White House news

• U.S. Congress invites Netanyahu for Iran speech, Obama blindsided

  21-01-2015 23:44
  
  By Patricia Zengerle and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress on Iran without consulting President Barack Obama, and the White House questioned whether protocol had been violated. Setting up a diplomatic showdown on an issue that has sharply divided Obama and congressional Republicans, Boehner announced the invitation the day after Obama pledged in his State of
  
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• New Democrats in U.S. Congress join trade opponents

  21-01-2015 23:06
  
  More than half the new Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. Congress have signed a letter opposing the White House's request for authority to fast-track trade deals and an ambitious Pacific trade pact. Nine of the 16 new Democrats in the House of Representatives wrote to President Barack Obama on Wednesday to express "serious concerns" about fast-track, which limits Congress to a yes-or-no vote on trade agreements in exchange for setting negotiating objectives. "Our constituents sent us to Congress
  
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• Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi to join U.S. delegation to India

  21-01-2015 22:50
  
  First Lady Michelle Obama will join President Barack Obama on his trip to India next week for Republic Day celebrations where they will be the guests of honor, White House officials confirmed on Wednesday. Obama has been trying to foster closer economic and defense ties with India. He will also take with him Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Democratic Senator Mark Warner, and a host of other lawmakers, cabinet members, and business leaders, the White House said.
  
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• Yemen government agreeing to most militia demands: Kerry

  21-01-2015 21:59
  The Yemen government is accepting many demands put forward by a rebel Shiite militia in a deal to end a deadly political crisis, top US diplomat John Kerry said Wednesday. Kerry told reporters it was his understanding that the government of President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi is "going to accept if not all, most of, the objections that the Huthis had," as news of the deal emerged in Sanaa. He also revealed he would head later Wednesday to the White House for talks on the crisis which has ro
  
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• The real story of Big Block of Cheese day

  21-01-2015 21:44
  
  The White House is doing its own version of Big Block of Cheese Day on Wednesday, where citizens get to ask the administration questions about almost anything on social media. But did you know there were not one, but two, historical "big cheeses" this media event is based on?
  
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• A tale of two presidential big cheeses

  21-01-2015 21:40
  
  The White House is doing its own version of Big Block of Cheese Day on Wednesday, where citizens get to ask the administration questions about almost anything on social media. But did you know there were not one, but two, historical "big cheeses" this media event is based on?
  
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• Obama blasts Supreme Court political money ruling, activists interrupt justices

  21-01-2015 20:21
  
  By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling lifting limits on corporate spending in political campaigns has harmed American democracy, just hours after several activists staged a rare protest in the court's chambers to draw attention to the fifth anniversary of the decision. The activist group 99Rise said seven of its members were arrested in the protest after they created a commotion inside the court's chambers
  
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• Republican Rubio says will decide on White House bid in 'due time'

  21-01-2015 19:46
  
  By Amanda Becker WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said on Wednesday he was still weighing whether to run for president or put his focus on his Senate re-election campaign. Rubio, a Florida senator, is part of a crowded field of potential Republican 2016 contenders, including former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and two- time presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts. Bush, son of former President George H.W. B
  
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• U.S. Congress invites Netanyahu, Obama blindsided

  21-01-2015 19:25
  
  By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress without consulting President Barack Obama, and a White House spokesman questioned whether protocol had been violated. An Israeli official said Netanyahu, whose relationship with Obama has often been tense, was looking into the possibility of meeting with Obama when he comes to Washington to address a joint session of Cong
  
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• White House cool on Netanyahu Congress speech

  21-01-2015 18:39
  
  Washington (AFP) - The White House on Wednesday gave an icy response to news that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited to address Congress next month, suggesting it would be a departure from protocol.
  
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• Rubio tries to separate from the GOP pack as he mulls White House run

  21-01-2015 18:31
  
  Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said at a breakfast Wednesday in Washington that his decision to run for president will come in “due time” and will be independent of the choices of other potential Republican candidates about the 2016 race.
  
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• Suspected smuggler shot in gunfight at Texas border: officials

  21-01-2015 18:26
  
  A suspected smuggler in a group allegedly bringing drugs over the border from Mexico was shot on Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with a U.S. Border Patrol agent near the south Texas town of Chapeño, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. "As agents secured the narcotics load, one agent searching the area for smugglers came under fire," the office said, adding the agent returned fire and struck the suspected smuggler. The south Texas area has seen a stepped U.S. security presence since las
  
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• White House: Boehner invite to Netanyahu breach of protocol

  21-01-2015 18:22
  
  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — The White House says Republican House of Representaives Speaker John Boehner's invitation for Israel's prime minister to come to Washington is a breach of normal diplomatic protocol.
  
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• White House to 'reserve judgment' on Netanyahu visit to Congress

  21-01-2015 18:12
  
  The White House said on Tuesday that it has not yet spoken with Israeli government officials about the plans of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to address a joint meeting of Congress on Feb. 11 and reserves judgment on the visit. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said U.S. officials will reserve judgment on the visit until they hear from counterparts about Netanyahu's plans.
  
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• White House to 'reserve judgement' on Netanyahu visit to U.S. Congress

  21-01-2015 18:07
  
  The White House said on Tuesday that it has not yet spoken with Israeli government officials about the plans of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to address a joint meeting of Congress on Feb. 11 and reserves judgement on the visit. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said U.S. officials will reserve judgement on the visit until they hear from counterparts about Netanyahu's plans.
  
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• First lady promotes eating right, fitness at book reading

  21-01-2015 18:05
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama is letting children ride their bikes and walk their dogs inside the White House.
  
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• US Senate opens showdown with Obama over Iran sanctions

  21-01-2015 17:50
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are pushing to have a say about the ongoing international negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, setting up another clash between the Republican-run Congress and President Barack Obama.
  
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• Obama’s State of the Union: A Convention for Ultra Liberals

  21-01-2015 15:44
  Oh, I read the speech – as it turns out, about 30 minutes before President Barack Obama delivered it, thanks to a White House decision to release the text ahead of time. To the extent that there was any interest at all in this event outside of the Beltway and the commentariat, the key was whether Obama would acknowledge that rejection and build bridges with Republicans to find areas of compromise.
  
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• NGC’s ERP Software Helps Lord Daniel Sportswear Take It to the White House

  21-01-2015 14:30
  
  NGC® today announced that Lord Daniel Sportswear is implementing NGC’s fashion ERP solution to manage its growing specialty apparel business. Lord Daniel specializes in men’s casual wear and U.S.
  
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• New Policy Innovation Lab at the University of Utah to Host White House Event

  21-01-2015 14:05
  
  The White House has invited government, business, nonprofit organizations and academics from around the country to gather at the University of Utah’s Policy Innovation Lab to
  
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• Biden says he's hopeful GOP, Obama can score achievements

  21-01-2015 13:34
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden says he feels optimistic that the Obama White House and the Republican-run Congress can score several achievements together.
  
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• State of the Union analysis

  21-01-2015 11:01
  
  Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric is joined by a panel of experts to break down President Barack Obama's sixth State of the Union Address. Guests include Yahoo News' Chief White House Correspondent Olivier Knox, Political Columnist Matt Bai and Chief Investigative Correspondent Mike Isikoff. Additional guests include Susan Crawford, Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and independent journalist Janell Ross.
  
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• Senate opens showdown with Obama over Iran sanctions

  21-01-2015 09:46
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding the opening round of Capitol Hill's showdown with the White House over talks to prevent Iran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon.
  
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• White House jokes about Obama's 'tan suit' prior to State of the Union speech

  21-01-2015 08:17
  
  Washington, Jan 21 (ANI): Barack Obama hadn't even appeared for the 2015 State of the Union speech, but White House staffers started gossiping about his to-be-worn tan suit for the occasion. On the official Twitter feed of White House, shared that "President Obama's suiting up for the big speech" along with an image of a tan suit and the hashtag #YesWeTan.
  
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• Analysis - With few friends in Congress, Obama looks to shape next election

  21-01-2015 07:49
  
  By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's vision of a stronger and more expensive safety net for middle class and poor Americans stands little chance of becoming law this year, but it could shape the debate for the 2016 election. With his clout fast diminishing in Washington, and Republican and Democratic candidates gearing up for the White House race, Obama did his best in Tuesday's State of the Union address to set the agenda for potential successors embar
  
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• With few friends in Congress, Obama looks to shape next election

  21-01-2015 07:45
  
  By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's vision of a stronger and more expensive safety net for middle class and poor Americans stands little chance of becoming law this year, but it could shape the debate for the 2016 election. With his clout fast diminishing in Washington, and Republican and Democratic candidates gearing up for the White House race, Obama did his best in Tuesday's State of the Union address to set the agenda for potential successors embarking
  
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• Silicon Valley, new media get shoutouts in Obama's big speech

  21-01-2015 07:02
  
  U.S. President Barack Obama, whose team is famous for its social media prowess, pleased tech watchers on Tuesday with mentions of Facebook Inc's photo sharing site Instagram and other Silicon Valley companies in his State of the Union address. The White House set the digital-savvy tone before the speech even started, breaking the tradition of releasing the text of the speech to the media under embargo, and publishing it in full on a blogging website called Medium, launched in 2012 by the co
  
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• Obama's #SOTU press strategy: all of the above

  21-01-2015 06:40
  
  A policy proposal announced on Facebook. A "behind the scenes" YouTube video. A copy of the speech on Medium before it even started on TV. For this year's State of the Union, White House press ...
  
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• Obama says U.S., not China, must write trade rules

  21-01-2015 06:15
  
  President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the United States and not China must write trade rules for Asia and called on Congress to give the White House a freer hand to close trade deals. Obama, who is pushing to overcome resistance to so-called fast-track authority from within his own party as well as conservative Republicans, said if China prevailed, U.S. workers and businesses would be at a disadvantage. "That’s why I’m asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect
  
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• Hackers Took Control Of A French Newspaper’s Twitter Account And Tweeted “I’m Not Charlie”

  21-01-2015 05:55
  
  REUTERS/Charles Platiau An aerial view shows the facade of the French daily evening newspaper Le Monde offices in Paris. A group of pro-Syrian regime hackers briefly took over the Twitter account of France’s Le Monde newspaper early Wednesday, tweeting several messages including one reading “Je ne suis pas Charlie”. The tweet was a negative reference to the “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) hashtag that became a popular way of showing solidarity in the wake of this month’s Islamist at
  
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• Michelle Obama Channels 'The Good Wife' With State of the Union Outfit

  21-01-2015 05:06
  
  The First Lady channeled her inner Alicia Florrick at Tuesday’s State of the Union address. Michelle Obama was spotted wearing a grey Michael Kors suit with a zip-up top and wide shoulders, the same outfit that Julianna Marguilies' character donned on a season five episode of the hit CBS drama The Good Wife. The side-by-side image of the women spread like wildfire, especially after a tweet by MSNBC’s Andrew Mitchell. The Good Wife--and @MichelleObama?! Same outfit #nbcpolitics pic.twitt
  
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• Obama says 'shadow of crisis has passed'

  21-01-2015 04:55
  
  President Barack Obama on Tuesday declared America has turned the page on years of war and economic hardship, in a populist-tinged State of the Union address that set up the battle to succeed him. Emboldened by a stronger economy and better approval ratings, Obama called for a new chapter in US history that ushers in a fairer economy with a better shake for the middle class. He heralded the "growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production" that hav
  
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• Obama urges more funds for 'new era of medicine'

  21-01-2015 03:34
  
  US President Barack Obama on Tuesday called for the United States to lead the way toward a "new era of medicine" by boosting funds for modern medical research. During his State of the Union speech, Obama said a key area of focus should be a fast-growing field known as precision medicine, which aims to deliver the best treatment for cancer and other illnesses based on an individual's genetics. The White House said US funding toward finding and developing new antibiotics should near
  
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• White House report on strengthening privacy expected next month: speech

  21-01-2015 03:33
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will emphasize during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night that he has not forgotten the debate over Internet privacy ignited by the recent hacking of Sony Corp. "No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids," according to a text of the speech released by the White House. ...
  
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• White House releases State of Union speech online

  21-01-2015 03:20
  
  For the first time the White House released an advance copy of the president's State of the Union speech online to the public before it began Tuesday -- rather than sharing an embargoed copy with reporters. As President Barack Obama was crossing Washington to Capitol Hill to address Congress, his office sent out his script in what they said was an attempt to stimulate democratic debate beyond the political class. "There is a ritual on State of the Union night in Washington. A little be
  
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• Text of President Obama's State of the Union address

  21-01-2015 03:09
  
  Text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night, as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House:
  
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• Factbox: What Obama is proposing in State of the Union Address

  21-01-2015 03:00
  
  By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama was appearing on Tuesday night before a joint session of Congress to deliver his State of the Union address. Here are some of the initiatives he is proposing: TAX REFORM Obama calls for increasing taxes on the wealthy to help the middle class. ISLAMIC STATE Obama asks lawmakers to pass a new authorization of military force against Islamic State militants to replace powers that were given to President George W. Bush for the Iraq war.
  
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• US State of the Union 2015: Live Report

  21-01-2015 02:49
  
  Washington (AFP) - 01:43 GMT - Navy blue - The president exits the White House for the short drive to the Capitol, dressed in a dark blue suit. He was accompanied by his wife, Michelle Obama, in a gray tweed suit. - But before Obama can get down to the nitty gritty of policy proposals, he faces several minutes of protoccol, back-slapping and assorted political rigamorole. Earlier, the White House tweeted a picture of a decidedly less dressy tan suit with the hashtag #YesWeTan, teasing fashion wa
  
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• Time to 'turn the page' and help middle class, Obama to say

  21-01-2015 02:06
  
  By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will challenge a skeptical Republican-led Congress on Tuesday to back tax increases on the wealthy to help lift up middle-class Americans in a State of the Union speech that will outline his vision for his last two years in office. On foreign policy, Obama will call on lawmakers to pass a new authorization of military force against Islamic State militants to replace powers that were given to President George W. Bush to
  
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• Factbox: What to expect from Obama's State of the Union Address

  21-01-2015 01:57
  
  By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will lay out his 2015 agenda in his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. The White House has released some excerpts of the speech and has previewed several initiatives. Here is what to expect: TAX REFORM In excerpts from his speech, Obama touted the idea of "middle-class economics," saying that such policies help ensure everyone "gets their fair shot." As part of that initiative, Obama wi
  
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• Obama, Hollande discuss Paris shooting investigation in call

  21-01-2015 01:49
  
  President Barack Obama spoke to French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday about the status of the investigation into the recent deadly shootings in Paris and about supporting peaceful elections in Nigeria, the White House said. "President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to provide whatever assistance the French government needs," the White House said in a statement, referring to the investigation.
  
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• Obama to challenge Republicans to back tax hikes in big speech

  21-01-2015 00:45
  
  By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will challenge a skeptical Republican-led Congress on Tuesday to back tax increases on the wealthy to help lift up middle-class Americans in a State of the Union speech that will outline his vision for his last two years in office. According to excerpts released by the White House of his 9 p.m. EST televised speech, Obama will say it is time to convert a recent surge in the U.S. economy into improvements for the middle
  
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• Obama to say U.S. must reshape economy to help middle class: excerpts

  21-01-2015 00:36
  
  President Barack Obama will tell Americans on Tuesday that the United States must reshape its economy to help the middle class and "turn the page" on recession and war, according to excerpts of his State of the Union speech provided by the White House. “At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth," he will say, accordin
  
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• Ava DuVernay on screening 'Selma' at the White House 100 years after 'Birth of a Nation'

  21-01-2015 00:29
  
  Last week, Ava DuVernay took "Selma" to screen at the White House 100 years after "Birth of a Nation" became the first film to do so.
  
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