White House news

• Oil train accident brings calls for tougher U.S. safety rules

  17-02-2015 23:20
  
  By Patrick Rucker WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fiery oil train derailment in West Virginia this week exposes lax safety standards and strengthens the case for tougher U.S. rules governing such shipments, safety advocates said on Tuesday. This month, the U.S. Department of Transportation sent a safety plan to the White House for final review. The American Petroleum Institute and Association of American Railroads have worked together on oil train safety and are eager to see the final safety plan, a sp
  
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• Obama says disagrees with Texas judge's immigration ruling

  17-02-2015 22:58
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he disagreed with a Texas judge's ruling to block executive actions that shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation and said he believed the issue would be resolved in the White House's favor. "With respect to the ruling ... I disagree with it," Obama told reporters in the Oval Office. "I think the law is on our side and history is on our side." (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Sandra Male
  
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• A beaming White House summit on 'extremism'

  17-02-2015 22:42
  
  A key tactic of President Obama’s campaign against Islamic State has been to reframe how the world views the group. He speaks mainly of IS in terms of what it is not (“un-Islamic”) or simply by what it does (“violent extremism” and oppression). This painting of IS as a void of humanity rather than a voice of Islam lies at the heart of this week’s White House summit on countering “violent extremism.” Officials from some 60 nations have gathered to devise new ways of preventing IS
  
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• Oil train accident brings calls for tougher safety rules

  17-02-2015 22:38
  
  By Patrick Rucker WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fiery oil train derailment in West Virginia this week exposes lax safety standards and strengthens the case for tougher U.S. rules governing such shipments, safety advocates said on Tuesday. "These incidents are making the case for us," said Karen Darch, mayor of Barrington, Illinois. This month, the U.S. Department of Transportation sent a safety plan to the White House for final review.     That proposal would have oil trains fitted with
  
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• White House puts immigration plans on hold after ruling

  17-02-2015 22:31
  
  The Obama administration put its new deportation-relief program on hold Tuesday on the eve of its launch, complying reluctantly with a federal judge's order that roiled immigrant communities nationwide ...
  
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• White House considering oil train safety upgrades

  17-02-2015 21:56
  
  The oil train that exploded in West Virginia met the industry's voluntary 2011 safety standards, but a growing number of accidents has the Obama administration considering tougher rules for tank cars. A look at what's rolling on U.S. rails:
  
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• More than force needed to fight extremism: US

  17-02-2015 21:52
  
  Washington (AFP) - US Vice President Joe Biden opened a high-profile meeting on global extremism Tuesday by facing down critics who say the White House should focus on defeating it militarily.
  
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• Biden: Including immigrants key to stopping extremism in US

  17-02-2015 21:47
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States must ensure that immigrants are fully included in the fabric of American society to prevent violent ideologies from taking root at home, Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday as he opened a White House summit on countering extremism and radicalization.
  
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• Michelle Obama Should Wear Zero + Maria Cornejo F/W2015 When She Leaves the White House

  17-02-2015 21:43
  Michelle Obama Should Wear Zero + Maria Cornejo F/W2015 When She Leaves the White House Michelle Obama’s style is sophisticated, as a First Lady’s should be, but she also has a penchant for wearing undiscovered designers whose clothes fit her particular tastes and restrictions. Designers like Bibhu Mohapatra, Thakoon, Isabel Toledo, and even J. Crew have seen a boost in, if not sales, mass popularity, post-Mobama. Zero + Maria Cornejo is one of those brands who’s earned extra recognition
  
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• US, Italy agree on "close coordination" over shared challenges

  17-02-2015 21:30
  
  Washington, Feb 18 (IANS) US President Barack Obama and Italy's new President Sergio Mattarella agreed to continue "close coordination" to cope with "shared challenges." In a telephone conversation Tuesday, the two leaders reaffirmed the " deep and abiding" ties between their countries, the White House said in a statement, Xinhua reported. "They agreed that the US and Italian governments would remain in close coordination to address shared challenges," the statement said.
  
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• Judge in Texas suspends Obama's immigration orders

  17-02-2015 21:13
  
  By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's orders to shield millions of people who are in the United States illegally from deportation, backing 26 states that argued Obama had overstepped his legal authority. The White House said on Tuesday the Justice Department would appeal Monday's action by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, a city along the Texas border with Mexico. Hanen has previously iss
  
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• Verisk Analytics Attends White House Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection Summit

  17-02-2015 21:02
  
  JERSEY CITY, N.J., February 17, 2015 - Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK), a leading source of information about risk, announced that Beth Fitzgerald, president of ISO Insurance Programs and Analytic Services, ...
  
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• Biden: Assimilation key to stopping spread of extremism

  17-02-2015 20:51
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States must ensure that immigrants are fully included in the fabric of American society to prevent violent ideologies from taking root at home, Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday as he opened a White House summit on countering extremism and radicalization.
  
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• U.S. judge in Texas suspends Obama's immigration orders

  17-02-2015 20:37
  
  By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's orders to shield millions of people who are in the United States illegally from deportation, backing 26 states that argued Obama had overstepped his legal authority. The White House said on Tuesday the Justice Department would appeal Monday's action by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, a city along the Texas border with Mexico. Hanen has previously iss
  
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• Matisse the Portie takes early winning steps at Westminster

  17-02-2015 19:40
  
  Matisse the Portuguese water dog with White House connections is one step closer to the best in show title at the Westminster Kennel Club. Matisse won Tuesday in the breed judging round for the third straight year. He advances to the working group competition Tuesday night, and the champion will be picked around 11 p.m. The 3 1-2-year-old Matisse is among the top-winning show dogs of all-time and ranked No. 1 in America last year. Already in the best-of-seven final ring are old English sheepdog
  
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• Dozens of nations at US summit on violent extremism

  17-02-2015 19:09
  
  Reeling from a string of bloody terror attacks from Denmark to Libya, representatives from 60 countries will gather from Tuesday for a White House summit on combating violent extremism. The three-day meeting hosted by President Barack Obama has been in the pipeline for months, but has been given deeper significance in the wake of several similarly inspired attacks. On Sunday, a video emerged apparently showing Islamic State jihadists beheading 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya. Senior US officials
  
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• Judge in Texas blocks Obama's immigration plan

  17-02-2015 19:07
  
  By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's orders to shield millions of people who are in the United States illegally, backing 26 states that argued Obama had overstepped his legal authority. The White House said on Tuesday that the Department of Justice would appeal the action by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, a city along the Texas border with Mexico. Hanen has previously issued opinions critic
  
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• New Pentagon chief promises 'candid' advice for Obama

  17-02-2015 18:40
  
  Ashton Carter was sworn in as the new US defense secretary on Tuesday and pledged that he and the top brass would give President Barack Obama their "candid" advice on matters of war and peace. Carter took the oath of office in a ceremony presided over by Vice President Joe Biden, who said the Pentagon chief faced the task of ensuring the American military remained "second to none" and that the government meet its "sacred obligation" to take care of those who volunte
  
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• U.S. judge in Texas blocks Obama's immigration plan

  17-02-2015 18:26
  
  By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's orders to shield millions of people who are in the United States illegally, backing 26 states that argued Obama had overstepped his legal authority. The White House said on Tuesday that the Department of Justice would appeal the action by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, a city along the Texas border with Mexico. Hanen has previously issued opinions critic
  
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• Defense Secretary Carter sworn in, calls for 'better use' of tax dollars

  17-02-2015 18:23
  
  New U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden in a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday after the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted to confirm him last week. In a message to Department of Defense staff that was made public by the Pentagon, Carter said a top priority would be dealing with congressional funding limits that create "wasteful uncertainty" for defense programs.
  
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• Biden opens White House summit on violent extremism

  17-02-2015 18:23
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is opening a three-day summit at the White House aimed at countering the spread of violent extremism across the globe.
  
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• Roland Emmerich to Be Honored at GLAAD Media Awards

  17-02-2015 17:53
  
  Channing Tatum will present the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to the director of 'Stonewall' and 'White House Down' at the Los Angeles ceremony on March 21.
  
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• Obama vows to fight immigration ruling

  17-02-2015 17:37
  
  US President Barack Obama's tactic of using executive orders to bypass a hostile Congress and drive through controversial immigration reform has run into legal trouble. The states had claimed Obama's move was illegal and could oblige them to provide driving licenses and other documents at great cost. The White House called the ruling wrong, saying the president had acted within his legal authority and vowed an appeal. Obama and his Democrat allies have tried to push comprehensive immig
  
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• Here’s where President Obama dined with Elon Musk and Marc Benioff this weekend

  17-02-2015 16:44
  
  AP/Evan Vucci President Barack Obama speaks during a summit on cybersecurity and consumer protection. President Obama was in San Francisco this weekend after visiting Stanford for the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection on Friday. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Obama attended a Democratic party fundraising dinner at the Russian Hill home of tech investor Sandy Robertson, where about 60 guests paid between $10,000 and $32,000 a plate.  Obama then dined at Miche
  
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• GLAAD Honors Roland Emmerich with Kolzak Award

  17-02-2015 16:25
  
  GLAAD will honor Roland Emmerich with its Stephen F. Kolzak Award, presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality. Channing Tatum, who starred in Emmerich’s “White House Down,” will present the award to the director at the 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on March 21 at the Beverly... Read more »
  
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• U.S. judge blocks Obama plan to protect undocumented immigrants

  17-02-2015 16:24
  
  A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's plan to protect millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation, adding a new wrinkle to a debate already raging in the new, Republican-led U.S. Congress. Ruling in favor of about two dozen states opposed to the plan, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, said the administration had not complied with procedure. The White House said the Department of Justice would appeal the decision. Obama, using his exe
  
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• House Of Cards Season 3: Watch the revealing new trailer here

  17-02-2015 15:05
  
  Netflix accidentally released the third season of House of Cards a few days ago, before realizing what it has done and pulling the highly anticipated show. With less than two weeks to go until the popular TV series is supposed to actually be released, the company posted a new teaser video that offers a revealing glimpse into what the Underwoods will have to deal with this season. FROM EARLIER: House of Cards season 3 trailer just released, watch it here Called White House Portrait, and aptly pub
  
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• US to appeal ruling blocking Obama immigration plan

  17-02-2015 14:19
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department will appeal a federal judge's ruling that temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration, the White House said Tuesday.
  
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• New, Clarified FAA Rules Benefit both Makers and Users of Small 'Drones,' Adelman says.

  17-02-2015 13:32
  
  ANNAPOLIS, Md., Feb. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Newly proposed rules on the use of small, unmanned drones could bring peace of mind to farmers, researchers, real estate agents, government agencies and others who have worried they might be breaking the law by flying remote-controlled devices, said Tim Adelman, a veteran aviation attorney and head of a LeClairRyan practice group focused on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Issued by the FAA on Sunday, the proposed rules covering small UAS—which ca
  
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• Texas judge blocks Obama plan to protect undocumented immigrants

  17-02-2015 11:59
  
  (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's plan to protect millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation, an issue likely to be seized upon in the 2016 presidential campaign. Ruling in favor of about two dozen U.S. states opposed to the plan, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, said the administration had not complied with procedure. The White House said the Department of Justice would appeal the decision, which was pos
  
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• Judge delays Obama immigration order

  17-02-2015 10:55
  
  A judge in Texas has blocked US President Barack Obama's executive order providing millions of undocumented foreigners with protection from deportation. The White House quickly called the decision wrong, saying the president had acted within his legal authority and that the adminstration will appeal. The order came from Judge Andrew Hanen of the Federal District Court in Brownsville, Texas in response to a suit presented by that state and 25 other Republican governors and attorneys general,
  
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• Gov't will appeal ruling blocking Obama immigration plan

  17-02-2015 09:11
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says the Justice Department will appeal a federal judge's ruling which temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.
  
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• Obama offers condolences to victims of Copenhagen shootings

  17-02-2015 08:12
  
  Washington, Feb 17 (IANS) US President Barack Obama has offered condolences to the victims of the shootings in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Obama expressed "American solidarity" with Denmark in a telephone conversation with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt Monday, Xinhua cited from a White House statement. In the first attack Saturday, a gunman stormed into a building and opened fire at a meeting on "Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression" in which the Swedish cartoonist Lars
  
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• Obama offers condolences to Danish prime minister after Copenhagen attacks

  17-02-2015 00:42
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama called Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt to offer condolences following attacks in Copenhagen, the White House said via Twitter on Monday. Obama expressed U.S. solidarity with its Danish allies and invited Denmark to participate in a summit to counter violent extremism this week. Police in Copenhagen shot dead on Sunday the gunman suspected of carrying out attacks on a synagogue and a free speech event on Saturday that killed two peop
  
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