NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

US/ GOP WANNABE'S STAGE FIRST MAJOR DEBATE: 7 Republican presidential hopefuls have attacked President Barack Obama's economic record in the 1st major debate of the 2012 campaign. The candidates for the party's nomination also focused criticism on his 2010 overhaul of the healthcare system, pledging to repeal "Obamacare". They refrained from attacking one another, preferring to hit at Obama. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is the front-runner in the field bidding to challenge Obama. The 1st Republican primary elections do not take place until February 2012. The president's handling of the economy and healthcare reform quickly drew criticism, while his policies in Afghanistan and Libya also drew fire during the debate at Saint Anselm College, in New Hampshire. Early on, Romney said Obama had "failed" America, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said a new president was needed to end what he termed "the Obama depression". Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, a favorite of the anti-tax Tea Party movement, said she had filed regulatory paperwork to enter the race officially, and criticized Obama's effort to establish a universal healthcare program. In addition, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum said Obama's regulatory policies were "oppressive", and pledged to "unshackle" business. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said Obama was a "declinist" who viewed America as "one of equals around the world". Congressman Ron Paul of Texas faulted the US Federal Reserve's anti-inflationary monetary policy for America's economic woes, while former pizza restaurant mogul Herman Cain of Georgia called for the elimination of the federal capital gains tax to stimulate job growth. When the debate turned to social issues, traditionally a key concern of Republican voters, 5 out of 7 of the candidates said they would support an amendment to the US constitution banning same-sex marriage.  Ron Paul said he opposed one, but added that governments should not be involved in marriage policy at all. Cain said individual states should be allowed to decide same-sex marriage policy on their own. Romney and Santorum said they opposed a law passed in December 2010 to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. Gingrich said that the US Army and Marine Corps overwhelmingly opposed ending the ban on gays in the military, so he too opposed doing so. However, a 2010 Pentagon survey of 115,000 service members found that 70% believed the impact on their units would be positive, mixed or of no consequence at all. (SK COMMENT: Another fine display from the GOP, the party of the straight and rich conservatives of this country. They love to say they believe in "less government". If that was true, then why can't they keep out of the bedrooms of the citizens of this country?).