Wag the tail: White House’s first dog arriving in April
February 26, 2009
The shaggy dog story surrounding the identity of America’s first canine appears to be over.
Michelle Obama has confirmed that the first family is seeking a stray Portuguese water dog to be their family pet, and hope to find one by April.
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American Public Remain Strong in Their Support of Barack Obama
February 23, 2009
With his first month as President in the bag, Barack Obama is receiving an unparalleled level of support from the American public in regards to his ability to handle, and in this case fix, the shattered economy. In fact President Obama has the largest lead over opposition party in overall trust to handle the economy as any U.S. President has had in over 20 years.
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Obama aims to control ‘exploding’ deficits
February 22, 2009
US President Barack Obama is vowing to tackle trillion-dollar budget deficits facing the nation after he launched an unprecedented spending program aimed at helping the troubled US economy get back on its feet.
South Korean breaks world marathon singing record
February 21, 2009
A South Korean housewife has broken a world record in marathon singing after crooning for more than 76 hours without stopping at a Seoul karaoke bar, local record verifiers say.
Kim Sun-Ok, 54, on Saturday broke the 75-hour Guinness World Record held by Marcus Lapratt of the United States, the private Korea Record Institute said.
To Obama, from Hamas
February 21, 2009
US OFFICIALS have been weighing up how to treat a letter believed to be from Hamas to President Barack Obama, who considers it a terrorist organisation.
Mr Obama has said Washington cannot negotiate with Hamas until it recognises Israel, renounces violence and agrees to abide by peace deals between the Jewish state and the Palestinians.
Obama takes aim at housing crisis
February 19, 2009
President Barack Obama has taken aim at the housing crisis which helped tip the US economy into meltdown, with a program which could cost $US275 billion and reach nine million homeowners.
- Housing plan
- Six million foreclosures expected
- Arizona among worst-hit states
Obama at war: 17,000 more troops sent in
February 18, 2009
In his first major military move, US President Barack Obama has approved the deployment of 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, saying they were needed “to stabilise a deteriorating situation”.
“There is no more solemn duty as president than the decision to deploy our armed forces into harm’s way,” Obama said in a statement.
‘Drunk’ Japanese minister resigns
February 17, 2009
Japan’s finance minister announced on Tuesday he will step down because of health problems after facing allegations he was drunk at a recent summit meeting, dealing a major blow to Prime Minister Taro Aso’s already shaky government.
Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who has denied being drunk, said he will stay on until parliament approves a supplementary budget, probably in April.
Obama touted as the answer to Israel’s impasse
February 16, 2009
FORGET the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President Barack Obama may instead be called upon to use all his skills as a mediator to resolve the Israeli political conflict.
A week after elections that saw the Kadima party of the Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, win the most votes but Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party claim victory because right-wing parties won more votes overall, the country is waiting to see who will lead the next government.
Clinton takes shot at Bush over uranium claims
February 16, 2009
THE US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has cast doubt on a Bush administration claim that North Korea had a clandestine program to enrich uranium, and has said she would focus on getting the Pyongyang Government to give up its stock of weapons-grade plutonium.
“There is a debate within the intelligence community as to exactly the extent of the highly enriched uranium program,” Mrs Clinton told reporters traveling with her to Asia on her first voyage as the chief US diplomat.
