China's 'meteoric rise' as a science power

More than one out of every 10 scientific papers published in the period from 2004 to 2008 came from China. STORY HIGHLIGHTSChina moves from sixth place to second in the publication of science articlesThe United States remains on top, but its dominance is slippingChina's influence isn't growing as fast as its outputThe findings come from the Royal Society in BritainRELATED TOPICSChinaHong Kong London (CNN) -- China is experiencing a "meteoric rise" in the publication of scientific papers in the past two decades, and while the United States remains on top, its dominance is slipping, a new study found this week.

Fewer than one out of 20 of the world's scientific articles came out of China in the decade up to 2003, the study shows. But the number rose to more than one out of 10 in the period from 2004 to 2008.

That pushed it up from sixth place to second, Britain's Royal Society found.

The United States was in first place in both time periods, but its share of publications dropped from more than one in four to about one in five.

The United Kingdom held steady in third place, but its share dropped from 7.1% to 6.5%, according to the study, "Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century."

China's influence and prestige in science may not be rising as fast as its output, the paper suggested.

The Royal Society measured how often each country's papers were cited by other researchers, a "means of evaluating the quality of publications," and found the United States first and the UK second.

China is rising, "although the rise does not mirror the rapidity of growth seen in the nation's investment or publication output."

Other nations are also newly making a mark in science, including Iran, Tunisia and Turkey, the paper found.

And it also discovered a rise in international collaboration on research papers. Only a quarter of articles had authors from more than one country 15 years ago, while today it's more than one in three.

The full report is available on the website of the Royal Society, Britain's national scientific academy.

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Former President Carter returns to Cuba

Jimmy Carter arrives in CubaSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Carter visits a Jewish center and temple and meets with the archbishop of HavanaThe trip is officially to strengthen bilateral tiesHowever, there are hopes the ex-president may try to lobby for an American prisonerThe U.S. contractor was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, landed in Havana on Monday for a private visit aimed at reducing tension between the Cold War enemies and seeing first-hand the economic reforms sweeping the communist island.

But expectations are high that Carter also will work behind the scenes to secure the release of American contractor Alan Gross, who was recently sentenced to 15 years in a Cuban prison.

Unlike his first visit in 2002, when then-President Fidel Castro personally greeted Carter on the tarmac, this time Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez was on hand to receive the former American leader.

The Carter Center has called the three-day trip a non-governmental mission at the invitation of the Cuban government. On Monday afternoon, he met with Jewish leaders and the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega.

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Witnesses: Syrian forces patrol restive cities

At least 37 people have died in violent protests since last week in Daraa, the U.N says. STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Witness: Syrian security forces move to disperse protesters in DaraaNEW: Mysterious black-shirted men terrorize residents in Latakia, witness saysDaraa is extremely tense, according to a witnessU.N.: At least 37 people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces (CNN) -- Syrian security forces flooded the restive cities of Daraa and Latakia on Monday, patrolling the streets, protecting government buildings and in at least one case clashing with protesters, according to witnesses.Both cities have been the scene of violent clashes between protesters and security forces in recent days, with at least 37 deaths since last week, according to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.In Daraa on Monday, forces filed into the city's main square before dawn, tearing down the tents and anti-government signs of about 100 protesters who were staying there overnight, according to one eyewitness. The forces fired shots into the air and turned water cannons on the protesters, the witness said, leading to a clash with hundreds of nearby residents who rushed to the square to defend the demonstrators.The resulting confrontation lasted about 30 minutes, reportedly without injuries or arrests, according to the witness.

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At least 121 killed in Yemen explosion

Ammunition factory explodes in YemenSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: At least 121 die and 45 are injured when an ammunition factory explodes, medical sources sayThe dead and wounded were ransacking the factory, security officials sayThe blast comes amid anti-government demonstrations and a fight against al QaedaPresident Saleh says he's best equipped to fight the IslamistsRELATED TOPICSYemenYemeni Politics (CNN) -- At least 121 people were killed and 45 injured in an explosion at an ammunition factory in southern Yemen on Monday, medical sources said.

The death toll was expected to rise, said the sources, who asked that they not be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the news media. Two of them work at Republican Hospital in Abyan.

Most of the dead and injured were locals who had been ransacking the factory after it was taken over Sunday by militants, security officials said.

The explosion took place in Abyan Province, they said.

It comes after months of demonstrations against Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and a weekend of violence between government forces and the local al Qaeda group.

Fighting over the past two days between Yemeni security forces and members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula left people on both sides dead, Yemeni security forces said Sunday.

Saleh has been fighting to hold onto power, arguing that he is best equipped to lead the fight against Islamists.

Three "al Qaeda terrorists were killed" and six others were arrested in Lawdar district, Yemen's official news agency Saba reported Saturday.

Also Sunday, seven Yemeni soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded when members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula attacked them in Marib, two security officials said. The attack took place at a military checkpoint a mile north of the government complex in Marib Province, east of the capital, Sanaa.

The attackers used grenades and machine guns, and took two military vehicles from the checkpoint, the security forces said.

After the fighting Saturday, the Yemeni government said it was a sign that strong measures are needed to combat instability within the country. Saba reported that Governor Saleh al-Zawari of Abyan Province affirmed "the importance to enhance security performance to strictly confront any attempts to disturb security and stability in the governorate."

Yemen has been facing protests from people citing government corruption, a lack of political freedom and high unemployment.

Calls for Saleh's ouster have increased in recent weeks following revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia. Saleh has ruled since 1978.

Saleh said Sunday he will not offer any more concessions, and he described the opposition as an alliance against the country's majority, according to Saba.

"I derive my strength from the people, not from the tank," Saleh was quoted as telling a session of the General People's Congress Standing Committee.

Opposition leaders rejected the president's comments. "Saleh has not learned a lesson from the millions who are demanding he step down," said Yaseen Noman, president of the JMP, the country's largest opposition bloc. "All the different initiatives and negotiations that take place are only there for Saleh to buy himself more time," he said.

"Saleh's lies show the world that he must leave power -- and people understand this," Noman added. "Our demands are simple: He must leave office. This is not open for negotiation."

The country has been wracked by a Shiite Muslim uprising, a U.S.-aided crackdown on al Qaeda operatives and a looming shortage of water.

Saleh has been a staunch U.S. ally in the fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked last week about how the United States sees cooperation with Yemen if Saleh were to step down.

"We have had a good working relationship with President Saleh," Gates told reporters during a trip to Cairo. "He's been an important ally in the counterterrorism arena. But clearly, there's a lot of unhappiness inside Yemen. And I think we will basically just continue to watch the situation. We haven't done any post-Saleh planning, if you will."

Saleh has said he accepts opposition demands for constitutional reforms and holding parliamentary elections by the end of the year.

Saleh has also promised not to run for president in the next round of elections.

CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom and journalist Hakim Almasmari contributed to this report.

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U.S. official: Fewer assets devoted to Libya already

Smoke billows as Libyan rebels progress westward from Bin Jawad toward Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte on Monday. STORY HIGHLIGHTSAt least 2 ships not involved in daily operations nowU.S. doesn't need to be able to fire as many Tomahawk missiles, official saysPresence won't be drastically reduced yetRELATED TOPICSLibyaMoammar GadhafiUnited StatesWar and Conflict (CNN) -- The U.S. military has already reduced its day-to-day presence in the operation in and around Libya, according to a defense official."Some of the ships have peeled off, but are still in the region," said the official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the mission. At least two of the ships involved in the initial phase of establishing the no-fly zone over Libya are no longer involved in day-to-day operations, the official said.The U.S. still "would still keep the capability to fire Tomahawk missiles, but they're not needed as much. So the ships that have that capability may go to other spots as needed," the defense official said. There is still enough capability to do what the U.S. has to do, he said."The USS Providence has now moved on to previously assigned tasking, having completed all strikes missions assigned to her," Vice Adm. Bill Gortney told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday.While drawing down on the assets that can fire Tomahawk missiles, the official said the U.S. would not drastically reduce its presence while Moammar Gadhafi's forces are still capable of mounting resistance and attacks."You still see anti-aircraft fire shooting off at night, which means the capability is still there" to shoot down planes, the official said. "We don't want to get too low on manpower, not yet."

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Radioactive water found outside nuclear plant in Japan

Radioactivity 100,000 times normalSTORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Japanese official says contaminated water overflow a threatPlutonium found in small quantities on plant groundsPower restored to No. 3 reactor Radioactive water, possible containment leak plague plant Tokyo (CNN) -- The Japanese company trying to contain the release of radiation from its Fukushima nuclear plant must pour enough water to cool its damaged reactors without creating an overflow of contaminated water from the plant, a government official said Tuesday.

Yukio Edano, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary and the government's point man for the nation's nuclear crisis, said the effort to prevent the reactors from overheating "must be given priority."

But Edano acknowledge the danger posed by continuing to pour water into them.

"If we need to increase water injection, this is what we need to do. If we stop water injection, fuel rod temperatures may increase and that may result in overheating," Edano said. "But fundamentally we need to drain the water as soon as possible."

Edano's remarks came a day after he told reporters that the containment structure surrounding one of the reactors at a quake-battered nuclear power plant is damaged and may be leaking radioactive material.

The plant's owner disclosed that small amounts of plutonium had been found among contaminants around the facility late Monday as Japanese authorities struggled to explain how radioactive water was leaking into maintenance tunnels and possibly, into the Pacific Ocean.

Edano told reporters Monday afternoon that "there may be a leak" from the containment vessel surrounding the No. 2 reactor. He said experts were still trying to determine the condition of the reactor's pressure vessel, which sits inside the containment vessel and immediately surrounds the radioactive fuel rods at the reactor's core.

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Gadhafi son was on U.S. internship

Khamis Gadhafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, was seen on live Libyan state TV Monday night. STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Libyan leaders son, Khamis Gadhafi. seen on live TV MondayNEW: The younger Gadhafi's TV appearance counters rumors of his deathYoungest son runs elite special forcesInternship sponsor "shocked and outraged" by son's role in fightingRELATED TOPICSMoammar GadhafiLibyaU.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Washington (CNN) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's youngest son, who runs the country's elite special forces for his father's regime, was on an internship program in the United States when public unrest exploded in Libya last month.

Khamis Gadhafi abruptly cut off his visit and returned to Libya, where he has led the 32nd Reinforced Brigade, known at the Khamis Brigade, in its brutal suppression of rebel forces.

The brigade's headquarters was the target of six Tomahawk missiles overnight, according to Vice Adm. William Gortney of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gortney described the brigade as "one of the most active in terms of attacking innocent people."

Libya's state TV on Monday night broadcast live footage from Gadhafi's Tripoli compound of Khamis Gadhafi dressed in uniform and greeting people. Prior to the broadcast there had been unconfirmed reports that the younger Gadhafi had died from injuries he suffered when a plane flown by a disgruntled Libyan pilot crashed into a military compound while he was there.

ABC News was the first to report Khamis Gadhafi's recent stay in the United States.

The month-long internship was sponsored by AECOM, a global engineering and design company based in Los Angeles, and with the assistance of the State Department.

AECOM has business dealings with Libya.

The younger Gadhafi traveled from coast to coast meeting with high-tech companies, universities and defense contractors. His itinerary included stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Colorado, Chicago, Houston, Washington and New York City.

Khamis Gadhafi left the United States for Libya on February 17.

Paul Gennaro, the senior vice president and chief communications officer for AECOM, issued a statement saying, "The educational internship, which consisted of publicly available information, was aligned with our efforts to improve quality of life, specifically in Libya, where we were advancing public infrastructure such as access to clean water; quality housing; safe and efficient roads and bridges; reliable and affordable energy; and related projects that create jobs and opportunity."

Gennaro said the company was "shocked and outraged" to learn of Khamis Gadhafi's role in the Libyan crisis. "We were aware of the student's family relationship, but we were not informed of any military connection whatsoever," Gennaro said. It was the company's understanding that Khamis Gadhafi was an MBA student from an accredited university in Spain. "The student was positioned to help oversee improvements in Libya's quality of life and infrastructure initiatives, which the country had been advancing since 2007," he said. The U.S. State Department was aware of and approved all the meetings, Gennaro said.

According to Gennaro, AECOM did not provide any funding for either Khamis Gadhafi or the internship program.

Since 2008, AECOM has been involved in a multibillion-dollar initiative with Libya to modernize the country's infrastructure. The company withdrew all its expatriate employees and their families from Libya earlier this month. The joint project to train Libyan engineers to build and maintain homes, roads and water systems is on hold.

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Reactions to Obama's address on Libya

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Bill Richardson: Obama explained the purpose -- to avert a humanitarian disasterSen. John McCain: Obama saying regime change won't be pursued militarily is "puzzling" CNN's Fareed Zakaria: "Important" speech explains U.S. military response is limitedRudolph Giuliani: "The president's speech tonight has made things even murkier" (CNN) -- In a televised address Monday night, U.S. President Barack Obama explained the reasons he involved the U.S. military in the U.N.-authorized mission in Libya, saying "it was not in our national interest" to let the citizens of a rebel stronghold suffer a massacre at the hands of approaching pro-government forces.

Obama also said that NATO would take full control of the military mission on Wednesday.

Following is a collection of reactions from people including U.S. politicians and political analysts.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona:

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Some Japanese staying put despite radiation threat

Japanese residents: We're not leavingSTORY HIGHLIGHTSSome Japanese residents in the evacuation zone are refusing to leaveDamage to roads within the 12-mile evacuation area renders transportation difficultOfficials again urge residents near the Fukushima nuclear plant to evacuate (CNN) -- In Futaba, Japan, the threat of death by radiation poisoning is not enough to compel some residents to obey the Japanese government's order to leave their homes.

Futaba is within the 12-mile evacuation zone surrounding the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant where crews are struggling to contain radiation spilling out of the facility -- a disaster created by a March 11 earthquake-triggered tsunami.

The nuclear accident has turned Futaba into a ghost town, almost. Trains no longer run to this northern Japan farming community. The clean-up of the damage wrought by the earthquake has not started and the only people on the streets are members of Japan's self-defense forces, all dressed head to toe in protective clothing.

However, government forces conducting house-by-house searches have found people who refuse to get out of Futaba. Some say they are too sick or old to leave their homes. Others say they stayed behind, or managed to return, to feed their animals.

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World leaders meet to put more pressure on Gadhafi

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World leaders will look for ways to strengthen the U.N. resolution that created a no-fly zone over Libya. STORY HIGHLIGHTSMore than 40 foreign ministers, regional groups and top diplomats will meet in LondonOrganizers say they want to strengthen no-fly zone in LibyaU.S. President Obama makes his case for intervention in LibyaRebels enter Gadhafi loyalist territory, then flee gunfireRELATED TOPICSUnited NationsLibya Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- As fighting between government and rebel forces rages on in several Libyan towns, world leaders will gather Tuesday in London to plan ways to put pressure on leader Moammar Gadhafi.More than 40 foreign ministers and representatives from regional groups will attend the conference, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the African Union Jean Ping and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.The conference comes as opposition fighters, aided by coalition airstrikes, made some gains in fighting Gadhafi's forces. It also comes a day after U.S. President Barack Obama explained America's role in the conflict and declared that "history is not on Gadhafi's side."Organizers of the conference say the influential group will look for ways to strengthen the U.N. Security Council resolution approved on March 17 that created a no-fly zone above Libya and mandated the protection of civilians. They will also search for urgent ways to get humanitarian aid to war-torn cities like Misrata.Rebels are holding a tenuous grasp on some of the gains they made this week, but suffered setbacks Monday on their trek west into territory loyal to Gadhafi.As they moved into Umm el Ghindel -- near Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace -- they found that Gadhafi's forces had armed residents in the area, they said. They beat a hasty retreat, they said. The ragtag group of amateur soldiers gained control of the town of Ras Lanuf, however. They also appeared to have taken control of the key oil town of al-Brega.In Misrata, battles that have been going on for weeks continued Monday, with both rebels and government forces claiming to have control of the city.The Libyan government took journalists to Misrata on Monday to prove that they still had control of the city but did not allow journalists into the city center, which rebels have said they control.Rebels have credited coalition airstrikes with helping them regain ground, noting that they had encountered little resistance as they headed west over the weekend. But they said they need more airstrikes to advance further.Decisions on future airstrikes will be made by NATO starting Wednesday, Obama said.Obama defended his decision to commit U.S. forces to the U.N. backed military intervention but said the U.S. would now have "a supporting role -- including intelligence, logistical support, search-and-rescue assistance, and capabilities to jam regime communications."One country criticized the military effort Monday.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained that the coalition's actions seemed to expand beyond the U.N. resolution's scope. "There are reports -- which go undenied -- that the air forces of the coalition conduct airstrikes on Gadhafi's troops and support the military actions of rebels. There is an obvious controversy there," he told reporters in Moscow. "We believe that the interference into what is, essentially, an internal civil war is not sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council resolution."Russia abstained from voting on the U.N. Security Council resolution but did not veto it.NATO, which has 28 member countries, formally approved plans Sunday to take control of enforcing the U.N. Security Council resolution.The coalition enforcing the resolution has been led by the United States, the United Kingdom and France."Our mandate is very clear. We're there to protect civilians against attacks. No more, no less," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told CNN.CNN's Reza Sayah, Arwa Damon, Nic Robertson, Paula Newton, Maxim Tkachenko and Yousuf Basil contributed to this report

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Libyan rebels run into resistance

Libyan rebels continue westward pushSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: U.S. President Obama makes his case for intervention in LibyaNEW: Diplomats prepare to meet in LondonRebels enter Gadhafi loyalist territory, then flee gunfire, they sayLibyan state television claims civilians are injured from Sabha bombing Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Opposition fighters continued to push west, entering territory loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but were quickly beaten back, rebels told CNN, as diplomats arrived Tuesday in London to discuss the crisis.

The setback for the rebels highlights the tenuous nature of their recent gains and suggests they might face more resistance in the days to come.

As they moved into Umm el Ghindel -- near Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace -- rebels began searching homes and found that Gadhafi's forces had armed residents in the area, they said. As they were talking to residents, asking them to join the opposition, gunfire broke out. Rebels told CNN they refused to fire back and began a hasty retreat. A stream of vehicles could be seen fleeing the area.

CNN could not independently confirm details of the report.

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Carter lands in Cuba, may discuss jailed American contractor

Jimmy Carter arrives in CubaSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Carter lands in Cuba and is greeted by Foreign Minister Bruno RodriguezThe trip is officially to strengthen bilateral tiesHowever, the ex-president may try to lobby for an American prisonerThe U.S. contractor was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, landed in Havana Monday for a private visit aimed at lowering tension between the Cold War enemies and seeing firsthand the economic reforms sweeping the communist island. Unlike his first visit in 2002, when then-Cuban President Fidel Castro personally greeted Carter on the tarmac, this time Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez was on hand to receive the former American leader. He was invited by current Cuban President Raul Castro on a non-governmental mission and will meet with officials and Jewish and Catholic leaders during his three-day visit. But expectations are high that Carter also will work behind the scenes to secure the release of American contractor Alan Gross, who was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison for what Cuba considers "subversive" work connecting dissidents to the internet. Gross, a U.S. Agency for International Development contractor, was arrested in Havana in 2009.

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Death penalty possible for parents charged in child's death

Jorge and Carmen Barahona have been charged with murder, child abuse and child neglect. STORY HIGHLIGHTSProsecutor files notice with the court that death penalty may be soughtCarmen and Jorge Barahona plead not guity Monday to murder and other chargesThey're charged with first-degree murder in death of their 10-year-old adopted daughterCase led to a review of Florida's Department of Children and Families Miami (CNN) -- A Florida prosecutor told the court she intends to seek the death penalty in a case where a 10-year-old girl was found dead in the back of her father's truck. Carmen and Jorge Barahona, the adopted parents of the girl, Nubia Barahona, have been charged with first-degree murder.

In Florida, the prosecution must file a notice at the beginning of the legal proceedings if it plans to seek the death penalty. If that's not done, the state waives the right to seek that sentence later in the case. Monday's first appearance on the charges is just the beginning of the Barahonas' criminal case. As it continues, the prosecutors will make it clear whether the death penalty will be sought.

The Barahonas have also been charged with eight counts of aggravated child abuse and eight counts of child neglect. Jorge Barahona is charged with an additional count of mutilation or abuse of a dead body. They pleaded not guilty on Monday.

In court, the couple sat apart from each other but next to their individual attorneys. Jorge Barahona was wearing a bulletproof vest that showed his bare arms, and Carmen Barahona was in a bright orange jail-issued outfit.

Over the years the couple has been at the center of multiple complaints to Florida's Department of Children and Families, with callers reporting that Nubia and her twin brother were locked in bathrooms for long periods of time or bound with tape, according to testimony given in family court. Nevertheless, the children remained in the Barahona home.

This case prompted an independent review of the DCF. The panel recently released "The Nubia Report," recommending changes the agency should make in training and technology. The report says when a call is made to the abuse hotline, "DCF should work with law enforcement to ensure an appropriate joint response when children are not located quickly."

That change is a result of a phone call to the abuse hotline four days before Nubia's body was found in her father's truck. The call was made by a therapist, saying that the granddaughter of Carmen Barahona told her that the twins were being abused, according to documents released in the case. A DCF investigator went to the house but did not see the children and did not notify the police.

The pest control truck that Barahona was driving was found by a road ranger on the side of Interstate 95 in the West Palm Beach area on February 14. Firefighters called to the scene found Barahona and Nubia's brother suffering from burns and a chemical-related illness, said West Palm Beach Police Department spokesman Chase Scott.

Hazardous material teams were called in to investigate fumes coming from the vehicle. "The department of environmental protection went into the rear of the vehicle, moving aside some chemicals and located a body in a bag in the rear of the vehicle," said Scott. The body has since been identified by the Palm Beach medical examiner as that of Nubia Barahona.

Jorge Barahona did speak to police after he was arrested, according to a probable cause affidavit for the aggravated child abuse charges. The document says that Barahona told police that he drove to West Palm Beach that day "after he placed his deceased daughter in a plastic bag, which he loaded in the rear of his truck."

When Jorge Barahona and his son were released from the hospital, the father went to jail and the child went to a therapeutic foster home. Jail is where both Jorge and Carmen Barahona will be staying, since they were denied bond, awaiting a resolution of their case.

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Libyan rebels target Gadhafi's birthplace

Libyan rebels continue westward pushSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Rebels enter Gadhafi loyalist territory, then flee gunfire, rebels sayA rebel says Gadhafi forces raised a white flag, then shot themNATO's chief says the aim in Libya is to protect people, not arm themLibyan state television claims civilians are injured from Sabha bombing Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Libyan opposition fighters Monday entered territory loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but soon had to flee amid a barrage of gunfire, rebels told CNN.

As they moved into Umm el Ghindel -- near Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace -- they began searching some homes and found that Gadhafi's forces had armed residents in the area, rebels said. As they were talking to residents, asking them to join the opposition, gunfire broke out. Rebels told CNN they refused to fire back and began a hasty retreat. A stream of vehicles could be seen fleeing the area.

CNN could not confirm details of what had transpired.

Earlier, a wounded rebel with bandages on the left side of his head and face described what happened Monday about 30 kilometers (nearly 20 miles) from Sirte, near the city's main entrance.

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Girl, denied access to U.S., will try again

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSEmily Ruiz, 4, a U.S. citizen, was turned away at airportShe was traveling with her Guatemalan grandfather, who was denied entryHer father says he didn't understand what was happening (CNN) -- A 4-year-old U.S. citizen who was denied entry into the country earlier this month will attempt the journey again, an attorney representing her said.

Emily Ruiz, the daughter of two Guatemalan immigrants who are living in the United States illegally, had spent five months vacationing with her grandparents in Guatemala. When the grandfather flew her home this month, however, he was stopped at the airport for a previous immigration violation.

He was denied entry into the United States, and it placed Emily in the middle of an immigration quagmire. According to her family, immigration officials gave her parents two options: Emily could be deported to Guatemala with her grandfather, or she could be turned over to state custody. She returned to Central America.

But officials say they gave Emily's father the opportunity to pick her up, as she is a U.S. citizen. The pair was stopped in Washington. The Ruiz family lives in Long Island, New York.

The father, who speaks limited English, said he did not understand if that was indeed offered.

Attorney David Sperling flew to Guatemala on Monday to attempt a return trip with Emily. He was expected to speak at a press conference in the afternoon.

CNN's Adriana Hauser contributed to this report.

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Controversial 9/11 ad pulled, agency says

By Jordana Ossad, CNN STORY HIGHLIGHTSAgency says controversial 9/11 ad will not run againThe stock photo of model and firefighter was alteredIn the original, Keiley was holding a helmet New York (CNN) -- A controversial 9/11 ad with an altered picture of a model firefighter holding a picture of the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack under the headline "I was there" will not be running again, according to the ad agency which was responsible for the ad.

Robert Keiley is the model in the ad and is a firefighter with the Fire Department of New York, according to John Barker, the president of ad agency Barker DZP. However he was not at Ground Zero right after the 9/11attacks in 2001; he became a firefighter with the FDNY in 2004.

"The intent of the ad is a positive one," Barker told CNN. "The ad was designed to tell people that there are funds available for people that were injured at Ground Zero."

The ad was for Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern, a law firm known for representing injury claim cases.

Keiley signed a release when the stock photograph was taken in November and there were no restrictions about altering the photo, according to Baker. In fact, he said, the agency did not know who Keiley was or anything about him.

"At no time did we have any idea -- or could we have had any knowledge -- that the person in the photo, Robert Keiley, was an actual firefighter, much less a New York City firefighter. This unfortunate coincidence makes the ad into something we never intended it to be," he said.

"We feel absolutely terrible that there's this unfortunate incident that (Keiley) is a firefighter, that he actually had friends that were lost on 9/11," Barker said. "We deeply apologize to Mr. Keiley and deeply regret any offense to anyone."

In a statement issued later, Barker said, "We hold all firefighters in the highest regard, and believe all New York City firefighters are heroes. While our mistake was entirely inadvertent, we understand why the ad has caused hurt, we regret its use, and we accept responsibility.Our client was uninvolved in the selection of this photo and had no knowledge of any of these details. Out of respect for all parties involved, Barker/DZP has voluntarily withdrawn from this assignment."

Keiley's lawyer Keith Sullivan told CNN, "My client is opposed to the commercialization of 9/11 and is extremely upset that his image is being used for commercial gains by others."

Sullivan said that Keiley was holding a helmet in the original photo.

"I think the onus is on the ad company because they need to try to practice on being more sensitive," said John Feal, president of the non-profit organization FealGood Foundation, which aims to spread awareness and educate people about the health effects of 9/11 responders. Depictions of 9/11 are "so sensitive in the 9/11 community," he said.

Robert Keiley and Worby Groner & Napoli Bern were not available for comment.

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Why does 'nuclear' scare us so much?

South Korean environmental activists demonstrate to oppose nuclear power in Seoul on Monday. STORY HIGHLIGHTSRisk equals the probability of consequences multiplied by the severity of consequencesPeople generally think about risk from an emotional perspectiveSome say our fear of nuclear energy dates back before radioactivity was discoveredDr. Drew Pinsky is coming to HLN with a new nightly show discussing extreme human behavior, with a focus not on what happened, but why it happened. The "Dr. Drew" show premieres Monday, April 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HLN.

(CNN) -- Say it aloud: NUCLEAR. How does it make you feel? Many people have negative associations with the word, feelings that have been magnified since a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled a power plant called Fukushima Daiichi in Japan on March 11.

Health authorities continue to emphasize that the minuscule levels of radioactivity drifting over from Japan to the United States will not even come close to harming human health. These are trace amounts, and not anything any of us should worry about.

Yet plenty of the worried on the West Coast ran out to buy potassium iodide to counter the effects of radioactive iodine, even though there's not nearly enough of this substance in the air to affect human health. And taking potassium iodide unnecessarily can come with its own harmful side effects.

If there's no real danger to Americans in the U.S., why the fear? People generally think about risk from an emotional perspective, rather than from a rational one, says Richard John, associate professor of psychology at the University of Southern California.

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British Airways crew members vote for strike

BA's cabin crew employees have been embroiled in an ongoing wage dispute over the past two years. STORY HIGHLIGHTSUnion representing BA crew members says the employees favor strike actionAbout 7,000 crew members voted and 83% wanted strikeBA's cabin crew employees in ongoing wage dispute with managementRELATED TOPICSBritish Airways plc (CNN) -- The union representing many British Airways cabin crew members said the employees had voted to strike, though a date wasn't specified.

The union Unite said that just under 7,000 crew members voted, and that about 83% voted for strike action.

BA's cabin crew employees have been embroiled in an ongoing wage dispute over the past two years, said Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary.

"This vote shows that cabin crew remain determined to win justice. We urge BA's boardroom to see this as a clear message that they must think again about how to regain the trust and confidence of a significant part of their cabin crew operation," McCluskey said. "We continue to be in discussions with the company to find a solution to this long-running dispute."

The crew members voted on a range of anti-union management measures, including sanctions applied to some 6,700 crew who participated in a strike last year, the union said.

BA did not immediately comment on the vote.

British Airways is currently in the process of completing a merger with the Spanish airline Iberia.

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BlackBerry's PlayBook tablet may face uphill battle

The BlackBerry PlayBook will support Android apps -- but will that be enough to make it a hit? STORY HIGHLIGHTSBlackBerry's PlayBook tablet hits stores April 19 and will start at $499In an effort to make the PlayBook more attractive, BlackBerry is opening it to Android appsBut few Android app developers may be willing to jump through hurdles for an unproven tablet The PlayBook also falls short in terms of supporting integrated BlackBerry messaging servicesRELATED TOPICSBlackBerry Mobile DevicesAppsTablet ComputersEditor's note: Amy Gahran writes about mobile tech for CNN.com. She is a San Francisco Bay Area writer and media consultant whose blog, Contentious.com, explores how people communicate in the online age.

(CNN) -- Once the most popular smartphone, the BlackBerry has been losing ground in the past year to iPhone and Android models. So Research in Motion is trying to carve out a new market with the PlayBook (the upcoming BlackBerry tablet) due to hit stores in the U.S. and Canada on April 19. Prices start at $499, same as for the iPad 2.

However, the BlackBerry operating system is definitely not on the cutting edge of smartphone platforms. So there's been ample skepticism about how attractive a BlackBerry tablet might be to consumers, especially compared with slick offerings such as Apple's iPad and the growing array of Android tablets.

On March 24, in a move apparently aimed at compensating for the weaknesses of the BlackBerry OS and relatively lean BlackBerry App World offerings, RIM announced that the PlayBook will support Android apps, as well as the Java-based apps that currently run on BlackBerry smartphones.

According to the news release, "RIM will launch two optional 'app players' that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java apps and Android v2.3 apps. These new app players will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook."

However, the release also notes that "The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer."

So if you rush out to buy a PlayBook this spring, you'll have to wait a few months to get those Android apps and see how well they run.

Crackberry clarified, "This doesn't mean that RIM is working with Google to bring Android marketplace to BlackBerry, but rather that developers who have made Android apps can sign up as BlackBerry App World developers (which is now free of charge) and distribute their apps to BlackBerry PlayBook owners via App World."

And as to the user experience, Crackberry notes, "Because these Android Apps and BlackBerry Smartphone apps will be running in a sandboxed environment, to use RIM's vocabulary we can likely expect the experience to be more along the lines of simple open-and-use 'apps' rather than the deeply integrated 'super apps' that RIM often likes to talk about."

Media analyst Jean-Louis Gassée sharply criticized RIM's app strategy for the PlayBook, as well as RIM's entire business approach of late. He points out that touting the PlayBook as running Android apps is misleading, since consumers won't be able to download apps from the Android app market and run them on the PlayBook.

Rather, developers will have to adapt their Android apps to run within the PlayBook's app player and then get them approved to be offered in the BlackBerry App World, a hurdle few developers are likely to be willing to jump for a new, unproven tablet with established competition.

"Launching what is clearly an immature product and trying to compensate for a dearth of applications with a misleading claim of compatibility with the wrong version of Android is insane," Gassée wrote.

I'm puzzled by the market strategy here. Clearly, RIM is using the PlayBook to push hard to get more users in the consumer media and gaming market. But that represents a huge away shift from the company's original (and still strong) market base, which is mostly corporate users focused on messaging services.

On that front, there's a further complication: The PlayBook reportedly falls short in terms of supporting the integrated messaging services that die-hard BlackBerry fans love.

According to Information Week: "The PlayBook will first launch in a Wi-Fi only configuration (Sprint will sell a WiMax version this summer). That means the PlayBook can only snag emails and other data when in range of Wi-Fi hotspots. Email, contacts, and calendar data are not 'live' on the PlayBook as they are on a regular BlackBerry. In fact, the only way to access live corporate PIM data is to tether a BlackBerry to the PlayBook via Bluetooth. The PlayBook will then mirror whatever data is on the BlackBerry."

This sounds like a huge drawback for RIM's existing business users. It means that in order to take advantage of the features BlackBerry users love, they'll have to carry around both devices and take the time to tether them.

It's good that RIM is branching out in new directions, and a tablet makes sense. But why not build on the company's strengths to create a robust tablet experience for business users rather than go flailing after the consumer and gaming markets, a strategy that pits the PlayBook squarely against the iPad? Doesn't sound like a fair fight.

The opinions expressed in this post are solely those of Amy Gahran.

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Unrest: Middle East and North Africa, country by country

By The CNN Wire Staff (CNN) -- Demonstrations have spread across parts of the Middle East and North Africa. Here is the latest from each country and the roots of the unrest.

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS

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EGYPT

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-- Voters in Egypt will elect members of parliament in September and cast ballots for president sometime after that, a member of the ruling military council said Monday. Gen. Mamdou Shahen said the elections would not be held under Egypt's emergency law, though he did not specify when the law would be lifted.

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-- Egypt's military rulers shortened the nationwide curfew. It now applies from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.

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LIBYA

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-- Opposition fighters Monday entered territory loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but soon had to flee amid a barrage of gunfire, rebels told CNN. As they moved into Umm el Ghindel -- near Sirte, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's birthplace -- they began searching some homes and found that Gadhafi's forces had armed residents in the area, rebels said. As they were talking to residents, asking them to join the opposition, gunfire broke out. Rebels told CNN they refused to fire back and began a hasty retreat. A stream of vehicles could be seen fleeing the area.

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-- Opposition forces on Monday claimed to CNN that they had gained control of Nawfaliya. CNN reporters could hear explosions and see plumes of smoke in the area, coming from the direction of Nawfaliya and Sirte. The battle for Sirte, the rebels said, could be their toughest and bloodiest yet. They credited coalition airstrikes with helping them regain ground, noting that they had encountered little resistance as they headed westward over the weekend.

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-- U.S. intelligence sees signs that some of those who are "relatively close to the Libyan leader are questioning whether he has staying power," a U.S. official said. Libyan rebels have made significant gains against Gadhafi forces and American intelligence has seen indications that the "morale of Gadhafi forces is on the decline," the official told CNN.

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-- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said told NBC's "Meet the Press" that those around Gadhafi are reaching out to say, "You're misunderstanding us. You don't appreciate what we're doing. Come and talk to us." Clinton said the United States is sending a message back: "Do you really want to be a pariah? Do you really want to end up in the international criminal court? Now is your time to get out of this and to help change the direction."

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-- Two Reuters television journalists missing in Syria since Saturday have been released by Syrian authorities, the news agency reported Monday. The two traveled to Syria on Thursday to cover the unrest in the country, according to Reuters.

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-- NATO's secretary general ruled out arming Libyan rebels Monday as the alliance continued to take over command and control of the entire Libyan mission. The first NATO sorties to maintain the no-fly zone over Libya flew on Sunday, NATO officials said. The alliance is expected to be in complete command of the no-fly zone by the end of the day Monday. The mission of protecting civilians is expected to be under full NATO control by the end of the week, they said.

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SYRIA

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--Security forces expelled protesters from the main square in Daraa before dawn on Monday, firing into the air and turning water cannons on demostrators in a clash that lasted for about 30 minutes, according to a witness.

--An "extraordinary number" of security forces flooded Daraa on Monday, patrolling streets and guarding government buildings in an apparent attempt to stave off further protests, political activist Aman Aswad told CNN. The city is extremely tense and "people are sitting at home scared, watching the updates on TV," Aswad said.

-- Syria's state-run news agency denied reports that security forces had fired on protesters Monday. The reports are "completely false," the agency reported on its website, citing an official government source.

--In Latakia, mysterious men in black shirts carrying sophisticated weapons terrorized residents overnight Monday, a witness told CNN. "We do not understand who these men are but government officials say they are members of a 'foreign group,'" the witness said. "We all think they are lying about this because every time one of them is captured and handed over to the police he is released." The witness also said army troops were protecting government buildings and other sites.

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YEMEN

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--At least 121 people died and 45 were wounded in an explosion at an ammunition factory in Yemen on Monday, medical and security officials said. The dead and and wounded were mainly locals who were ransacking the factory after it was taken over by militants on Sunday, security officials said. The explosion took place in Abyan Province in southern Yemen.

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JORDAN

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--Jordan's King Abdullah II made a call for national unity and reform following bloody clashes between protesters and government loyalists late last week, the country's Petra News Agency reported. "What matters to us in this stage is that our national unity must not be undermined," the king said Sunday, while visiting the southern region of Petra. "We are proceeding in earnest with the political reform process and we have nothing to fear."

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PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENTS

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LIBYA

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-- NATO members on Sunday agreed to take over the full scope of the military mission in Libya. NATO ambassadors unanimously approved a plan for a so-called "No Fly Plus" in Libya that will allow it to protect civilians as well as enforce a no-fly zone and an arms embargo.

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-- French warplanes on Sunday led airstrikes on armored vehicles and on a large ammunition depot in the regions of Misrata and Zintan, according to the French Ministry of Defense.

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-- Libyan rebels continued their westward advance Sunday, a day after the retreat of Moammar Gadhafi's forces from a key eastern city Saturday reinvigorated the opposition. The rebels took operational control of two key cities -- Ras Lanuf and Brega. A CNN crew in Ras Lanuf witnessed damaged vehicles on the outskirts of the town, although the town appeared to have avoided major destruction. No clashes were reported on Sunday.

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-- Some opposition fighters focused on securing Brega's entrance Sunday while others traveled in trucks heading west, encountering little resistance along the way.

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-- Several busloads of Gadhafi's forces, mainly rifle-carrying snipers, arrived in the besieged city of Misrata Saturday and forced residents from their homes, according to a witness.

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-- Breakfast at a Tripoli hotel housing international journalists took a decidedly grim turn Saturday when a desperate Libyan woman burst into the building frantic to let the world know she had been raped and beaten by Moammar Gadhafi's militia.

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-- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told CBS' "Face the Nation" that he was unaware of coalition attacks causing civilian casualties.

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-- More than 351,000 people have left Libya since the start of the unrest, the U.N. refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration said last week.

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-- Dirk Niebel, Germany's minister for development aid, criticized nations implementing the U.N. resolution authorizing force in Libya. "I find it strange that countries that are still getting oil from Libya are happily bombing the place. I think before military intervention, you should exhaust all nonmilitary methods of pressure," he said.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Protests in Libya started in February when demonstrators, fed up with delays, broke into a housing project the government was building and occupied it. Gadhafi's government, which has ruled since a 1969 coup, responded with a $24 billion fund for housing and development. A month later, more demonstrations were sparked when police detained relatives of those killed in an alleged 1996 massacre at the Abu Salim prison, according to Human Rights Watch. High unemployment and demands for freedom have also fueled the protests.

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YEMEN

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-- Seven Yemeni soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded on Sunday when members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula attacked them in Marib, two security officials said. The attack took place at a military checkpoint a mile north of the government complex in Marib province, east of the capital, Sanaa. Three "al Qaeda terrorists were killed" and six others were arrested in Lawdar district, Yemen's official news agency Saba reported Saturday.

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-- After the fighting Saturday, the Yemeni government said it was a sign that strong measures are needed to combat instability within the country.

-- After accepting opposition demands for constitutional reforms and parliamentary elections by the end of the year, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Sunday he will not offer any more concessions. Saleh told an Arab television network that he is "ready to step down with respect and dignity, even within a two hours' notice" but not to "gangs," "drug dealers" or al-Houthi rebels."

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-- Saleh, speaking to Al Arabiya television on Saturday, warned that some leadership factions in the opposition have a "foreign agenda."

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-- There were two rival demonstrations in Yemen on Friday, one pro-government and the other anti-government. A human rights activist described the anti-government protest as huge and said a funeral prayer took place at the protest for two of the people who died last week during the violence in Sanaa.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Protesters have called for the ouster of Saleh, who has ruled Yemen since 1978. The country has been wracked by a Shiite Muslim uprising, a U.S.-aided crackdown on al Qaeda operatives and a looming shortage of water. High unemployment fuels much of the anger among a growing young population who have suffered from poverty. The protesters also cite government corruption and a lack of political freedom. Saleh has promised not to run for president in the next round of elections.

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SYRIA

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-- Syria will lift its emergency law that has been in place for nearly 50 years, a government official said Sunday. But Reem Haddad, spokeswoman for the Syrian Information Ministry, said it was too early to say when it would be lifted. The law allows the government to make preventive arrests and override constitutional and penal code statutes, and bars detainees held without charge from filing court complaints or having a lawyer present during interrogations.

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-- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was expected to address the nation amid reports of protesters being shot to death in recent days as they called for government reforms. Assad was expected to speak "within the next couple of days," a source close to the Syrian government said.

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-- A day after violent protests erupted in the restive city of Daraa, security forces opened fire at protesters in the coastal city of Latakia, witnesses said. Anti-government demonstrations in Latakia had started peacefully before several people were wounded in a hail of gunfire as security forces tightened their control on access to the city, witnesses said.

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-- Syria's state-run news agency, SANA, citing an unidentified official source, said the attacks of "armed gangs" in Latakia over the past two days has led to the deaths of 10 security force members and civilians and two gunmen. SANA reported that 200 people, most of them security forces, were wounded by the gangs.

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-- Presidential spokeswoman Shaaban blamed "a group of gunmen and smugglers" who allegedly seized police weapons and began shooting. Their actions compelled security guards to fire back in defense of their post, she said.

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-- "The situation in Syria has worsened considerably over the past week, with the use of live ammunition and tear gas by the authorities having resulted in a total of at least 37 people being killed in Daraa, including two children," said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the U.N.'s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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-- Eyewitnesses said demonstrators took to the streets in Daraa on Friday. Protesters chanted for freedom and criticized the government. One activist, Kamal Aswad, said more than 100,000 demonstrators turned out. Syrian human rights activists reported smaller demonstrations in other cities, including Damascus, Deir Al-Zour, Raqqa, Latakia and Homs.

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--U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appearing Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," said the United States has no plans to enter the conflict in Syria as it has in Libya. "Each of these situations is unique," she said. "Certainly we deplore the violence in Syria, we call as we have on all of these governments during this period of the Arab awakening, as some have called it, to be responding to their people's needs, not to engage in violence, permit peaceful protests and begin a process of economic and political reform."

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Roots of unrest

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-- Opponents of the al-Assad government allege massive human rights abuses, and an emergency law has been in effect since 1963. Earlier in March, Syrian human rights attorney Haitham Maleh -- arrested in October 2009 during a government crackdown on lawyers and activists -- was freed, his son said. The move comes amid demands by many citizens for more economic prosperity, political freedom, and civil liberty.

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JORDAN

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-- Sixty-two citizens and 58 members of Jordanian security forces, including two senior officers, were injured during Friday's clashes in Amman, Jordan, according to the country's General Security Directorate.

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-- Officials say police tried to separate the two groups and were initially overwhelmed before they later regained control of the situation.

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-- Jordan Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said, "Things have gotten a little out of hand." He noted that the country has "a leadership that initiates reform."

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-- Several demonstrators calling for reform in Jordan were injured in Amman Friday when government supporters hit them with rocks and sticks, protest organizers said.

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-- Government opponents and supporters chanted dueling slogans while police stood by, one organizer said. Many protesters advocate a constitutional monarchy and less power for the king; they also are angry about corruption and the privatization of some services, among other things.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Jordan's economy has been hit hard by the global economic downturn and rising commodity prices, and youth unemployment is high, as it is in Egypt. Officials close to the palace have told CNN that King Abdullah II is trying to turn a regional upheaval into an opportunity for reform. He swore in a new government following anti-government protests. The new government has a mandate for political reform and is headed by a former general, with opposition and media figures among its ranks.

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BAHRAIN

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-- Bahrain authorities handed over the bodies of two people killed in earlier clashes between protesters and government supporters, according to a journalist in Manama.

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-- Protesters on Friday marched in residential areas outside Manama, the capital city, where armored vehicles rumbled through the streets and jet fighters patrolled the country's airspace.

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-- Human Rights Watch urged Bahrain earlier this week to end its "campaign of arrests" of doctors and human rights activists. Six were arrested over the weekend. The government denied there is such a campaign.

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-- King Hamad said last week the kingdom had foiled a foreign plot to destabilize it, though he did not name the foreign entity.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Protesters initially took to the streets of Manama to demand reform and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy. But some are now calling for the removal of the royal family, which has led the Persian Gulf state since the 18th century. Young members of the country's Shiite Muslim majority have staged protests in recent years to complain about discrimination, unemployment and corruption, issues they say the country's Sunni rulers have done little to address. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights said authorities launched a clampdown on dissent in 2010. It accused the government of torturing some human rights activists.

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SAUDI ARABIA

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-- Security forces arrested several people demonstrating at the Interior Ministry Sunday. Two activists said about 100 men had gathered there to demand the release of imprisoned relatives.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Demonstrators have demanded the release of Shiite prisoners who they feel are being held without cause. Others have taken to the streets over the creation of a constitutional monarchy, more rights and other reforms. Late last month, King Abdullah announced a series of sweeping measures aimed at relieving economic hardship.

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EGYPT

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-- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in Egypt on Wednesday for talks with officials and military leaders of the key U.S. ally. It was Gates' first visit to Egypt since President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down.

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-- The visit follows a referendum last weekend in which voters overwhelmingly approved proposed constitutional amendments paving the way for parliamentary elections in June.

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-- A report published last week by Amnesty International describes the mistreatment of 17 female demonstrators at the hands of the Egyptian military after a protest March 9. The group said the women were beaten, given electric shocks, subjected to strip searches, forced to submit to "virginity checks" and threatened with prostitution charges. An army major denies allegations of torture or virginity tests but confirms 17 women were arrested.

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-- Some activists, concerned citizens and politicians are calling for a protest against a new law that Egypt's ruling military council is poised to approve. The law could make protests a criminal offense punishable by jail time and large fines.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Complaints about police corruption and abuses were among the top grievances of demonstrators who forced President Hosni Mubarak from office. Demonstrators also were angry about Mubarak's 30-year rule, a lack of free elections and economic issues, such as high food prices, low wages and high unemployment. Since Mubarak's departure, several thousand people have protested in Cairo's Tahrir Square to urge Egypt's new rulers to implement promised reforms. They pressed Egypt's Supreme Council to end an emergency law and release political prisoners, among other things. They also demanded civilian representation in government.

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TUNISIA

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-- In two short months, this country has gone from decades of strict one-party rule to an explosion of more than 30 registered political parties.

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Roots of unrest

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-- The revolt was triggered when an unemployed college graduate set himself ablaze after police confiscated his fruit cart, cutting off his source of income. Protesters complained about high unemployment, corruption, rising prices and political repression. An interim government came to power after an uprising prompted autocratic President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to leave the country January 14. Those demonstrations helped spark protests across North Africa and the Middle East.

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MOROCCO

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-- Moroccan Foreign Minister Taib Fassi Fihri held talks Thursday in New York with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the situation in the Arab world, particularly in the Maghreb region, the state-run MAP news agency reported.

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-- Fihri said Wednesday that proposed constitutional reforms will strengthen the separation of powers and will help a "new Morocco" emerge, MAP reported. He said the committee in charge of revising the constitution will submit its results for the king's approval in June, after which they will be put to a public vote.

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Roots of unrest

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-- Protesters are seeking, among other things, political reforms to limit the monarchy's power and have not accepted reforms proposed by King Mohammed VI that demonstrators say do not go far enough, according to Human Rights Watch. As uprisings swept the region, the king proposed the creation of an elected prime minister position to serve as the government's chief executive, promotion of human rights and gender equality and economic improvements.

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ELSEWHERE

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-- Sporadic demonstrations have erupted in recent weeks in other Middle Eastern and northern African nations, such as Algeria, Djibouti, Oman, Kuwait and Sudan and in the Palestinian territories.

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Japan's nuclear contamination spreads to more U.S. states

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSGrowing number of U.S. states affected, but none at levels that threaten public healthAt least 15 states report detecting radioisotopes in air or water or both"The levels detected are far below levels of public health concern," says EPA (CNN) -- Minuscule levels of radiation from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant incident have been detected in a widening number of U.S. states, but the Environmental Protection Agency reaffirmed this week that the levels represent no threat to public health.

"To date, data from EPA's real-time radiation air monitoring networks continue to show typical fluctuations in background radiation levels," said Jonathan Edwards, director of the EPA's Radiation Protection Division, in a statement Monday. "The levels we are seeing are far below any levels of concern."

At least 15 states reported detecting radioisotopes in air or water or both. No states have recommended that residents take potassium iodide, a salt that protects the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine.

Progress Energy reported over the weekend that iodine-131 was detected in the air near its nuclear power plants near Hartsville, South Carolina, and Crystal River, Florida.

"We know that it's not coming from our plant," said Progress spokesman Drew Elliot. Had the U.S. nuclear plants been responsible for the radioactive iodine, other isotopes would also have been found, he said. The levels detected were so low that authorities do not require they be reported, he said.

Sensors in Maryland have also reported elevated levels of I-131 in air samples. "None of these levels pose a risk to health," the state's Department of Health said. The Maryland secretary of health said Monday that microscopic amounts were also discovered Friday in rainwater. He said the levels found posed no risk to public health.

The Massachusetts Department of Health said Sunday that a monitoring station in Boston detected I-131 in rainwater on March 22, but had not detected any in air. In a question-and-answer page on its website, it says the amount detected should not concern residents.

On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett said rainwater collected Friday from his state's nuclear power plant facilities contained low levels of iodine-131, "likely originating from the events at Japan's damaged nuclear plants. But weekend tests of drinking water found no elevated levels of radioactivity."

The levels reported "are still about 25 times below the level that would be of concern," Corbett's office said in a statement.

Similar testing in other states, including California and Washington, has shown comparable levels of iodine-131 in rainwater samples.

Trace detections were found in the air in Oregon, Colorado and California.

Duke Energy spokeswoman Rita Sipe said Duke Energy had detected trace radioactive elements, likely to have originated from Japan's Fukushima plant, in North Carolina and South Carolina -- but at a level "far below" reporting requirements.

EPA is using the nationwide radiation monitoring system, RadNet, to monitor the nation's air and drinking water, milk and precipitation. An analysis from 12 monitors nationwide found "slightly higher" levels of radioactive isotopes in Alaska, Alabama, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Saipan, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Washington state over the past week, the agency said.

"Some of the filter results show levels slightly higher than those found by EPA monitors last week and a Department of Energy monitor the week before," the agency said. "These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are still far below levels of public health concern.

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Analysts debate goals of Obama Libya speech

What to expect from Obama's Libya speechSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Sen. McConnell asks Obama to explain America's security interest in LibyaHistorian Doris Kearns Goodwin says Obama needs to explain the U.S. military interventionThe president speaks to the nation Monday night amid fierce debateSome critics worry about the U.S. engaging in another war in a mainly Muslim countryTune in to CNN, CNN.com/live, or on the CNN app for iPhone tonight at 7:30 ET for live coverage of President Obama's speech on Libya. Then at 8 and 9 p.m., get expert analysis on "In the Arena" and "Piers Morgan Tonight" -- only on CNN.

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama plans to address the nation at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday, following calls from across the political spectrum for the U.S. leader to clarify America's role in the U.N.-authorized military mission in Libya.

Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized the president's policy in the war-torn North African nation. Among other things, they have questioned the purpose of the mission, as well as its cost, endgame, and consequences for the broader Arab world.

Obama will speak at the National Defense University in Washington "to update the American people on the situation in Libya, including the actions we've taken with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people from the brutality of Moammar Gadhafi, the transition to NATO command and control, and our policy going forward," the White House announced Sunday.

The president has said that U.S. policy is the ouster of Gadhafi. However, the mandate of the military coalition is only to enforce a no-fly zone and arms embargo in Libya while taking other necessary steps to protect civilians.

"If the American people are uncertain as to our military objectives in Libya, it's with good cause," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said Monday afternoon.

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Status report: Reactor-by-reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant

Living near a nuclear plantSTORY HIGHLIGHTSThe temperature is rising in the No. 1 reactor, an official saysEfforts continue to set up more permanent power supplies for each of the unitsAuthorities are plotting how to pump highly radioactive water from two basements (CNN) -- Since March 11, the six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have been in various states of disrepair after being battered by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Here is the latest on the status of each reactor and what is being done to prevent further emissions of radioactive material.

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Reactor No. 1

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Unit 1's core has been damaged, but its containment vessel was not, according to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, a trade group. Radioactive water was reported in the unit's turbine plant Monday, the Tokyo Electric Power Company said.

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The temperature has been rising in the reactor's core, Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Monday. Emergency crews will compensate by boosting the flow of fresh water into the reactor core, Nishiyama said.

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Magazine launch for gay military members announced

OutServe, a publication for gay troops, may soon be displayed at military installations worldwide, an advocacy group says. STORY HIGHLIGHTSGay magazine to appear to selected military bases, statement from publisher saidMagazines objective is to support LGBT members in the military, said group's leader OutServe says it is an underground network of actively serving members of the military RELATED TOPICSGays in the MilitaryDon't Ask, Don't TellLGBT IssuesArmed Forces Washington (CNN) -- A magazine designed for and by gay military members may soon be displayed at military installations worldwide, an advocacy group announced Monday.

"Our first objective with the magazine is to let all the gay, lesbian, bi, and trans members currently serving know that they are not alone," an active-duty officer who goes by the pseudonym JD Smith said in a statement.

Smith, along with co-director Ty Walrod lead the organization known as OutServe, the group describes themselves as an underground network of actively serving military members of the United States Armed Services who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

"Visibility is key," Smith said, who added that OutServe hopes to have its next version available in print at "some larger military bases."

The magazine can currently be downloaded from the internet, the statement said.

"We are not about highlighting our differences." Smith said the goal of the publication is to demonstrate "how LGBT troops are proud soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coasties, and Marines just like everyone else."

The magazine will contain features about "Don't Ask Don't Tell" repeal implementation and OutServe chapters, as well as other information of interest to currently-serving LGBT military members, the statement said.

"We also want to communicate to all troops that there are capable gay military members serving honorably, and that accepting that and moving on will make our military stronger," said Smith.

On December 22, President Barack Obama signed the DADT bill repealing the 17-year-old law.

The repeal "will strengthen our national security and uphold (America's) ideals," Obama said. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie."

"Don't ask-don't tell" became law in 1993, after opposition ballooned to then newly elected President Bill Clinton's plan to lift the military's complete ban on gay service members.

The policy stopped the practice of asking service members if they are gay, but still called for the dismissal of openly gay service members.

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April on Inside the Middle East

An Egyptian woman stands in front of graffiti in Cairo's Tahrir Square. STORY HIGHLIGHTSArtists are being inspired by current events taking place in the Middle EastIn Jordan, two brothers are getting a laugh with their political cartoons In Beirut, the Kabbani twins deliver social messages through graffiti, music and fashion (CNN) -- In April, Inside the Middle East discovers how some of the region's most creative artists are being inspired by current events taking place in the Middle East.

Egyptian artists inspired by the revolution

We visit Art Dubai to talk to Egyptian artists who interrupted their work when revolution came to Tahrir Square and repainted the country's political landscape.

Inspired by the events they witnessed in person, the artists have been given a new perspective on their world and their work.

Jordan's cartoon commentary

In Jordan we meet two brothers whose political cartoons have raised chuckles from Amman to Abu Dhabi.

Graffiti in Lebanon

Continuing the fraternal theme we travel to Beirut to encounter identical twins Omar and Mohammed Kabbani, who believe a spray can is more powerful than an AK-47 as they deliver social messages through graffiti, music and fashion.

Web creativity inspired by revolutions

Millions are watching the internet for parodies of political leaders including Mubarak, Gadhafi and Ben Ali. We embark on a web search for the funniest clips.

Watch the show at the times below (all GMT):

Wednesday 30 March, 6 April: 0730, 1730
Saturday 2 April, 9 April: 0730, 1230, 1830
Sunday 3 April, 10 April: 0530, 1730
Monday 4 April, 11 April: 0330

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Highly radioactive water found in tunnel outside nuclear plant

NGOs critical of Japan's quake responseSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Water in a tunnel connected to a No. 2 unit building emits 1,000 millisieverts per hourNEW: That is 100,00 times normal levels for coolants inside a nuclear reactor NEW: Airborne radiation readings near that tunnel are also high, officials sayNEW: Officials are trying to determine whether the water overflowed and went into the Pacific Tokyo (CNN) -- Water found in a tunnel at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has alarmingly high radiation readings, officials said Monday, adding that it is unclear how or why the tainted water got out of the building.

The water at the plant is emitting more than 1,000 millisieverts per hour of radioactivity -- a level the plant's owner had said is at least 100,000 times normal levels for coolants inside a nuclear reactor.

It was in a tunnel that contains electrical cables and is connected to the No. 2 reactor's turbine building, an official with the Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. The measurements were taken Monday afternoon.

Earlier, officials had announced that 1,000 millisieverts per hour of radiation was emanating from water pooling inside the No. 2 unit turbine building's basement.

The officials said they don't know how or why the contaminated water got out of the building and into the tunnel, or if it might have spilled out and seeped into the Pacific Ocean.

The measurement is more than 330 times the dose an average person in a developed country receives per year, and four times the top dose Japan's health ministry has set for emergency workers struggling to control the further emission of radioactive material from the damaged plant.

"Is the water overflowing or not?" Hidehiko Nishiyama, an official with Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency, said Monday evening. "Right now, it is not known."

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Posted in: found,Highly,nuclear,outside,plant,radioactive,tunnel,water

Mass graves replace elaborate funerals in northern Japan

Mass funerals bring Japan new heartacheSTORY HIGHLIGHTSBuddhist funerals typically are highly ritualizedThe town of Kamaishi lacks the resources to cremate the deadThe bodies must be buried in mass graves to prevent a disease outbreakOfficials say the mass burials are temporary Kamaishi, Japan (CNN) -- Ikuo Fujiwara stops in front of the wreckage of the Buddhist temple, brings his hands together and prays.

The monk bursts into tears, an involuntary act, as he asks heaven what he can do to comfort his destroyed hometown and begin to rebuild his house of worship.

Fujiwara needs heaven to speak to him, for he must preside over Kamaishi's first mass burials in memory. Behind his temple, the sound of heavy machinery digging giant ditches for unmarked coffins echoes through the shattered remains of the 300-year-old building.

"We don't have enough places to cremate the bodies," says Fujiwara. "So temporarily, we're burying the bodies here."

The ditches sit within 50 meters of the Buddhist burial plots, where cremated remains lie underneath grey headstones. This is a sacred practice that every Japanese person expects at death, explains Fujiwara. A Japanese funeral is elaborate, formal, and ritualized in the Buddhist faith.

So the wide ditches and the coffins, which will eventually lie in them side by side, are an unbearable insult in the minds of ordinary Japanese citizens.

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Posted in: elaborate,funerals,graves,Japan,northern,replace

NATO: Libya mission will be to protect, not arm

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen: "We are there to protect civilians ... and that will be our focus." STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: NATO is expected to control no-fly zone by end of the day MondayNATO's secretary general says NATO's goal is to protect civilians"We are not in Libya to arm people, but to protect people," he saidNATO is taking the lead in enforcing the U.N. resolution Tune in to CNN tonight at 7 ET for live coverage of President Obama's speech on Libya . Then at 8 and 9 p.m., get expert analysis on "In the Arena" and "Piers Morgan Tonight" -- only on CNN.

Brussels, Belgium (CNN) -- NATO's secretary general ruled out arming Libyan rebels Monday as the alliance continued to take over command and control of the entire Libyan mission.

The first NATO sorties to maintain the no-fly zone over Libya flew on Sunday, NATO officials said. The alliance is expected to be in complete command of the no-fly zone by the end of the day Monday.

The mission of protecting civilians is expected to be under full NATO control by the end of the week, they said.

By taking control of the full mission, NATO will allow the United States to step out of its lead role and more into a supporting one as requested by the Obama administration.

In an interview with CNN here at NATO headquarters, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, "The U.N. mandate authorizes the enforcement of an arms embargo," and that NATO has decided to participate. "We are not in Libya to arm people, but to protect people," he said.

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Witness: Daraa tense as troops, security forces flood city

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Djokovic storms to 20th consecutive win

Novak Djokovic has become only the third player to reach 20 matches unbeaten from the start of the season. STORY HIGHLIGHTSNovak Djokovic wins his 20th consecutive match to reach last 16 of the Miami MastersDjokovic beats James Blake 6-2 6-0 to become only third player to reach that markJuan Martin del Potro maintains recovery with win over fourth seed Robin SoderlingKim Clijsters and Vera Zvonareva through to last 16 in women's section (CNN) -- Novak Djokovic is through to the last 16 of the Sony Ericsson Masters in Miami, thrashing James Blake in straight sets to win his 20th consecutive ATP Tour match.

The second-seeded Serb continued his remarkable form this season by thrashing his American opponent 6-2 6-0 in 52 minutes.

Djokovic, who has won all three tournaments he has played in this season, told the official ATP Tour website: "To be honest, I'm taking it one match at a time.

"I am trying to win against the opponent that I have today and not thinking about what happened or what can happen.

"I have been working really hard on my serve in the last 10 months, and now it's coming back to me. I have been really trying to use that serve and trying to get some free points out of it, and tonight it was working really great," Djokovic added.

The victory means Djokovic becomes only the third player in the last 30 years to go 20 matches unbeaten from the start of the season.

Only John McEnroe (39) in 1984 and Ivan Lendl (25) in 1986 have longer unbeaten starts to the season.

I have been working really hard on my serve in the last 10 months, and now it's coming back to me
--Novak Djokovic RELATED TOPICSNovak DjokovicKim ClijstersWTA Tour Inc.ATP World TourIn other matches, 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro produced his best performance since returning to action from injury, rolling over fourth seed Robin Soderling 6-3 6-2.

Soderling, who like Djokovic has won three titles this season, proved no match for the Argentine, who has now beaten the Swede in their last three encounters and is up to 51st in the world despite missing eight months after wrist surgery.

Del Potro now faces Mardy Fish for a quarterfinal place, after the 14th seed kept alive American hopes of victory by beating Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets.

Fish is the highest-ranked home player remaining following the elimination of defending champion Andy Roddick, and he never looked in danger of following his compatriot out of the tournament, winning 6-4 6-3 in 91 minutes.

In other matches, Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer cruised to a comfortable 6-4 6-2 win over India's Somdev Devvarman while 30th seed John Isner saw off Alex Bogomolov 6-2 7-6.

Meanwhile, there were no surprises in the women's section, with all the big seeds reaching the last 16, although second seed Kim Clijsters was given a scare by Spanish left-hander Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

The Belgian struggled to a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory and she told the official WTA Tour website: "A couple of times my footwork wasn't right and I wasn't playing how I should have been, but I'm happy I was able to move through."

The victory was the 500th of Clijsters' career and she next faces former world number one Ana Ivanovic, who advanced after Virgine Razzano of France was forced to retire through injury.

Third seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia beat Australian Jarmila Groth 7-6 6-2 while fifth-seeded French Open champion Francesca Schiavone beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-4 7-6.

Ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska is also through, after winning a tricky last 32 clash with Russian 24th seed Maria Kirilenko 7-6 6-3, while Indian Wells semifinalist Marion Bartoli, seeded 15th, crushed Ekaterina Makarova 6-0 6-2.

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Striking Honduran teachers face suspensions

Teachers march against a bill that they say can lead to the privatization of education on March 24, 2011. STORY HIGHLIGHTSHonduran teachers have been on strike since March 7They are protesting a bill that they say will lead to the privatization of the schoolsThe government set deadlines starting Monday to return to workRELATED TOPICSHondurasEducationEducation Issues (CNN) -- Honduran teachers who have been on strike for 21 days faced a decision Monday morning: return to the classroom or endure punishments.

The government on Sunday issued an ultimatum, disseminated on radio and television, to the teachers, saying that if they did not show up for work Monday, they would be suspended for two months without pay. Those who do not show up by Wednesday, will be handed six-month suspensions, and those still striking by next week will not allowed to teach for a year, the government said.

"If these deadlines are not met, the government will begin to execute justified firings," the statement said.

The teachers are protesting an education bill that they say can lead to the privatization of the public school system. They are also demanding salaries owed from last year to some 5,000 teachers.

Those teachers who are suspended will be replaced by educators who are currently unemployed, the government said.

Journalist Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report.

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Missing boy sparks huge hunt in Denmark

The 3-year-old was found alive Monday after he went missing in the woods Sunday. STORY HIGHLIGHTSHolger Kragh, 3, argues with his mother on a trip and storms offHe then vanishes, prompting a search involving police, military and volunteersPolice get news about his fate live on cameraRELATED TOPICSDenmarkMissing Children (CNN) -- It started out as a typical spat between a mother and child, the kind parents and kids around the world have thousands of times every day: Holger Kragh wanted to take his coat off during a walk in the woods. His mother wouldn't let him.

The 3-year-old stormed off -- and vanished.

The little boy and his mother were on a field trip Sunday morning with other children and teachers in northwest Denmark.

When Holger was still missing at lunchtime, his parents called the police, sparking an intensive search.

Police, dog patrols, the military and emergency services scrambled to find the boy.

As news of his disappearance spread, hundreds of members of the public also fanned out to help search the area, Tranum Klitplantage, in north Jutland.

Police got an unprecedented number of calls offering assistance, commissioner Poul Badsberg of North Jutland police told CNN.

In the end, they even sent out an ice cream truck, hoping that Holger would hear its bells and follow the sound.

But as night fell Sunday, as temperatures dropped to near freezing and rain began to fall, there was no sign of him.

The search continued Monday morning, a bright clear day -- and then the news broke, in the form of a shout as CNN affiliate TV2 was broadcasting live.

"Ja!" comes the roar from just offscreen. The camera swings to find police team leader Flemming Bruun Jacobsen pumping a fist in the air, his other hand holding a phone to his ear.

"They found him?" the reporter asks, though it couldn't be clearer from Jacobsen's face what he's been told.

"They found him!" the policeman shouts back.

"Where?" the reporter asks as he puts his phone down.

"I don't know yet. We're sending a police car to get him," Jacobsen says with a grin. Then, unable to contain himself, he raises both fists and erupts once again: "Yes!"

The boy was found by a member of the public on horseback 4-5km (2.5-3 miles) from the place where he was last seen, Badsberg said.

He was in good health and good spirits, the police commissioner said.

Holger was reunited with his weeping parents, and his mother carried the tired, slightly bewildered-looking boy into an ambulance to be taken to a hospital for precautionary tests.

For the record, he was wearing his coat.

CNN's Collin Vanbuskirk contributed to this report.

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Posted in: Denmark,missing,sparks

U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from Georgia death row inmate

Supreme Court rejects Troy Davis appealSTORY HIGHLIGHTSThe justices turned aside without comment two appeals from Troy DavisThe action likely sets the stage for the state to set another execution dateThe ruling is latest in case that is procedurally complex but, legally, a simple innocence claim Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a condemned Georgia inmate's request that his execution be delayed as he attempts to prove his "actual innocence."

The justices without comment on Monday turned aside separate appeals from Troy Davis, likely setting the stage for the state to set another execution date.

Davis has gained international support for his long-standing claim he did not murder a Savannah police officer more than two decades ago. Monday's ruling is the latest in a case that is procedurally complex but, legally, a simple claim of innocence.

Davis was granted a stay of execution by the U.S. Supreme Court two hours before he was to be put to death in 2008, and the court in 2009 ordered the federal District Court to take another look at the case.

That court, after holding a hearing to review evidence, ruled in August that Davis "failed to show actual innocence" in the case. The District Court suggested that, for procedural reasons, Davis should take his appeal of its ruling directly to the Supreme Court.

CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears contributed to this report.

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Posted in: appeal,Court,death,Georgia,inmate,rejects,Supreme

2 killed in Israeli airstrike as nation deploys new defense system

An Israeli soldier stands next to a launcher, part of the countyr's "Iron Dome" defense system. STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe "Iron Dome" is meant to provide a partial solution to rocket attacksPalestinian factions say they support a truce if Israel will halt strikesAt least 12 Palestinians have died since March 19 in Israeli retaliatory strikesRELATED TOPICSGazaIsraelMiddle East ConflictHamas Jerusalem (CNN) -- An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza Sunday morning killed two Palestinians and injured three others, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

The latest airstrike marks the beginning of a second week of escalated violence between the two sides as Israel deployed its "Iron Dome" defense system in southern Israel Sunday. The deployment was part of the evaluation phase Israel Defense Forces is undertaking to check the system's effectiveness.

Israeli Air Force jets "identified a group of rocket launchers preparing to fire a rocket at the Israeli home front from the northern Gaza Strip, and thwarted the attempt by firing at them. A hit was confirmed," a spokesman said in a statement.

Hamas, the party that rules Gaza, confirmed the deaths and injuries on its website, saying the incident occurred in the Jabaliya camp in northern Gaza.

A statement from the Islamic Jihad militant group said Israel bears full responsibility for the bloodshed. "We fully blame the Zionist enemy for the continuing aggression and bloody attacks and their consequences," the statement said. "... we reaffirm our right in responding and defending against the occupation's continuous crimes against our own people and we call for the protection of our people in defense and resistance."

The dead and wounded were taken to Kamal Odwan hospital, Palestinian medics told CNN.

Four rockets were fired into southern Israel Friday and Saturday in the latest round of violence. One of them, a Qassam rocket, slammed into a house Friday night in the Eshkol regional council area, causing extensive damage.

"Hamas has lost control of other organizations within the Gaza Strip," Maj. Gen. Tal Russo, commander of the Israeli Southern Command, said in a visit to the damaged house. "There is anarchy among them and within Hamas itself. There's no authority over any facet and it's difficult for Hamas to regain control."

His comments came amid talk by Palestinian factions that they are prepared for a truce as long as Israel halts attacks on Gaza.

In a meeting between Palestinian factions Saturday in Gaza, they stressed they are committed to the truce and to refrain from escalating, Hamas' Interior Ministry said on its website.

"We are, of course, interested in quiet and security, and we have no interest in escalating the situation, but we won't hesitate to use the might of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) against those who harm our civilians," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Islamic Jihad, in its statement, said claims by Israel that it doesn't want to escalate the situation are "lies" aimed at misleading the public.

Since last Saturday, about 90 rockets have been fired into southern Israel and 12 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory strikes, both airstrikes and artillery. Four of them were civilians, including an 11-year-old and a 16-year-old. The rest were militants.

In light of the increased rocket fire over the last week, including two Grad missiles into Beersheva, Israel's biggest southern city with a population of about 200,000 people, Israel deployed the first battery of its Israeli-developed "Iron Dome" defense system.

The system has been in development for years, and was still "in the evaluation stage on an operational level," according to Israel Defense Forces.

Brig. Maj. Gen. Doron Gavish, head of the Israeli Air Defense Force, spoke to reporters Sunday at a site where the system was deployed.

"Because of what we saw in the last week or two, we accelerated the phases, and now we are here ... this is what we are going to do for the next coming weeks," he said.

The system is a mobile defense solution for countering short-range rockets and artillery shells. Its aim is to identify and track incoming projectiles and strike them with a rocket before they hit. It is supposed to provide a partial answer to the short-range rockets being fired into southern Israel alongside shelters and military offensive measures, according to an Israel Defense Forces statement.

Gavish said the system is unique in that "there is no other system in the world which shoots missiles against rockets." He would not elaborate on the cost of firing the missiles, saying, "It is more important to understand if you didn't shoot something, what (the rocket) would hit. Our job is to make sure we would do everything to defend our population."

But Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he does not want "to create the illusion that the Iron Dome system will give a whole or comprehensive response. It is still in the experimental stage, and in any case, we cannot deploy batteries to protect every house or school."

CNN's Shira Medding contributed to this report.

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Posted in: airstrike,Defense,deploys,Israeli,killed,nation,system