Feb. 25 Health Care Meeting To Be Televised
President Obama's bipartisan meeting on health care reform planned for February 25 will be broadcast live, a senior administration official said Monday. Coverage details were not complete, but the official said the White House expected "the whole thing to be live." The half-day meeting is an attempt by the Obama administration to rescue health care legislation, a top domestic priority for the president. Televising it also would help fulfill a campaign promise by Obama that health care negotiations would be broadcast live. CNN
VOA VIEW: The liberal media will air what benefits Obama.

Comeback For Russian-Backed Politician In Ukraine Signals Likely Shifts Ahead
Six years after Ukraine turned away from Russia and towards the West, the strategically-located country on Sunday appeared to have swung the other way by narrowly electing as president the same Moscow-backed politician whose attempts to rig the last election triggered the “orange revolution.” Viktor Yanukovich, the leader of the Party of Regions, claimed victory in Sunday’s second-round runoff over rival Yulia Tymoshenko, the incumbent prime minister who in 2004 was a leader of the street protests that overturned Yanukovich’s purported presidential election victory. CNS

PLEASE DO BUSINESS WITH THOSE WHO DO BUSINESS WITH US -- OUR ADVERTISERS.

Job Market Gauge Rises For 5th Month
The Conference Board, a private research group, said its Employment Trends Index climbed to 93.2 in January from an upwardly revised 92.3 in December, which was originally reported as 91.8. It was the highest index level reading since January 2009, when it stood at 93.8. The index is still down 0.7 percent from one year ago, according to the group. "The continued rise in the Employment Trends Index makes us more optimistic that job growth will resume in the first quarter of 2010," said Gad Levanon, associate director of macroeconomic research at The Conference Board. Reuters

Clinton-Era Aides Push To Save Obama's Plan
Shock and awe. That's what survivors of the Clinton-era health care collapse are feeling as President Barack Obama's overhaul legislation wobbles in Congress. Aides who shaped Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton's 1990s plan to cover all Americans, then labored in vain to pass it into law, are adamant that the Democrats can't afford another health care disaster. But they're divided on whether scaling down Obama's plan would be an acceptable solution. MSNBC

U.S. Stocks Retreat On Concern Europe Finances To Hurt Recovery
U.S. stocks slid and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed below 10,000 for the first time since November amid concern that deteriorating European government finances will derail the economic recovery. Bank of America Corp. and American Express Co. lost at least 2.8 percent for the biggest declines in the Dow. Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. fell 4 percent to lead the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lower after its forecast for operating expenses topped some analysts’ estimates. Home Depot Inc. rose 2.2 percent and Google Inc. climbed 0.4 percent on analyst upgrades. Bloomberg

THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR WEB PORTAL. PLEASE TELL A FRIEND.

Under Fire, NY Governor Says He's Not Resigning
Paterson, already facing a probable challenge for the Democratic Party nomination from state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, took over as governor in 2008 after then-Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned in a prostitution scandal. Media blogs including the Huffington Post have been reporting The New York Times will soon publish a story so explosive that Paterson would have to resign. But Paterson told that newspaper's editorial board he had no intention of quitting and would formally announce his candidacy in the next two weeks. Reuters

Obama's Health Care Summit: Just For Show?
Could this turn into something more than political theater? President Barack Obama's televised dialogue with Republican lawmakers on health care, promised for later this month, has the makings of an entertaining exchange. But the differences between the basic Democratic and GOP ideas are stark — and the two sides have increasingly hardened their positions in this election year. MSNBC

Obama Administration Blasts Anthem Blue Cross Rate Hikes
The Obama administration is asking why Anthem Blue Cross is raising its health insurance rates by nearly 40 percent for some California customers while making handsome profits -- and is pointing to the rate hike as evidence of why health care reform needs to pass. Anthem Blue Cross will raise rates on March 1 for many of its approximately 800,000 customers in the individual market, the Los Angeles Times reported last week. Some customers say they have been notified of increases from 30 percent to 39 percent, following similar rate hikes last year. CBS

YOU can speak out and be heard by having your own "Column" - Visit the "Public Opinion"Section above

Bloomberg Wants Guarantee That Federal Gov’t Will Pay For Cost Of 9/11 Trial
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he is skeptical that the federal government would cover the cost of trying Sept. 11 suspects in Manhattan, a day after President Barack Obama said he had not ruled out holding the trial in New York.  Bloomberg said Monday that he wants the Obama administration to guarantee it will help pay for the added security and other infrastructure the city would have to provide for the trial of professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged accomplices. CNS

Do Americans Know Where Obama Stands?
In just over a year in office, President Obama has given more than 160 interviews and taken questions at 26 town meetings. In Katie Couric's interview with him yesterday, she asked him about the criticism he gets from some political analysts that in spite of all that exposure, people are not sure where he stands or who he is.  CBS

Can Obama’s Call For Doubling Exports Produce Bipartisan Support?
During his State of the Union address two weeks ago, President Obama touched only briefly on the hot button issue of trade. His proposed doubling of exports in the next five years to help create two million jobs here at home was received with applause. “If there’s one thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on, it’s exports,” said Fred Hochberg who serves as Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank.  We are the largest manufacturing country in the entire world. No country makes more manufactured goods than the United States so we’re in a very good position to double our exports,” Hochberg added. ABC

 WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK ALL OUR SOURCES FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAKING US AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS & INFORMATION PORTAL.

Planned Parenthood Pushes Intensive Sex Education For Kids As Young As 10
The report, "Stand and Deliver," charges that religious groups, specifically Catholics and Muslims, deny their young access to comprehensive sexual programs and education. "Young people's sexuality is still contentious for many religious institutions. Fundamentalist and other religious groups — the Catholic Church and madrasas (Islamic Schools) for example — have imposed tremendous barriers that prevent young people, particularly, from obtaining information and services related to sex and reproduction. Currently, many religious teachings deny the pleasurable and positive aspects of sex." the report states. Fox News

Rep. John Murtha Dies At 77
Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a longtime fixture on the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending, died after complications from gallbladder surgery, according to his office. He was 77. The Democratic congressman recently underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove his gallbladder. Murtha was hospitalized in December and had to postpone a hearing with Defense Secretary Robert Gates on the administration's strategy in Afghanistan. The congressman returned to work after a few days in the hospital and helped oversee final passage of the 2010 defense appropriations bill. CNN

President Obama's Phantom $15 Billion Program For Small Businesses
Last March 16, President Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced a new $15 billion program to help encourage loans to small businesses -- the Unlocking Credit for Small Businesses, or UCSB program. Subsequently, wrote Neil Barofsky, Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, in his latest report, "two additional initiatives were announced to support small-business lending, and Treasury announced an increase of the TARP funding dedicated to support these efforts to $30 billion." ABC

ATTENTION TALK SHOW HOSTS:We are honored that many radio talk show hosts use our Web Portal for their "show prep."  We would appreciate your occasional mention of our site to your audience.  Thanks!

Administration Proposes New Agency To Study Climate Change
The Obama administration on Monday proposed a new agency to study and report on the changing climate, which has drawn concern among many scientists in recent years. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, announced NOAA will set up the new Climate Service to operate in tandem with NOAA's National Weather Service and National Ocean Service. Fox News

Illinois Looking For Lt. Governor Hopefuls
Illinois Democrats are getting a political do-over. They are picking a new candidate for lieutenant governor after the primary winner dropped out due to a checkered past. Gov. Pat Quinn has the rare opportunity to help pick his running mate, but refused to say Monday who was on his short list of potential partners. Meanwhile, the politicking has begun in earnest among those seeking a chance in November at the state's No. 2 job. The spot opened up when Scott Lee Cohen announced over the weekend he would leave the ticket. Las Vegas Sun

US To Commit $78.5M To Try To Halt Asian Carp
Navigational locks and gates in Chicago-area waterways crucial for shipping may be opened less frequently than usual under a $78.5 million campaign to prevent Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes, federal officials said Monday. The plan falls short of closing the navigational structures entirely, as demanded by Michigan and five other Great Lakes states. They fear the locks will provide an opening to the lakes for the giant carp, which some scientists say could devastate the region's $7 billion fishing industry. Las Vegas Sun

Washington Braces For Second Snow Blast As Storm Heads For NYC
Storm systems barreling across the country may bring as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of new snow to Washington and Baltimore starting late tomorrow, while New York may receive a foot, forecasters said. With the Washington-Baltimore area still digging out from a weekend storm that left record snowfalls in some areas, the latest blast of winter “is going to be accompanied by heavy winds, which will make it feel worse, and across the Northeast that wind is going to last through the weekend,” said Tom Kines, a meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. Bloomberg

 ADVERTISEMENT:If you want to advertise your business or web site on this Web Site, send us an email by clicking on to "Contact" above.  It could be the best business decision you make.

Iran Enrichment Moves Spur Sanctions Calls
Iran's move to proceed with the enrichment of its nuclear fuel resulted in new calls for sanctions Monday from the United States, France and Russia. Iran reportedly indicated to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna Monday that it plans to begin enriching its uranium stockpile to 20 percent purity. Tehran claims the fuel is for a medical research reactor but the United States and others suspect it is meant for a nuclear weapon. UPI

Hezbollah Support Waning, Poll Finds
Support for Hezbollah among the Shiite population in Lebanon is overwhelming, though broad support in the Middle East is dwindling, a poll suggests. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project found limited support for Hezbollah outside the Shiite demographic. The survey of 1,000 adult Lebanese found 97 percent of the Shiite community favored Hezbollah, while only 18 percent of Christians and 2 percent of Sunnis expressed similar views. UPI

'Israel's A Mad State Led By Mad People'
Israel is “a crazy nation led by crazy people,” Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki told Al Jazeera in an interview published Monday afternoon. Mottaki said Iran did not take seriously Israel’s threats to attack its nuclear installations, but added that Teheran must be prepared for an Israeli onslaught. He said “the Zionist regime is at its weakest point and holds the weakest positions for the past three years. T” Jerusalem Post
VOA VIEW: Iran or any other Arab nation would make a major mistake attacking Israel.

US 'Vetoed' Palestinian Unity
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on Monday accused the US of obstructing efforts to end the rift between his movement and Fatah. Mashaal’s allegation came as he arrived in Moscow at the head of a Hamas delegation for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This was Mashaal’s third visit to Moscow since Hamas won the January 2006 parliamentary election. Mashaal’s talks in Moscow focused on the continued power struggle between Hamas and Fatah and ways of achieving reconciliation between the two parties, sources close to Hamas said. Jerusalem Post

Exercise 'Cuts Risk Of Developing Painful Gallstones'
Doing lots of exercise drastically cuts the risk of developing painful gallstones, UK researchers have found. Gallstones are common but only 30% of cases have symptoms and complications. A University of East Anglia study of 25,000 men and women found those who were the most active had a 70% reduced risk of those complaints. The team, writing in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said one reason might be reduced cholesterol levels in the bile. BBC

Nicotine Study Sparks 'Third-Hand Smoke' Fears
First came the evidence that smoking causes lung cancer, then researchers found a link between second-hand smoke and chronic illnesses, now a study has pointed an accusing finger at “third-hand” smoke. Scientists have found that significant quantities of cancer-causing chemicals are produced on indoor surfaces contaminated by tobacco smoke even when a smoker has been away from the room for hours or even days. Indpendent

Students To Miss Out As University Applications Soar
A record number of students applied for university places this year but unions warned funding cuts would leave many disappointed. The university application service UCAS said that as of late January, the number of full-time undergraduate applications had jumped 22.9 percent to 570,556 compared with 2009 - the fourth annual rise in a row. "It is clear that once again we have seen a significant rise in applications which leaves us in no doubt that, as last year, this cycle will be very challenging and competitive for applicants and the higher education sector generally," UCAS Chief Executive, Mary Curnock Cook, said in a statement. Independent

Cabinet Did Not Need To Hear Legal Doubts Over Iraq Invasion, Says Straw
Jack Straw made clear in evidence to the Iraq inquiry today that he believed there was absolutely no need for the cabinet to be told of the attorney general's doubts about the legality of the invasion. The inquiry has heard that a week before the invasion, on 13 March 2003, Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general, told Straw that he might need to tell the cabinet that "the legal issues were finely balanced", documents released by the inquiry today reveal. Straw, then foreign secretary, advised Goldsmith not to do so, warning of "the problem of leaks from the cabinet". The inquiry has heard that the cabinet was never told of Goldsmith's doubts. Guardian

FSA Warns Against Heavy-Handed EU Regulation Of Hedge Funds
The chief City regulator added its weight today to growing concerns that EU plans for regulating the hedge fund industry will prove chaotic and excessively costly to implement. The Financial Services Authority said a proposed directive still carried "significant risks", even though some stricter rules were toned down during negotiations between member states. The comments followed warnings by a group of City lawyers that the directive could lead to "systemic failure" in European markets if it were passed in its current form. Guardian

Toyota Recall Crisis Is Threat To 'Whole Car Industry'
Toyota's recall crisis has wiped more than 10pc off the value of the company's brand and could damage the reputation of Japanese car makers for a generation, one of the world's leading brand experts has warned. The verdict comes with the crisis on the brink of being exacerbated by recalls of the Prius hybrid and high-end Lexus marque, two of Toyota 's proudest names.
Brand Finance, which publishes an influential ranking of leading brands, said Toyota's poor handling of the crisis meant it was downgrading the brand from AAA rating and a value of $27bn (£15.4bn), to an A rating and $24bn. Telegraph

Soft Drink Consumption May Increase Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers found that there was a correlation between drinking sugary drinks and the cancer which affects around 7,000 people in the UK every year. They believe that the high sugar content increases the amount of insulin the pancreas produces which could be why they are more prone to cancer. Dr Mark Pereira, co-author at the University of Minnesota, admitted that people who consume soft drinks on a regular basis, tend to have a poorer diets overall but he felt the drinks did have a real effect. Telegraph

UN Faces Race Against Time And Weather To Obtain Hazard-Proof Shelters For Haiti
The United Nations said today it is racing against time to bring in hazard-resistant tents for Haiti’s earthquake victims before the rainy season starts, provide sufficient agricultural input to save the next planting season, and raise greatly increased funding to support the effort. "We have more or less two months, and in fact time is getting very short because rains could come earlier,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti Kim Bolduc told a news briefing in New York by video link from Port-au-Prince, the capital, in the latest update on the 12 January quake, which killed up to 200,000 people, injured many others and left 2 million in need of aid. UN News

UN Political Chief Heads To DPR Korea For Talks With Senior Officials
The top United Nations political official will arrive in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) tomorrow for talks with senior Government officials after wrapping up meetings in Beijing and Seoul. As the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will depart the Chinese capital tomorrow morning to hold comprehensive talks on all issues of mutual interest and concern with the DPRK during his visit to Pyongyang, slated to run from today through Friday. UN News

ABC Online  Canada National Post  Daily TelegraphThe Observer Wired News Xinhua News

VOA VIEW -- Is the opinion of Voice of America, Inc.  The founding fathers of this great nation gave us the First Amendment.  You too can express your opinion on this web site.  Click on the blue "Public Opinion" button at the top of this page for full details.  The opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the ownership or advertisers of this web site.