2 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 29, 2006 NATION/WORLD Bush's chief of staff resigyns Budget director will replace Andy Card in what may be a larger staff reorganization WASHINGTON (AP) - White House chief of staff Andy Card has resigned and will be replaced by budget director Joshua Bolten, Presi- dent Bush announced yesterday amid growing calls for a White House shakeup and Republican concern about Bush's tumbling poll ratings. Though there was no immediate indication of other changes afoot, the White House did not close the door on a broader staff reorganiza- tion. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bolten will have the authority to make person- nel shifts if he deems them neces- sary, and he declined to say whether top aides, such as the two current deputy chiefs of staff, Joe Haginaand Karl Rove, would remain in place. "All of us serve at the pleasure of the president; McClellan said. "It's pre- mature to talk about any future deci- sions that may or may not be made." Bush announced the changes in a nationally broadcast appearance in the Oval Office. "I have relied on Andy's wise coun- sel, his calm in crisis, his absolute integrity and his tireless commitment to public service," Bush said. "The next three years will demand much of those who serve our country. We have a global war to fight and win." Card, 58, stood stoically with his hands by his sides as Bush lauded his years of service through the Sept. 11 attacks, war and legislative and eco- nomic challenges. Gripping the podi- um, Card said in his farewell: "You're a good man, Mr. President." Card's eyes were watery. Card said he looks forward to just being Bush's friend. Bush then gave him five quick slaps on the back and the two walked out of the Oval Office together. The president called Bolten, 51, a man with broad experience, both on Wall Street and in Washington, including the last three years as direc- tor of the Office of Management and Budget. Alarmed by Bush's declining approval ratings and unhappiness about the war in Iraq, Republicans have been urging the president to bring in new advisers with fresh ideas and energy. Bolten has been with Bush since his first campaign for the White House. "The good news is the administra- tion has finally realized it needs to change its ways, but the problems go far deeper than one staffer," said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) "Simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic by replacing Andy Card with Josh Bolten without a dramatic change in policy will not right this ship." NEWS IN BRIEF., NFAl.Nv F ~ i U~ROM~ai ARCM T1NLn hUMNF WORT nh~ ti. .; 3MW 7EC Z -JU1E wwm - lWiJ5 WUU n"wIzNu wm * UWUAU I wm , ° _ . .-- i i. i r .. . -° PARIS Protesters shut down the Eiffel Tower More than 1 million people poured into the streets across France and strikers disrupted air, rail and bus travel yesterday - even shutting down the Eiffel Tower - in the largest nationwide protest over a youth labor law. Scattered violence erupted in Paris, and riot police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse several thousand youths who pelted them with stones and bottles after an otherwise peaceful march. Police made 787 arrests around the country - 488 of them in Paris, National Police Chief Michel Gaudin told The Associated Press. Injuries in the capital were tallied at 46 demonstrators and nine police officers. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy later invited some 200 police officers, some still wearing their protective gear, to the Interior Ministry for wine and snacks. "I'm proud of you," he said. "Mission accomplished." Unions and the leftist opposition joined in solidarity with the angry students for the one-day strike, increasing the pressure on Prime Minister Dominique de Vil- lepin to withdraw the measure that makes it easier to fire young workers. KABUL, Afghanistan Christian convert disappears after release An Afghan man who had faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity quickly vanished yesterday after he was released from prison, apparently out of fear for his life with Muslim clerics still demand- ing his death. The United Nations said it is working to find a country willing to grant asy- lum to Abdul Rahman, who has appealed to leave Afghanistan. Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini will ask his government to accept Rahman, the Ital- ian government said in a statement. AP PHOTO Rahman, 41, was released from the high-security Policharki prison on the outskirts of Kabul late yesterday, Afghan Justice Minister Mohammed Sarwar ctions. Danish told The Associated Press. "We released him last night because the prosecutors told us to," he said. "His family was there when he was freed, but I don't know where he was taken." 0 Israeli acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, second from left, waves to supporters as he Is surrounded by bodyguards as he celebrates the results of the Kadima party, founded by ailing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in yesterday's Israeli general ele Kadima Party claims victory in Israeli electic >n Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert likely to need coalition to help draw Israel's final borders JERUSALEM (AP) - Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared victory for his centrist Kadima party in Israel's elections yesterday, vowing to act on his own if nec- essary to draw Israel's final borders and "painfully" uproot Jewish settlers if negotiations with the Palestinians are not possible. Standing below a massive portrait of his mentor Ariel Sharon, Olmert addressed chanting Kadima members after exit polls and media reports of early results predicted the party would have enough seats in parliament to form a rul- ing coalition. Building on the vision of Sharon, who formed the party shortly before succumbing to a devastating stroke that left him in a coma, Olmert claimed a mandate to withdraw from much of the West Bank and set Israel's borders, which he has said he will do by 2010. The turnout was the lowest in Israel's history, and the results showed voters turning away from conventional political parties to an assortment of third parties with agendas ranging from pensioner rights to the legalization of marijuana. The aftermath will likely be a period of dif- ficult negotiations between Olmert and potential coalition partners. "Today, Israeli democracy has spoken its piece, in a loud and clear voice," Olmert declared. "Israel wants Kadima," which means forward in Hebrew. Olmert said he was ready for new peace talks and was prepared to make painful compromises such as uprooting some Jewish settlements in the West Bank and allowing Palestinians to have a state. But he demanded that the Pal- estinians be willing to compromise in return. "In the coming period, we will move to set the final borders of the state of Israel, a Jewish state with a Jewish majority," Olmert said. "We will try to achieve this in an agreement with the Palestinians." Olmert has said he would govern only with parties that accept his program, and projections showed a center-left coalition capturing 61 to 65 seats in the 120-member par- liament. The hawkish parties fell far short of their plan to win enough seats to block Olmert's program. As Israel held its election, the Palestinian parliament approved a new Cabinet led by the Hamas militant group. Incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told AI-Jazeera television that he opposed Olmert's plan. "Such a plan definitely won't be accepted by the Palestinian peo- ple or the Palestinian government," he said. Allies of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a mod- erate from the Fatah Party, called for immediately renew- ing talks on the internationally backed "road map" peace plan under the auspices of the Palestine Liberation Organi- zation, which he heads. Olmert has said he supports the road map but will not wait indefinitely for a peace deal and would move unilater- ally after a reasonable period of time. Turning to the Palestinians, Olmert said: "We are pre- pared to compromise, give up parts of our beloved land of Israel, remove, painfully, Jews who live there, to allow you the conditions to achieve your hopes and to live in a state in peace and quiet." "The time has come for the Palestinians ... to relate to the existence of the state of Israel, to accept only part of their dream, to stop terror, to accept democracy and accept compromise and peace with us," he said. Israeli officials have ruled out talks with Hamas unless the Islamic group renounces violence and accepts Israel's right to exist, demands llamas has so far rejected.It remains unclear whether Olmert would negotiate with Abbas with- out a change in Hamas' position. With results in from 94 percent of the polling stations, Kadima was winning 29 seats, Labor 20 and Likud 12. That was in line with TV projections which showed Kad- ima winning 29 to 32 seats, fewer than the 34 projected in recent polls. "Kadima has won today. The next prime minister is Ehud Olmert," said Roni Bar-On, a Kadima leg- islator. The leader of the largest party is traditionally asked first to try to form a ruling coalition. Whether Olmert chooses to form a government with dovish parties or more hardline factions could determine his ability to carry out his plan. Olmert could form a coalition with Labor, the dovish Meretz and the party that advocates pensions for retirees, or he could add the ultra-Orthodox Shas or United Torah Judaism parties to his government. WASHINGTON Bernanke: Interest rates will continue to rise Ben Bernanke, sticking with the Federal Reserve's playbook in his first meeting as chairman, boosted borrowing costs to a five-year high and hinted that an addi- tional interest rate increase could be in store. Wrapping up a two-day meeting yesterday, Bernanke and his Fed colleagues struck a mostly positive tone, saying the economy "rebounded strongly" in the January-to-March quarter from an end-of-year lull. But Fed policymakers raised concerns about the potential for inflation to flare up. On Wall Street, stocks tumbled as investors expressed disappointment that more rate increases could be in the offing. The Dow Jones industrials lost 95.57 points to close at 11,154.54. WASHINGTON President Reagan's defense secretary dies Caspar Weinberger, who oversaw the Pentagon's biggest peacetime spending increase as President Reagan's defense secretary and later was indicted for his role in the Iran-Contra affair, died yesterday. He was 88. Weinberger had been hospitalized in Bangor, Maine, with a high fever and pneu- monia brought on by his age, according to his son, Caspar Weinberger Jr. President Bush called him "an American statesman and a dedicated public ser- vant" who strengthened the military and helped end the Cold War. "This good man made many contributions to our nation," the president said in a statement. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, "He left the U.S. armed forces stron- ger, our country safer and the world more free" - Compiled from Daily wire reports CORRECTIONS Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@mihigandaily.com. 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com 01 DoNN M. 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