Today's other stories in brief
Obama hails healthcare compromise
WASHINGTON – US president Barack Obama yesterday praised a healthcare compromise reached by Senate Democratic negotiators, saying it could clear the way for a sweeping healthcare reform overhaul.
After four days of closed-door talks, Senate negotiators agreed late on Tuesday to replace a government-run public insurance option with a scaled-back, non-profit approach, possibly resolving the Bill’s biggest stumbling block. “The Senate made critical progress last night with a creative new framework that I believe will help pave the way for final passage and a historic achievement on behalf of the American people,” he said.
Liberal Senate negotiators, who backed the public option to create more competition for insurers, agreed to drop their support in exchange for allowing people aged 55-64 to “buy in” to the Medicare plan for the elderly, which begins at 65. – (Reuters)
Norway and EU at odds over fishing
BRUSSELS – European Union fishermen may be barred from Norwegian waters next year after talks on fishing quotas with the non-EU member state collapsed over differences on managing mackerel stocks.
The failure to reach an agreement heightens the stakes at next week’s meeting of EU fisheries chiefs, when they will haggle over the contentious issue of permitted quotas of fish catches for 2010 in the 27-nation bloc.
“My impression is that the eventual impact of the failed negotiations with Norway is rather big and will be having a rather important impact on the council meeting next week,” an official of the Swedish EU presidency said. The EU usually reaches an agreement with Norway over the rights of Norwegians to fish in EU waters, and vice versa, before the annual fisheries council. – (Reuters)
Mandela role
LOS ANGELES – Nelson Mandela received the touch of “God”, Hollywood-style, when actor Morgan Freeman prepared to play him in a new movie Invictus.
Freeman said he was asked by the former South African president (91) to portray him in the Clint Eastwood film. “I said to him, ‘If I’m going to play you, I’m going to have to have access to you. I’m going to have to be close enough to hold your hand,’” Freeman said. Invictus tells of how Mandela brought the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship to his nation, rallying his countrymen around the South African team. – (Reuters)
Bombs had foreign backing, says Maliki
BAGHDAD – Bombings that killed 112 people were carried out with foreign backing, Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki said yesterday, before changing the head of Baghdad security in a move aimed at thwarting pre-election violence.
A series of car bombs on Tuesday ripped through Baghdad in Iraq’s deadliest attack in six weeks. Health ministry officials said 77 people died, but police sources put the figure higher at 112.
The attacks came hours before the government announced March 7th as the date for the parliamentary election. “All Iraqis from all sects have faced the most ferocious terrorist campaign supported from abroad,” Mr Maliki said in a televised live address, without accusing any specific country.
In August, Mr Maliki accused Syria of sheltering militants behind several bombings, including two strikes against government ministries that killed 95 people in August. – (Reuters)