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Senate Democrats Optimistic on Health-Care Reform

As President Barack Obama prepares to convene a health-care summit at the White House later this week, Administration officials are signaling that he intends to pursue a very different strategy for getting reform passed from the one used by his Democratic predecessor in office. Unlike the failed effort of 1994, when Bill and Hillary Clinton presented Congress with a detailed blueprint for reform — and never saw a bill reach the floor of either the House or Senate — Obama is outlining broad principles, with a bottom line of universal coverage, and leaving it up to lawmakers to fashion a plan for meeting them.

Obama: U.S. to withdraw most troops from Iraq by August 2010

President Obama said Friday he plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010

Obama unveils budget blueprint

President Obama on Thursday unveiled a $3 trillion-plus budget that he says will halve the federal deficit by the end of his first term.

Does Obama Have a Double Standard on Earmarks?

On Tuesday evening, when President Barack Obama declared before a joint session of Congress that “we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks,” House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi popped like jackrabbits out of their seats for a standing ovation.

Pig liver dish in China sickens 14

A dish of stir-fried pig’s liver served at a dinner party in Guangzhou, China, poisoned 14 people with what authorities think was an animal feed additive, a Chinese state-run news agency reported. Investigators made 52 arrests in overnight raids in California, Minnesota and Maryland, increasing to more than 750 the number of suspects detained in the coast-to-coast operation to disrupt the Sinaloa cartel, Holder said.

Three British troops killed in Afghanistan blast

Three British troops under NATO command were killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the British Defense Ministry said.

Young son of UK opposition leader dies

The disabled young son of UK opposition leader David Cameron has died, UK media have reported. In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, Obama said it’s time to act boldly not just to revive the economy, but “to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.” “While the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater,” he said.

Apparent rebellion hits Bangladesh force

Shots continued to ring out from inside the headquarters of Bangladesh’s border security force in the capital, Dhaka, hours after a gunbattle began Wednesday morning. In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, Obama said it’s time to act boldly not just to revive the economy, but “to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.” “While the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater,” he said. The president struck an optimistic tone, asserting that “we will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.” Obama focused on the three priorities of the budget he will present to Congress later this week: energy, health care and education

Can Michael Steele Broaden the Grand Old Party?

Michael Steele assumed the Republican party chairmanship barely a month ago, promising vast changes to help the GOP successfully compete in 21st century America. One of his first forays in that quest occurred Friday night, when Steele came to DuPage County, an affluent Chicago suburb of nearly one million, where the largely Republican establishment is battling an increasingly potent Democratic Party

Jindal calls stimulus ‘irresponsible’ in GOP response

Tapped by the Republican party to deliver the GOP’s response to President Barack Obama’s congressional address Tuesday night, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal took on the massive stimulus package and big government — and pledged that his party would regain the nation’s trust.