Global Warming plan offered

-Greenhouse gases are being addressed by Bush this week.
The president of the United States has called for a halt to growth of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 2005. Bush wants to develop national goals to address climate change.
Bush is attempting to address concerns that Congress could pass legislation which would effect economic growth and hopes to solve global warming without heavy costs to the industry.
Bush's proposal was part of efforts to oppose the Senate bill which would require mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions.
"... America's national plan will be a comprehensive blend of market incentives and regulations to reduce emissions by encouraging clean and efficient energy technologies," Bush said.

For more information, see the following:
1. Plan of Action
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/express/pdfs/EXPRESS_04172008.pdf
2. Incentive or action?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053100934.html
3. Halt is needed
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_climate
4. Bush proposes goals
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/washington/01prexy.html

Victory shows promise

-Voting for prime minister continues in Italy.
Silvio Berlusconi has won a victory in Italy's primary election.
"Berlusconi won... because people feel that on the other side, the government is going to take them nowhere," said Franco Pavoncello, a political science professor at Rome's John Cabot University.
Two years ago, Berlusconi lost to Romano Prodi. Berlusconi is on his way to a third term as prime minister after Prodi's government has failed to please his people, sources say.

For more information, visit the following:
1. Berlusconi on his way
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/express/pdfs/EXPRESS_04152008.pdf
2. The Good, the bad, and Berlusconi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3034600.stm
3. Earned or given?
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1957150
4. Frustration leads to Berlusconi
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/world/europe/15italy.html?hp

Pelosi makes push

-House Speaker pushes for change to avoid free-trade deal with Columbia.

The House will change rules to avoid a required vote on a free-trade agreement with Columbia, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"If the president wants us to consider a Columbia free-trade agreement, which we are pleased and responsible to do, we cannot consider that unless we address the economic insecurity of America's working families," Pelosi said.
The change would remove the timetable imposed on Congress, she said. The timetable says Congress has 90 days to pick up a trade bill after receiving it from the White House. Pelosi will bring the proposal to the House on Thursday.

1. Pelosi makes her move
http://www.theleftshue.com/2008/04/pelosi-makes-move-on-columbia-free.html
2. Trade Pact sent to Congress
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH_COLOMBIA?SITE=KMIZTV&SECTION=ELECTION06&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-07-23-39-15
3. House delay Columbia vote
http://www.kneb.com/news/agricultural/197ff0fd-82d4-49c1-8861-8cc4ed85c0d9
4. Economic security threatened
http://www.kneb.com/news/agricultural/197ff0fd-82d4-49c1-8861-8cc4ed85c0d9

Pope to address sex crimes

-During a planned visit next week, the Pope will speak of the clergy sex abuse crisis.

Pope Benedict XVI will speak about the clergy sex abuse crisis during his U.S. visit next week, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone told The Associated Press. The cardinal added he is aware of anti-papal rhetoric from Islamic extremists.
The Pope caused an uproar throughout the Islamic world in 2006 when he linked the religion to violence, and he plans to turn to security and his faith during this trip to keep him out of harm's way, said the cardinal.
"We have faith in the means of protection the government will implement," Bertone said.

1. Pope seeks healing
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,350933,00.html
2. Sex crisis addressed
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VTRVBO0&show_article=1
3. American visit from Pope
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24016663/
4. Pope to address damage, pain of sexual abuse
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/330380.html

Bush goes to Olympics

- Amid protesting, Bush says he's going to China.

Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton wants President Bush to stay home instead of going to the Olympics opening ceremonies in Beijing. Should Bush change his mind about attending the event, politics could rule over the Olympics this summer.
There has been constant protesting against China since violence erupted in Tibet.
Clinton claims the Bush administration "has been wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China."
Bush plans to attend the Olympics this summer, under the belief that it is a sporting event rather than a political one.

For more information, visit the following sources.
1. Bush urged to boycott
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/07/ntorch907.xml
2. Speaking out against China
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/22/world/asia/22prexy.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
3.Despite issues, president visits Olympics
http://archive.japantoday.com/jp/news/428232
4. Political move needed in China
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25774

Bush Proposes Europe Missile Shield

-NATO endorses a proposed Europe Missile Shield.

A U.S. missile defense system based in Europe will be endorsed by NATO. Officials hope the defense system will lessen fear of nuclear attacks.
NATO leaders agreed on Thursday to endorse the system, and they promised to provide more troops for Afghanistan as well.
Fear of attacks have escalated since 911, according to recent polls. Leaders hope to dissuade future incidents and to alleviate fears that American citizens may have about the possibility of another attack with the missile defense system.
"There has been, over 10 years, a real debate as to whether there is a ballistic missile threat," said Stephen J. Hadley, Bush's national security adviser. "And I think that debate ended today."
Although NATO endorsed Bush's missile defense system, the leaders wouldn't back the president's move to allow Ukraine and Georgia into the Membership Action Plan (MAP), which "holds a set of requirements and reforms necessary to achieving full alliance membership," according to The New York Times.
Bush mentioned his desire to resolve issues so that Ukraine and Georgia can enter into NATO as quickly as possible.

1. NATO Backs Bush
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/express/pdfs/EXPRESS_04042008.pdf
2. World Leaders Behind President's Move
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/world/europe/04nato.html?ex=1364961600&en=7c6279ba02c9c6b9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
3. No Membership For Georgia Or Ukraine
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23911149/
4. NATO Supports Measure
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080402/ap_on_re_eu/bush

Palestinian Land Dispute

-Fighting over a piece of land could disrupt peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Israel plans to build more than 1,000 homes on land which Palestinians have claimed for a future state. The issue is causing interference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's talk with Israel to discuss removing West Bank roadblocks as a step toward achieving peace with the Palestinians.

Rice had expected for the removal to happen soon.
"We've been told that this is going to start and, hopefully even be completed, in a relatively short period of time," she said.

Peace talks could be hindered if the two nations can't decide amongst themselves which country has rights to the disputed land.

1. Rice Helps Peace Talks
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/30/us.mideast.ap/index.html?iref=24hours
2. Possible Peace Deal?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/970245.html
3. Israel Pledges Removal
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle2FShowFull&cid=1206632368305
4.Land Hinder's Rice's Plans
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/express/pdfs/EXPRESS_04012008.pdf