PRES OBAMA GIVES A SPEECH ON NATL SECURITY *

THE PRES DEFENDED HIS USE OF DRONES, SAYING THE PROGRAM IS LEGAL AND THAT STRIKES HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN FIGHTING TERRORISTS WHO LAUNCHED THE 2001 9/11 ATTACKS *

HE SAYS THE END OF THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND U.S. SUCCESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AL QAEDA ARE LIKELY TO REDUCE THE USE OF DRONES *

THE PRES ALSO RENEWED HIS CALL TO CLOSE THE DETENTION CENTER IN GUANTANAMO BAY *

OBAMA SAYS THERE'S "NO JUSTIFICATION BEYOND POLITICS FOR CONGRESS TO PREVENT US FROM CLOSING" GITMO *

IRS REPLACES LOIS LERNER A DAY AFTER SHE PLEADED THE FIFTH AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING... *

LERNER WAS DIR OF THE AGENCY'S DIVISION THAT OVERSAW EMPLOYEES WHO TARGETED TEA PARTY AND OTHER CONSERVATIVE GROUPS *

SHE WILL BE REPLACED BY KEN CORBIN, CURRENTLY DEPUTY DIR OF SUBMISSION PROCESSING IN THE WAGE AND INVESTMENT DIVISION *

A CONGRESSIONAL AIDE SAID LERNER HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE *

JURY STILL DEADLOCKED ON WHETHER CONVICTED MURDERER JODI ARIAS SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY, PROMPTING A RETRIAL *

THE JUDGE SCHEDULED THE RETRIAL FOR JULY 18 IN THE SENTENCING PHASE OF THE 32-YR-OLD'S TRIAL *

ARIAS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE 2008 DEATH OF HER EX-BOYFRIEND *

REP JO BONNER (R-AL) IS RESIGNING FROM CONGRESS TO TAKE A JOB WITH THE UNIV OF ALABAMA *

BONNER IS SIX-TERM MEMBER OF THE HOUSE AND A MEMBER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS CMTE *

HE REPRESENTS A SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE THAT INCLUDES MOBILE *

5.7 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEAR CANYONDAM, CA *

THE AREA IS SURROUNDED BY VAST PARK SPACE, AND THE NEAREST MAJOR CITIES ARE RENO AND CARSON CITY, NV *

THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF INJURIES *

BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN NW WASHINGTON SENDS VEHICLES AND PEOPLE INTO THE WATER *

THE FOUR LANE I-5 BRIDGE OVER THE SKAGIT RIVER AT MOUNT VERNON REPORTEDLY CRUMBLED AROUND 7 PM *

WA STATE AUTHORITIES SAY THERE ARE NO FATALITIES *

DEADLY PARKING GARAGE COLLAPSE AT MALL OUTSIDE D.C. *

ONE CONSTRUCTION WORKER KILLED, ANOTHER SERIOUSLY INJURED *

THE SURVIVING WORKER WAS TRAPPED FOR NEARLY FOUR HOURS BENEATH A 40-FOOT SECTION OF CONCRETE *

NO WORD ON WHAT CAUSED THE COLLAPSE *

TWO MORE ARRESTS IN CONNECTION WITH HACKING DEATH OF BRITISH SOLDIER *

COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICERS TAKING INTO CUSTODY A MAN AND A WOMAN, BOTH 29-YRS-OLD, ON SUSPICION OF CONSPIRACY TO MURDER *

MEANWHILE, THE TWO MEN WHO WERE SHOT AND ARRESTED AT THE SCENE REMAIN HOSPITALIZED IN STABLE CONDITION *

THEY'RE BELIEVED TO HAVE HACKED A BRITISH SOLDIER TO DEATH ON A SOUTH LONDON STREET WHILE SHOUTING JIHADIST RHETORIC *

THE MURDERED SOLDIER HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 25-YR-OLD LEE RIGBY *

BRITAIN'S MILITARY SAYS RIGBY WAS A POPULAR DRUMMER AND MACHINE GUNNER, AS WELL AS THE FATHER OF A 2-YR-OLD BOY *

PRES OBAMA TO TOUR JERSEY SHORE WITH GOV CHRIS CHRISTIE (R) NEXT WK *

THE TRIP WILL HIGHLIGHT THE STATE'S ONGOING RECOVERY FROM SUPERSTORM SANDY *

THE FED GOVT HAS SPENT $1.3 BIL TO HELP FAMILIES HIT HARD BY THE STORM *

OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE CORRECT TORNADO DAMAGE ESTIMATE TO 12,000 HOMES *

A POLICE SPOX MISSPOKE THURS WHEN HE SAID 1,200 HOMES WERE HIT BY MONDAY'S STORM *

TOTAL DAMAGE FROM THE MASSIVE TORNADO MAY TOP $2 BIL DOLLARS *

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White House Press Pool: “lured by the mirage of success?”

Subject: Pool Report # 9

Sending this for AFP’s Stephen Collinson

 

Pool Report # 9 

 

Yangon, Myanmar

 

The president and Aung San Suu Kyi delivered their remarks on the balcony of her lakeside villa which has been spruced up since she was freed from house arrest in late 2010 , with a new roof and freshly painted walls. The garden is well kept with flowers and shrubs.

 

   Suu Kyi sounded a note of caution over Myanmar’s rapid political reforms:

 

   “The most difficult time in any transition is when we think that success is in sight,” she said, standing next to the president. “We have to be very careful that we’re not lured by the mirage of success.”

 

   The president said:

 

   “Our goal is to to sustain the momentum for democratization”

   “That includes building credible government institutions, establishing rule of law, ending ethnic conflicts and ensuring that the people of this country have access to greater education, healthcare and economic opportunity,” he said.

   “I want to make a pledge to the people of this country that I am confident we can keep, and that is if we see continued progress towards reform our bilateral ties will grow stronger and we will do everything we can to help ensure success.”

 

“I want to thank you, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for your extraordinary hospitality and grace, the power of your example, which has been inspiration to people all around the world, including myself. Clearly you will be playing a key role in your country’s future for many years to come as Burma seeks the freedom and the prosperity and the dignity that not only the people of this country deserve but people all around the world deserve.”

 

“Thank you for your inspiring message.”

 

While the president and Suu Kyi spoke, in another sign of the times, the presidential limousine sat parked by her house. Outside huge crowds could be heard chanting “Obama, freedom.”

 

The president later left Suu Kyi’s house for the short journey to the nearby US embassy where he addressed diplomatic staff. He was later due to head to Yangon University to deliver a major speech.

 

Stephen Collinson

AFP White House Correspondent,

Washington









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