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Anchored by Jake Tapper, The Lead airs at 4 p.m. ET on CNN.
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politics lead
Van Hollen regrets 2004 debt ceiling vote
If lawmakers do not vote to raise the debt ceiling in ten days, the U.S. will run out of cash to pay its bills, including interest it already owes debt holders.
In 2004, Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen, now a member of the House budget committee, voted against raising the debt ceiling, saying at the time, "The vote to raise the debt limit for a third time in three years is a direct consequence of the reckless fiscal policy pursued by the Republican leadership over the last few years."
In an interview with CNN Monday, Van Hollen said he regrets that vote.
"I would vote differently now," said Van Hollen.
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politics lead
Democratic congressman: Paying people to stay at home is 'totally ridiculous'
The bill to provide furloughed federal employees back pay passed the U.S. House of Representatives, but may now face trouble in the U.S. Senate. Quick passage of the bill appeared in doubt Monday, when Senate Republicans said it is not time to address the issue.
"Nobody should be punished for something that is not their fault," said Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen, member of the House budget committee.
Van Hollen said the vote, which passed the House unanimously, underlined House Republicans' inconsistent stance.
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pop lead
NASA astronaut gives sci-fi movie "Gravity" a thumbs up
The much anticipated science fiction thriller movie "Gravity" made its box office debut, and the response was, er, out of this world.
The movie scored more than $56 million, making it the biggest October opening in history.
"Gravity" is about two astronauts who get stuck floating through space. Thanks to some dazzling special effects, movie goers get to tag along for their frightening and lonely journey hundreds of miles above Earth.
While audiences are clearly captivated, astronauts and space buffs alike watched some parts of the movie with smirks and sighs.
NASA astronaut and visiting Columbia University professor Michael Massimino said some scenes in "Gravity" were unlikely, such as travelling between certain places in space.
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world lead
U.S. commandos target wanted terrorists, launch raids in Libya, Somalia
Many counterterrorism officials say that Africa – not Pakistan or Afghanistan – is now the central front in the U.S. military's war against al Qaeda. Two U.S. strikes were carried out in Africa over the weekend.
In Somalia, the target was Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulkadir, called "Ikrima," a leader of al Shabaab, the terrorist group behind the recent horrific attacks at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi.
In Libya, the the U.S. captured Abu Anas al Libi, a member of al Qaeda indicted in the 1998 embassy attacks, listed as one of the FBI's top ten terrorists.
Two terrorists, two different operations, and two very different results.
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sports lead
New documentary and book explores NFL's 'concussion crisis'
Monday night's NFL match-up is seen as a potential comeback moment for the 1 and 3 Atlanta Falcons as they take on the 2 and 2 New York Jets. But PBS' "Frontline" will be paying special attention to the game, looking for concussions. They have a 2013 "concussion watch" website, and have 36 so far this season.
It's all part of their latest project, what they call "The NFL's Concussion Crisis" – a two-hour special report they did with brothers and ESPN investigative reporters Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-Wada. The brothers' book "League of Denials" comes out Tuesday.
One unwilling partner in the projects, according to the brothers and "Frontline," was the NFL.
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