Nation in brief: Blair House guest Howard honored

America’s most inconvenient houseguest received the presidential medal of freedom Tuesday during a White House ceremony.

Former Australian prime minister John Howard accepted America’s highest civilian honor after spending the night at Blair House – edging out President-elect Barack Obama for that lodging. The 119-room mansion across from the White House serves as an official presidential guesthouse.

Howard, a staunch supporter of President Bush criticized by his political opponents for sending Australian troops to Iraq, was soundly defeated for reelection in 2007. Bush called Howard “a sturdy friend in time of need.”

Most recently, though, Howard’s stay at Blair House caused a stir here and in his home country. Obama and his family had hoped to stay at the mansion prior to his inauguration so the Obama girls could start school. The Bush administration declined the request, saying the mansion was taken. It later was revealed that Howard and his wife were the only overnight guests during the period the Obamas wanted to stay at the mansion. The Obamas opted to stay at the Hay-Adams Hotel until they move into Blair House on Thursday.

Bush also gave medals Tuesday to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who resigned after being criticized for his support of the war in the Iraq, and to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

Atlanta

Chlamydia, syphilis infections increase

Rates of the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia are climbing in the U.S., and rates of syphilis – once on the verge of elimination – rose for the seventh consecutive year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday in its annual report on STDs.

Gonorrhea rates did not increase, but they ceased falling a decade ago, frustrating goals set by public health leaders.

Chlamydia infections in the United States now top 1.1 million, the highest since records for this infection began and the most for any STD that doctors are required to report, according to the 2007 data, the latest available.

Cases of gonorrhea, which peaked in the 1970s at about 1 million then dropped for years, remain flat at 355,991, according to the CDC report.

More alarming is the continued rise of syphilis, a still rare but more serious STD. Reported cases of syphilis rose in 2007 to 11,466, or 3.8 cases per 100,000 people. That is a 15 percent increase from 2006.