Global News Post: Barack Obama

Rights Issues High on Obama's Agenda in Asia

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.
President Barack Obama is aboard Air Force One on his way to Asia, where he
will visit <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:country-region></st1:place> on his first foreign trip
since being re-elected earlier this month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
trip underscores Obama's increased focus on Asia as he tries to fulfill his
pledge to strengthen the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
economy during his second four-year term in office. The Obama administration
has said that American foreign policy and engagement will "pivot"
toward <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place> in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">When
he arrives in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region> Monday,
Obama will be the first <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
president to visit the country, which has emerged from decades of tight
military control. The Burmese government recently has yielded to international
pressure and begun making democratic reforms, but some human rights groups have
cautioned that it is not yet a fully free country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President
Obama is scheduled to meet with both Burmese President Thein Sein and Aung San
Suu Kyi, the nation's leading democracy activist, who has only been free since
2010, after nearly two decades of detention or house arrest. Suu Kyi won the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 but was only able to travel to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region> to
accept the award this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch told VOA the president should have
waited to travel to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region>
until the country makes more progress in restoring basic freedoms. HRW says <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region> should have gone beyond a partial amnesty
and released all held as political prisoners, and also should have taken direct
action to stop violence directed at ethnic and religious minorities,
particularly in western <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President
Obama begins his Asian tour in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bangkok</st1:city>,
 <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region></st1:place>, where
he is arriving late Sunday afternoon (local time). HRW says the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> leader also should bring up human rights with
this longtime <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
ally, due to concerns about free speech, military abuses against insurgents in
the south and inadequate protection of refugees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Obama
also will attend a meeting of regional ASEAN leaders in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
another destination where he is expected to raise concerns about long-standing
human rights problems. The president is expected to urge Cambodian Prime
Minister Hun Sen to hold free and fair elections and end land seizures. ---VOA
News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rights Issues High on Obama's Agenda in Asia

U.S. President Barack Obama is aboard Air Force One on his way to Asia, where he will visit Thailand , Burma and Cambodia on his fi...

Secretary-General Ban congratulates US President Barack Obama on re-election

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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">US President Barack Obama at<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">UN Headquarters in September 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">UN Photo/Mark Garten</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">UN
News – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warmly congratulates
President Barack Obama on his re-election as President of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>, a spokesperson for
the world body's head said overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Secretary-General looks forward to continuing to work with President Obama and
his administration in the spirit of the enduring partnership between the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and the United Nations,” Mr. Ban's spokesperson added in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According
to media reports, while some results have yet to be finalized, President Obama
defeated his opponent, Mitt Romney, with 303 Electoral College votes compared
to Mr. Romney's 206 Electoral College votes. Under the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> presidential voting system, a
candidate needs to secure at least 270 Electoral College votes to secure
victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Many
challenges lie ahead – from ending the bloodshed in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>,
to getting the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle East</st1:place> peace process back
on track, to promoting sustainable development and tackling the challenges
posed by climate change,” the spokesperson noted. “All will require strong
multilateral cooperation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Secretary-General and the United Nations will continue to count on the active
engagement of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
  States</st1:place></st1:country-region> on these and other crucial issues as
it strives to meet the hopes and expectations of people around the world,” he
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Secretary-General Ban congratulates US President Barack Obama on re-election

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with US President Barack Obama at UN Headquarters in September 2012. UN Photo/Mark Garten U...

Obama Defeats Romney

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Kent Klein<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo © Four more years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Barack
Obama has won a second four-year term as president of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>.  The Democratic incumbent defeated Republican
Mitt Romney in Tuesday's <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
presidential election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">America</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s first African-American president won more
than the 270 electoral votes he needed to secure four more years in the White
House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">After
clinching the victory, Obama told a crowd of thousands of supporters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> he is more determined
and more inspired than ever to tackle the country's challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"You
voted for action, not politics as usual," he said. "You elected us to
focus on your jobs, not ours.  And, in
the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working
with the leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve
together."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The
president says he will work in his second term to reduce the </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> government's budget deficit, reform the tax
code, reform the nation's immigration system and reduce </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">'s
dependence on foreign oil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Obama
congratulated his opponent on a hard-fought campaign and applauded Romney and
his family for their tradition of public service.  He says he will reach out to Republicans to
seek solutions to the country's problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"In
the weeks ahead I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to
talk about where we can work together to move this country forward," said
Obama.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Former
Massachusetts Governor Romney, speaking to supporters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city>, conceded the election a short time
earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
have just called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory.  His supporters and his campaign also deserve
congratulations," said Romney. "I wish all of them well, but
particularly the president, the first lady and their daughters."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Romney
says he and his running mate, Representative Paul Ryan, gave their all in the
campaign and he thanked their supporters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a
different direction.  But the nation
chose another leader and so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him
and for this great nation," Romney said. "Thank you and God bless <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.  You guys are the best.  Thank you so much."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Obama
won almost all of the so-called "swing states" that he and Romney
both needed for victory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> presidential elections are not decided by
the popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state's influence
on the outcome approximates its population.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Both
candidates made a final push for votes Tuesday, almost until the polls
closed.  Turnout was reported high in
many parts of the country, with some voters standing in line for hours, despite
a record amount of early voting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Although
the economy was the main issue of the campaign, Obama was the first president
in many decades to be re-elected while the nation was suffering from high
unemployment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
Republicans retained control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday's
voting, but Democrats blocked the Republicans' effort to take control of the
Senate, where roughly one-third of the 100 seats were up for election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Democrats
will replace Republican senators in <st1:state w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:state>
and <st1:state w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state>, an independent will succeed a
Republican in <st1:state w:st="on">Maine</st1:state>, and in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:state></st1:place>, a Democrat will take the place
of retiring independent Senator Joe Lieberman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Japanese-born
Democrat Mazie Hirono, who was elected in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, will be the first Buddhist U.S.
Senator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">And,
the Senate will have its first openly gay member, with the election of Democrat
Tammy Baldwin in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place>.
---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Obama Defeats Romney

By Kent Klein Photo © Four more years pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom Barack Obama has won a second four-year term as president o...

Indian PM Congratulates Obama

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">NEW DELHI  (NNN-UNI) -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
today congratulated Barack Obama on his re-election as the President of the
United States and said he looked forward to contnuing their ''rewarding
association'' to further build on the enduring partnership and advance peace
and stability, expand mutual shared values and accomplishments of the past four
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In his congratulatory message to
Mr Obama, the Prime Minister said he had no doubt that there was much more they
could do together to further strengthen the India-US economic opportunities,
harness the potential of science and technology, innovation and higher
education and empower the people to address global challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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He said he personally valued his friendship with the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> President.<br />
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''I have personally valued our friendship and I look forward to continuing our
rewarding association in order to build further on the enduring foundations of
our shared values and the accomplishments of the past four years.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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''I have no doubt that there is much more we can do together to further
strengthen the India-US partnership and thereby advance peace and stability,
expand mutual economic opportunities, harness the potential of science and
technology, innovation and higher education and empower our people to address
global challenges,'' the Prime Minister said in his message. -- NNN-UNI<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Indian PM Congratulates Obama

NEW DELHI (NNN-UNI) -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today congratulated Barack Obama on his re-election as the President of the Unite...

Russia is No.1 Geopolitical Enemy for U.S. - Mitt Romney

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">WASHINGTON (RIA Novosti)--- Mitt Romney, a U.S. presidential candidate from the Republican Party, said Russia is “number one geopolitical foe” for the United States, CNN reported on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In an interview with CNN Romney said that Russia “lines up with the world's worst actors” including Syria and Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Russia continues to support Syria. It supports Iran, has - has fought us with the crippling sanctions we wanted to have the world put in place against Iran. Russia is not a friendly character on the world stage,” Romney was quoted as saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He also blasted recent talks of U.S. President Barack Obama with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev at the nuclear security summit in Seoul on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“The actions he's taken so far, which he says are to reset relations with Russia have not worked out at all,” Romney said adding that Obama’s words to Medvedev about flexibility are “alarming and troubling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">CNN reported that President Obama was caught on an open mike saying to Medevedev “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Russia is the geopolitical foe… and the idea that our president… is planning on doing something with them that he's not willing to tell the American people before the election is something I find very, very alarming,” Romney said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The election is scheduled for November 2012 and the inauguration of the new president will be in January 2013. According to the latest poll results, President Obama holds the edge and is the favorite to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Obama described the meeting with Medvedev in Seoul as highly productive, noting achievements in the last three years including the strategic nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia. He also accepted an invitation from Medvedev to visit Russia after the U.S. presidential elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Russia is No.1 Geopolitical Enemy for U.S. - Mitt Romney

WASHINGTON (RIA Novosti)--- Mitt Romney, a U.S. presidential candidate from the Republican Party, said Russia is “number one geopolitical f...

U.S. Obama office imposes tough trade sanctions against Cuba - trade official

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">HAVANA</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti)- U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration imposes tougher sanctions on companies trading with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cuba</st1:place></st1:country-region> in comparison with previous presidential administrations, a Cuban deputy trade minister said on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The total sum of sanctions imposed in regard to physical and legal entities by the current [<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>] government exceeds $1.1 billion,” Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Investments Orlando Hernandez Guillen said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> government measures are also directed against investors, who are not able to invest into the Cuban economy as, according to the embargo law, they may lose their right to work on the American market, he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> began its embargo on <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region>, which has become the longest economic blockade in history, on October 19, 1960, after <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region> nationalized the properties of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> citizens and corporations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The global community, including <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>'s allies <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the European Union, have long been opposed to the embargo. In 1996, <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state> toughened the sanctions further by barring third countries' commercial ships en route to and from the communist island from entering <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> ports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Under Barack Obama, the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> has loosened money transfer and travel restrictions on Americans with relatives in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cuba</st1:place></st1:country-region>, but demanded political and economic reforms from the country as condition for lifting the embargo.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

U.S. Obama office imposes tough trade sanctions against Cuba - trade official

HAVANA (RIA Novosti)- U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration imposes tougher sanctions on companies trading with Cuba in comparison...

Obama: Clean Energy Key to Economic Growth

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxWHFjlHm7m8fqf85yA1MpXicGYZPSPjW6Z4Gnr1oHQJMTCRdnH1dCg3EFdrzrDSCIxvKMQLqnJy5KiQ08L5myewD3kPei-JIV1nn3XiZOxbE-R88XItYthsBxnextqvBI0cb-8hzUHtw/s1600/050711_WeeklyAddress06Tease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxWHFjlHm7m8fqf85yA1MpXicGYZPSPjW6Z4Gnr1oHQJMTCRdnH1dCg3EFdrzrDSCIxvKMQLqnJy5KiQ08L5myewD3kPei-JIV1nn3XiZOxbE-R88XItYthsBxnextqvBI0cb-8hzUHtw/s1600/050711_WeeklyAddress06Tease.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 51.6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">U.S. President Barack Obama has renewed his call for pursuing clean energy sources, like biofuels and natural gas, to break the U.S. dependence on foreign oil while growing the economy.<br /><br />Delivering his weekly address from a hybrid technology plant in the state of Indiana, Obama says in the short term, domestic oil production is growing, reaching its highest level last year since 2003.<br /><br />But the president says in the long term, the U.S. should be investing in clean energy technology and securing the jobs it will generate.<br /><br />Obama says that he supports the nation living within its means in these difficult fiscal times, but says he refuses to cut investments in clean energy that will help the United States out-compete and out-innovate other countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 51.6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this week's Republican address, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown praised the recent military raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound that resulted in the al-Qaida leader's death.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Obama: Clean Energy Key to Economic Growth

U.S. President Barack Obama has renewed his call for pursuing clean energy sources, like biofuels and natural gas, to break the U.S. depende...