Free Republic

LANDOVER, Md. – Pressing his energy policy goals, President Barack Obama on Friday prodded large companies to modernize their shipping fleets with more fuel efficient vehicles, improvements that he said would reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil and cut down business overhead costs in the long term. The president ventured to suburban Maryland and toured a UPS shipping facility, where he examined all-electric as well as hybrid vehicles used by companies such as AT&T, Verizon and PepsiCo. Obama launched a new public-private partnership designed to help large commercial fleets cut back on their diesel and gasoline use.

LIMA, Peru - It was an elegant beauty pageant lineup _ especially for a Peruvian prison _ where contestants showed poise on the catwalk and patience awaiting sentencing.

JIUQUAN, China - Rising space power China provided a rare peek into its top-secret launch center Wednesday, capitalizing on its recent success in orbit to promote the military-funded project as a lure for foreign investment and a key to growing prosperity. A police car with flashing lights led busloads of international journalists across northwestern China's vast Gobi Desert to the Jiuquan space center, past armored patrol vehicles and a sign, in English: "Foreigners are not allowed to enter without permission." It was the first time China let foreigners enter, though officials forbade photographs of the command-and-control center with its rows...