The Navy announced today the newest Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo/ammunition ship (T-AKE) would be named USNS Medgar Evers.The announcement was made by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus during a Jackson State University speaking engagement in Mississippi.
Continuing the Lewis and Clark-class tradition of honoring legendary pioneers and explorers, the Navy's newest underway replenishment ship recognizes civil rights activist Medgar Evers (1925-1963) who forever changed race relations in America. At a time when our country was wrestling to end segregation and racial injustice, Evers led efforts to secure the right to vote for all African Americans and to integrate public facilities, schools, and restaurants.On June 12, 1963, the Mississippi native was assassinatedin the driveway of his home.Evers’ death prompted President John F. Kennedy to ask the Congress for a comprehensive civil rights bill.
McCain denies improper relationship with lobbyist.
Republican presidential hopeful John McCain is denying he gave special treatment to a lobbyist. Last night, the New York Times published an online piece that accuses the Arizona Senator of having a close relationship with a woman, Vicki Iseman, whose clients had business before his Senate Committee. McCain responded saying he had never done anything that would betray the public trust or make a decision that would favor a particular group. According to the paper, Iseman said she never received special treatment.
The Pentagon says it's confident that the Navy destroyed a toxic fuel tank of a dead spy satellite, eliminating a threat to people on Earth. That satellite hasn't worked properly since its launch two years ago, but has been orbiting with a full tank of toxic propellant. Without intervention, the satellite would have fallen to Earth by early March. Officials say the missile hit destroyed the satellite into small pieces of debris, which they say will burn up in the atmosphere over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will face off in a Democratic presidential debate this evening in Austin, Texas. It's the first time in three weeks that the two remaining Democratic White House hopefuls have debated. Since then, Obama has been on a winning streak, capturing 10 straight contests. That momentum has forced Clinton into a position where she must win contests in Texas and Ohio next month in order to stay in the race.
A famous piece of art that's a fixture in Washington, DC is moving to a new home. J. Seward Johnson's sculpture called "The Awakening" was disassembled yesterday at Haines Point where it sat for nearly 30 years. The five-piece, cast aluminum piece will take up residency at the National Harbor in Prince George's Country, Maryland. The statue, which had been on loan to the National Park Service, gives the impression of a bearded man rising from the ground.
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.
Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain are the frontrunners after yesterday's primaries in New Hampshire. Clinton, who finished in third place in Iowa, rebounded to the top, overcoming Senator Barack Obama. Exit polls show female and older voters gave Clinton that much-needed boost. On the Republican side, McCain easily won over second-place finisher Mitt Romney. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who was the winner of the Iowa caucuses, finished third in New Hampshire.
And a new poll out shows McCain's stance on the Iraq war and independent voters helped him win in New Hampshire. The Arizona senator is a strong supporter of President Bush's troop buildup there. Exit polls show that McCain did well with voters who put the war at the top of their agenda. He also scored high among independents, attracting 38 percent of those votes, compared to his to rival Mitt Romney who garnered 16 percent of independents.
President Bush is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories today in an attempt to forge ahead with the peace process there. However, no breakthroughs are expected in the three days of talks. The discussions follow up on an international conference Bush hosted in Annapolis, Maryland last November. In the next few days, the President will try to push Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to move ahead with promises made to try to forge a two-state accord before his term ends next January.
Iran is calling a conflict video released by the U.S. fabricated. The four-minute video shows a confrontation between the two nations, where small Iranian boats swarmed around U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf. A spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy reportedly says the tape was compiled using file pictures, and the audio had been made up. Another Iranian official downplayed the incident, saying it wasn't serious. However, the U.S. is calling the event a significant confrontation.
