Global Business News

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made his debut at United Nations headquarters on Monday as the world body's new special envoy for Haiti. Mr. Clinton has a long-time interest in the Caribbean island nation. 

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he chose former President Clinton as his special envoy for Haiti because of the efforts Mr. Clinton made on behalf of the Haitian people during his presidency and through his foundation. The former president was also chosen because of his success in mobilizing support for people in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami in East Asia in 2004.

Read more: http://globaldevelopmentnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/bill-clinton-debuts-as-new-un-special.html

Tags: Bill Clinton, Ban Ki-Moon, Haiti, UN Secretary General, Special envoy, Tsunami, East Asia, Caribbean, Haitian Government, Washington, Global Development News, 

The decision comes as many in the gay community have voiced disappointment with the president, especially after the administration filed a legal brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

(Reporting from San Francisco and Los Angeles) - Faced with growing anger among gay and lesbian supporters, President Obama is expected tonight to extend healthcare and other benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees.

His action is a significant advance for gay rights and comes days after the Obama administration sparked outrage by filing a legal brief defending the law forbidding federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Obama opposed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act during his presidential campaign.

Read more: http://globalbestpractice.blogspot.com/2009/06/obama-to-offer-benefits-to-gay-partners.html

Tags: Obama, Gay Pride Month, Bill Clinton, Defense of Marriage act, Same-Sex partners, Employee Benefits, Military, Gays in the military, Don’t ask don’t tell policy, Capitol Hill, HR, Human Capital, 

Even liberals are getting antsy about debt and government spending. Stop worrying. The deficit hawks are wrong.

By Robert Reich

It's the kind of thing I expect to hear from deficit hawks and chicken littles -- from the self-described "fiscally responsible" right, from the scolds Ross Perot and Pete Peterson, from my former cabinet colleague Bob Rubin. But yesterday I was shown slides developed by the putatively liberal Center for American Progress intended to make the point. And today's front page story in the New York Times, by the eminent David Leonhardt, entitled "Sea of Red Ink: How It Spread From A Puddle," puts the issue right before our progressive noses, so to speak.

The Great Debt Scare is back.

Read more: http://globaleconomicnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/great-deficit-scare-returns.html

Tags: Robert Reich, Salon, Debt, Deficit, Economics, Obama, New York times, Center For American Progress, Republicans, Democrats, GDP, Wall Street, Global Economic News, Bill Clinton, Budgets,