SAN ANTONIO, March 2 (UPI) -- U.S. ethanol producers announced the formation of a new industry group and new leadership at another during their recent annual conference in Texas.

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Public policy is about taking risks. It is also about taking a stand. Some remarkable people stood out for me in 2008.

HOUSTON, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Former President George H.W. Bush entered the room from the right front of the stage, with former first lady Barbara Bush close behind. "Do I know you?" she said to me with a Cheshire cat grin as she walked by and sat within earshot and kitty-corner at the neighboring table. "We met in Prague some years ago, ma'am," I said. "Beautiful," she said. "We'll have to talk." And she sat down. It was the gala of the American Friends of the Czech Republic at Houston's venerable J.W. Marriott hotel last week.

DENVER, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. presidential election season and political conventions are bizarre animals. Europeans and non-Americans in general marvel at and are intimidated by the frenetic activity, a mixture of glitz and shtick. It is loud. It is crazy -- what can only be described as typical Americana.

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- It has been two weeks since Barack Obama's visit to Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The senator had nearly completely favorable media coverage. I wondered what those behind the scenes feel about his visit.

OXFORD, England, July 3 (UPI) -- Gen. Wesley Clark is uniquely qualified to dissect the record of Sen. John McCain. He served in the U.S. military for 38 years. He was supreme allied commander Europe, a Rhodes Scholar and valedictorian. Presidents need advisers who will tell them what they must know, not what they want to hear.

WASHINGTON, June 30 (UPI) -- Left- and right-wing political commentators are tackling a subject moderate Democrats and Republicans won't touch: U.S. Sen. John McCain's military record.

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- Sen. Barack Obama may play it safe and sensible at the same time and choose Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sibelius or Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as his running mate.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (UPI) -- It is unlikely Hillary Clinton will join Barack Obama as the presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee's running mate, The Wall Street Journal reported.