Tony Blair stepping down
- 00:01:53
- YouTube
Tony Blair stepping down
Hello on this Thursday, May 10, 2007. I'm Kristin Volk with a UPI Headline Update. Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair will be stepping down next month. Blair made the announcement today in a speech to his parliamentary constituency of Sedgefield in northeast England. He said being the prime minister of Britain for 10 years is long enough for him and the country. Britain's powerful finance minister Gordon Brown is expected to succeed Blair. Aides for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales say their boss appears confident that he'll keep his job. But, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Democratic Rep. John Conyers, says it's too early to say whether that's true. The Attorney General is expected to appear before the House Judiciary Committee today concerning the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys last year. Lawmakers on both sides have said he should resign over the handling of the firings. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani plans to offer support for abortion rights in the coming days. He'll reportedly affirm his support in public forums, television appearances and interviews, despite potential negative consequences for his campaign. The former mayor is planning to focus on states such as California, New Jersey and New York, which are scheduled to hold elections in February. Those states are expected to be more receptive than Iowa and South Carolina to a pro-abortion rights message. A U.S. government official is blaming Venezuela for its lack of effort in combating drug trafficking. U.S. deputy secretary of state John Negroponte made the announcement this week in Columbia as part of a four-nation tour of the region. Negroponte says Columbia is concerned about the amount of cocaine allegedly transported through Venezuela. Columbia is the world's largest producer of cocaine. Thanks for watching today's new headline. Check out upi.com tomorrow for our weekly wrap-up from the White House.
YouTube | May 10, 2007
