Wednesday, February 14 in the news.....
- The Italian government warned on Wednesday of possible violence during a protest at a U.S. military base this weekend. The base is playing host to a Serie A soccer match.
- Labor leader Kevin Rudd wants the United States to surrender in Iraq, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says. Mr Downer today defended Prime Minister John Howard's criticism of US presidential hopeful Barack Obama over his pledge to bring US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. Rudd refused to admit his plans on Iraq are a form of surrender, instead choosing to refer to the Western term, French Pragmatism.
- New York City is planning to open an Arabic Public School next September. The school will cover all educational topics needed to get a head start in NYC except aviation and chemistry.
- Alexander Downer bristled when asked about Senator Obama's challenge to Mr Howard to send an extra 20,000 troops to Iraq or butt out of the debate. He said Australia had troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, and attached to other missions around the world. He then compared the global security contributions to the size difference between the two nations. One reporter put his hand up after this and asked Mr. Downer about Obama: "So then if white men can't jump does this mean black men can't count?"
- The United States will build a new communications base in Australia, the first since the Pine Gap spy base began operating in the Northern Territory more than 20 years ago. Where exactly the base will be situated is not known, and the Leyland Brothers have already been warned if they are asked.
- The Boston Beer Company has come out with a glass that supposedly improves the taste of beer. Aussie brewers said this was another classic case of Americans trying to compensate.
