BELGIUM–(ENEWSPF)–4 December 2012.  NATO Allies stand in full solidarity with Turkey and will show their determination to defend their Ally and deter any threats, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said ahead of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday. The situation along NATO’s south-eastern border is of grave[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012 – 4:21 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Please have a seat.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Everybody, please have a seat.  (Applause.)  Thank you. Well, good afternoon everybody.  It is wonderful to be[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012 – 12:39 P.M. EST MR. CARNEY:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Thanks for being here.  It’s Monday, so there’s that.  (Laughter.)  But it’s also practically 70 degrees outside in December. Q    — psyched golfers. MR. CARNEY:  Exactly. Q    Can we have the briefing outside?  (Laughter.)  MR. CARNEY:  Everybody[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—December 3, 2012.  The Republican letter released today does not meet the test of balance. In fact, it actually promises to lower rates for the wealthy and sticks the middle class with the bill. Their plan includes nothing new and provides no details on which deductions they would eliminate,[Read More…]

Washington–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012.  In a letter sent to President Obama today, House Republican leaders made a new offer to avert the fiscal cliff centered around a middle ground approach first presented to Congress last year by President Clinton’s former White House chief of staff, Erskine Bowles.  The Bowles plan, presented in 2011[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012 – 3:05 P.M. EST PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, I want to welcome Prime Minister Borisov to the White House, and his delegation from Bulgaria.  I have to say at the outset that Bulgaria has proven to be one of our most outstanding NATO allies.  Obviously, there are[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012. Index for Today’s Briefing SYRIA/CZECH REPUBLIC Chemical Weapons / U.S. Monitoring Situation Closely Secretary Clinton’s Remarks in Prague / Czechs Play a Leading Role SYRIA Security Environment in Syria / Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) U.S. Continues to Monitor Movement of Chemical Weapons Assad Regime / Syrian[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012. Japan’s Regulator Examines Fissure Near Tsuruga Plant Industry/Regulatory/Political Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority last week began examining a fissure beneath Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tsuruga nuclear energy facility in Fukui prefecture to determine whether it is associated with a nearby active fault. NRA officials investigated samples of[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012 – 3:00 PM EST. Highlights: Beginning November 7th, a Nor’easter impacted the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast with strong winds, rain or snow, and coastal flooding. At 8:00 pm EDT October 29, the National Hurricane Center reported Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City, NJ as a post tropical[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2012. Tomorrow Alan Gross will begin his fourth year of unjustified imprisonment in Cuba. He was arrested on December 3, 2009 and later given a 15-year prison sentence by Cuban authorities for simply facilitating communications between Cuba’s Jewish community and the rest of the world. Mr. Gross[Read More…]