When Obama travels, White House travels with him

March 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, March 29 (ANI): While U.S. President Barack Obama is gearing up for his first official overseas trips, it seems that the entire White House staff are preparing to fly with him.

Obama is all set to meet the Queen before joining 19 world leaders at the G20 summit on Thursday in London’s Docklands. He and First Lady Michelle will later fly to France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Accompanying them on these trips will be at least 500 officials, the back-up staff, and high-tech gadgetry.

Those flying with the President will include 200 or so Secret Service personnel.

Besides, there will be the Service’s Counter-Assault Team, the White House Military Office, the White House Transportation Agency, the White House Medical Unit, the Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron, the State Department Presidential Travel Support Service, the US Information Agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Customs Service.

Even the chefs and ancillary staff who prepare the presidential nosh will also fly with Obama.

First Lady Michelle will be assisted by eight staff, including a secretary, press officer and her personal bodyguards.

“America is still the sole superpower. And the President must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, anytime. When the President travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats,” the Mirror quoted an official as saying, while justifying this vast production.

Also flying with Obama will be Reggie Love, whom the President describes as “the kid brother I never had”.

The 27-year-old personal aide works out with Obama at the start of the day, and they often unwind at the end of the day by watching TV sports.

Love is also on hand if Obama needs pens, Nicorette gum, toothbrushes, breath freshners, throat lozenges, water, tea and aspirins. (ANI)

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Top official abducted in Pakistan’s Swat Valley

February 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mingora (Pakistan), Feb 22 (IANS) Suspected Taliban militants Sunday abducted a top government administrator and six guards in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, officials said.

District administrator Khushal Khan was going in his car to Mingora, the main town of Swat, when he was abducted by the suspected militants, The News reported.

The abductors have also kidnapped six of Khan’s bodyguards who were accompanying the official.

Khan was transferred to Swat only two days ago.

The kidnappings have dealt a blow to the peace efforts in the region, as the government and Taliban militants have pledged a ceasefire in the region.

Pakistani authorities last Monday entered into a deal with Taliban militia to restore sharia, or Islamic law, for peace in Swat, a idyllic valley where Pakistani military has been engaged in an unending war with Islamist militants.

A journalist working for a local television channel and newspaper was abducted and killed Wednesday as he covered a ‘peace march’, led by radical cleric Maulana Sufi Mohammad who was freed by the government to negotiate peace with Taliban militants.

Last Sunday, Islamist militants announced a 10-day ceasefire in the valley as a ‘goodwill gesture’ towards the peace talks.

Pakistan said Saturday the government and the militants have agreed to a ‘permanent truce’, but a Taliban commander said their ceasefire would be reviewed on its expiry Wednesday.
Indo Asian News Service

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Colin Firth’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ portrait expected to fetch £7k at auction

January 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, January 8 (ANI): An oil painting of Colin Firth, posing as character Darcy from the BBC period adaptation of the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, is expected to fetch 7,000 pounds at an auction.

The oil painting, which appears in the fourth episode of the series, is set to be auctioned on January 21 in Bonhams Gentlemans Library Sale.

Accompanying the canvas, whose artist remains unknown, would also be a letter signed by the actor himself, reports the Telegraph.

The letter reads: “The painting was basically a bit part player in episode 4 of the BBCs 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice. Looking at him now I would say he has weathered better than most of us. In fact, he is the only character you can meet in person who looks precisely as he did the day he was filmed.

“Whatever you think of him today, you can consider yourselves fortunate to have been spared his earliest incarnation. Mr Darcy mark 1 came across as a shabby, insubstantial, derelict looking actor.” (ANI)

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Arsenal may sign Russia’s Arshavin for 10 million pounds

January 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan.7 (ANI): Arsene Wenger-coached Arsenal football club is on the verge of signing Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin for 10 million pounds.

The 27-year-old Russian playmaker is in London for talks with Gunners chiefs at the Landmark Hotel. His wife Yulia is accompanying him.

Wenger is ready to offer Arshavin a three-year deal as his club Zenit St Petersburg concede they can no longer command the unrealistic 20 million pound they had been demanding with the player’s desperation to quit the club so well documented.

Arshavin has even threatened to buy himself out of his contract earlier this week because Zenit wanted so much for him even though he is not eligible for the latter stages of the Champions League.

The Mirror quoted Arshavin’s agent Dennis Lachter as saying: “It’s like that famous movie ‘show me the money’ (Jerry Maguire). It’s just like that. The appetite of Zenit is huge. If they realize times have changed then the Andrei move (to Arsenal) could be very possible.”

Signing Arshavin will finally appease frustrated Arsenal fans who had been angered by Wenger’s stubborn loyalty to his youngsters and his refusal to dip into the millions available to him at the Emirates. (ANI)

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US troops to stay longer in Iraq as support

December 14, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Balad (Iraq), Dec.14 (ANI): The top American commander in Iraq has said that some soldiers would remain in a support role in cities beyond summer 2009, when a new security agreement calls for the removal of American combat troops from urban areas.

General Ray Odierno said American troops would remain at numerous security outposts in order to help support and train Iraqi forces.

“We believe that’s part of our transition teams,” he told reporters in Balad while accompanying Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who arrived on an unannounced trip Saturday.

General Odierno declined to say how many American troops might remain in Iraqi cities past the summer and said the number still remained to be negotiated with the Iraqi government under the terms of the so-called status of forces agreement.

“But what I would say is we’ll maintain our very close partnership with the Iraqi security forces throughout Iraq even after the summer,” the New York Times quoted him, as saying.

Later on Saturday, a spokesman for General Odierno, Lt. Col. James Hutton, reiterated that the soldiers staying in cities would not be combat forces but rather “enablers,” who would provide services like medical care, air traffic control and helicopter support that the Iraqis cannot perform themselves. (ANI)

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