Barack Obama John Boehner critic praises US reaction to crisis

Mr Boehner, an otherwise persistent critic of the President, said yesterday the Obama administration had "handled a very difficult situation about as well as it could be handled".But he expressed surprise that the US intelligence community did not have a better feel for what was happening in Egypt earlier.

Mr Boehner's comments came as the White House moved to sharpen its message on the need for democratic change in Egypt following confusing signals within Mr Obama's administration.The New York Times reported yesterday that Mr Obama was "seething" during the 18-day stand-off in Cairo because of contradictory messages about whether he supported demonstrators or the now-ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

While Mr Obama pressed for transition immediately, he reportedly believed he was being portrayed wrongly as seeking to protect Mr Mubarak when former US ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner, a special US envoy, said in Munich that the Egyptian dictator should remain in office."It did not help that his Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mr Wisner's key backer, was publicly warning that any credible transition would take time," the Times said.

Mr Obama is known for being usually calm and composed under pressure. He responded by directing Vice-President Joe Biden to take a tougher line with Mr Mubarak's newly appointed deputy, Omar Suleiman. He also directed White House press secretary Robert Gibbs to spell out clearly that the US President wanted change now .Since Mr Mubarak's exit, Mr Obama has spoken to foreign leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Jordan's King Abdullah and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Tom Donilon, who replaced Jim Jones as national security adviser, also spoke out against Iran's government for stifling the opposition Green movement's planned protest of solidarity with Egyptians.Mr Boehner's support for Mr Obama on Egypt yesterday contrasted with Republican Party figures who could be presidential candidates next year. Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty claimed the White House position had been "nearly incoherent". Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee criticised Mr Obama for walking away from Mr Mubarak as a long-time ally.

Obama Urges Mubarak to Begin Transition Now

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to immediately begin the process of handing over power, but the U.S. leader stopped short of calling for Mr. Mubarak to leave office right now.President Obama said the future of Egypt must be determined by its people. He said the world is watching the events in Egypt and said this moment of turmoil should be turned into a moment of opportunity.

He spoke Friday in a joint news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mr. Obama condemned violence between supporters of President Mubarak and opposition protesters. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier that Mr. Mubarak needs to make real and legitimate efforts to reach an agreement with those outside the government. White House officials have been talking with Egyptian officials about forming a temporary government to prepare Egypt for new elections.

Earlier reports citing U.S. officials said the U.S. government and Egyptian officials were holding talks on a proposal for Mr. Mubarak to resign immediately and turn power over to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military. Suleiman has offered to meet with Egyptian political leaders to discuss such a transitional government.

A senior U.S. State Department official said a scenario "under active discussion" is the prospect of Mr. Mubarak stepping down and taking up residence in Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula .Mr. Mubarak has recently said he will not go into exile and wants to die on Egyptian soil.

President Obama also spoke with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan by telephone Friday about the situation in Egypt. The White House also defended the intelligence community against critics who say it did not give Mr. Obama adequate warning of the brewing unrest in the Middle East. Gibbs said President Obama received accurate and timely intelligence on the situation in the region.

U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the talks with Egypt include a proposal for a transitional government to invite members from opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, to begin work on opening the country's electoral system for free and fair elections in September.

The top U.S. military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, cautioned Friday against any move to cut the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid to Egypt. Mullen also said he has been assured by his Egyptian counterpart that troops will not fire on protesters.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution late Thursday calling on President Mubarak to immediately begin a peaceful transition to a democratic political system. The resolution, co-sponsored by Republican John McCain and Democrat John Kerry, also expresses "deep concern" over any organization with an extremist ideology, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

U.S. demands immediate end to Egypt's emergency law

President Obama administration appears worried President Hosni Mubarak's government will not make meaningful changes in the largest Arab nation, a strategic U.S. partner due to its peace treaty with Israel and control of the Suez Canal.The steps, conveyed by Vice President Joe Biden to Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, appeared to rebuff the former intelligence chief who is negotiating with opposition figures seeking Mubarak's immediate departure after 30 years in power.Suleiman was quoted on Sunday as suggesting Egypt was not ready for democracy and a government statement said the emergency law would be lifted "according to the security conditions" -- a phrase giving the authorities wide latitude.

The Egyptians staged one of their biggest anti-Mubarak protests yet, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs described Suleiman's comments about democracy as "unhelpful."Mubarak, under pressure from more than two weeks of unprecedented demonstrations, has said he will not seek re-election in September but has refused to resign.After Biden spoke to Suleiman by telephone on Tuesday, the White House issued a statement listing four steps the United States wants Egypt to take on their behalf

-- "Restraining the Ministry of Interior's conduct by immediately ending the arrests, harassment, beating, and detention of journalists, and political and civil society activists, and by allowing freedom of assembly and expression;

-- "immediately rescinding the emergency law;

-- "broadening participation in the national dialogue to include a wide range of opposition members; and,-- "inviting the opposition as a partner in jointly developing a roadmap and timetable for transition."

'IRREVERSIBLE PROGRESS'

Biden stressed U.S. support "for an orderly transition in Egypt that is prompt, meaningful, peaceful, and legitimate" and urged "immediate, irreversible progress that responds to the aspirations of the Egyptian people," the statement said.Even as Washington voiced its criticism, Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Egypt's military for its restraint.

The armed forces -- long the backbone of Egypt's government -- have behaved in "an exemplary fashion" by standing largely on the sidelines during the uprising, he said. "I would say that they have made a contribution to the evolution of democracy and what we're seeing in Egypt," defense secretary Gates told a news conference.

The praise for the military, which gets about $1.3 billion in U.S. aid every year, appeared designed to buttress U.S. ties with a power broker whose role is expected to be key to whatever political order emerges in Egypt.U.S. officials do not believe the military was responsible for widespread violence against protesters last week, including men on horseback who rode into Cairo's Tahrir Square brandishing whips, although the army failed to stop it.The U.S. decision to support the transition effort under Suleiman and to stop short of calling for Mubarak's resignation has angered many demonstrators.

An influential group of U.S. analysts said Washington risked condoning "an inadequate and possibly fraudulent transition."

"The process that is unfolding now has many of the attributes of a smokescreen," the Working Group on Egypt, which includes a number of prominent think tank analysts and rights activists, said in letters this week to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

President Obama on Monday pledged to make government an ally of companies as they emerge from the bleak downturn of recent years

Obama told an audience at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, his most overt effort yet to mend ties with the nation's business community. "Whatever differences we may have, I know that all of us share a deep, abiding belief in this country, a belief in our people, a belief in the principles that have made America's economy the envy of the world.”

In His administration will "help lay the foundation for you to grow and innovate," Obama said, vowing new investment in infrastructure and education and a focus on removing "barriers that make it harder for you to compete - from the tax code to the regulatory system." But even as he vowed to push hard on initiatives ranging from trade deals to corporate tax reform, Obama challenged business leaders to ramp up their hiring, bring jobs back from overseas and quit sitting on such large stockpiles of cash. "Many of your own economists and salespeople are now forecasting a healthy increase in demand. So I want to encourage you to get in the game," Obama said, noting the tax credits the administration recently negotiated to spur new investments. "As you all know, it is investments made now that will pay off as the economy rebounds. And as you hire, you know that more Americans working means more sales, greater demand and higher profits for your companies. We can create a virtuous cycle."

The president obama also defended his health-care law and urged the business community to refrain from challenging regulations. "Not every regulation is bad; not every regulation is burdensome on business," he said. "Moreover, the perils of too much regulation are matched by the dangers of too little." Obama made the short walk from White House across Lafayette Park for the much-anticipated speech to the Chamber, which has hosted nearly every president during the past century. The visit, months in the making, came as the administration and the Chamber - one of the nation's most powerful lobbying groups - have tried to thaw their often-chilly connection.

Both have reasons to seek common ground. The White House is eager to improve relations with centrist voters, corporate donors and the new Republican House majority ahead of the 2012 presidential election. The Chamber stands to benefit if it can work in a bipartisan way on initiatives it sees as beneficial to the nation's businesses. The relationship between the Chamber and the White House has been a turbulent one for the past two years. The Chamber spent tens of millions of dollars fighting Obama's signature health-care overhaul, opposing key elements of the financial regulation law and helping to deliver the House majority to the Republicans last fall.In turn, Obama recently said the group may have used foreign money to fund ads attacking Democrats - an assertion the group denied - and a senior aide called the Chamber's political tactics a "threat to our democracy."

Teetering and contagious Egypt: Obama's dilemma

Today THE outcome of the crisis in Egypt can be disastrous or instructive. US President Obama faces tough choices with this country reeling in unrest that could deteriorate into anarchy as antipathy between the demonstrators and pro-Mubarak supporters intensifies. As the situation worsens the US options narrow.In Egypt and elsewhere, the immediate causes for this popular outburst are rooted in a longstanding desire for a responsive and inclusive system of governance. Civil society advocates in Egypt have realised that economic growth and political reform marching in tandem will enable durable democracy building that goes beyond mere elections and ephemeral constitutions. The caveat is -- economic growth must evolve to economic development to be fully appreciated by all communities throughout the country.In contrast, high unemployment, corruption, and authoritarian rule are conditions courting disaster, especially since tension between Muslims and Christians persists as well as the divide between secular and sectarian elements. For example, civil society proponents could be pitted against sectarian impulses (Muslim Brotherhood). The possibility of internecine conflict is real and could rend Egypt's social fabric. This situation is contagious and is likely to spread even beyond Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, and that region.

For example, China is a glaring example of economic growth marching out of step with political reform, and militarisation without respect for human rights. Perhaps President Obama and Secretary Clinton separately conveyed privately our concern for these matters to President Hu Jintao during his recent visit to Washington.However, popular aspirations are not assuaged by presumed private conversations between senior officials and leaders with their counterparts. The absence of clear public statements on human rights by our leaders inevitably leads to a scintilla of doubt which can grow rapidly.

In the case of Egypt, that country has been heralded for its admirable and unique history, and as a beacon of moderation in a troubled region is appreciated for its tutelary role in the region. But the tumultuous popular outpouring of dissatisfaction is specifically directed against the embattled president Mubarak and his cronies.Clearly, the populace is disenchanted by the regime's disregard for its general welfare and denial of a voice in the conduct of affairs that impact their daily lives. To his credit, President Obama in his carefully calibrated speech expressed concern over Mubarak's methods of squelching dissent and urged reform NOW.

The day of reckoning has arrived. And this momentum calling for Mubarak's resignation is unstoppable in spite of his most recent tactics of fomenting division between his supporters and the civil society activists.In the final analysis, a large portion of the Egyptian public consider Mubarak's latest manoeuvre despicable. It's clear the time has passed for tinkering, and a Cabinet reshuffle is perceived as a last-ditch attempt by the old guard now holding on to the fraying reins of powerThe credibility of US and its allies is now under intense international scrutiny and their intentions in the region may become suspect. Cautionary rhetoric may be temporarily reassuring but in the short run it will not suffice. President Obama and his vaunted foreign policy and national security advisers will have to help him blend "the merits of thinking long term with the merits of helping people have better lives", a recent phrase expressed reportedly by the president's chief election strategist David Axelrod in reference to President Obama's impending domestic campaign for a second term.

An instructive and credible course of action is the US role in the 1985 People Power Revolution in The Philippines against Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos and their cronies who showed disdain for the majority of voters who supported Corazon Aquino at the polls.The appeal of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin for peaceful protest and the adroit US action in that crisis helped avert an impending carnage, even though an American president had earlier characterised Ferdinand Marcos as a true "democrat". The US with its two largest overseas bases in The Philippines and Soviet mischief in the region required creative diplomacy and targeted action.In the case of Egypt, the US has appreciated Cairo's constructive role in the Israel-Palestine imbroglio consonant with US and allies vested interests in a durable negotiated settlement with peace and security ensured. In his speech President Obama acknowledged Mubarak's role, while recognising demonstrators' rights to exercise free speech, a fundamental tenet of democracy. The backdrop, is however, US dependence on Middle East petroleum in the absence of fully tapped alternative domestic energy sources.In this era of sophisticated technology and evaporating secret discussions (WikiLeaks), transparency has become the order of the day. This reality requires responsible leaders to be more forthright in their pronouncements and live by them. And this applies to President Obama who stressed transparency and human rights in his campaign for president.More than ever, the times now call for US candour and responsiveness while recognising the merits of negotiation and quiet diplomacy as necessary in this situation.

This outpouring of rejection for Mubarak is a clarion call for autocrats to change their style of governance and reform their calcified political apparatus.At the same time, US leadership is being tested acutely in this situation, and the world is watching. In spite of the dilemma, I hope President Obama emerges as a defender of the human spirit. In embracing US commitment to freedom of expression, he displays pragmatism and respectfully conveys the urgency of change in Egypt and elsewhere.

MCLAREN'S NEW F1 CAR

Obama critical of US intelligence agencies' failure to forecast Middle-East crisis

The president of United States of america Barack Obama has reportedly criticized his country's intelligence agencies over their performance in predicting and analyzing the recent unrest in the Middle-East.According to current and former American officials, Obama was specifically critical of the agencies for misjudging how quickly the unrest in Tunisia would lead to the downfall of the country's government, and how rapidly the unrest had spread to Egypt.The intelligence assessments last month had concluded that despite demonstrations in Tunisia, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's security forces would defend his government.

Instead, the military and the police did not, and Ben Ali and his family fled to Saudi Arabia.A former official also said that in recent weeks the President has urged intelligence officials to ensure that spy agencies were devoting as much effort to "long-term analysis" as they were to carrying out operations against Al-Qaeda, the New York Times reports.The officials, however, stressed that despite the question marks over the recent performances, Obama has not ordered any major changes inside the intelligence community, which has a budget of over 80 billion dollars a year. on Friday, a White House spokesman had said that spy agencies had given Obama "relevant, timely and accurate analysis"

abhishek bachchen turns 34 today

5^th February may be just another day for many but it is a special day for the Bachchans. Reason – it’s Big B son Abhishek Bachchan’s birthday ……… He has turned 34 today Abhishek always loves to be with his family at happy times but unfortunately, he is away from home shooting for Players. However, he is not going to miss his family that bad, as his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is joining him in New Zealand to bring in his 34th birthday.Born on 5th February 1976 to actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek entered films as expected in 2000 with J.P. Dutta's Refugee. His debut film didn’t live up to the expectations but it was a blessing in disguise for him. Failure made him work harder, thus making him one of the leading actors in Bollywood.

Today, he has over 30 films under his belt and won many awards, including National Film Award for Paa. In spite of all the success, he is working hard as ever – maybe working even harder than the initial stage of his career.Believe it or not, he has six to seven releases this year. He has films like Game, Dum Maro Dum, Bol Bachchan, Players, Ladies And Gentleman, Dostana 2, Dhoom 3 and Department in his kitty. So it’s a big party in newzeland today …

Cancer is a burden that can no longer be ignored

Today is World Cancer Day. Most people in the developed world will know someone who has suffered from or been affected by cancer. What fewer people know, however, is that people in the developing world are just as exposed: by 2020, there are likely to be 16 million new cases of cancer every year, 70% of which will be in developing countries. As the World Health Organisation's director general, Margaret Chan, put it, "non-communicable diseases are no longer diseases of affluence". This Cancer already kills more people globally than HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria put together, according to specialists, so the disease burden hasn't escaped developing governments. The WHO forecast that last year it killed nearly eight million people worldwide. But in the face of scarce resources, and so many competing priorities, many have been powerless to do much. "If you are the Kenyan minister of health and you have $10 per head to spend, you can imagine how hard it must be to prioritise," says Prof David Kerr, a cancer therapeutics specialist and co-founder of the cancer care charity for Africa, AfrOx.

Prof Kerr helped set up AfrOx to raise awareness and improve cancer care in the continent. Out of all the developing regions of the world, countries in Africa are the most resource-challenged: radiotherapy, for example, is available in just 21 out of 53 nations, and there are very few oncologists. Many African languages still do not have a word for cancer. Yet cancer is only going to become a growing burden. "More people are now reaching middle age, a time when cancer becomes more prevalent," explains Dr David Forman, a cancer epidemiologist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO agency, adding that Africa's population is growing, and getting older. The difference is that a disproportionate number of cancers in Africa are caused by infections, such as the hepatitis viruses (B and C), which cause liver cancer, or the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes 98% of cervical cancers. The worldwide average for infection-related cancers is about 22%; in Africa, the figures are much higher: 40% of cases in women and 30% in men.

Silver lining in these grim numbers is that there is a great opportunity to intervene before the onset of cancer, thanks to vaccines, says Dr Corey Casper, an epidemiologist at the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Casper, who runs the Uganda Program on Cancer and Infectious Diseases, which provides research, training and clinical care on infection-related cancers, says the problem is cost: an HPV vaccine treatment costs $350 (£220), for three doses over six months, whereas the benchmark for standard childhood vaccines is about $1. But even at $350 a pop, a vaccination campaign could still be worth running. Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in sub-Saharan Africa and the most deadly. However, the cost of national screening programmes also remains substantial, despite efforts to develop lower-cost systems. While there hasn't been a detailed cost-benefit analysis of screening versus vaccination for cervical cancer yet, organisations such as the Global Alliance on Vaccination and Immunisation (GAVI) are already working to bring down the cost of the HPV vaccine. The problem, Casper says, is that cancer is still perceived as too expensive to treat. "Some childhood cancers cost as little $500 to cure, with success rates of 95%. It costs $300 per month for life to keep someone on ARVs [the drugs used for HIV], so a one-off $500 to treat a child seems like money well-spent."

International community also dictates the agenda to a certain extent: Uganda receives $200m annually from the US for HIV treatment, but less than a $1m for cancer. Kerr, however, says he is encouraged by the recent increase in awareness among donors and the international health community. The UN will hold a high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases in September this year and one of the debates will focus on whether cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and chronic respiratory diseases – non-communicable diseases – should be included in millennium development goals. For Kerr and his colleages, this is the holy grail of lobbying: MDG status would guarantee a flow of aid for cancer care and research in developing countries. Watch this space.

obama super bowl guest list

Jennifer Lopez has scored a place on the guest list for President Obama's Super Bowl party at the White House.

The American Idol judge and her husband Marc Anthony have been invited alongside elected leaders from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to watch the game on Sunday.

An official said about 100 people had been asked to join the Obamas, including White House staff, family and friends and other members of Congress.

The US President said he'd go to the Super Bowl in Texas, if his team, the Bears, won the NFC title against the Green Bay Packers. But Obama's side lost and the Packers are taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Obama previously said he wouldn't take sides in the Super Bowl. But he visited Penn State University this week and told a crowd: "I've got some love for the Steelers."