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Consumer bailout. U.S. Moves to Revive Consumer Lending "The government said yesterday that it will deploy up to $800 billion to make it cheaper for Americans to get a home mortgage, take out a car loan or borrow money through a credit card, as the government's intervention in the financial system expands to directly address the impact of the credit crisis on consumers." Henry Paulson announces $800 billion more in federal aid on financial crisis "The federal government's new $800-billion initiative to revive the nation's credit markets and reverse the deepening economic crisis propels the government into risky territory -- the uncertain world of credit cards, student borrowing, auto loans and cash-strapped small businesses." U.S. Plans $800 Billion in Lending to Ease Crisis "The Federal Reserve and the Treasury announced $800 billion in new lending programs on Tuesday, sending a message that they would print as much money as needed to revive the nation's crippled banking system." Can government keep spending? Most economists say yes "Since the U.S. economy went into freefall in September, the federal government has announced hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts and economic stimulus packages in attempts to shore up banks and reignite the economy."
Hunger in America. Americans' Food Stamp Use Nears All-Time High "Fueled by rising unemployment and food prices, the number of Americans on food stamps is poised to exceed 30 million for the first time this month, surpassing the historic high set in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina." Food banks can't meet demand "Donations to many of the USA's food banks are not keeping pace with growing demand as the sour economy forces more people to seek help, charitable organizations say."
Gates to stay at Defense. Agreement Near for Gates to Stay On as Defense Secretary "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is close to finalizing an agreement to remain at the Pentagon for at least the first year of Barack Obama's presidency, providing the new commander in chief with a Republican in his Cabinet and continuity for a military waging two wars," Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense Department "President-elect Barack Obama has decided to keep Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in his post, a show of bipartisan continuity in a time of war that will be the first time a Pentagon chief has been carried over from a president of a different party," Robert Gates agrees to stay on as Defense chief under Obama "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has agreed to serve in President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet, advisors said Tuesday, setting up the unusual situation in which a wartime Pentagon chief remains to work under a president who has condemned the previous administration's policies."
Obama and youth. Obama team capitalizes on link to youth "Now it's transition time for organizers who descended on college campuses this fall in an effort to convince their peers that elections are hip. As their candidate prepares to take office, they are attempting to pivot from pushing voters to the polls to pressing for legislation."
Nuclear weapons. Air Force chief wants better oversight of nuclear arsenal "The U.S. government must take steps to modernize how it keeps track of its nuclear weapons to help prevent mistakes, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz said on a visit to part of his service's nuclear force."
HIV/AIDS. Mass testing plan to tackle Aids "A radical new strategy to stop the Aids epidemic in its tracks was proposed yesterday by World Health Organisation scientists but ran into immediate controversy over its implications for human rights." Study Cites Toll of AIDS Policy in South Africa "A new study by Harvard researchers estimates that the South African government would have prevented the premature deaths of 365,000 people earlier this decade if it had provided antiretroviral drugs to AIDS patients and widely administered drugs to help prevent pregnant women from infecting their babies."
Iraq. Iraq legislators delay US pact vote "Iraq's parliamentary vote on a wide-ranging accord that would allow US troops to stay in the country for another three years has been postponed." Backers of Iraq-U.S. Pact Seek Votes in Parliament "Intensive last-minute negotiations were under way on Tuesday to corral votes in the Iraqi Parliament for a security and strategic framework agreement that, if approved, would be a road map for the complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq in three years." Iraq lawmakers make demands before security pact vote "Sunni Arab lawmakers on Tuesday listed a host of demands, varying from sweeping political reforms to amnesty for prisoners, in exchange for supporting a pact to keep U.S. forces in Iraq through 2011, dimming Iraqi leaders' hopes for a smooth victory when parliament votes on the measure." U.S. staying silent on its view of Iraq pact until after vote "U.S. officials disagree with the Iraqi interpretation of key elements of the Iraq-U.S. agreement that sets a deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq. But they've kept silent about those disagreements for fear of upsetting the likely approval Wednesday of the accord in the Iraqi parliament."
Iran. Israel warms to Obama's pledge of talks with Iran "Adjusting to the election of Barack Obama, some Israeli policymakers and analysts are now saying that talking to Iran might be a better way to prevent it from becoming a nuclear power than isolating it." Iran: More than 5,000 centrifuges are now up and running "Iran now has more than 5,000 centrifuges operating at its uranium enrichment plant, Iran's nuclear chief announced Wednesday, in the Persian country's latest defiance of UN demands that Teheran halt the controversial program."
Palestine. Palestinian Forces Dilute Hebron's Volatile Brew "Hebron, the West Bank's most explosive city, with a combustible mix of hard-line Jewish settlers and Palestinian militants from Hamas and other groups, is undergoing a shake-up through the introduction of hundreds of Palestinian security officers who over the past month have stopped car thefts, foiled drug deals and arrested scores of Hamas gunmen, even seizing explosives and suicide belts."
Pakistan. Al Qaeda Shifts Focus to Pakistan "Pakistan has replaced Iraq as al Qaeda's main focus, and the terror group has stepped up its efforts to destabilize the nuclear-armed South Asian nation, according to a senior U.S. military commander."
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