White House Advisers Defend Obama Criticism Of Supreme Court
President Obama was correct on both policy and decorum when he stated his views on a controversial Supreme Court ruling during his State of the Union speech attended by six Supreme Court justices, senior White House officials said Sunday. Appearing on different Sunday television programs, Obama's senior advisor David Axelrod and press secretary Robert Gibbs defended the president's decision to express his pointed criticism of the campaign finance decision during the joint session of Congress in January. Fox News
VOA VIEW: The White House defends all foolish comments and lies.

Boehner: Moving Gitmo Prisoners To U.S. 'Makes No Sense'
The top Republican in the House and a senior White House adviser on Sunday debated a plan for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay and moving some of the terrorism suspects held there onto American soil. "They want $500 million from this Congress to rehabilitate this prison in northwest Illinois," John Boehner, R-Ohio, said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I want to see who the members are who are going to vote for this. I wouldn't vote for this if you put a gun to my head." CNN

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Fed Gets New Oversight Powers Under Dodd Bll
The Federal Reserve would win sweeping new powers over nonbank financial firms and keep much of its authority over banks, under revised legislation to be unveiled today by the chief architect of financial reform in the Senate. In a remarkable recovery by the U.S. central bank after a steep drop in its political popularity, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd was poised to release a bill that leans heavily on the Fed, sources said on Sunday. Reuters
VOA VIEW: A major mistake.

Intense Treatment Hopes For Diabetics Dashed
Key results from a landmark federal study are in, and the results are disappointing for diabetics: Adding drugs to drive blood pressure and blood-fats lower than current targets did not prevent heart problems, and in some cases caused harmful side effects. A decade ago, the federal government launched the three-part study to see whether intensely lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, or fats in the blood would reduce heart attacks and strokes in diabetics. The first piece of the study — about blood sugar — was stopped two years ago, when researchers saw more instead of less risk with that approach. Now, the other two parts of the study are in. MSNBC

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Soggy, Windblown Northeast Still In Dark
Utility crews pushed through fallen trees and windblown debris to reach downed power lines Sunday, working to restore electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses as strong winds and heavy rain that wreaked havoc in parts of the Northeast pushed on into New England. CBS

Massa Mess: Washington Is 'Terminally Weird'
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, was accused this week by former Congressman and tickle party aficionado Eric Massa of a naked shower confrontation. The White House denies such a meeting ever took place, but on the “This Week” roundtable, we unearthed a fully clothed  clip from the 2006 documentary “Taking the Hill” in which then-Congressman Emanuel visited then-congressional candidate Ed Massa to give him some campaign advice.  His words of wisdom?  Don’t be angry, smile and try to be likeable. ABC

US Cautious On Removing Nuclear Arms From Europe
The U.S. is taking a go-slow approach on one of the touchiest and least discussed national security issues: whether to remove the last remaining Cold War-era U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe. Some officials in Germany and other U.S. allies in Europe are advocating a withdrawal, citing President Barack Obama's call last year for a nuclear-free world. But the U.S. is putting off an early decision, preferring to consult within NATO, starting at a meeting of foreign ministers in April that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to attend, according to several Obama administration officials. Las Vegas Sun
VOA VIEW: A nuclear-free world is a naive idea.

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Alexander: Dems Are On "Kamikaze Mission"
Calling the Democrats "tone-deaf" in hearing what Americans want in health care reform, Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee charged that the president and Congressional Democrats were guilty of the most brazen act of political arrogance since Watergate. Alexander also disputed remarks by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs that Republicans were acting simply to block or stall action in Congress for their own political benefit. CBS

White House: Israel Construction Plan An `Insult’
The White House isn't relenting in its strong criticism of Israel for plans to build 1,600 new apartments for Jews in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians are seeking as their future capital. Israel announced the construction plans this past week just as Vice President Joe Biden was visiting the region. President Barack Obama's chief political adviser says the Israelis' action was both an "affront" and an "insult." David Axelrod tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that the move undermines the fragile effort to bring peace to the troubled region. He says the timing of the announcement was "very destructive." Las Vegas Sun
VOA VIEW: The White House position is making matters worse - Israel will never accept or allow Jerusalem to be the Palestinian future capital.

Wen Rebuffing Yuan Calls Risks Retaliation From U.S. Congress
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao rebuffed calls for the yuan to appreciate, risking a further downturn in relations with the U.S. where lawmakers and economists say his stance is hampering a global recovery. “I don’t think the renminbi is undervalued,” Wen said yesterday at a press conference in Beijing marking the end of China’s annual parliamentary meetings, using another term for the yuan. Bloomberg

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Health Care Bill Is Biggest 'Faith-Based' Vote Ever In House
The health care overhaul facing the House this week is being called the biggest faith-based vote ever considered by Congress. That's because the White House and Democratic leaders, who express certainty that the House will approve a Senate-passed health care bill, insist the widely-reviled bill won't become law even though President Obama must sign it into law before changes demanded by House lawmakers can be made. Fox News

3 People Associated With U.S. Consulate Killed In Mexico
Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were killed in two drive-by shootings, a senior White House official told CNN Sunday. Two of the victims were an American employee at the consulate and her U.S. citizen husband. The husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate was also killed. The shootings happened Saturday afternoon, the official said. CNN

House Democrat Says Still Short On Health Votes
White House officials on Sunday confidently predicted quick final passage of healthcare reform but a top Democratic vote-counter said the party still needs to line up more support in the House of Representatives. With President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul headed for a final House vote this week, House Democratic Whip James Clyburn said Democrats were short for now of the 216 votes needed but he was confident they could find them. Reuters

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Commercial Mortgage Debt Rallies As TALF Ending
Commercial mortgage-backed bond returns are accelerating as the Federal Reserve ends support for the $700 billion market, showing growing confidence that loan defaults won’t derail the economic recovery. The securities, derived from debt on skyscrapers, shopping malls and hotels, returned 7.41 percent through March 12, compared with 2.55 percent in the fourth quarter, according to a Barclays Capital index. Top-rated securities are yielding about 3.03 percentage points more than Treasuries, the lowest spread since August 2008, according to Morgan Stanley data. Bloomberg

U.S. Corruption Taints Iraq Reconstruction
U.S. officials looking at Iraq reconstruction say they have opened more than 50 new cases by tracking large cash transactions made by Americans from Iraq. The allegedly corrupt transactions involve banks, loan payments, even payments to casinos, all linked to the $150 billion reconstruction program, The New York Times reported. The Times said some of the transactions involved people suspected of mailing tens of thousands of dollars from Iraq to themselves, or just having stuffed the money into luggage when leaving the country. Others involved millions in wire transfers, with suspects allegedly using the money to buy cars, jewelry or pay off massive casino debts.  UPI

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Abbas: Iran Hampering Unity Talks
PA leader says Iran is impeding efforts to reach a deal between Fatah and Hamas.   Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has blamed Iran for impeding reconciliation between his Fatah faction and its archrival Hamas. “Iran doesn't want Hamas to sign the Cairo reconciliation document,” Abbas said during a visit to Tunisia on Friday. Abbas said Hamas objected to signing an Egyptian-brokered deal with Fatah because of opposition from Teheran, and argued that the Palestinians should be “free from Iranian tutelage.” Jerusalem Post

Abbas: Iran Hampering Unity Talks
PA leader says Iran is impeding efforts to reach a deal between Fatah and Hamas.   Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has blamed Iran for impeding reconciliation between his Fatah faction and its archrival Hamas. “Iran doesn't want Hamas to sign the Cairo reconciliation document,” Abbas said during a visit to Tunisia on Friday. Abbas said Hamas objected to signing an Egyptian-brokered deal with Fatah because of opposition from Teheran, and argued that the Palestinians should be “free from Iranian tutelage.” Jerusalem Post

Senior Hamas Leader Seized In West Bank - Israeli Army
A leading member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas has been arrested in the West Bank, Israel's army says. It says Mahar Uda, 47, was seized overnight in the Ramallah region. He is said to be one of the founders of Hamas' armed wing in the West Bank. Hamas said Palestinian security forces helped Israel arrest Mr Uda. Israeli forces have been hunting for him for more than 10 years in connection with a series of deadly attacks in Israel. BBC

BNP Fights Extremism Strategy
British National Party leaders were under fire yesterday after it emerged that they were plotting to "derail" a government programme aimed at quashing violent extremism throughout the UK. A leaked email to BNP councillors revealed that the party is running a secret campaign to destabilise the Prevent strategy, set up three years ago to tackle "the specific problem of a small minority of young Muslims being attracted to violent groups". Independent

Chinese PM Rebuts Criticism Over Copenhagen Role
The Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, today launched a robust defence of his country's place on the world stage, including a sharp rebuttal of what he called "baffling" criticism of his country's role at the Copenhagen summit. Acknowledging "serious disruption" in ties with the US and rising criticism of Chinese assertiveness on the climate, currency, trade and other issues, the premier said he wanted to set the record straight. Guardian

Taliban: Kandahar Bombings A ‘Warning’
Deadly bomb attacks in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar were a warning to NATO's top general that the Taliban are ready for a coming offensive in their heartland, the insurgents said Sunday. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said the bombings show the insurgents are still able to operate despite the buildup of Afghan and international troops in the south in preparation for a push into Kandahar province. MSNBC

Thai Protesters Threaten To March On Key Bangkok Sites
Tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters rallied in Bangkok to press for the Thai government dissolve parliament or face further demonstrations at key sites in the city. The protesters, many from the impoverished north and north-east, want the prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, to call new elections, which they believe will allow their political allies to regain power. The crowd was estimated by police at more than 100,000. The demonstrations have been building for two days as caravans of protesters poured into the city. The demonstrators stressed they would use only peaceful means. Guardian

Kim Jong-Il Keeps $4M 'Emergency Fund' In European Banks
South Korean intelligence officials told The Daily Telegraph that much of the money was held in Swiss banks until authorities there began to tighten regulations on money laundering. Mr Kim’s operatives then withdrew the money - in cash, in order not to leave a paper trail - and transferred it to banks in Luxembourg. The money is the profits from impoverished North Korea selling its nuclear and missile technology, dealing in narcotics, insurance fraud, the use of forced labour in its vast gulag system, and the counterfeiting of foreign currency. Telegraph

Parents Delaying Retirement To Pay For Adult Children
Research undertaken by The Children's Mutual found more than half (57%) of parents with 18- to 30-year-olds quizzed said they had ''no choice'' but to retire later. Four in 10 (43%) expected to work up to five years longer than desired due to the financial burden of their 'adult' children. Nearly one in 10 (9.3%) of the 1,484 parents questioned in January believed they would now be forced to work more than a decade longer, with some abandoning the dream of retiring altogether. Telegraph

Visiting Haiti, Ban Pledges That World Will Remain At Its Side
Shelter remains the biggest and most urgent priority in Haiti, two months after it was struck by a catastrophic earthquake, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today as he visited the country for the second time since the disaster and stressed that the world has not forgotten its people's plight. Mr. Ban met with President René Préval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and toured a camp that is home to tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) on a one-day visit to the Caribbean country ahead of the international donors' conference for Haiti that will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 31 March. UN News

Senior Hamas Leader Seized In West Bank
A leading member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas has been arrested in the West Bank, Israel's army says. It says Mahar Uda, 47, was seized overnight in the Ramallah region. He is said to be one of the founders of Hamas' armed wing in the West Bank. Hamas said Palestinian security forces helped Israel arrest Mr Uda. Israeli forces have been hunting for him for more than 10 years in connection with a series of deadly attacks in Israel. BBC

BNP Fights Extremism Strategy
British National Party leaders were under fire yesterday after it emerged that they were plotting to "derail" a government programme aimed at quashing violent extremism throughout the UK. A leaked email to BNP councillors revealed that the party is running a secret campaign to destabilise the Prevent strategy, set up three years ago to tackle "the specific problem of a small minority of young Muslims being attracted to violent groups". Independent

Chinese PM Rebuts Criticism Over Copenhagen Role
The Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, today launched a robust defence of his country's place on the world stage, including a sharp rebuttal of what he called "baffling" criticism of his country's role at the Copenhagen summit. Acknowledging "serious disruption" in ties with the US and rising criticism of Chinese assertiveness on the climate, currency, trade and other issues, the premier said he wanted to set the record straight. Guardian

Taliban: Kandahar Bombings A ‘Warning’
Deadly bomb attacks in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar were a warning to NATO's top general that the Taliban are ready for a coming offensive in their heartland, the insurgents said Sunday. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said the bombings show the insurgents are still able to operate despite the buildup of Afghan and international troops in the south in preparation for a push into Kandahar province. MSNBC

Thai Protesters Threaten To March On Key Bangkok Sites
Tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters rallied in Bangkok to press for the Thai government dissolve parliament or face further demonstrations at key sites in the city. The protesters, many from the impoverished north and north-east, want the prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, to call new elections, which they believe will allow their political allies to regain power. The crowd was estimated by police at more than 100,000. The demonstrations have been building for two days as caravans of protesters poured into the city. The demonstrators stressed they would use only peaceful means. Guardian

Kim Jong-Il Keeps $4M 'Emergency Fund' In European Banks
South Korean intelligence officials told The Daily Telegraph that much of the money was held in Swiss banks until authorities there began to tighten regulations on money laundering. Mr Kim’s operatives then withdrew the money - in cash, in order not to leave a paper trail - and transferred it to banks in Luxembourg. The money is the profits from impoverished North Korea selling its nuclear and missile technology, dealing in narcotics, insurance fraud, the use of forced labour in its vast gulag system, and the counterfeiting of foreign currency. Telegraph

Parents Delaying Retirement To Pay For Adult Children
Research undertaken by The Children's Mutual found more than half (57%) of parents with 18- to 30-year-olds quizzed said they had ''no choice'' but to retire later. Four in 10 (43%) expected to work up to five years longer than desired due to the financial burden of their 'adult' children. Nearly one in 10 (9.3%) of the 1,484 parents questioned in January believed they would now be forced to work more than a decade longer, with some abandoning the dream of retiring altogether. Telegraph

Visiting Haiti, Ban Pledges That World Will Remain At Its Side
Shelter remains the biggest and most urgent priority in Haiti, two months after it was struck by a catastrophic earthquake, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today as he visited the country for the second time since the disaster and stressed that the world has not forgotten its people's plight. Mr. Ban met with President René Préval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and toured a camp that is home to tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) on a one-day visit to the Caribbean country ahead of the international donors' conference for Haiti that will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 31 March. UN News

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