Current News US // Current

Citigroup plunges on uncertainty

Shares in Citigroup, one of the biggest banks in the US, fell sharply on Friday amid continued uncertainty about the... more

sinlung
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Mona Lisa causes EU online library to crash

A new digital library launched by the European Union has crashed within hours of opening - forcing its closure. The Europeana... more

InformedTexan
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Einstein's e=mc2 theory was right! 103 years later

PARIS (AFP) – It's taken more than a century, but Einstein's celebrated formula e=mc2 has finally been... more

insanejain
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'Sun setting on American global domination' says National Intelligence Council

A report released by the US National Intelligence Council suggests that America's power is set to wane in the coming decades... more

abbym0308
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New Star Trek film criticised for being sexed-up

The makers of the new Star Trek film have been accused of "sexing-up" the franchise. The criticism comes as a result of... more

ClareW
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Attorney general collapses while giving speech

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed while giving a speech Thursday at the Federalist Society dinner at the Marriott... more

Vierotchka
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Canada's Supreme Court rules that fat people can get 2 seats for the price of 1

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Obese people have the right to two seats for the price of one on flights within Canada, the Supreme Court of... more

Soap
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Teachers checking out pupils' underwear

A row erupted today over claims that teachers were checking pupils' underwear to make sure they comply with a new school... more

sallyf
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Family guy creator claims science is "undervalued and degraded"

It's OK though, as he's right behind a new initiative being fostered by the US National Academy of Sciences that aims to... more

mattbrawn
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Honda's new fuel cell sports car

Honda surprised the motoring world today with the release of the radical and futuristic Honda FC Sport, a three-seat... more

hsaleem
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Twentysomethings are most likely to get divorced

Ah... young love. But what's up with this new figure? For the sixth year in a row, couples under 30 have the highest divorce... more

abbym0308
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Plastic surgery below the belt

On the youth sex-education website Scarleteen.com, dozens of teenage girls can be found commiserating about their labia. "I... more

larock
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One solution to the global recession - prettier credit cards

Over there in Japan, they've commissioned 100 artists to design credit cards. You can see all the designs here: ... more

superkiy
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China becomes largest holder of US treasuries

China in September became the largest foreign holder of US treasuries ahead of Japan, the US Treasury Department reported in... more

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Obama picks Daschle for Human Services Cabinet post

Tom Daschle will be the next Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has written a book concerning the Health Care crisis.“Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.”

He proposes creating a Federal Health Board, similar to the Federal Reserve System, and the merging of employers’ plans, Medicaid and Medicare with an expanded federal employee health benefits program that would provide universal coverage.

Daschle was Senate Majority/Minority leader for Ten years and is know for his calm demeanor.

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CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama has offered the nomination of Secretary of Health and Human Services to Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the former Democratic Senate leader who was an early supporter of Mr. Obama’s run for the presidency.

Democratic officials said that Mr. Daschle has accepted the nomination. But they said that a formal announcement won’t be made until Mr. Obama first settles on his national security and economic teams, and no job offers have been extended in those areas.

Mr. Obama’s transition team announced on Wednesday that Mr. Daschle will also oversee Mr. Obama’s health policy working group to develop a health care plan, which could take care of what his friends say was one of Mr. Daschle’s conditions for considering the HHS post. He was concerned that he not just be the head of a huge bureaucracy but a chief player on the subject he has literally written a book on.

Mr. Daschle was initially considered for the position of Mr. Obama’s chief of staff, but that job went to Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Chicago. If confirmed, Mr. Daschle could end up being the point man on any efforts to overhaul the country’s health care delivery and insurance system, a tall order, health policy experts say, given the current economic situation.

Mr. Daschle’s book about health policy “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis” came out in February. In it he proposes creating a Federal Health Board, similar to the Federal Reserve System, and the merging of employers’ plans, Medicaid and Medicare with an expanded federal employee health benefits program that would provide universal coverage.

End of Excerpt

Source: New York Times

I've always liked Daschle, good choice.Tom Daschle will be the next Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has written a book concerning the Health Care... more