Other world news in brief
US Democrat Stupak will not seek re-election
MARQUETTE, Michigan – US House of Representatives member Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat who led an anti-abortion group which threatened not to vote for US president Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, has announced that he will not seek re-election.
Mr Stupak, who eventually voted for the package after assurances from the president, became a target for the conservative Tea Party movement, which sponsored radio and television advertisements to defeat him in the November congressional elections.
He also received thousands of phone calls, some of which his wife said were “vulgar, cruel, profane and threatening”. – (Reuters)
US supreme court judge to retire
WASHINGTON – Liberal US supreme court judge John Paul Stevens has announced he is to resign, giving President Barack Obama his second high court appointment and setting up a potential partisan election-year Senate confirmation battle.
Justice Stevens is one of the oldest and longest- serving supreme court judges in US history. The judge, who turns 90 in 11 days, joined the court in 1975 after being appointed by former US president Gerald Ford. An administration official said Mr Obama was considering about 10 potential nominees to replace him. – (Reuters)