there in 2006 has increased operations by 25 to 30 flights an hour, shaved minutes off average flight delays and saved airlines $10 million a week in fuel costs, airport officials said.

Air traffic controllers are generally happy with the added concrete they will lord over.

"There's no greater supporter of runways than controllers," said Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). "It's reason to shout and celebrate from the rooftops."

However, the new Dulles airport runway may not be of much benefit at the start.

Controller Chris Sutherland, the NATCA representative for the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), explained that because only one taxiway has been completed, planes that land heading north must roll to a stop, turn around and taxi more than a mile and a half to the taxiway, costing the airlines both time and money.

"Bottom line, the users are going to fight us tooth and nail if we try to land them on that runway out there," Sutherland said. The airport also does not have the technology necessary to use all three parallel runways in inclement weather, he said.

"We're actually creating delays with additional new concrete and that's kind of going against why we built it in the first place," Sutherland said.

An airport official and Department of Transportation officials said Washington-Dulles International Airport must open the new runway before it can close the center runway and complete work on the remaining taxiways. Work is scheduled for the spring.

Jenkins jokingly said new runways inevitably come on line precisely when they are not needed, but he said airline delays are here to stay.

"There's every reason to believe that until we're all comfortably dead, we will all enjoy delays in air traffic," Jenkins said.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Brand

text: new

text: runways

text: are

text: opening

text: at

text: three

text: major

text: airports

text: Thursday

text: giving

text: the

text: aviation

text: community

text: something

text: to

text: cheer

text: about

text: in

text: a

text: year

text: of

text: dismal

text: economic

text: and

text: travel

text: news

text: Washington

text: Dulles

text: International

text: Airport

text: 's

text: new

text: runway

text: opens

text: Thursday

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: busy

text: holiday

text: travel

text: season

text: Washington

text: Dulles

text: International

text: Airport

text: will

text: get

text: a

text: fourth

text: runway

text: its

text: first

text: runway

text: addition

text: since

text: the

text: airport

text: opened

text: in

text: Chicago

text: 's

text: O'Hare

text: International

text: Airport

text: 's

text: new

text: runway

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: massive

text: multi

text: billion

text: dollar

text: modernization

text: program

text: Previously

text: six

text: of

text: the

text: airport

text: 's

text: seven

text: runways

text: intersected

text: When

text: the

text: entire

text: project

text: is

text: completed

text: in

text: the

text: airport

text: will

text: have

text: eight

text: runways

text: in

text: parallel

text: configurations

text: considered

text: safer

text: and

text: more

text: efficient

text: Seattle

text: Tacoma

text: International

text: Airport

text: 's

text: new

text: runway

text: is

text: being

text: especially

text: welcomed

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: region

text: 's

text: notoriously

text: wet

text: climate

text: The

text: airport

text: 's

text: third

text: runway

text: will

text: allow

text: planes

text: to

text: take

text: off

text: and

text: land

text: two

text: abreast

text: during

text: inclement

text: weather

text: The

text: current

text: runways

text: are

text: too

text: close

text: to

text: allow

text: simultaneous

text: operations

text: in

text: foul

text: weather

text: Airport

text: officials

text: claim

text: the

text: new

text: runway

text: will

text: cut

text: delays

text: in

text: half

text: Transportation

text: Secretary

text: Mary

text: Peters

text: said

text: travelers

text: will

text: benefit

text: from

text: coast

text: to

text: coast

text: See

text: runways

text: at

text: the

text: three

text: airports

text: Â

text: It

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: difference

text: Peters

text: said

text: It

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: allow

text: us

text: to

text: conduct

text: more

text: operations

text: meaning

text: more

text: takeoffs

text: and

text: landings

text: per

text: hour

text: at

text: these

text: airports

text: and

text: will

text: help

text: move

text: passengers

text: efficiently

text: through

text: That

text: we

text: hope

text: will

text: give

text: travelers

text: a

text: good

text: experience

text: this

text: holiday

text: season

text: she

text: said

text: President

text: Bush

text: this

text: week

text: touted

text: the

text: arrival

text: of

text: the

text: three

text: new

text: runways

text: noting

text: that

text: new

text: runways

text: will

text: have

text: opened

text: during

text: his

text: administration

text: However

text: aviation

text: experts

text: warn

text: airport

text: infrastructure

text: still

text: lags

text: behind

text: demand

text: and

text: that

text: real

text: estate

text: realities

text: in

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: area

text: perceived

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: epicenter

text: of

text: aviation

text: delays

text: mean

text: that

text: new

text: runways

text: are

text: least

text: likely

text: to

text: be

text: built

text: where

text: they

text: are

text: most

text: needed

text: Watch

text: what

text: Web

text: sites

text: offer

text: best

text: travel

text: deals

text: Â

text: It

text: would

text: really

text: be

text: nice

text: if

text: we

text: had

text: even

text: one

text: new

text: runway

text: at

text: each

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: most

text: congested

text: airports

text: namely

text: LaGuardia

text: Newark

text: and

text: JFK

text: aviation

text: consultant

text: Darryl

text: Jenkins

text: said

text: It

text: would

text: do

text: an

text: enormous

text: amount

text: to

text: relieve

text: congestion

text: throughout

text: the

text: entire

text: nation

text: iReport.com

text: What

text: are

text: your

text: holiday

text: travel

text: plans

text: Jenkins

text: said

text: new

text: runways

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: are

text: pipe

text: dreams

text: because

text: of

text: land

text: constraints

text: and

text: local

text: opposition

text: Local

text: opposition

text: wins

text: There

text: 's

text: no

text: opposition

text: that

text: is

text: as

text: tough

text: to

text: beat

text: down

text: as

text: local

text: opposition

text: he

text: said

text: Chicago

text: O'Hare

text: 's

text: International

text: Airport

text: which

text: has

text: purchased

text: more

text: than

text: single

text: family

text: homes

text: to

text: make

text: room

text: for

text: expansion

text: remains

text: in

text: court

text: battles

text: with

text: several

text: property

text: owners

text: Aviation

text: experts

text: argue

text: the

text: experience

text: at

text: Hartsfield

text: Jackson

text: Atlanta

text: International

text: Airport

text: in

text: Georgia

text: demonstrate

text: that

text: new

text: runways

text: are

text: invaluable

text: to

text: airlines

text: and

text: travelers

text: A

text: new

text: runway

text: that

text: opened

text: there

text: in

text: has

text: increased

text: operations

text: by

text: to

text: flights

text: an

text: hour

text: shaved

text: minutes

text: off

text: average

text: flight

text: delays

text: and

text: saved

text: airlines

text: million

text: a

text: week

text: in

text: fuel

text: costs

text: airport

text: officials

text: said

text: Air

text: traffic

text: controllers

text: are

text: generally

text: happy

text: with

text: the

text: added

text: concrete

text: they

text: will

text: lord

text: over

text: There

text: 's

text: no

text: greater

text: supporter

text: of

text: runways

text: than

text: controllers

text: said

text: Doug

text: Church

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: National

text: Air

text: Traffic

text: Controllers

text: Association

text: NATCA

text: It

text: 's

text: reason

text: to

text: shout

text: and

text: celebrate

text: from

text: the

text: rooftops

text: However

text: the

text: new

text: Dulles

text: airport

text: runway

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: of

text: much

text: benefit

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: Controller

text: Chris

text: Sutherland

text: the

text: NATCA

text: representative

text: for

text: the

text: Potomac

text: Consolidated

text: Terminal

text: Radar

text: Approach

text: Control

text: TRACON

text: explained

text: that

text: because

text: only

text: one

text: taxiway

text: has

text: been

text: completed

text: planes

text: that

text: land

text: heading

text: north

text: must

text: roll

text: to

text: a

text: stop

text: turn

text: around

text: and

text: taxi

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: mile

text: and

text: a

text: half

text: to

text: the

text: taxiway

text: costing

text: the

text: airlines

text: both

text: time

text: and

text: money

text: Bottom

text: line

text: the

text: users

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: fight

text: us

text: tooth

text: and

text: nail

text: if

text: we

text: try

text: to

text: land

text: them

text: on

text: that

text: runway

text: out

text: there

text: Sutherland

text: said

text: The

text: airport

text: also

text: does

text: not

text: have

text: the

text: technology

text: necessary

text: to

text: use

text: all

text: three

text: parallel

text: runways

text: in

text: inclement

text: weather

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: 're

text: actually

text: creating

text: delays

text: with

text: additional

text: new

text: concrete

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: kind

text: of

text: going

text: against

text: why

text: we

text: built

text: it

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: place

text: Sutherland

text: said

text: An

text: airport

text: official

text: and

text: Department

text: of

text: Transportation

text: officials

text: said

text: Washington

text: Dulles

text: International

text: Airport

text: must

text: open

text: the

text: new

text: runway

text: before

text: it

text: can

text: close

text: the

text: center

text: runway

text: and

text: complete

text: work

text: on

text: the

text: remaining

text: taxiways

text: Work

text: is

text: scheduled

text: for

text: the

text: spring

text: Jenkins

text: jokingly

text: said

text: new

text: runways

text: inevitably

text: come

text: on

text: line

text: precisely

text: when

text: they

text: are

text: not

text: needed

text: but

text: he

text: said

text: airline

text: delays

text: are

text: here

text: to

text: stay

text: There

text: 's

text: every

text: reason

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: until

text: we

text: 're

text: all

text: comfortably

text: dead

text: we

text: will

text: all

text: enjoy

text: delays

text: in

text: air

text: traffic

text: Jenkins

text: said

question: In which city is the airport located?

answer: Washington

text: Washington

question: When does the new airport runway open?

answer: Thursday

text: Thursday

question: What lags behind demand?

answer: airport infrastructure

text: airport infrastructure

question: What still lags behind

answer: airport infrastructure

text: airport infrastructure

question: What will make airports safer?

answer: runways in parallel configurations

text: runways in parallel configurations

question: What opens Thursday?

answer: Brand new runways are opening at three major airports

text: Brand new runways are opening at three major airports

question: What day does the new runway open

answer: Thursday,

text: Thursday,

question: What will the new runways allow?

answer: planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather.

text: planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather.


text:
(CNN) -- From "Mississippi Masala" to "Vanity Fair," Mira Nair's movies have entranced audiences in India and the West. CNN spoke to the director of "Monsoon Wedding" and "Salaam Bombay!" at the Bollywood Movie Awards in Long Island about filmmaking in India and America and her adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel about loss and family, "The Namesake."

...............................

Film director Mira Nair

CNN: What inspired you to make "The Namesake"?

Mira Nair: I happened to read "The Namesake" on a plane in early 2004, when I traveled from New York to Jo'berg to finish the filming of "Vanity Fair." I read "Namesake" while in huge grief with the death of a beloved person to me [Mira's mother in law]. It was at that state of mourning that I picked up this novel, and in it Jhumpa writes really acutely of a loss of a parent in a foreign country, and I thought I had been understood by someone.

It was also a story that linked the two cities in which I had grown up -- Calcutta and New York City -- and it was almost certainly the road that I had traveled. It just spoke to me and I felt compelled to do this film. A few months later we were shooting it.

CNN: It's filmed in both India and New York, such different cultures. Tell us about the universal themes involved during the film.

Nair: Well, the story of movement and crossings is as old as the hills. It's a tale of millions of us that have left one home for another, and tried to find out who we are through these places. Then when we have children, life gets more interesting. It is about growing up through our adult lives and our children's lives.

It is also equally a love story between two people who come from a culture who don't send roses and diamonds for love; who sit at a kitchen table and look at each other. It's about that generation of parents who have that stillness about one another, versus the clang and hustle of young Gogol who is 15 and grows up in an American world because he wishes to be American. That flow -- that see-saw between parents and children, that's what "The Namesake" is about.

CNN: Tell us about casting the role of Gogol.

Nair: Well, Kal Penn plays Gogol and he's known as a comic star, but I had no idea that he existed until my 15-year-old son said, "This has to be your Gogol." I didn't take him seriously at all until every night the campaign mounted at home: "Tell me in the morning it's Kal Penn!" he would say. And then Kal wrote to me and told me he became an actor because he had seen "Mississippi Masala" when he was eight years old and realized people on the screen could look like him, and other such seductive things. He came to my office and auditioned and he was just so appealing, and so much the real thing, that I cast him as Gogol.

CNN: How have Indian audiences reacted to your heavily western-influenced films?

Nair: It's not that different a kind of audience, that's what pleases me. "Salaam Bombay!" we really made for the children on the streets and the kids who really love that Bollywood stuff, and also with "Deeply Alternative," which ran for 27 weeks. "Monsoon Wedding" was also a big hit in India. But no, they don't come to my films for Bollywood fare; it's a completely alternative thing. In terms of audiences on both sides, I've been blessed: the films have been really well received and highly anticipated.

CNN: "The Namesake" was filmed in America and India. What differences were there in the two locations?

Nair: In India it is more about orchestrating chaos, and it's about sifting the chaos, but I get especially excited about the throb and chaos on the streets and so on, and in America it's about paying for the chaos, you know every head has to be placed there and paid for.

CNN: "The Namesake" is about not losing the identity of Indian culture. Was that a challenge?

Nair: I am at home in many cultures. I live actively in three continents and I've done that for most of my life, so I just make films as I see the world, and that happens to speak to people. I do things that I want to do. It so happens because I am fluent in both worlds that my films enter both worlds, perhaps.

CNN: Do Indian and American audiences behave differently?

Nair: No, not really. I think films have to reach people and really grab them. That's what I hope to do when I make a film -- to get under your skin and really make you think about something, and have a transporting time that takes you somewhere. E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: From

text: Mississippi

text: Masala

text: to

text: Vanity

text: Fair

text: Mira

text: Nair

text: 's

text: movies

text: have

text: entranced

text: audiences

text: in

text: India

text: and

text: the

text: West

text: CNN

text: spoke

text: to

text: the

text: director

text: of

text: Monsoon

text: Wedding

text: and

text: Salaam

text: Bombay

text: at

text: the

text: Bollywood

text: Movie

text: Awards

text: in

text: Long

text: Island

text: about

text: filmmaking

text: in

text: India

text: and

text: America

text: and

text: her

text: adaptation

text: of

text: Jhumpa

text: Lahiri

text: 's

text: novel

text: about

text: loss

text: and

text: family

text: The

text: Namesake

text: Film

text: director

text: Mira

text: Nair

text: CNN

text: What

text: inspired

text: you

text: to

text: make

text: The

text: Namesake

text: Mira

text: Nair

text: I

text: happened

text: to

text: read

text: The

text: Namesake

text: on

text: a

text: plane

text: in

text: early

text: when

text: I

text: traveled

text: from

text: New

text: York

text: to

text: Jo'berg

text: to

text: finish

text: the

text: filming

text: of

text: Vanity

text: Fair

text: I

text: read

text: Namesake

text: while

text: in

text: huge

text: grief

text: with

text: the

text: death

text: of

text: a

text: beloved

text: person

text: to

text: me

text: Mira

text: 's

text: mother

text: in

text: law

text: It

text: was

text: at

text: that

text: state

text: of

text: mourning

text: that

text: I

text: picked

text: up

text: this

text: novel

text: and

text: in

text: it

text: Jhumpa

text: writes

text: really

text: acutely

text: of

text: a

text: loss

text: of

text: a

text: parent

text: in

text: a

text: foreign

text: country

text: and

text: I

text: thought

text: I

text: had

text: been

text: understood

text: by

text: someone

text: It

text: was

text: also

text: a

text: story

text: that

text: linked

text: the

text: two

text: cities

text: in

text: which

text: I

text: had

text: grown

text: up

text: Calcutta

text: and

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: almost

text: certainly

text: the

text: road

text: that

text: I

text: had

text: traveled

text: It

text: just

text: spoke

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: I

text: felt

text: compelled

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: film

text: A

text: few

text: months

text: later

text: we

text: were

text: shooting

text: it

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: filmed

text: in

text: both

text: India

text: and

text: New

text: York

text: such

text: different

text: cultures

text: Tell

text: us

text: about

text: the

text: universal

text: themes

text: involved

text: during

text: the

text: film

text: Nair

text: Well

text: the

text: story

text: of

text: movement

text: and

text: crossings

text: is

text: as

text: old

text: as

text: the

text: hills

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: tale

text: of

text: millions

text: of

text: us

text: that

text: have

text: left

text: one

text: home

text: for

text: another

text: and

text: tried

text: to

text: find

text: out

text: who

text: we

text: are

text: through

text: these

text: places

text: Then

text: when

text: we

text: have

text: children

text: life

text: gets

text: more

text: interesting

text: It

text: is

text: about

text: growing

text: up

text: through

text: our

text: adult

text: lives

text: and

text: our

text: children

text: 's

text: lives

text: It

text: is

text: also

text: equally

text: a

text: love

text: story

text: between

text: two

text: people

text: who

text: come

text: from

text: a

text: culture

text: who

text: do

text: n't

text: send

text: roses

text: and

text: diamonds

text: for

text: love

text: who

text: sit

text: at

text: a

text: kitchen

text: table

text: and

text: look

text: at

text: each

text: other

text: It

text: 's

text: about

text: that

text: generation

text: of

text: parents

text: who

text: have

text: that

text: stillness

text: about

text: one

text: another

text: versus

text: the

text: clang

text: and

text: hustle

text: of

text: young

text: Gogol

text: who

text: is

text: and

text: grows

text: up

text: in

text: an

text: American

text: world

text: because

text: he

text: wishes

text: to

text: be

text: American

text: That

text: flow

text: that

text: see

text: saw

text: between

text: parents

text: and

text: children

text: that

text: 's

text: what

text: The

text: Namesake

text: is

text: about

text: CNN

text: Tell

text: us

text: about

text: casting

text: the

text: role

text: of

text: Gogol

text: Nair

text: Well

text: Kal

text: Penn

text: plays

text: Gogol

text: and

text: he

text: 's

text: known

text: as

text: a

text: comic

text: star

text: but

text: I

text: had

text: no

text: idea

text: that

text: he

text: existed

text: until

text: my

text: old

text: son

text: said

text: This

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: your

text: Gogol

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: take

text: him

text: seriously

text: at

text: all

text: until

text: every

text: night

text: the

text: campaign

text: mounted

text: at

text: home

text: Tell

text: me

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: it

text: 's

text: Kal

text: Penn

text: he

text: would

text: say

text: And

text: then

text: Kal

text: wrote

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: told

text: me

text: he

text: became

text: an

text: actor

text: because

text: he

text: had

text: seen

text: Mississippi

text: Masala

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: eight

text: years

text: old

text: and

text: realized

text: people

text: on

text: the

text: screen

text: could

text: look

text: like

text: him

text: and

text: other

text: such

text: seductive

text: things

text: He

text: came

text: to

text: my

text: office

text: and

text: auditioned

text: and

text: he

text: was

text: just

text: so

text: appealing

text: and

text: so

text: much

text: the

text: real

text: thing

text: that

text: I

text: cast

text: him

text: as

text: Gogol

text: CNN

text: How

text: have

text: Indian

text: audiences

text: reacted

text: to

text: your

text: heavily

text: western

text: influenced

text: films

text: Nair

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: that

text: different

text: a

text: kind

text: of

text: audience

text: that

text: 's

text: what

text: pleases

text: me

text: Salaam

text: Bombay

text: we

text: really

text: made

text: for

text: the

text: children

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: and

text: the

text: kids

text: who

text: really

text: love

text: that

text: Bollywood

text: stuff

text: and

text: also

text: with

text: Deeply

text: Alternative

text: which

text: ran

text: for

text: weeks

text: Monsoon

text: Wedding

text: was

text: also

text: a

text: big

text: hit

text: in

text: India

text: But

text: no

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: come

text: to

text: my

text: films

text: for

text: Bollywood

text: fare

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: completely

text: alternative

text: thing

text: In

text: terms

text: of

text: audiences

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: blessed

text: the

text: films

text: have

text: been

text: really

text: well

text: received

text: and

text: highly

text: anticipated

text: CNN

text: The

text: Namesake

text: was

text: filmed

text: in

text: America

text: and

text: India

text: What

text: differences

text: were

text: there

text: in

text: the

text: two

text: locations

text: Nair

text: In

text: India

text: it

text: is

text: more

text: about

text: orchestrating

text: chaos

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: about

text: sifting

text: the

text: chaos

text: but

text: I

text: get

text: especially

text: excited

text: about

text: the

text: throb

text: and

text: chaos

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: and

text: so

text: on

text: and

text: in

text: America

text: it

text: 's

text: about

text: paying

text: for

text: the

text: chaos

text: you

text: know

text: every

text: head

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: placed

text: there

text: and

text: paid

text: for

text: CNN

text: The

text: Namesake

text: is

text: about

text: not

text: losing

text: the

text: identity

text: of

text: Indian

text: culture

text: Was

text: that

text: a

text: challenge

text: Nair

text: I

text: am

text: at

text: home

text: in

text: many

text: cultures

text: I

text: live

text: actively

text: in

text: three

text: continents

text: and

text: I

text: 've

text: done

text: that

text: for

text: most

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: so

text: I

text: just

text: make

text: films

text: as

text: I

text: see

text: the

text: world

text: and

text: that

text: happens

text: to

text: speak

text: to

text: people

text: I

text: do

text: things

text: that

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: do

text: It

text: so

text: happens

text: because

text: I

text: am

text: fluent

text: in

text: both

text: worlds

text: that

text: my

text: films

text: enter

text: both

text: worlds

text: perhaps

text: CNN

text: Do

text: Indian

text: and

text: American

text: audiences

text: behave

text: differently

text: Nair

text: No

text: not

text: really

text: I

text: think

text: films

text: have

text: to

text: reach

text: people

text: and

text: really

text: grab

text: them

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: I

text: hope

text: to

text: do

text: when

text: I

text: make

text: a

text: film

text: to

text: get

text: under

text: your

text: skin

text: and

text: really

text: make

text: you

text: think

text: about

text: something

text: and

text: have

text: a

text: transporting

text: time

text: that

text: takes

text: you

text: somewhere

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: What other films has Nair directed?

answer: "Salaam Bombay!"

text: "Salaam Bombay!"

question: Jhumpa Lahiri's novel is the basis for which movie?

answer: "The Namesake."

text: "The Namesake."

question: what Nair directed "Monsoon Wedding,"?

answer: Mira

text: Mira

question: Nair directed which filds?

answer: "Monsoon Wedding" and "Salaam Bombay!"

text: "Monsoon Wedding" and "Salaam Bombay!"