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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/06/29/gulf.oil.disaster/t1main.oily.jpg caption="Vice President Joe Biden is expected to visit the Gulf area on Tuesday, the 71st day of the disaster, to assess efforts to stop the massive oil spill."]

As storm strengthens in Gulf, Biden set to review cleanup effort

(CNN) – Vice President Joe Biden is expected to visit the Gulf Coast Tuesday to assess efforts to stop the massive oil spill.

Biden is expected to visit the command centers in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Florida panhandle, the White House said.

His visit will be on the 71st day of the spill that President Obama has called the nation's worst environmental disaster.

BP said it is on track to reach its August deadline of getting a relief well down to the area where the oil is leaking in the Gulf of Mexico.

The relief well has reached a depth of 16,770 feet, but engineers plan to drill an additional 900 feet vertically before cutting in sideways, said Kent Wells, BP senior vice president of exploration and production.

Meanwhile, efforts continue to increase the containment of leaking oil. The next step is to bring in a third rig called the Helix Producer at the well, which would increase the containment by 20,000 to 25,000 more barrels per day, Wells said.

But powerful Tropical Storm Alex could derail the effort.

The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it churned in the Gulf of Mexico, but was heading away from the oil spill area, the National Hurricane Center said Monday. Read more

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Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/06/28/gulf.oil.disaster/t1main.beach.jpg caption="Tropical Storm Alex churned across the Gulf of Mexico early Monday on a path that could take it away from the massive oil spill. However, forecasters have not ruled out a shift in Alex's path.."]

Tropical Storm Alex could miss massive oil spill

(CNN) – Tropical Storm Alex churned across the Gulf of Mexico early Monday on a path that could take it away from the massive oil spill.

Alex re-strengthened into a Tropical Storm on Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.

It had temporarily weakened to a tropical depression as it passed over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The storm, with its heavy rain and maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, is expected to steer clear of oil-affected areas.

"We think the storm is going to stay on a more southern track. That would be good news because it would avoid the area near the oil spill," said Todd Kimberlain of the National Hurricane Center.

However, forecasters have not ruled out an easterly shift in Alex's path.

"We all know the weather is unpredictable, and we could have a sudden last-minute change," said Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the federal government's response manager. Read more

Full coverage | LIVE: Undersea view

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Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/25/pensacola.beach.cnn.art.jpg caption="Costs associated with the Gulf oil disaster have gone up more than $300 million in less than a week, BP said Friday."]

Tab for Gulf oil disaster tops $2.3 billion

(CNN) – Costs associated with the Gulf oil disaster have gone up more than $300 million in less than a week, BP said Friday.

"The cost of the response to date amounts to approximately $2.35 billion, including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid and federal costs," a company statement said. BP put the tab at $2 billion on Monday.

The company previously agreed to set aside $20 billion in an escrow account for spill-related costs, a sum that does not cover fees and penalties that could be imposed by the federal government.

"To date, almost 74,000 claims have been filed and more than 39,000 payments have been made, totaling almost $126 million," the company said.

According to BP, approximately 37,000 personnel, more than 4,500 vessels and some 100 aircraft are involved in the response effort. Read more

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Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/24/obama.two.gi.art.jpg caption="Lawmakers praise the choice of Petraeus and say Obama had no choice but to accept McChrystal's resignation."]

Obama replaces general, backs strategy

(CNN) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday replaced Gen. Stanley McChrystal as commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan and nominated Gen. David Petraeus to replace him while affirming support for a counterinsurgency strategy encountering problems.

The dramatic shift came a day after McChrystal's disparaging comments about America's civilian leadership surfaced, and reignited the national debate on the war in Afghanistan - now in its eighth year with a June death toll of coalition forces that is close to becoming the highest of the war.

Obama accepted McChrystal's resignation "with considerable regret" and named Petraeus, the head of the U.S. Central Command, to take over pending Senate confirmation.Read more

U.S. pulls off World Cup miracle

It was a stunning reversal of fortune as the U.S. soccer team came roaring back to life with only seconds to spare, beating Algeria 1 to 0 yesterday. America's greatest player, Landon Donovan, is the heart and soul of the team and he'll be joining us live this morning.

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE Blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/23/mcchyrstal.art.jpg caption="The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan will likely resign Wednesday over comments he made about colleagues in a magazine profile, a Pentagon source says."]

McChrystal unlikely to survive article fallout, source says

(CNN) – America's top military commander in Afghanistan is unlikely to survive the fallout from remarks he made about colleagues in a magazine profile to be published Friday, according to a Pentagon source who has ongoing contacts with the general.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal will likely resign Wednesday, the source said. McChrystal's fate is expected to hinge on a meeting scheduled Wednesday with President Obama, who was "angry" after reading the general's remarks in Rolling Stone.

The "magnitude and graveness" of McChrystal's mistake in conducting the interview for the article were "profound," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said McChrystal had "made a significant mistake and exercised poor judgment." Read more

Obama team readies new drilling ban

The fight over a deepwater drilling moratorium will continue Wednesday with the White House vowing to move quickly to issue a new ban on that type of drilling.

A federal judge in New Orleans issued an injunction on the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling. President Obama pushed for the ban after the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The White House said it would appeal the ban.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a statement Tuesday saying he would issue a new moratorium quickly. Read more

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Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/22/orszag.obama.gi.art.jpg caption="Peter Orszag is a key part of the Obama administration's economic team."]

Obama's key budget guru leaving

(CNN) – Peter Orszag has told President Obama that he plans to leave his position as White House budget director in July, an Obama administration official said Monday evening.

Orszag, 41, has been a key part of Obama's economic team, serving in his role as director of the Office of Management and Budget during the passage of the economic stimulus bill and this year's health care reform legislation.

As budget director, he crafted policy, but also was a prime negotiator with congressional Republicans.

As one of the main negotiators in the final hours before lawmakers passed the economic stimulus package, Orszag tried to bridge differences and was keeper of the ever-changing numbers, often crunching them in his head. Read more

Judge to rule on drilling moratorium

A judge in New Orleans may rule Tuesday on whether to lift the federal government's moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman has said he will give his decision between early Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon on whether to issue a preliminary injunction against the six-month ban, which halts all drilling in more than 500 feet of water and prevents new permits from being issued.

Brian Collins, an attorney for the Justice Department, insisted Monday that the suspension is necessary while officials conduct a safety review after the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Read more

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