tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64674666753139798282011-07-08T06:01:25.210-07:00A record of Obama's first term in officeclaudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-55222506402945209482010-06-16T02:26:00.000-07:002010-06-16T02:30:28.247-07:00

Extract from BBC News Online, 16 June 2010Mr Obama said he would meet company executives later and tell them that they must set up a fund to compensate those affected by the spill. He described the spill as an assault on the shores and citizens of the US that tested the limits of human technology. And he said it demonstrated the need to end the US "addiction" to fossil fuels.

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-18163863777184925292010-06-10T07:05:00.000-07:002010-06-10T07:09:52.317-07:00

From The Times, UK, 10 June 2010Giles Whittell in Washington, Jacqui Goddard in Miami BP may have hoped yesterday to boast of its first real progress in containing the leaking well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, it faced a harsh personal attack on its chief executive from President Obama and a devastating new report that called the company a “recurring environmental criminal”

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-43567303035515865972010-04-16T01:35:00.000-07:002010-04-16T01:42:22.343-07:00

Extract from the Washington Post, 16 April 2010By Michael D. ShearPresident Obama mandated Thursday that nearly all hospitals extend visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians and respect patients' choices about who may make critical health-care decisions for them, perhaps the most significant step so far in his efforts to expand the rights of gay Americans.The president directed

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-72500109311556425022010-03-24T01:06:00.000-07:002010-03-24T01:10:32.519-07:00

BBC News Online, 22 March 2010US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Israel to make "difficult but necessary choices" if it wants a peace agreement with the Palestinians.Mrs Clinton warned that the status quo was "unsustainable" in a speech to a pro-Israel lobby group. Her comments come amid a dispute between the US and Israel over plans for 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem. On

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-43078633549086508532010-03-22T02:34:00.001-07:002010-03-23T01:33:38.678-07:00

The House of Representatives approves the healthcare reform bill, something the Democrats had been trying to do since 1945 and that took centre stage in the White House agenda.From El Pais, Spain, 22/03/2010Antonio Caño, WashingtonThe acting leader of the House, David Obey, banged the gavel at 22.45 (03.45 CET) to announce that the Healthcare Reform Bill of the United States had been approved

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-81272734685524700542010-03-22T02:09:00.000-07:002010-03-22T02:14:58.001-07:00

Extract from BBC News Online, 22 March 2009The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama's agenda.The bill was passed by 219 votes to 212, with no Republican backing, after hours of fierce argument and debate. It extends coverage to 32 million more Americans, and marks the biggest change to the US healthcare

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-83904978803426407172010-03-14T17:52:00.000-07:002010-03-24T01:11:07.622-07:00

From BBC News Online, 14 March 2009 Israel's announcement of plans to build 1,600 homes for Jews in East Jerusalem was "destructive" to peace efforts, a top aide to Barack Obama says.David Axelrod said the move, which overshadowed a visit to Israel by US Vice-President Joe Biden, was also an "insult" to the United States. Israel's prime minister has tried to play down the unusually bitter

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-3198232921787838462010-02-25T13:14:00.000-08:002010-02-25T13:17:43.659-08:00

The Independent (UK), 25 February 2010President Barack Obama both wooed and blasted Republicans who have impeded his health care plan in an extraordinary live TV summit today. He called the meeting with the aim of breaking a partisan deadlock over his top domestic priority. And with the unprecedented, day-long policy debate available from start to finish to a divided public, Mr

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Extract from The Times (UK), 28 January 2010By Giles Whittell in Washington Barack Obama has had to come down from the Olympian heights to recast himself as a street fighter, even an underdog - and he did it well. His political task last night was to gloss over a thin record of accomplishment and chart a course towards midterm elections in November that a deeply demoralised Democratic party

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-55946799214599636042010-01-28T00:58:00.000-08:002010-01-28T01:02:39.290-08:00

Extract from BBC News OnlineUS President Barack Obama has said in his first State of the Union address that creating jobs must be the nation's number one focus.Mr Obama accepted Americans were "hurting" and that his election pledge of change had not come quickly enough. He defended his healthcare reform efforts and bank bailout policy, but said there would be a spending freeze from 2011 to tackle

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-10857908972531229682010-01-24T01:20:00.000-08:002010-01-28T01:23:57.188-08:00

Obama's 'new Glass-Steagall Act' will prevent banks with customer deposits taking risky investment betsExtract from the Guardian (UK), 21 January 2010by Jill TreanorPresident Barack Obama today declared his intent to take on Wall Street by announcing plans for stringent rules on the banking sector that prompted comparisons with the draconian regulations introduced after the Great Depression.In

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-80948960949339116002010-01-22T22:35:00.000-08:002010-01-22T22:44:14.491-08:00

Mark Mardell, BBC News Online, 22 January 2010 What a week. This anniversary of the president's year in office was always going to be a time for reflection. The victory of Scott Brown in Republican-resistant Massachusetts turned it into a time for urgent reassessment for the president's party. The word "pivotal" has been used a fair bit. That's right. After twelve months the President has

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-30511635717687144142010-01-20T02:25:00.000-08:002010-01-20T02:28:33.024-08:00

Democrats lose Senate seat in Massachusetts, throwing Obama's health reform plan into doubtFrom the Guardian, UK- Ewen MacAskill, 20 January 2009The Republicans have produced one of the biggest political upsets of recent US history by winning Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts, traditionally one of the safest Democratic states in the country.The victory against the odds came on the eve of

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-87966661997598574902009-12-20T07:12:00.000-08:002009-12-20T07:17:10.523-08:00

Democrats' compromise on abortion with Nebraska's Ben Nelson gives them the 60 votes to fight off GOP filibusters. Obama calls it 'a major step forward for the American people.'Extract from the Los Angeles Times, 20 December 2009By Noam N. Levey and Janet HookReporting from Washington - After a dramatic month of sometimes round-the-clock negotiating and deal-making, Senate Democrats came together

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-51685074132137483572009-12-20T07:06:00.000-08:002009-12-20T07:10:12.681-08:00

From the Independent, UK, 20 December 2009The most progressive US president in a generation comes to the most important international meeting since the Second World War and delivers a speech so devoid of substance that he might as well have made it on speaker-phone from a beach in Hawaii. His aides argue in private that he had no choice, such is the opposition on Capitol Hill to any action that

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-26899930956539183682009-11-08T04:10:00.001-08:002009-11-08T04:14:15.656-08:00

Extract from The New York Times, Sun 8 Nov 2009By David Herszenhorn and Jackie CalmesWASHINGTON — It was late Friday night and lawmakers were stalling for time. In a committee room, they yammered away, delaying a procedural vote on the historic health care legislation. Down one floor, in her office, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi desperately tried to deal with an issue that has bedeviled Democrats

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-68771192029153673902009-11-08T03:56:00.001-08:002009-11-08T04:00:02.019-08:00

From BBC News Online, 8 Nov 2009The US House of Representatives has backed a healthcare bill in a step towards reforms promised by President Obama, despite strong opposition.Passed in a narrow 220-215 vote, the bill aims to extend coverage to 36 million more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%. The Senate now has to pass its own bill and the two must then be reconciled before the

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-59812502746501912502009-10-11T05:56:00.000-07:002009-10-11T05:59:24.674-07:00

From El Pais, Spain, 11 October 2009US President and Peace Nobel Prize Barack Obama, tried on Saturday (Sunday at dawn in Europe) to reassure the LGBT community with an impassioned defence of his commitment for equality. "My commitment with you is unswerving, do not doubt the advances that we're going to make, I'm here with you in that fight", Obama reassured during a speech at the Human Rights

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-44913166259963999772009-10-11T05:09:00.000-07:002009-10-11T05:14:51.030-07:00

Extracts from Mehdi Hasan's article from the New Statesman (UK), Oct 8 2009."Barack Obama promised a sharp break from the Bush era, yet he seems to have stepped into the shoes of his disgraced predecessor. As the anniversary of his election approaches, Mehdi Hasan investigates what went wrong"."The distance between Obama and Bush on a host of policies is not as great as many people might hope or

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-39471523813557921852009-10-09T02:30:00.000-07:002009-10-09T02:33:22.733-07:00

From BBC News Online, 9 October 2009US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.The Nobel Committee said he was awarded it for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples". The committee highlighted Mr Obama's efforts to strengthen international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament. There were a record 205 nominations for

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-51948331991643842462009-09-17T08:04:00.000-07:002009-09-17T08:07:44.282-07:00

From BBC News, 17 Sep 2009By Paul Reynolds, World Affairs Correspondent"A US decision to drop plans to base an anti-ballistic missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic would be a huge shift in American foreign and defence policy by the Obama administration.The decision was reported in the Wall Street Journal and official word is expected during the day. ImplicationsThe implications

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-42303469606499661542009-09-10T01:53:00.000-07:002009-09-10T02:01:25.750-07:00

"We are the only democracy on Earth that allows such hardship for millions of its people".From BBC News Online, 10 Sep 2009"Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, and the American people:When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month, credit was frozen, and our

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-73016718142964686562009-09-09T05:34:00.000-07:002009-09-09T05:37:31.031-07:00

Extract from an article by Toby Harnden in the Telegraph UK, 9 Sep 2009The speech to Congress is seen as so important that it could make or break his presidency.With Mr Obama's poll numbers slipping and public support for his health care overhaul eroding almost by the day, Senator Max Baucus, a fellow Democrat, drew up a compromise plan designed to appeal to centrists across the political

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-45707603710240408482009-08-16T02:33:00.000-07:002009-08-16T02:38:21.523-07:00

Article from Japan Today, 16 August 2009GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado — President Barack Obama has made it clear that his efforts to reform the U.S. health care system have meaning to him personally. On Saturday, Obama invoked his own anguish over the death of a loved one as he challenged the notion that Democratic efforts to overhaul the nation’s health care would include “death panels” that

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-90696096452494696782009-08-16T02:27:00.000-07:002009-09-12T03:45:04.324-07:00

Extract from BBC News, 16 August 2009US President Barack Obama has stepped up his drive for healthcare reform, attacking excessive premiums charged by insurance companies. Speaking in Colorado, Mr Obama said that under his plan companies would not be allowed to charge exorbitant fees nor place arbitrary limits on coverage. Mr Obama is making a

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-2201217891623009492009-07-16T02:00:00.000-07:002009-07-16T02:07:35.785-07:00

Extract from El Informador, MexicoUS President Barack Obama decided to lift section III of the Helms-Burton Law which penalises foreign investment in Cuba. [...] Obama notified Congress that he will extend for six months, starting Aug 1.

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-82399094134050897872009-06-28T04:09:00.000-07:002009-06-28T04:13:37.133-07:00

Suzanne Goldenberg, the Observer, UK, 28 June 2009The epic battle over universal health care is still to be fought, but Barack Obama moved to capitalise on a defining moment of his presidency yesterday - a vote in Congress to act on global warming - saying the time had arrived for America to show international leadership on climate change.The White House shifted the topic of Obama's address from

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-27851067955980262272009-05-15T23:21:00.000-07:002009-05-15T23:25:24.818-07:00

From The Independent, UK, 16 May 2009David Usborne, US editor: "Decision to revive military trials for terror suspects welcomed by Republicans – and lambasted by human rights activists". "Although his plan will modify the tribunals in an effort to expand the legal rights of the defendants, the decision has already proved controversial. One of Mr Obama's first acts as President was to announce the

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-91053764605264255872009-05-15T23:15:00.000-07:002009-05-15T23:25:44.195-07:00

From BBC News- by James Coomarasamy , WashingtonBarack Obama's decisions to try to block the release of photos allegedly showing abuse of prisoners in US custody, to avoid the pursuit of Bush administration officials who may have sanctioned torture and - now - to restore military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay - suggest that, on contentious national security issues, he plans to take a middle

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-80829756549388289162009-04-16T23:46:00.000-07:002009-04-16T23:53:59.694-07:00

"Insects, sleep deprivation and waterboarding among approved techniques by the Bush administration"Extract from The Guardian, UK, 17 April 2009By Ewen MacAskill.Barack Obama today released four top secret memos that allowed the CIA under the Bush administration to torture al-Qaida and other suspects held at Guantánamo and secret detention centres round the world.But, in an accompanying statement,

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-26679076161075505022009-04-06T10:31:00.000-07:002009-04-06T10:41:46.426-07:00

Extract from The Times (UK), 6 Apr 2009President Obama extended the hand of friendship to the Muslim world today by declaring: “Let me say this as clearly as I can: the United States is not at war with Islam.”In a speech to the Turkish Parliament, Mr Obama sought to draw a line under what he described as the “difficulties these last few years” during the Bush era of the “war on terror” – a phrase

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-66534222209878289272009-03-31T07:15:00.000-07:002009-03-31T07:29:37.977-07:00

Extract from BBC News online, 30 March 2009US President Barack Obama has given US carmakers General Motors (GM) and Chrysler strict deadlines to restructure before getting more aid. General Motors will be given 60 days and Chrysler just 30 days to submit new plans for recovery.Soon after ordering the resignation of GM chief Rick Wagoner, Mr Obama said bankruptcy protection could speed up the

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-69804795081135692142009-03-20T04:23:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:29:49.403-07:00

From BBC News online, Friday 20 March 2009US President Barack Obama has appeared on a popular TV chat show to promote moves to resolve the economic crisis. He told NBC's Tonight Show he was taking full responsibility "to fix" the economy, in the first-ever appearance on the show by a serving US president.Mr Obama said he was "stunned" by the huge bonuses that bailed-out insurance firm AIG was

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-80204488670219587962009-03-20T03:55:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:00:50.609-07:00

US President Barack Obama has offered "a new beginning" of engagement with Tehran in an unprecedented direct video message to the Iranian people.Extract from: BBC News online, Friday 20 March 2009"My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us," Mr Obama said.An advisor to Iran's president welcomed Mr Obama's message but said Washington had to

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-1752039470031499212009-03-14T00:32:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:01:10.258-07:00

Extract from The Guardian, UK - Saturday 14 Oct 2009[by Leo Hickman]Gore says that, since the election of Barack Obama last November, he feels much more bullish about the chances of political progress in tackling climate change. But one group who are unlikely to ever "get it" are the ever-vocal contingent of climate change sceptics, the most prominent of whom were gathered at a conference this

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-14339158027157037652009-02-27T23:08:00.000-08:002009-02-27T23:12:34.538-08:00

From The Guardian, UKEwen MacAskill in WashingtonAlmost six years after the invasion of Iraq, the end is finally in sight for America's involvement in its longest and bloodiest conflict since Vietnam. Barack Obama yesterday set out a timetable that will see all US combat units out by summer next year and the remainder by the end of 2011.Obama said yesterday that "by any measure, this has already

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-69882923180356212832009-02-27T01:33:00.000-08:002009-02-27T01:38:58.077-08:00

from the International Herald Tribune.by David Leonhardt"The budget that President Barack Obama proposed on Thursday is nothing less than an attempt to end a three-decade era of economic policy dominated by the ideas of Ronald Reagan and his supporters.The Obama budget — a bold, even radical departure from recent history, wrapped in bureaucratic formality and statistical tables — would sharply

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-18418864948955917942009-02-27T01:20:00.000-08:002009-03-14T00:43:21.782-07:00

From la Repubblica, ItalyWASHINGTON - "Higher tax for the well-off, a medium term fund for healthcare reforms, 'green' revenues from the trade-off of C02 emissions to fund tax relief for the low and middle classes. These are some of the core points of the budget as unveiled today by President Barack Obama. Along with the pledge to halve the deficit, which is expected to reach $1,750 bn in 2009,

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-91750498257462028872009-02-21T11:59:00.000-08:002009-02-21T12:01:40.723-08:00

from BBC News Online, 21 February 2009 President Barack Obama has said US tax bills will begin to fall from April, hailing a tax cut he called the fastest ever to take effect.In his weekly radio and internet address, President Obama said the typical American family would gain by at least $65 (£46) a month.He also pledged to cut America's trillion-dollar deficit.The tax cuts announced on Saturday

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-71014630580086790892009-02-18T22:50:00.000-08:002009-02-18T23:06:01.957-08:00

From BBC News Online, 18 February 2009President Barack Obama has revealed a long-awaited plan to tackle the US housing crisis, aiming to help up to nine million families.The plan will provide refinancing to four to five million "responsible homeowners" on the verge of defaulting. A $75bn (£53bn) fund will also aim to help reduce monthly payments for a further three to four million people, to no

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-64832533624767060582009-02-16T03:10:00.000-08:002009-03-20T04:02:07.602-07:00

The Bill that will end travel restrictions to the island is already in the Congress. The President's advisors are confident of its speedy approval.Lissette Bustamante, Miami(from Publico, Spain, 15 February 2009)Obama isn't wasting time. This is perhaps why Cuba is no longer a taboo for Uncle Sam. And what has now descended upon the White House "is a doses of realism on the subject of Cuba", said

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-10941672510593316082009-02-04T04:10:00.000-08:002009-02-04T04:30:03.181-08:00

Fat cats pay on bailout businesses to be limited.by Taronja, Hagley Road to LadywoodIt's what millions of people would want to hear from the British government. It's the natural course of action for those banks who were bailed out from the taxpayer to the tune of hundreds of billions. But whereas in Britain they're still tiptoeing about, in the US Barack Obama is going straight to the

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-65101247670955877142009-01-26T23:53:00.000-08:002009-01-26T23:57:15.765-08:00

Extract from "Environment News Service", US, 26 January 2008WASHINGTON, DC, January 26, 2009 (ENS) - "This moment of peril must be turned to one of progress," President Barack Obama said this morning, as he signed his first two Presidential Memoranda, both aimed at getting the United States on the path to energy independence.In what he called "a down payment on a broader and sustained effort to

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-42573170651580698702009-01-22T14:27:00.000-08:002009-01-22T14:32:25.053-08:00

Extract from BBC News Online, 22 Jan 09US President Barack Obama has ordered the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp as well as all overseas CIA detention centres for terror suspects. Signing the orders, Mr Obama said the US would continue to fight terror, but maintain "our values and our ideals".He also ordered a review of military trials for terror suspects and a ban on harsh

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-50253995233469898272009-01-21T02:37:00.000-08:002009-01-21T02:39:33.090-08:00

Extract from BBC News online, 21 Jan 2009Barack Obama has requested the suspension of all military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, in his first major act as US president.The request could halt proceedings in 21 pending cases, including those against five men accused of plotting the 11 September 2001 attacks.The halt would give Mr Obama time to review the tribunal process.The new president is

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-17617781373850528222009-01-20T00:59:00.000-08:002009-01-20T01:03:24.078-08:00

Extract from an article by Michael D. Shear and Karen DeYoung, Washington Post (USA) 20 January 2009President-elect Barack Obama will plunge into foreign policy on his first full day in office tomorrow, finally freed from the constraints of tradition that has forced him and his staff to remain muzzled about world affairs during the 78-day transition.As one of his first actions, Obama plans to

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-17290474118762115662009-01-09T02:15:00.000-08:002009-01-09T02:19:01.991-08:00

Article by Steve Schifferes, BBC News (UK), 8 January 2009US President-elect Barack Obama has called for "drastic action" to prevent the US economic situation worsening.In his first major policy speech since being elected, Mr Obama urged Congress to act quickly to pass his $800bn (£526bn) stimulus plan."I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-35253914248404725662009-01-05T01:06:00.000-08:002009-01-20T01:09:14.160-08:00

Extract from an article by Max Deveson, BBC News online, 5 Jan 2009Barack Obama enters the White House this month with a wide-ranging agenda for change.The BBC's Max Deveson considers which issues he is likely to tackle head on - and which he may be tempted to put to one side:Economic stimulusHealthcare reformClimate changeIraq/AfghanistanClosing GuantanamoEngaging with the worldLabour

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-85718794029028767422008-12-22T00:54:00.000-08:002008-12-22T00:58:52.411-08:00

From a radio address by the US President-elect.Published in The Independent (UK), 22 Dec 2008"Over the past few weeks, Vice President-Elect Biden and I have ann-ounced some of the leaders who will advise us as we seek to meet America's 21st-century challenges – from strengthening our security, to rebuilding our economy, to preserving our planet for our children and grandchildren. Whether it's the

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-40048289709994207352008-12-16T07:32:00.000-08:002008-12-16T07:44:03.155-08:00

Extract from: El Periodico, Spain, 16 Dec 2008"New Energy Secretary will be a clean fuel expert By Idoya Noain, New YorkDuring his campaign, Barack Obama promised to invest €110m in renewable energy over the next decade. He also pledged the creation of 2.5m jobs by 2011, many of them due to the development of environmental-friendly policies. He anticipated green measures such as ensuring that at

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-63642478010155242772008-12-08T02:43:00.000-08:002008-12-08T02:49:14.064-08:00

Extract from The Guardian, UK, 8 Dec 2008"Barack Obama chose a general sacked by the Bush administration for doubting its Iraq war strategy for his cabinet yesterday to appeal to leftwing supporters.Obama, in announcing the selection of Eric Shinseki, as veterans' affairs secretary, made it clear that he saw the choice as vindication of a general whose advice - had it been heeded - could have

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-30389611196327284752008-12-06T05:50:00.000-08:002008-12-06T05:53:23.215-08:00

Extract from BBC News, 6 Dec 2008US President-elect Barack Obama has promised to invest in infrastructure on a scale not seen since the 1950s, when the US highway system was established.He used his weekly address to outline that the spending would be part of his plan to create at least 2.5m new jobs in the ailing US economy.He also spoke of the need for expanded access to high-speed internet and

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-54067676949835297652008-12-01T15:33:00.000-08:002008-12-01T15:38:44.409-08:00

Hillary Clinton to be named today as US Secretary of State. (Extract from The Independent, UK, 2 Dec 2008)Barack Obama will hold a veto over Bill Clinton's $400,000-a-pop speaking engagements under a detailed legal deal that allows the former president's wife, Hillary Clinton, to become Secretary of State.The President-elect will unveil his national security team today, gambling that appointing

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-84520486467032310392008-11-25T00:43:00.000-08:002008-11-25T00:47:57.929-08:00

An extract from an article by Stephen Foley, The Independent, UK, 25 Nov 2008"Obamanomics will be forged, not in the first crisis-busting phase of the new president's administration, but later. And even then, a glance at the people with whom Mr Obama is surrounding himself, and a listen to the chatter of the economists he favours, suggests that his economic philosophy is one of pragmatism rather

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-85906243499662392202008-11-23T08:18:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:22:18.317-08:00

Extract from BBC News, UK, 23 Nov 2008"US President-elect Barack Obama says he wants his economic team to find ways to generate 2.5 million new jobs during his first two years in office.In a weekly address on the internet, Mr Obama said he wanted to sign the plan soon after taking office on 20 January. The message came as unemployment claims rose by 540,000 in the US, taking the total to 1.2

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-16695870077301483962008-11-22T08:15:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:18:33.011-08:00

Extract from politicalbetting.com, 22 Nov 2008"The most intriguing choice for me is to see Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano recommended for Secretary of Homeland Security. Whilst she is eminently qualified, and as a border-state Governor will bring expertise to the role, some Democrats have noted that she was the only candidate who could beat John McCain in the Senate race of 2010 that this week

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-63527123352529539472008-11-22T08:10:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:14:30.184-08:00

From The Independent, UK, 22 Nov 2008"Hillary Clinton has finally agreed to become President-elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of State and spearhead efforts to restore America’s credibility in the world.Once confirmed, Mrs Clinton will be the highest-ranking cabinet official in the next administration and she is expected to become a powerful diplomatic force, dealing with some of the international

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-46664438005736883242008-11-21T08:08:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:09:35.356-08:00

Extract from CNN News, 21 November 2008"Spiritual leaders of New York's African-American Muslim communities lashed out Friday at a purported al Qaeda message attacking President-elect Barack Obama and, using racist language, comparing him unfavorably to the late Malcolm X.The imams called the recorded comments from al Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri "an insult" from people who have "

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-37266354665667025162008-11-19T08:04:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:10:10.278-08:00

From BBC News, 19 November 2008"US President-elect Barack Obama will appoint senior Democrat Tom Daschle as Health and Human Services Secretary, according to US media reports.Mr Daschle was the Democrats' Senate Majority Leader from 2001 until 2003.As head of the health and human services department, Mr Daschle will oversee Mr Obama's proposed reforms to the US healthcare system.Mr Obama's

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-26545449441448396762008-11-19T07:59:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:03:24.880-08:00

From the Telegraph, UK, 19 November 2008"Mr Obama's transition team did not officially comment on the reports, which broke earlier than it wanted. "Obama offered Holder the job and he accepted," Newsweek magazine said on its website, adding that "the announcement is not likely until after Obama announces his choices to lead the Treasury and State departments".Mr Holder, 57, whose appointment is

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-4370445130325852142008-11-17T07:54:00.000-08:002008-11-23T07:58:51.259-08:00

From the Herald Sun, Australia, 17 November 2008GUANTANAMO Bay will close and America will regain its moral authority, president-elect Barack Obama has pledged in an interview.US President-elect Barack Obama says he will shut down the "war on terror'' internment camp at Guantanamo Bay and rebuild "America's moral stature in the world,'' in a major interview aired overnight."I have said repeatedly

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-68166668516305595682008-11-13T07:49:00.000-08:002008-11-23T07:54:17.633-08:00

Extracts from The Independent, UK, 12 November 2008 "An ideological battle has erupted between George Bush and Barack Obama, with the outgoing President baulking at proposals to prop up General Motors, once the world's largest car maker, which could go bust by Christmas"."According to one account of their Oval Office discussions, Mr Obama asked Mr Bush to use some of the billions of dollars in

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-34355061761692308552008-11-12T07:44:00.000-08:002008-11-23T07:49:05.682-08:00

Extracts from Vivir Latino, Colombia, 10 Nov 2008"During a pre-election debate, Barack Obama made a clear point about one of the reasons he did not support the Colombian Free Trade agreement, the violence against workers. The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, ACIN, were appreciative of Obama's position, but wanted to shed light on their specific struggle and the struggles of

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-33310996945947906262008-11-11T07:32:00.000-08:002008-11-23T07:46:42.661-08:00

Extracts from Justice for Colombia, 16 Oct 2008"Wednesday night's US presidential debate in New York City saw Barack Obama again criticise Colombia for the "targeted assassination" of trade unionists. The Democrat candidate said that "there have not been prosecutions" for the killings, which he described as occurring on a "fairly consistent basis".Obama made his remarks after Republican candidate

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467466675313979828.post-45350749348837257812008-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:002008-11-23T07:39:16.229-08:00

Remember the happy days of the 1997 elections? Weren't you convinced Tony Blair's victory was the beginning of a new era? Well, we all know how it ended. In fact it hasn't ended yet, but it sure went pear-shaped right from the start. With their determination to out-Tory the Tories in both policies and rhetoric, New Labour's roll call of lies, privatisations, tuition fees and the Iraq war (as well

claudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498799178450479883noreply@blogger.com0