4VF News – Daily News Channel – Page 2033

The Queen and Mrs. Obama: Did the First Lady Break Protocol?

The rules are set in stone and so the eagerly watching British media sputtered when the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, briefly put her hand on the back of the Queen Elizabeth II as the two chatted at a reception. Etiquette is quite stern about this: “Whatever you do, don’t touch the Queen!!!” In 2007, John Howard, then prime minister of Australia, got plenty of criticism for apparently putting his arm around the Queen to direct her through a crowd. He denied actually touching her but photographs did make it look like his arm came quite close.

Of course, there are corollaries to this. One must certainly touch the Queen if the monarch offers her hand . On Wednesday, Michelle Obama put her hand on the Queen only after the Queen had placed her own hand on the First Lady’s back as part of their conversation. So there is room for theological argument as to whether the American reciprocity of touch is allowable given the social dynamics of the situation. Still, the sight of anyone apparently touching the Queen in anything more than a limp handshake is enough to send the British twittering.

Another defense for Michelle Obama, of course, is that she is not a subject of the Queen. The First Lady of the United States is not required to curtsey before her or to any other crowned head. In any case, the touch lasted just a second or two, and the Queen did not seem particularly perturbed — though she appeared slightly surprised as she drew away.

So where does this rule about not touching the Queen come from The sovereigns of England and France, at some point in their country’s long histories, claimed a divine right to rule, a right often amplified by titles bestowed by the Pope in Rome. That touch of holiness once gave the occupant of the throne the supposed ability to cure certain diseases, most famously, scrofula, a terrible skin ailment which was called “the king’s evil.” Thus, the miraculous contact had to be conserved. And so, whether a touch or a nod or a gaze, royal favor, like that of God, is not a subject’s on demand; it is dispensed by kingly prerogative.

With reporting by Simon Robinson / London

‘Guiding Light’ canceled after 72 years

"Guiding Light" will go dark in September after 72 years and 16,000 episodes, CBS announced Wednesday.

The daytime soap opera’s declining viewership led to the decision, according to CBS spokeswoman Cindy Marshall. The show, which the Guinness Book of World Records lists as the longest-running television drama, first aired on NBC radio in 1937 as a 15-minute serial, Marshall said. It moved to television on the CBS network in 1952. The last episode is set to air on September 18, Marshall said. The show is produced in New York.

Israel’s New Leader: Can the U.S. Work with Netanyahu?

Israels New Leader: Can the U.S. Work with Netanyahu?

A right-wing Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in on Tuesday, and its refusal to accept a two-state solution with the Palestinians has already set it on a collision course with the Obama Administration.

Netanyahu’s showdown with Washington may happen soon. Leader of the hawkish Likud Party, Netanyahu will meet with U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell in Jerusalem on April 16. That meeting will be a dress rehearsal for the Prime Minister’s trip to Washington in May for talks with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who are pushing for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza as a key to a wider peace in the region.

In his swearing-in speech before the Knesset, Netanyahu appeared to soften his tough stance on the Palestinians, directing his words as much toward Washington as to Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu, who leads a sprawling coalition of right-wing and religious parties that is tempered by the center-left Labor Party, vowed to improve economic, security and political ties with Israel’s Arab neighbors. “We do not want to rule the Palestinians,” he said. But nowhere in his speech did he mention the two-state solution championed by Washington.

Palestinians reacted to Netanyahu’s swearing-in with deep pessimism. Senior advisers to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told TIME that after having failed to extract any concessions from former Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert, Abbas expects even less progress from Netanyahu on such key issues as a halt to the construction of illegal Jewish settlements and the removal of more than 550 army checkpoints in the West Bank, which are paralyzing the movement of Palestinians. These sources told TIME that Abbas — who not only confronts a new, hawkish Israeli government but also the loss of the Gaza Strip to Islamic militants Hamas — confided to aides that he may resign over his frustrations with Israel. “The only hope which keeps Abbas breathing politically is that Obama may seriously pressure Israel to start negotiating for a two-state solution,” a senior aide said.

In Gaza, a Hamas official told TIME that Netanyahu’s victory was “proof that Israelis are opposed to giving the Palestinians anything.” He added, “Netanyahu only believes in escalating the military solution against us.”

But in Washington, at least, the vague outlines of an Obama-sponsored peace plan are starting to take shape. The Israeli press say that U.S. envoy Mitchell will propose a new formula to Netanyahu: an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders, excepting the large Jewish settlements around Jerusalem; having Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and a future Palestine; the adoption of a special status for the Old City, holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims; the return of refugees to a Palestinian state, with Israel accepting some responsibility for their plight; and the presence of a multinational force in the Palestinian territories during an interim period to guarantee Israel’s security from terrorist attacks.

Netanyahu may viscerally oppose this plan. Even if he does not, selling it to his right-wing coalition partners may prove impossible. They refuse to divide Jerusalem and want to plow ahead with more Jewish settlements in the West Bank. As part of a coalition dealmaker, Netanyahu pledged to allow the construction of a new settlement of 3,500 dwellings outside Jerusalem that would surround the city’s Arab neighborhoods. And his choice for Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who has pronounced anti-Arab views and is under criminal investigation for allegedly taking bribes, has left the Americans and the Europeans less than enthused.

For weeks, Netanyahu struggled to build a coalition. The result is a Rube Goldberg–like contraption with 30 Cabinet ministers and seven deputy ministers. Opposition leader Tzipi Livni, of the centrist Kadima Party, called the new government “bloated” with “ministers of nothing.” A Haaretz poll shows that, with Netanyahu’s leadership less than 24 hours old, 54% of Israelis are “unhappy” with his sprawling government, leading one Israeli pundit to comment , “Bibi’s period of grace lasted for all of 10 seconds.”

Netanyahu does, however, have a few strong cards. His coalition passed the Knesset vote with 69 out of 120 seats, a huge margin by Israel’s fractious standards. He has shown himself to be a shrewd deal spinner, and his government may stand a better chance of arm-twisting the Knesset into accepting a U.S.-sponsored peace deal than a weak, center-left government ever could. As for Lieberman’s belligerent views toward Arabs, Netanyahu aides hasten to say the Premier himself will handle ties with Washington and Arab neighbors.

The sad fact is that most Israelis care less about peace with the Palestinians than they do about the failing economy and the perceived nuclear threat from Iran, and the election results show that they see “Bibi” as stronger on both counts.

Still, Netanyahu ignores the Palestinians at his peril; Hamas is rearming itself in Gaza for a new round of fighting, and there are rumblings of another intifadeh, or uprising, breaking out in the West Bank. And a wider peace with Arab nations will depend on Israel’s letting the Palestinians have a state. In his farewell speech, outgoing Premier Olmert warned, “There is no state of Israel without a solid Jewish majority, and there is no Jewish majority in Greater Israel [including the West Bank], which is home to millions of Palestinians.” Olmert lacked the courage and the political backing to help the Palestinians create a state. Now it’s Netanyahu’s turn.

— With reporting by Jamil Hamad / Ramallah

See TIME’s Pictures of the Week.

Cast your votes for the TIME 100.

NFL receiver Stallworth charged with DUI manslaughter

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was charged in Florida on Wednesday with killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade County state attorney’s office said.

Authorities charged Stallworth, 28, with DUI manslaughter in the death of Mario Reyes, said the spokesman, Ed Griffith. Stallworth is expected to surrender in court Thursday, Griffith said. The charge is a bondable offense, and bail is expected to be set at $200,000. According to Griffith, Stallworth’s blood-alcohol level after last month’s accident was measured at 0.126 percent, higher than the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent. Stallworth released a statement four days after the incident saying he and his family were “grief-stricken.” “My thoughts and prayers are with the Reyes family during this incredibly difficult time,” he said. If convicted, Stallworth could face up to 15 years in prison. Read the affidavit (PDF)

Don’t Miss
Read the affidavit (PDF)

The state attorney’s office said Stallworth was driving a Bentley east on the MacArthur Causeway, which connects Miami, Florida, to the South Beach area of Miami Beach, around 7:15 a.m. March 14 when he struck and killed Reyes, a construction worker. Reyes, 59, was heading to a bus stop after leaving work, CNN affiliate WSVN reported. The affiliate said Stallworth cooperated with police, submitting to the field sobriety test and a blood test. Stallworth, a former University of Tennessee player, has also played professionally for the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Australian World Cup qualification delayed

Harry Kewell converts from the spot to leave Australia on the brink of a place at the 2010 World Cup finals.
Australia were frustrated in their bid to become the first side to reach next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa after beating Uzbekistan 2-0 to regain control of Asian Group A.

Had Bahrain and Qatar drawn their match in Manama later on Wednesday, the Socceroos would have been celebrating qualification. Instead they must wait at least until their next match against Qatar after striker Fouzi Aaish hit the only goal of the game for Bahrain from a free kick after 52 minutes. The top two will qualify for the finals with the third-placed side facing a play-off against the third team in Group B with the winner of that clash taking on New Zealand. Japan, who have 11 points from five games, are favorites to progress along with Australia who have a two-point advantage. Second half goals from substitute Josh Kennedy and Harry Kewell, from the penalty spot, saw Australia triumph at Sydney’s Stadium Australia in front of 57,292 fans. Australia endured a frustrating first half, but Kennedy made his mark after just six minutres on the pitch when he headed beyond keeper Ignatiy Nesterov from Mark Bresciano’s cross. Seven minutes later Richard Garcia was bundled over in the penalty area and UAE referee Ali Al Badawi pointed to the spot, Kewell firing his shot low inside the right hand upright. In Seoul, North Korea looked to have done enough to earn a point to keep them on top of Group B but Kim Chi-Woo gave the South a valuable victory with an 88th minute goal. It leaves South Korea leading the group on 11 points to the North’s 10, and with a game in hand.

North Korea is fueling missile, U.S. military says

A satellite image shows a rocket sitting on its launch pad in the northeast of the country.
North Korea has begun fueling its long-range missile, according to a senior U.S. military official.

The fueling signals that the country could be in the final stages of what North Korea has said will be the launch of a satellite into space as early as this weekend, the senior U.S. military official said Wednesday. Other U.S. military officials said the top portion of the missile was put on very recently, but satellite imagery shows a shroud over the stage preventing a direct view of what it looks like. The officials said the satellite payload appears to have a “bulbous” cover, which could indicate that there is a satellite loaded on it. Such a cover protects a satellite from damage in flight. Although the sources did not know for sure what the payload is, they said there is no reason to doubt that it is a satellite, as indicated by North Korea. Pyongyang has said it will launch the missile between April 4 and April 8. A launch would violate a 2006 United Nations Security Council resolution banning the reclusive state from launching ballistic missiles.

Don’t Miss
U.S., South Korea sending spy planes, Pyongyang says

N. Korea defends right to ‘explore space’

Pentagon officials worry less about the payload and more about the launch itself, saying that any kind of launch will give the North Koreans valuable information about improving their ballistic missile program. The United States believes that the North Koreans have the technology to hit Alaska or Hawaii with a ballistic missile and that the country is working on advancing that technology so it could hit the west coast of the United States.

Wipe Away That Frown: Botox Makes You Happier

Botox may not only provide a nonsurgical face-lift — it may also lift your
spirits, new research suggests.

By paralyzing the facial muscles used for frowning, Botulinum Toxin A — or Botox — prevents people from physically displaying expressions of negative emotion. Building on previous research that suggests facial expressions not only reflect but influence mood levels, the new study hypothesizes that Botox may lighten people’s moods by literally wiping the frowns off their faces.

The study, published in the March issue of the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, followed 25 cosmetic-surgery patients, 12 of whom received injections of Botulinum Toxin A or similar neurotoxins, the others receiving fillers, peels or other cosmetic treatments for wrinkles.

Two weeks after the treatments, the patients filled out a Hospital Anxiety and Depression test — a self-screening questionnaire for depression and anxiety. They also rated the success of their treatments.

“The Botox patients scored much lower on measures of depression, anxiety and irritability,” explains Michael Lewis, a psychology professor at the University of Cardiff and lead author of the study. “Crucially, there was no significant difference in how much their treatment made them feel attractive from those who had other treatments, suggesting that [the mood boost] wasn’t just down to a boost in self-confidence.”

In 2006, Dr. Eric Finzi, a cosmetic surgeon in Maryland, injected Botox into frown lines around the mouth or in the forehead furrows of 10 clinically depressed women. The treatment was found to eliminate depression symptoms in nine of them and to reduce symptoms in the 10th woman. At the time, Finzi explained the results using the facial-feedback hypothesis — a feedback loop in which people frown back at a depressed person, further deepening that person’s sense of isolation. He suggested that if a depressed person can’t frown because of Botox treatment, then others won’t frown back at them, thereby breaking the loop.

But Lewis says he favors the theory that facial muscles influence brain activity directly and points to earlier research that suggests such a neurological link. For example, studies have shown that subjects find comedy routines significantly funnier when they hold a pen between their teeth the way a dog holds a bone, a pose that stimulates the muscles used for smiling. Similarly, subjects laugh less when holding a pen between their lips, a pose that mimics frowning.

Such studies are part of a growing trend in counseling and therapy that focuses on behavioral change — a new approach summed up by the Alcoholics Anonymous slogan “Fake it till you make it” — rather than the stern “talk therapy” of the Freudian era. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for instance, teaches patients to alter the physiological feedback cycles of certain conditions by slowing their breathing during panic attacks or cutting the hangdog look during periods of depression. Other popular forms of therapy may draw directly from a facial-feedback loop: laughter therapy, for one, seeks to harness the salubrious effects of engaging the smiling muscles as well as release endorphins.

While the cosmetic industry did not fund Lewis’ study, it will probably get a boost from his new Botox research. The industry has already shown interest in promoting Botox as a mood enhancer: “I have noted frequently that my patients who receive Botox seem happier,” Joel Schlessinger, then president-elect of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and president of LovelySkin.com, said in 2006. And Botox has already proved to be somewhat of a wonder drug in its wide application: studies have shown it to be an effective treatment for enlarged prostates, migraines, excessive sweating, writer’s cramp and even some forms of cancer.

But Lewis warns that his and Finzi’s studies both examined small sample groups, so it would be premature, he says, to consider Botox injections — at around $400 each — purely on the basis of their potential for mood enhancement. “The problem is that Botox paralyzes muscles used for communication — even if it is negative communication — so it’s difficult to predict the full consequences,” he says. “But certainly the research suggests possible treatments.” And that, at least, could be something to smile about.

See the most common hospital mishaps.
Cast your votes for the TIME 100.

Fake Pandas! And Other April Fools’ Day Hoaxes

Fake Pandas! And Other April Fools Day Hoaxes

The annual assaults can be either subtle or brazen. And, really, people should see them coming. But in a media world addicted to drama and the bizarre, credulity will always take a hit. April Fools’ Day 2009 is no different. From the Middle East, where peace threatened to break out, to Switzerland, where the national obsession with neatness created jobs for mountain cleaners, the world once again fell prey to an array of hoaxers, fibbers and tellers of tall tales — all excused by a strange yearly tradition of mysterious origin. Here are a few of the bogus news items that have appeared on our radar:

Syria’s President Visits Israel
DAMASCUS, Syria Fresh on the heels of a regional summit in Doha, where President Bashar al-Assad reaffirmed his support for resistance against Israel while expressing reservations about the Arab Peace Initiative, the Syrian president dropped a bombshell by embarking on an epoch-making visit to Tel Aviv Wednesday morning. “Nobody saw this coming,” said Mark Burnes, a State Department analyst who monitors Syrian affairs. “We knew that they were close to a deal, but the Israelis didn’t tell us how close.”… Official sources say that earlier that same morning, [Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu] had himself embarked upon an epoch-making visit to Syria, touching down in Damascus International Airport only six minutes after President al-Assad arrived in Tel Aviv….” [April Fools!]

China’s Gift to Taiwan: Fake Pandas!
Taipei Times
“Taiwan-China relations were dealt a severe setback yesterday when it was found that Taipei Zoo’s “pandas” are not what they seem. Zookeepers discovered at feeding time yesterday that the two pandas are in fact Wenzhou brown forest bears that had been dyed to create the panda’s distinctive black-and-white appearance. The Taipei Zoo’s head of ursidae ex-procynidae care, Connie Liu… said she became suspicious when the pandas Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan began to spend almost all of their waking hours having sex. Pandas are notorious for their low libidos….” [April Fools!]

GM and Chrysler Ordered Out of NASCAR
Caranddriver.com
“In a move sure to spark outrage, the White House announced today that GM and Chrysler must cease participation in NASCAR at the end of the 2009 season if they hope to receive any additional financial aid from the government. Companies around the globe — Honda and Audi, to name two — have drawn down racing operations, and NASCAR itself has already felt the pinch in the form of reduced team spending. A complete withdrawal from America’s premier racing series is expected to save more than $250 million between GM and Chrysler, a substantial amount considering the drastic measures being implemented elsewhere.” [April Fools!]

Association of Swiss Mountain Cleaners
The Swiss Tourism Board announced it was seeking volunteers to join the Association of Mountain Cleaners. It claimed, ‘The Association of Mountain Cleaners… makes sure that our holiday guests can always enjoy perfect mountains. Using brooms, brushes, water and muscle power, they clean the rocks of any bird droppings.” Visitors to myswitzerland.com were invited to take a Mountain cleaner aptitude test and submit their name for a chance to win a week’s holiday in Switzerland. See YouTube video.>… [April Fools!]

Guardian Goes All-Twitter
Guardian.co.uk
“Consolidating its position at the cutting edge of new media technology, the Guardian today announces that it will become the first newspaper in the world to be published exclusively via Twitter, the sensationally popular social networking service that has transformed online communication…. The move, described as ‘epochal’ by media commentators, will see all Guardian content tailored to fit the format of Twitter’s brief text messages, known as ‘tweets,’ which are limited to 140 characters each…. [April Fools!]

The origins of April Fools’ Day are shrouded in mystery. One long accepted explanation had to do with the transition between the Julian and Gregorian calendars, when folks who continued to celebrate the old new year were called April Fools. But that proved to be a bit of a joke because the calendar change was actually gradual and no one was quite caught off guard. Various other festivals have been cited as inspirations, including the east Asian festival of the burning of the scholars on the new moon of the fourth lunar month . The holiday began to evolve 2,200 years ago after Qin Shihuangdi, the unifier of China, infamously set fire to books and gazettes that he disagreed with; today it is celebrated by “sacrificing” jokey messages to the gods, setting slips of paper aflame like incense in hopes that the amused divinities will rain down good fortune.

Once in a while, though, the gods are inadvertently enraged and burn journalists. April Fools!
Read about April Fools’ Day pranks to try in the office.>

Israeli foreign minister spurns Annapolis peace process

Avigdor Lieberman's remarks come amid concerns about the new Israeli government's view of the peace process.
Israel’s new hard-line foreign minister immediately distanced himself Wednesday from the 2007 relaunch of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians adopted by his predecessor, Tzipi Livni.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right Yisrael Beytenu movement, said the Annapolis agreement was never adopted by Israeli’s government and is not binding. He said Israel is bound to follow the “road map” process, started earlier this decade. The road map, put together by the Mideast Quartet — composed of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States — calls on Israel to stop settlement building and Palestinians to stop terrorism. The Annapolis Peace Conference, held in November 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland, brought together Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss a joint statement signed by the two Mideast leaders and U.S. President George W. Bush calling for a two-state solution. State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said Wednesday that the United States stands by what was achieved at the Annapolis talks and supports “the two-state solution, and we will continue to work for that.” Of the differences between U.S. policy and statements by the new Israel government, Duguid said, “We haven’t heard their proposals yet. We haven’t sat down with them.”

Don’t Miss
Netanyahu criticizes ‘extremist Islam’

Lieberman’s appointment could complicate peace talks

But Israelis generally have become frustrated with the peace processes and have moved to the right in recent years, because of the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israeli cities that sparked the country’s Gaza offensive. Yisrael Beytenu, which had a successful showing in recent elections and has become a major power in Israeli party politics, is a beneficiary of that right-wing trend. Lieberman made the remarks in front of Livni during the handover ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem. He took office after the formation of a new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestinian officials have been critical of Lieberman’s positions on Israeli-Palestinian matters and are pessimistic about the new government’s will in forging the necessary compromises to reach a peace. Netanyahu “does not believe in peace,” Abbas said Wednesday, according to a report from WAFA, the Palestinian Authority’s news agency. He urged the world to put pressure on the new Israeli prime minister to make peace. Lieberman’s remarks underscore concerns about the Israeli government’s way forward regarding peace talks. They come a day after Netanyahu made conciliatory comments about relations with the Palestinians but stopped short of endorsing a two-state solution, the end result foreseen in both the road map and the Annapolis processes. Abbas was also quoted as saying, “Netanyahu never believed in a two-state solution or accepted signed agreements and does not want to stop settlement activity. This is obvious.” Israeli President Shimon Peres, presiding over the prime minister’s changeover ceremony on, made reference to the importance of the two-state vision. “In parallel with the strengthening of Israel’s security, the government under your leadership must invest great effort in advancing the peace process on every front,” Peres told Lieberman. “The outgoing government espoused the vision of two states, for two peoples, which was initiated by the American government and accepted by the majority of countries in the world. It is up to your government to decide the shape of the reality to come.” Lieberman called Egypt a key player in the region and said it has a major role in quelling the instability there. He criticized Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last year because the Egyptian leader has never visited Israel. At that time, Lieberman said, “if he wants to talk to us, he should come here. If he doesn’t want to come here, he can go to hell.” His remarks drew widespread criticism in Egypt and the Arab world. Lieberman said Wednesday that he expected to be invited to visit Egypt and expected that country’s representatives to visit the Jewish state. Egypt and Jordan are only the Arab League countries to have full diplomatic relations with Israel. The prime minister’s office said Wednesday that U.S. President Obama and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin phoned Netanyahu to congratulate him. Both leaders agreed to meet soon with the new Israeli prime minister. The office said Obama repeated America’s unqualified commitment to Israel’s security, and it characterized the half-an-hour conversation between Obama and Netanyahu as “friendly and constructive.” Duguid said, “Israel is a close friend and ally, and we remain unalterably committed to Israel’s security.” “We will work closely with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government to advance the cause of peace and stability in the Middle East and move the parties in the direction of a two-state solution. We have full confidence in and will continue to support the government of Israel and we will work together for durable and lasting peace in the region.” Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have handed off day-to-day work on the Middle East to special envoy George Mitchell, the former Maine senator who is a veteran of peace negotiations in Northern Ireland.

On Eve of G-20, Obama Promises to Listen, Not Lecture

It was a meeting of hope and experience. President Obama, on whose elegant shoulders the expectations of not only his U.S. supporters but the wider world so lightly rest, held a morning press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a grizzled political veteran and the first of Obama’s hosts during his weeklong international tour. The press conference and a host of bilateral meetings and other gatherings have all been arranged for April Fools’ Day — a quirk of scheduling imposed by the decision to hold a meeting of the G-20 on April 2, the only slot ahead of a two-day NATO summit, which the U.S. and other European leaders will also attend. But amid talk of a growing rift between continental Europeans on one side and the Anglo-American accord on the other, it seems that only an April Fool would believe there’s any chance for tomorrow’s meeting to produce a concrete plan to tackle the world’s economic woes.

Yet somehow, out of a routine piece of choreography — two world leaders standing at adjoining lecterns — Obama conjured a sense of optimism about what the G-20 might achieve, and more broadly about America’s changed view of its international role. He had come, he told an audience that included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, “to listen, not to lecture.” The phrase had already been telegraphed by his press team, but it was no less powerful for that, especially to an audience used to his predecessor’s homilies on American views and values. More startling, Obama said the U.S. was coming to the G-20 “as a peer” of the other nations. Dismissing speculation over rifts as exaggerated, the President maintained that there had been “an extraordinary convergence.”

But even as Obama spoke in the Locarno Room, a grand, gilded space in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that was designed at the height of Britain’s colonial powers, plans were afoot to challenge a stage-managed G-20 consensus. Demonstrators took to the streets, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent out invitations to their own joint London press conference, to signal their determination to resist any Anglo-American pressure for additional fiscal stimulus and to highlight their demands for stricter financial regulation. They are not the only G-20 leaders to arrive in London with agendas that reflect divergent approaches to the economic crisis — and differing domestic pressures.

Obama told the press conference that he hoped his first meeting with Russia’s President, Dimitri Medvedev, in the afternoon would address what Obama called “the drift in the U.S.-Russia relationship.” “There are very real differences. I have no interest in papering these over,” he said, adding that on the issue of nuclear nonproliferation, he saw one of the strongest areas of common ground.

Whether that reset button proves effective remains to be seen, but in his first international appearance since his election, Obama certainly reset White House relations with the famously cynical British press, many of whom surreptitiously took pictures and video on their cell phones as he spoke. He charmed them by giving real consideration to journalists’ questions. He wouldn’t say when he thought the hard times would end, but he urged sensible financial planning . He also said he loved the Queen — he and the First Lady will meet the monarch ahead of a grand get-together at Buckingham Palace for all G-20 leaders on the eve of the summit. “Michelle has really been thinking [the royal meeting] through,” he quipped.

Obama even risked accepting the invitation of one British hack to give election advice to Prime Minister Brown, subverting the mischievous intent behind the question with a thoughtful response. “Over time, good policy is good politics,” Obama said. Moreover, “you can wake up in the morning and look in the mirror.” From a President only 73 days into his job to a politician who has served, respectively, as Chancellor and Prime Minister since 1997, such a response might have seemed presumptuous. Instead Brown smiled, apparently happy to bask in the reflected glow of Obama’s optimism. Hope, as Obama continues to show, really can triumph over experience.

See TIME’s Pictures of the Week.
Cast your votes for the TIME 100.