Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Bush honors Washington
MOUNT VERNON, Va. -- President Bush honored the 275th birthday of the nation's first president Monday, likening George Washington's long struggle that gave birth to a nation to the war on global terrorism. "Today, we're fighting a new war to defend our liberty and our people and our way of life," said Bush, standing in front of Washington's home and above a mostly frozen Potomac River. "And as we work to advance the cause of freedom around the world, we remember that the father of our country believed that the freedoms we secured in our revolution were not meant for Americans alone." Bush chose the national Presidents Day holiday to make his first visit as president to Mount Vernon. He and first lady Laura Bush helped lay a wreath at Washington's tomb, then the president gave a speech from a platform on the bowling green lawn of the estate.
Climbers leave mountain
GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. -- Three climbers who tumbled off a ledge on Mount Hood were taken away in an ambulance after they hiked down much of the state's highest peak with their rescuers -- and a dog who may have saved their lives. "We're soaking wet and freezing," said one of two rescued women as she walked from a tracked snow vehicle to an ambulance. One of the women, whose name was not released, was taken to a Portland hospital and being treated for a head injury, said Jim Strovink, spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Department. "She's going to be fine," he said, noting that she had walked most of the way down the mountain. Two others, Matty Bryant, 34, a teacher in the Portland suburb of Milwaukie, and Kate Hanlon, 34, a teacher in the suburb of Wilsonville, were taken to Timberline Lodge on the mountain to rejoin five other members of the climbing party, he said.
Gay couples start applyingfor licenses in New Jersey
TEANECK, N.J. -- Hundreds of gay couples were granted the same legal rights, if not the title, as married couples Monday as New Jersey became the third state to offer civil unions. More than a dozen other couples applied for licenses for ceremonies later in the week. The civil unions, which offer the legal benefits but not the title of marriage, were granted automatically to the hundreds of gay New Jersey couples who had previously been joined in civil unions or married in other states or nations. Couples who had not been joined previously could apply for licenses but must wait 72 hours before they can hold civil union ceremonies, the same waiting period for weddings. Several, like Marty Finkle and Michael Plake, plan to exchange vows Thursday. "This is as close to marriage as we're going to get for right now," Finkle said. New Jersey lawmakers hastily created civil unions in December, less than two months after a state Supreme Court decision held that gay couples had a right to the same benefits as married couples.
India, Pakistan presson with peace efforts
DEWANA, India -- Leaders of India and Pakistan pressed ahead Monday with their peace process, hours after twin bombs -- apparently intended to disrupt their relations -- sparked a fire that killed 66 people aboard a train that links the two rivals. The fire destroyed two coaches on the Samjhauta Express, about an hour after the train left New Delhi on its way to the Pakistan border. Officials said the attack was timed ahead of the arrival of Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri, who was expected today in the Indian capital. "This is an attempt to derail the improving relationship between India and Pakistan," Railway Minister Laloo Prasad told reporters. Pakistan quickly decried the attack, and Indian officials took pains to avoid laying any quick blame. Each side appeared to reach out across the border.
Officials: Afghan armyoutperforming Iraq's
KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Afghan army is struggling with old weaponry, low pay and desertions, yet performs better than the troubled Iraqi army and could defend Afghanistan without U.S. and NATO support in 10 years or less, military officials and analysts say. The fledgling force's success is viewed as critical to the Western-backed mission of stabilizing Afghanistan, which faced a record number of insurgent attacks last year. Renewed violence expected this spring threatens President Hamid Karzai's government. Recruitment for the Afghan National Army is being accelerated, and 8.6 billion in new American funding for Afghan security needs will help equip the 32,000-strong force, which U.S. military officials say is proving increasingly resilient in battle. Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak told The Associated Press that a goal of 70,000 Afghan soldiers has been pushed forward to December 2008 from 2011, and it is hoped to have 46,000 in place by April.
Associated Press