UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.20.08

Obama's momentum grows after two state wins.

Senator Barack Obama is surging ahead in the Democractic presidential race after winning contests in Wisconsin and Hawaii yesterday. Those wins have solidified Obama's lead over rival Senator Hillary Clinton. That makes the contests in Texas and Ohio next month must-win battles for the New York Senator. On the Republican side, John McCain widened his lead yesterday in the GOP race for the presidential nomination. The Arizona senator won victories in Wisconsin and Washington State as expected.

White House hopefuls on both sides are taking a stance on Cuba following President Fidel Castro's resignation yesterday. Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton say the U.S. should be ready to respond to reforms in that country if the new regime indicates a willingness to change. Castro's brother Raul, who's expected to take over, has raised expectations for modest reforms. But Republicans are insisting that significant benchmarks be met before there's any response from the U.S.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf says he intends to stay in office and work with the newly elected government. That's despite calls by the opposition to step down. The Pakistan People's Party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto won most national assembly seats. The party affiliated with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came in second. If those two big opposition parties form a coalition and grab the support of smaller groups and independents, they could gain the two-thirds majority needed to impeach Musharraf.

Space Shuttle Atlantis and its crew are back on the ground. The shuttles touched down earlier today after a 13-day journey to deliver a new European space station lab. NASA wanted Atlantis to return as soon as possible to clear the way for the Navy to shoot down a dying space satellite. That could happen as early as tomorrow.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.19.08

Castro resigns as president.

Fidel Castro is reportedly stepping down as president of Cuba. That's according to a letter he published in a state-run newspaper. Castro says his critical health condition is the main reason for his resignation. The 81-year-old commander in chief was treated for intestinal problems two years ago. Cuban leaders plan to elect a president in the next few days. Castro's brother, Raul, has been publicly named as his successor.

Early poll results indicate the rival party of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has won in yesterday's parliamentary election. The opposition parties of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appear to have grabbed the majority of votes. As results trickled in, thousands of ecstatic Pakistanis took to the streets, waving signs and singing. Musharraf has said he would accept the results and work with the winner to build democracy in the country.

Senator John McCain got a President's Day endorsement from former President George Bush. Bush defended the Arizona senator's conservative positions, calling any attacks on his record absurd and grossly unfair. Many conservatives oppose McCain's stance on issues like immigration and campaign finance. McCain responded to the former president's backing, saying his endorsement would help him enormously to unite the party and move forward.

For many yesterday, it was just a day off from work. But for others, it was a day to celebrate George Washington's birthday. Mount Vernon, which is home to Washington's estate, held a number of events, including tours and a wreath-laying ceremony to honor America's first president. Washington would have been 276 years old.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.18.08

Bush to present plan to boost economy.

President Bush is putting together an economic stimulus package in an effort to jump-start the sagging economy. He's scheduled to unveil his plan later today. That reportedly includes income tax breaks for people...up to $800 for individuals and $1,600 for married couples. Yesterday, Bush discussed options over the phone with lawmakers with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Those on Capitol Hill are reportedly considering smaller rebate checks and more money for the unemployed and people on food stamps.

And time may be running out for Republican presidential hopefully Fred Thompson. Thompson has reportedly admitted that a disappointing finish in tomorrow's GOP primary in South Carolina may end his chance in the race. The former Tennessee senator is hoping that a combination of his Southern roots and conservative views will lead to a breakthrough in South Carolina for his campaign. Thompson came in third in Iowa and received one percent of the vote in New Hampshire.

The CIA says Al-Qaida and followers of a tribal leader are to blame for the death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. CIA Director Michael Hayden says fighters allied with Pakistani leader Baitullah Mehsud (By-too-la May-sood), with support from Al-Qaida, plotted Bhutto's assassination. The two groups are also apparently behind the violence that threatens to destabilize Pakistan. Hayden warns that they intend to do more harm to the country in the future.

The Israeli Defense Minister has ordered that border crossings be closed that lead to and from the Gaza Strip. This comes after days of rocket firings into Israel by Palestinian militants in Gaza. More than a hundred rockets have reportedly been fired. The Israeli Army has retaliated with military strikes that have apparently killed at least two-dozen Palestinians. The border closings will block food, fuel and medicine from entering Gaza.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.08.08

Obama widens lead over Clinton in N.H.

Democrat Barack Obama has expanded his lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire as voting there began today. Obama is now 13 points ahead of Clinton in a new poll. Republican Senator John McCain also widened the gap over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. McCain is at 36 percent. Romney is at 27 percent.

The son of assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto says he intends to take on a political role in his homeland, but only after he completes his studies at Oxford University. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has three more years of school but has been appointed party chairman of the Pakistan People's Party. Zardari's mother died last month when her convoy was attacked by a gunman and a suicide bomb blast.

Two people are dead in Missouri after a rare line of tornadoes hammered the Midwest last night. In Wisconsin, at least six homes were severely damaged and cars were blown off the highway. Storms pounded the Midwest after a day of record-high temperatures across much of the country.

Kenya's president and his chief rival are agreeing to talk to end their deadly election dispute. This comes as the Kenyan opposition says up to a thousand people have been killed due to this incident. Although the government puts the death toll at 500. A U.S. envoy says the Kenyans were cheated by rigged elections.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.07.08

Barack Obama, John McCain lead in N.H.

A new poll out shows Senator Barack Obama leading over Senator Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. The state will hold its primaries tomorrow. Obama, who won last week's Iowa caucuses, stands at 39 percent. Clinton is at 29 percent. On the Republican side, Senator John McCain leads former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by a narrower margin...32 to 26 percent. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is in third place at 14 percent.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is blaming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her own assassination. Musharraf says it was her fault to stand up outside the car. Bhutto was killed last month while she was standing in an armored moving car after rallying supporters for parliamentary elections. Those elections have now been postponed. Her head was above the roof and unprotected. The cause of her death is still not clear. Musharraf says he welcomes an international investigation.

The U.S. Supreme Court is taking up the issue of lethal injection today. It will hear arguments in a death penalty case to decide whether the lethal injections used to execute criminals cause unacceptable pain. The court's ruling is expected by the end of June. It could decide if the current lethal drug combination is constitutional or whether states have to come up with alternatives that pose less risk of pain and suffering.

In sports, former major-league pitcher Roger Clemens is suing his ex-trainer for defamation over allegations of steroid use. The trainer reportedly injected Clemens with steroid and human growth hormones between 1998 and 2001. The lawsuit claims the trainer was threatened with jail if he didn't connect the pitcher to steroids. Both men are expected to testify under oath next week before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.04.08

Obama, Huckabee win in Iowa.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are now the frontrunners in the in the White House race after yesterday's caucuses in Iowa. Obama had the support of 38 percent of voters while Huckabee earned 34 percent. Falling behind Obama was John Edwards who came in second place and Senator Hillary Clinton who fell to third. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney trailed Huckabee and Fred Thompson took third place. Next week, the presidential hopefuls square off in the New Hampshire primary.

Meanwhile, two White House hopefuls are calling it quits after last night's results. Senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd are abandoning their bids for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both candidates received less than one percent in the Iowa caucuses.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is defending himself against accusations that he had a role in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Musharraf says Bhutto ignored government warnings, saying the former prime minister was informed of the threat to being at the park where she was killed last week. He also says he's not satisfied with the investigation into her death. A team of Scotland Yard investigators arrived in Islamabad today to help in the probe of her death.

There are more delays in store for space shuttle Atlantis. NASA says the shuttle will be grounded until late January, or more likely, February, to replace a suspect connector in the fuel tank. The connector is believed to be responsible for a series of launch postponements last month. NASA faces a 2010 deadline for retiring its three shuttles and completing the space station.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.10.07

Colorado police investigating links between shooting sprees.

Police are searching for clues in two deadly shooting sprees at Christian religious centers in Colorado yesterday. Five people, including a gunman, are dead. The violence began early Sunday morning when a man opened fire at the Youth with a Mission office in a Denver suburb after being denied a request to spend the night there. More than 12 hours later, a gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and opened fire. Investigators reportedly believe the incidents are related, but have no evidence yet to back that up.

The party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will participate in Pakistan's parliamentary elections next month. The party made the announcement yesterday after it failed to convince rival Benazir Bhutto to join a boycott. These had been talk of general opposition boycott after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on the country last month and dismissed independent judges. But the prospect of that has collapsed since the two largest opposition groups will now field candidates. Greater participation will make the balloting look more open, but having the opposition in the field will take away votes and seats from Musharraf's party. Musharraf has promised the elections will be "free and fair."

Nobel peace prize winner Al Gore says the U.S. presidential election campaign isn't paying attention to climate change and the environment. The former vice president made the comment when he accepted his prize earlier today. He added that if he had been president, he would have pushed climate change to the top of the agenda. Gore also called on China, who stands with the U.S. as the world's biggest carbon emitters, to make changes or stand accountable before history for failure to act.

Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has jumped from fifth place to the front of the pack in South Carolina. He comes in at 20 percent, which puts him slightly ahead of former New York Rudy Giuliani, who's at 17 percent. At a jam-packed rally in the state this weekend, Huckabee urged his audience to vote in the January 19 GOP primary, saying they need to nail something down after coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire.