UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.04.08

Bush send Congress $3.1 trillion budget.

Congress received a $3.1 trillion budget from President Bush earlier today. The proposal, for the 2009 fiscal year, would provide a big boost in defense spending and protect his signature tax cuts. It would save in the area of government health care, by slowing the growth of Medicare and Medicaid. However, Bush's spending blueprint would still generate huge budget deficits...about $400 billion for this year and next. Democrats attacked his plan saying the budget leads to more deficit, debt, tax cuts and more cutbacks in critical services.

A new poll shows Senator Hillary Clinton losing ground to Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. This comes on the eve of the critical Super Tuesday nominating contests. The two are now virtually tied, which indicates the New York Senator has lost a comfortable lead nationally that she's held for months. Analysts say endorsements from Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver, and Caroline Kennedy has given Obama a lot of momentum in this campaign. On the Republican side, the survey shows Arizona senator John McCain as the clear Republican front-runner.

One person is dead following a suicide blast earlier today at an Israeli shopping center.
Eleven others are wounded. An Israeli police officer may have prevented a second suicide bombing from happening in the same place when the officer shot a man wearing an explosives belt. That man had been knocked down by the initial blast. A number of Palestinian militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack was the first in Israel in more than a year.

And the New York Giants scored a last-minute touchdown over the New England Patriots to win last night's Super Bowl, 17 to 14. The upset shattered the Patriots' hope of becoming the first team since 1972 to complete a National Football League season undefeated. The win gives New York its first NFL title since 1991. Giants' quarterback Eli Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player, a year after his brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, took the same honor.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.29.08

Bush talks about economy, Iraq war in speech.

President Bush used his last State of the Union speech to call for a boost in the uncertain economy. He also spoke about recent progress in the Iraq war. In his address to the nation last night, he called on lawmakers to pass an economic stimulus plan quickly. Bush also said he would cut or eliminate more than 150 wasteful government programs in his budget for 2009, saving $18 billion. And he demanded Congress to rein in pork barrel spending, which is money for special projects often slipped into bills at the last minute.

Arizona Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are neck in neck in the Republican primary as Florida voters head to the polls today. If McCain wins the state, his status as front-runner will be sealed. If Romney wins, the race for the GOP presidential nomination is anyone's game. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who's concentrated his campaign in the Sunshine state, is reportedly trailing behind both McCain and Romney.

Senator Edward Kennedy says he and the Clintons will remain friends despite his endorsement yesterday of Senator Barack Obama for president. Kennedy says he doesn't harbor any ill feelings toward his old friends, Hillary and Bill. Senator Hillary Clinton is Obama's chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination. At a rally yesterday, Kennedy said Illinois senator's ready to be president on day one.

And Bill Gates signed an agreement with the city of Paris today to form a digital partnership. That means the founder of Microsoft's foundation will train the unemployed in computers and give advice about starting-up the partnership. They'll also support corporations that develop software solutions to help protect the environment.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.28.08

Bush to announce earmark changes tonight.

President Bush is expected to announce big changes tonight in the way lawmakers earmark money for their own special projects. Bush will deliver his last State of the Union address as president this evening to the nation. He'll reportedly sign an executive order tomorrow that says Congress should debate spending items in the open and hold a public vote. Besides the issue of earmarks, the President is expected to talk about Iraq, the economy, permanent extensions of his tax cuts and free-trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama.

Lebanon is declaring a day of mourning today after eight people were killed overnight in anti-government rioting. Dozens of others were wounded. The violence happened in Beirut's mostly Shi'ite southern suburbs. Demonstrators reportedly took to the streets, setting fire to vehicles, to protest cuts in electricity. However, Lebanon's pro-Western government accuses protestors of deliberately trying to create violence.

Five U.S. soldiers are dead following a roadside bomb attack in Iraq. Today's incident in the northern city of Mosul was one of the deadliest attacks against U.S. troops in months. The U.S. military says Al Qaeda has regrouped in northern provinces after being driven away from western areas like Anbar and from around Baghdad during security crackdowns.

Senator Edward Kennedy will endorse Senator Barack Obama for president. Kennedy reportedly intends to announce his support for the Illinois senator later today. His niece, Caroline Kennedy, who's daughter of the late president, has already endorsed Obama. She wrote in the New York Times saying the first-time senator seems to be able to inspire people the way her father did a half century ago.