Free Republic

First lady Michelle Obama attends the opening of FRESHFARM market's new farmers' market with Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass (L), a few blocks away from the White House in Washington September 17, 2009. First lady Michelle Obama bought cheese, fingerling potatoes, eggs, black kale and other items Thursday at the launch of a new farmers market blocks from the White House.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is announcing new efforts to freeze pirate booty, part of a series of diplomatic steps by the Obama administration to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. Clinton said Wednesday the administration would call for immediate meetings of an international counter-piracy task force to expand current naval coordination against pirates. The administration also will send an envoy to a Somali donors conference scheduled for next week in Brussels, and will attempt to organize meetings with officials of Somali's transitional government as well as regional leaders in Somali's semiautonomous Puntland.