President Obama is scheduled to deliver a major speech today on the Middle East - his first big response to the recent revolts across the Arab world.
He also plans to outline a $1 billion aid package to Egypt to help the new Egyptian government create jobs.
The President is also expected to use the address to defend new U.S. sanctions put in place yesterday against Syrian President Bashar Assad and his top aides. In a letter to Congress, the President called the sanctions a response to the violence against the pro-democracy protesters in Syria.