Speaking last Friday at the Center for American Progress, Napolitano said 600 miles of border fence have been completed to date and more than 20,000 Border Patrol agents have been hired, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

"I’ve been dealing hands-on with immigration issues since 1993, so trust me: I know a major shift when I see one, and what I have seen makes reform far more attainable this time around," she said, quoted by the news provider.

However, Terence P. Jeffrey, editor-in-chief of CNSNews.com, recently quoted Lloyd Easterling, acting director of media relations for the DHS, as saying that Border Patrol is planning to decrease the number of agents on the U.S.-Mexico border by 384 in fiscal year 2010 which started on Oct 1.

In addition, Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, who is the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, expressed concerns about the more than 400 miles of border with Mexico which are still open.

The AP says the 2006 immigration enforcement legislation called for 700 miles of border fences and barriers to be built, and it quotes immigration critics who say the existing fence has not been built with double layers as the law requires.

While most of the initial concerns centered on the issue of national security, recent objections have also included the constitutional rights of the alleged terrorists. For example, Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, who is the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, stated that trying the accused in a civilian court will expand their constitutional rights and may result in more lenient sentences than in a military court.

"The administration should not prioritize the rights of terrorists over the rights of Americans to be safe and secure," he added.

Critics have also voiced their opinion on the Democratic side, with Senator Jim Webb of Virginia pointing to the potential disruption and high costs associated with conducting the trail on U.S. soil.

However, the Obama administration’s decision was praised by civil rights organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, whose executive director Anthony Romero called it "a huge victory" for the rule of law.

"It would have been an enormous blow to American values if we had tried these defendants in a process riddled with legal problems," he added.

Five Guantanamo prisoners accused on planning the terrorist attacks will stand trial in a civilian court in New York just blocks away from "ground zero."

The results of the research were published in Nutrition Journal and suggest that consumption of the exotic fruit may lower the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a measure of inflammation.

Dr. Jay Udani, lead researcher in the study, explained that inflammation—as measured by CRP—is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and a precursor of metabolic syndrome.

He added that the results are important because they suggest that reducing inflammation in obese people is a treatment goal. Moreover, drinking a natural product such as mangosteen juice tends to be preferable to other therapy methods due to its lack of side effects.

MangosteenBasics.com, an informational website, says mangosteen fruit is rich in antioxidants and contains fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamins B1, B2 and B6 as well as iron and vitamin C. It is also a good source of xanthones, which are believed to boost the immune system and promote general wellbeing.

The research, appearing in the journal Neurology, reports that 12 percent of all stroke victims identified over a four-year period in Ontario suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA)—or mild stroke. A TIA is identified as lasting less than 24 hours and resolving itself.

Those with the warning stroke were typically older than those without warning strokes. They were also more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems. Researchers say it’s possible their blood vessels were "preconditioned to the lack of blood flow, which protected them from the full result of the larger stroke."

Sufferers who did not have a TIA were more likely to have a more serious stroke than those who did have one.

Researchers say all strokes should be treated at an emergency room immediately.

Symptoms of a stroke include trouble walking or speaking, paralysis or numbness on one side of the body, vision problems and headache.

According to WebMD, controlling high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and managing stress are all things that can be done to reduce the risk of stroke.

According to Reuters, researchers at the University of Helsinki assessed the coffee drinking habits, as well as other social, demographic and health data of a large population of twins who were 50-years-old on average. The majority of subjects—75 percent of men and 83 percent of women—reported drinking more than three cups of coffee a day.

Participants were screened on a yearly basis starting at age 74 to measure cognitive function and dementia.

They found no association between coffee consumption and declining cognition or dementia scores in either men or women. They did find, however, that aging was linked to declines in thinking ability.

In addition, the study, appearing in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that coffee consumption wasn’t protective in preserving brain function in middle-age.

Heart disease, diabetes and depression are associated with lower cognitive function, according to the report.

Nutritional supplements that can boost brain function and memory include B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and gingko biloba.

According to a study published in The International Journal of Low Radiation, extracts of gingko biloba may protect cells from radiation damage.

To arrive at this conclusion, researchers collected white blood cells from healthy donors between the ages of 18 and 50. Half of the cells were then treated with gingko biloba and the rest were subjected to a saline solution.

After subsequent exposure to radiation, the scientists found the cells treated with gingko biloba had a lower rate of apoptosis, or cell death.

Subsequent laboratory studies on animals confirmed the results.

The leaves of gingko biloba—which naturally grows only in Zhejiang province in Eastern China—contain antioxidant-rich compounds which are believed to protect cells from damage by free radicals and other reactive oxidizing species.

It has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years and is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the U.S, according to the Mayo Clinic. Gingko is believed to have a host of health benefits, including preventing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other memory problems, treating altitude sickness and reducing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

In announcing his decision, Dobbs—who has attracted controversy in recent years for vocally expressing his conservative views on the air—aid that "some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day."

However, there is no shortage of speculation that Dobbs was ousted for practicing what CNN president Jonathan Klein term "advocacy journalism."

The 64-year-old anchor has become a target of criticism for taking a tough stance on issues such as illegal immigration and for his involvement in the so-called "birther" movement, which questioned President Obama’s eligibility for the office for failing to produce his original birth certificate.

Hispanic groups have expressed satisfaction with the developments at the cable network. The Latino Policy Coalition issued a statement expressing gratitude to more than 40 local and regional civil rights organizations "that have succeeded in their efforts to draw national attention to CNN Anchor Lou Dobbs’ anti-immigrant news program, and thus ultimately end his slanted commentary show."

Monday night, Dobbs is expected to appear on The O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly, which airs on Fox News. Last summer, O’Reilly defended Dobbs’ right to free speech.

Dede Scozzafava, a Republican candidate who quit the race for a House seat late last month and subsequently endorsed the Democratic candidate, told CNN she was subjected to "vicious" attacks from conservative members of the party for her alleged liberalism.

In the interview she stressed that local elections should be about local issues not big ideology and added that "hopefully a lesson can be learned [so that we] understand that there are many voices that make a party."

Meanwhile, speaking with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Scozzafava was less diplomatic and said that these days the GOP was "really not based on any sort of substance," that could enable it to work for the benefit of the American people, quoted by Politico.com.

In the run-up to the vote, GOP heavyweights such as Sarah Palin and Dick Armey, as well as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, chose to back a third-party candidate Doug Hoffman because of his more socially conservative credentials. However, he was defeated by Bill Owens who became the first Democrat to win the district in more than 100 years.

The shenanigans accompanying the final days of the campaign before the November 3 ballot brought the race to national attention and exposed divisions within the GOP between its conservative base and the party’s leadership who often back more moderate candidates.

Among the critics of the bill is the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) which says a report from the Joint Committee on Taxation found the provisions to increase taxes on the wealthy in order to finance the reform will translate into a big tax hike on small business owners.

SBE Council President & CEO Karen Kerrigan said this will "deprive the private sector of the capital it needs to hold onto their workers, create more job opportunities, invest, innovate and grow."

Meanwhile, several Democratic lawmakers, joined by a group of small business owners, participated in a press conference, and stressed the legislation will end the insurance industry practices of hiking premiums for small businesses when an employee gets sick or because the business hires a woman.

Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa said that "[the] bill will end the practice of denying coverage based on preexisting conditions or increasing premiums based on health status, gender or industry."

The Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship says studies indicate small businesses—which employ nearly 40 percent of private labor force in the U.S.—are likely to see their premiums rise by 15 percent in the coming year, twice the rate of last year’s increase.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who allegedly confessed to masterminding the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which killed nearly 3,000 people, and four other Guantanamo Bay prisoners will be tried by a civilian court in lower Manhattan, just blocks from the World Trade Center site.

While some family members welcomed the decision as a chance to have their day in court, Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) said that "bringing these dangerous individuals onto U.S. soil needlessly compromises the safety of all Americans," quoted by CNN.

He added that "putting political ideology ahead of the safety of the American people just to fulfill an ill-conceived campaign promise is irresponsible."

The announcement was made by Attorney General Eric Holder who also stated that he expected the prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the defendants.

He said, moreover, that five other detainees held at Guantanamo Bay will be sent to military commissions for trial, also in the U.S.

Commentators suggest the decisions are a step towards fulfilling the pledge made by President Obama last January to close the controversial detention facility that has attracted criticism from around the world for its harsh interrogation techniques which some say included acts of torture.