Archive for January 1st, 2009
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New secretary of state inherits unpredictable world
The Gaza crisis is an alarm bell for incoming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, promising a bumpy ride.
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Portland: Largest US city with openly gay mayor (AP)
AP – Portland became the nation’s largest city with an openly gay mayor Thursday as a longtime City Hall insider took the oath of office.
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Exploiting nature to cut mosquitoes’ life short (AP)
AP – Old mosquitoes usually spread disease, so Australian researchers figured out a way to make the pests die younger naturally, not poisoned. -
Powerful NY lawmaker says he’ll support Kennedy (AP)
AP – Despite early reservations, New York state’s most powerful legislative leader now says he’ll support Caroline Kennedy for the U.S. Senate if the governor names her to the seat expected to be vacated by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. -
President’s Radio Address
In his weekly radio address, President Bush said, “In the days ahead, the United States will stay closely engaged with our partners in the region, in Europe, and in the international community. My Administration will continue to keep the President-elect and his team informed. And America’s objectives in the Middle East will remain clear: We seek security and peace for our allies, the free people of Israel. For the Palestinian people, we seek a peaceful and democratic Palestinian state that serves its citizens and respects its neighbors. For all in the region, we seek an end to terror. And we seek an enduring peace based on justice, dignity, and human rights for every person in every nation of the Middle East.”
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Statement on Federal Disaster Assistance for New Hampshire
The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of New Hampshire and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm beginning on December 11, 2008, and continuing.
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Press Briefing by Deputy Press Secretary Gordon Johndroe
MR. JOHNDROE: Good morning, good to see you all back here. President and Mrs. Bush are pleased to be back in Washington. Next week, on Monday morning, the President will meet with the first Vice President of the Government of National Unity of Sudan and the President of the Government of Southern Sudan. Later that evening, the President and Mrs. Bush will host a dinner for the Joint Chiefs and combatant commanders. That’s here at the White House. That’s something they’ve done every year; this will be their last one.
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The President and Mrs. Bush to Host Lunch for the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mrs. Ban Soon-taek
The President and Mrs. Bush will host United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mrs. Ban Soon-taek for lunch at the White House on January 6, 2009. This meeting will be an opportunity for the President to thank Secretary-General Ban for his leadership of the United Nations and his cooperation on key issues over the past two years. They will discuss the future of the United Nations and the challenges that remain, such as U.N. reform, the Middle East, Burma, Somalia, and peacekeeping in Darfur. The President will stress the need for a United Nations that can act effectively to promote freedom, democratic governance, human rights, and a world free from terror.
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U.S. steel industry urges “buy America” recovery plan (Reuters)
Reuters – The ailing U.S. steel industry is pressing President-elect Barack Obama for a public works plan that could be worth $1 trillion over two years to boost flagging demand for U.S.-made steel, the New York Times reported in Friday’s editions. -
Ghana farming region set to decide presidential election (AFP)
AFP – Some 50,000 Ghanaians in a remote farming region were set to cast ballots Friday in a knife-edge election to decide the next leader of the country seen as an example of democracy in volatile west Africa.
