At least 24 people died late Thursday in Panama in a crash between a truck and a bus, President Ricardo Martinelli said at the scene of the accident. I arrived here a couple of days ahead of the president in order to get a better read on his reform effort by talking to people like Sonja McDonald, who told me her husband’s job as a diesel mechanic doesn’t provide health insurance for them and their two children. So I found McDonald at a remarkable local clinic getting a low-cost tooth extraction because she has not been able to afford a trip to the dentist in a couple of years
Tag Archives: the-president
Obama’s big problem in Big Sky country
Spend a day in this tiny town about 23 miles or so from where President Obama will be holding a town hall meeting on Friday, and it’s easy to see why his health-care push is facing big problems in Big Sky country — even from the people he’s trying to help.
Costa Rican president sick with swine flu
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu, the government said in a televised statement on Tuesday. Arias fell ill on Sunday, complaining of a sore throat and temperature, Presidential Minister Rodrigo Arias said.
Obama’s former doctor critical of White House health care plan
President Obama often talks about all of the forces lining up against his health care plan. But there’s one critic who has remained relatively mum in the debate. David Scheiner, a Chicago, Illinois-based doctor, has taken a hard look at the president’s prescription for health care reform and sees bad medicine
French president: Burkas not welcome here
French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the wearing of burkas on Monday, saying the traditional Muslim garment that covers women from head to toe was a "sign of subservience" and was not "welcome in France." In a speech before a joint session of parliament, Sarkozy said, “The problem of the burka is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman’s freedom and dignity
First dog Bo meets White House press corps
Bo the Portuguese water dog made his White House debut under cloudy skies Tuesday afternoon, spending several minutes taking his new family on a lively romp over the South Lawn with frequent stops for hearty sniffs at his new surroundings. Bo landed on all four feet at his fourth home in his six short months of life, fulfilling President Obama’s campaign promise to get his daughters a dog in return for all the time he spent on the road during the long presidential fight. “He’s a star.
Canadians intercepted Russian bombers before Obama visit
One day before U.S. President Barack Obama’s Canadian visit last week, Canadian fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers near Canadian air space, the defense minister said Friday
Combat troops could be out of Iraq within 19 months
President Obama is expected to approve a proposal to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq within 19 months, Pentagon officials told CNN Wednesday. Although no decision has been announced by the White House, “That’s the way the wind is blowing,” a Pentagon official said.