Obama Warns Of Greater Darfur Crisis

By Paula Wolfson White House

10 March 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama is warning of an even greater humanitarian crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. The fate of the
people of Darfur dominated his talks at the White House with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The meeting took place just days after the International Criminal Court said it will seek the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-
Bashir for alleged war crimes.

President Obama says since then, the situation in Darfur has gotten worse.

"The Khartoum government has kicked out some of the most important non-governmental organizations that provide direct
humanitarian aid to millions of people," said President Obama.

Speaking to reporters at the end of his meeting with Ban Ki-moon, the president said too many lives have been placed at risk.

"We have a potential crisis of even greater dimensions than what we already saw," said Mr. Obama.

President Obama said it is important for the international community to send a strong unified message to Khartoum that this
growing humanitarian crisis is unacceptable.

He said the United States wants to work actively with the United Nations to help solve this crisis and put Sudan on the path to long
term peace and stability.

"It is something that we care about deeply and we are hopeful that we can make some significant progress," he said.

The president and the secretary general also discussed climate change, Afghanistan and Haiti.

Mr. Ban came to Washington from Port-au-Prince, where he urged political and economic reforms in one of the world's poorest
nations.
He said Haiti is one of many challenges now before world leaders.
"I think the year 2009 is a make or break year, full of crises on many fronts for the United Nations, for the United States and the
whole international community as a whole," said Ban Ki-moon.

This was the first formal meeting between the two men. And both stressed their determination to work together. They will meet
again in a few weeks at an international financial summit in London.

Obama Introduces First Part of US Education Reform Plan

By Kent Klein White House
10 March 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled the first part of his plan to reform the country's schools.
The initial steps would affect all levels of education.

The president is proposing an overhaul of the U.S. education system that includes extra pay for good
teachers, longer school days and years for students, and higher standards in schools across the
country.

President Barack Obama at
the 19th Annual Legislative
Conference of US Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce,
Washington, 10 Mar 2009
The president took his case for education reform to a group of Hispanic business leaders, who greeted
him with the Spanish version of his campaign slogan, "Yes We Can," "Si se puede! Si se puede!"
Mr. Obama made his first major speech on education before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
New government statistics show that one-fifth of U.S. primary school students are of Latin American
origin.

The president says it is unacceptable that American students post mediocre results on international rankings, despite having one of
the world's best-financed school systems.

"Despite resources that are unmatched anywhere in the world, we have let our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher quality
fall short, and other nations outpace us," he said.

The president says his reform agenda would improve education at all levels, from pre-school programs to universities.

While some critics say Mr. Obama should focus exclusively on the nation's economic crisis, he says the economy cannot be revived
without better schools.

"Our curriculum for eighth-graders is two full years behind top-performing countries," he said. "That is a prescription for economic
decline, and I refuse to accept that America's children cannot rise to this challenge. They can, and they must, and they will meet
higher standards in our time."
Mr. Obama said he wants to reduce the number of students who do not finish high school. U.S. Education Department statistics
show that 22 percent of Hispanic students drop out of school, far more than any other major U.S. ethnic group.
"To any student who is watching, I say this: Do not even think about dropping out of school. Do not even think about it," he said.
"As I said a couple of weeks ago, dropping out is quitting on yourself, it is quitting on your country, and it is not an option, not any
more."
Mr. Obama did not propose any new spending for education, but his $787 billion economic recovery package includes grants to local
school districts and money for modernizing schools.