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Good afternoon! I'm Naamua Delaney at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Here's a look what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

First, the latest on that ranch¹ in Texas that's home to the polygamist sect². More than 400 kids from the ranch are now in state protective custody³. Nineteen buses filled with children were moved to the San Angelo coliseum yesterday. Mothers with children over the age of five were told to return to the ranch or go to a shelter. Many of them are back at home now and pleading to get their children back.

"My story is we have had our children taken from us on an allegation that has no foundation. Now, we will do whatever it takes to get the children reunited with their mothers." A spokesperson for Texas Children's Protective Services says they don't usually allow parents to accompany a child when an abusive allegation has been made.

Benedict XVI now en route to the US for his first US visit as Pope. He'll receive a private greeting from president and Mrs. Bush when his plane Shepherd 1 lands at Andrews Air Force Base this afternoon. Included in the Pope's six-day itinerary⁴, masses at Nationals Park in Washington and Yankee Stadium in New York. Benedict will also address the UN General Assembly.

It was a rough morning for some Chicago commuters. A power outage on the city's Blue Line stranded⁵ about 800 commuters for nearly two hours. The Transit⁶ Authority and Fire Department are working to shuttle the trapped passengers to nearby stations that are still functioning.

A merger⁷ to create the world's largest airline is ready for takeoff. But the Delta⁸-Northwest deal will have to clear some obstacles before it can fly. Potential problems include agreement by employee unions and government approval. The combined airline will be called Delta and will be headquartered in Atlanta. Executives say they hope to close the deal by the end of the year.

Gasoline and diesel⁹ fuel are hitting a record highest again. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.38. A month ago, the nationwide average was 10 cents less at $3.28 a gallon. So why are you paying more now? Or gas prices normally increase in the spring as more travelers hit the road, but the rise is also being supported by a record breaking crude oil prices which rose above $113 a barrel today, setting an all-time trading high.

Well, those are the headlines at this hour. Stay with CNN for more on these stories and the other news of the day.