World at a glance
Tuesday, 11 Nov 2008 17:22
Israel partially renews fuel deliveries to Gaza Strip
George and Laura Bush received president-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle yesterday in the first significant meeting between the pair since last Tuesday's election.
The current residents of the White House, who have lived there since Mr Bush replaced Bill Clinton as president in 2001, showed the Obamas around their home-to-be.
Mr Bush and Mr Obama met for substantive talks for the first time since November 4th, hours after Mr Obama's transition chief signalled plans to reverse many Bush administration policies through executive orders.
Despite this the president described the meeting as "good, constructive, relaxed and friendly" according to White House press secretary Dana Perino.
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Zimbabwe's government has described a ruling by southern African leaders denying opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, sole control of the home affairs ministry as the "best gift the country can embrace during the festive season and the new year".
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders on Monday failed to prod president Robert Mugabe into a compromise with Mr Tsvangirai over control of the home affairs ministry, instead insisting that the two leaders co-share the ministry.
Mr Tsvangirai rejected the idea as "unworkable".
The SADC summit which was called to resolve the deadlock over the allocation of the home affairs ministry among other key ministries between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai also resolved that the country's political rivals quickly form an inclusive government.
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Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has placed the blame on George Bush for her running-mate John McCain's presidential election loss.
Amidst criticism from McCain's campaign aides blaming her for the party loss, Ms Palin's interview with Ancorage Daily News and KTUU Channel 2 in Alaska saw her defending herself against the attacks and diverting fault onto the current administration.
"I think the Republican ticket represented too much of the status quo, too much of what had gone on in these last eight years, that Americans were kind of shaking their heads like going, wait a minute, how did we run up a ten trillion dollar debt in a Republican administration?" Ms Palin said.
In the past week Ms Palin has been accused by McCain campaign aides of not knowing whether Africa was a country or a continent and not knowing who the members of NAFTA are.
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At least 31 people were killed and 71 injured during three bomb blasts in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad yesterday.
Local police are reported as saying an explosion occurred inside a car before a suicide bomber then detonated another device in the crowd of people who had gathered to help.
The blasts occurred during Monday morning rush-hour in the Kasrah section of Azamiyah, northern Baghdad.
While violence overall is significantly down in Baghdad compared to 2006 and 2007, there has been a string of bombings in Baghdad in recent weeks.
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Back in Britain, a two-minute silence took place at 11:00 GMT today to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the first world war.
Veterans Henry Allingham, 112, Harry Patch, 110, and William Stone. 108, are the only known surviving veterans of the 1914-1918 conflict living in Britain.
The trio led the remembrance service at the Cenotaph in central London this morning. Other services and ceremonies took place across the country.
At Southampton one million poppies were dropped from a Tiger Moth plane on to the QE2 liner as it sailed on its final voyage from Britain.
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England team manager Martin Johnson has recalled former captain Phil Vickery in place of prop Matt Stevens for Saturday's autumn international against Australia.
In the second of two changes to the side that eased past the Pacific Islands 39-13 at Twickenham last weekend, Tom Palmer comes into the second row in place of Nick Kennedy.
London Irish lock Kennedy misses out on the matchday 22 altogether, despite scoring a try on his first England appearance, with Simon Shaw taking Palmer's place on the bench.
However, fellow debutants Delon Armitage, Riki Flutey and Ugo Monye retain their spots at full-back, centre and on the wing, respectively.
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