White House: Poverty remains problem in U.S.
WASHINGTON – The White House says that although progress has been made in reducing poverty, government can still play a positive role in reducing hardship and increasing economic opportunity.
President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers is marking the 50th anniversary of the nation’s “War on Poverty” by releasing a progress report covering the past five decades. President Lyndon B. Johnson launched the effort in 1964.
The White House says poverty has dropped from nearly 26 percent in 1967 to 16 percent in 2012.
But the report says there’s more to be done and that government has a role.
Poison gas chemicals leave Syria, teams says
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The first batch of Syrian poison gas precursor chemicals was loaded onto a Danish cargo ship and taken out of the war-torn country Tuesday – a week later than initially planned, the United Nations announced.
The announcement that the raw materials had been loaded onto the ship at Syria’s Latakia port marked a belated but crucial step in the international operation to rid President Bashar Assad of his declared chemical weapons program by mid-year.
The most dangerous chemicals in Syria’s stockpile were supposed to have been removed from the country by Dec. 31, but poor security, bad weather and other factors meant the mission missed that deadline.
Associated Press
