CNN 2008-07-21（在线收听）

I'm Asieh Namdar at the CNN.com newsroom in Atlanta. Here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has wrapped up his fact-finding trip to Afghanistan. He's touring the Middle East and Europe and some observers say the tour gives Obama a chance to build his foreign policy credentials.

Obama's rival, Republican John McCain, is offering up his own plan to restore order in Afghanistan. He wants to double the number of Afghan forces and add several thousand foreign troops. McCain also says it's time to get all those troops under one command. He has proposed an Afghan war czar to take charge.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson expects the number of troubled banks to increase in the next few months. However, he says the American banking system is safe and sound. The US government took over IndyMac Bank last week, because of its financial troubles. Paulson is urging Congress to okay his plan to shore up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored mortgage companies that saw their shares plummet last week, because of fear they might also go under.

Investors are anxious to see whether stocks will continue the modest rally. The Dow closed Friday up 3.57%. Monday's performance will depend on whether oil prices continue to their decline. And many major firms including Yahoo, Bank of America, United Parcel Service and Boeing will release quarterly earning reports this week.

A Boston, Massachusetts activist group has held ordination ceremonies for three women to become Catholic priests. The group hopes today's event will pressure the Roman Catholic Church into letting women serve in roles reserved only for men. The group says the three women are responding to a call to serve the church. The Vatican has warned that women taking part in ordination ceremonies could be excommunicated.

Those are the headlines this hour. For more on these stories and other news of the day, CNN is your source online, on TV or when you are on the go.