Other developments

President Obama on Monday welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's endorsement of Palestinian independence, saying the development shows the "possibility we can restart serious talks."

Bending to U.S. pressure in a speech a day earlier, Netanyahu backed down on decades of opposition to Palestinian statehood by endorsing an independent state beside Israel. He invited the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world to resume peace talks. However, even as Netanyahu endorsed the notion of two states, he refused to freeze Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as the United States is demanding. And, he attached conditions that were immediately rejected by the Palestinians -- including recognition of Israel as the Jewish state, which essentially means Palestinian refugees must give up their goal of returning to Israel.

Obama on Monday appointed Kimberly Teehee as a senior policy adviser for Native American affairs, saying she will provide "a direct interface at the highest level" of his administration and will ensure a voice for American Indians as policy decisions are made. Teehee is a member of the Cherokee Nation and has worked for Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., for the past decade. Teehee will be a member of Obama's domestic policy council, which advises him and serves as a liaison with Congress.

As state media in North Korea continued to warn of possible nuclear war, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak flew to Washington for talks today with Obama. Lee is expected to seek a written promise of continued U.S. nuclear protection.

Lee and Obama will also discuss a free trade agreement. It was signed in 2007 but has not been ratified by the Senate, primarily because of concerns about U.S. imports of South Korean cars and limits in South Korea on U.S. beef imports.

NEWS SERVICES