בוש;אמעריקענר זענען עדיקטעט צו אויל

Jan 31 5:30 PM US/Eastern

AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON President Bush, in a push to take charge of the election-year agenda, is expected to say Tuesday that "America is addicted to oil" and must break its dependence on foreign suppliers in unstable parts of the world. In his State of the Union address, Bush also is expected to renew his commitment to the central pledge of his inaugural address. "Our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal _ we seek the end of tyranny in our world," he plans to say. "The future security of America depends on it." Excerpts were released in advance of the 9 p.m. EST speech.

Activist Cindy Sheehan Arrested at Capitol Jan 31 9:50 PM US/Eastern [envelope] Email this story By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said. Sheehan, who had been invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. Sheehan was taken in handcuffs to police headquarters a few blocks away and her case was processed as Bush spoke. Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said. Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said. "I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq." Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech _ Gallery 5, seat 7, row A _ earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group pushing for an end to the Iraq war. Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

opec logoThe Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Wednesday warned that President George W. Bushs proposal to reduce US dependence on Middle Eastern oil could badly jeopardise needed investment in Gulf oil production and refining capacity.

Opec delegates and officials said the group planned to make this point in its as yet unpublished commentary in the cartels January bulletin next week. Speaking after Mr Bushs Tuesday night State of the Union address, Edmund Daukoru, Nigerias energy minister and president of Opec, said: We do believe that energy issues cannot be handled in a unilateral way; we all have to work together towards global energy security. Privately, Opec officials were more direct in warnings about Mr Bushs declared intention to reduce Americas dependence on Middle East oil by 75 per cent by 2025. But they emphasised Opec would avoid a confrontational tone in its commentary.

Bush misfires in drive to end oil addiction