White House news

• Sassy Little Girl Tells Michelle Obama She Doesn’t Look 51

  22-04-2015 23:58
  Little Girl Tells Michelle Obama She Doesn’t Look 51  For the annual invented holiday Take Your Daughter to Work Day (sorry, I mean Take Your Daughter and Sons to Work Day—three cheers for gender equality!) on April 22, the White House invited the children of staffers to a question-and-answer session with Michelle Obama.  One kid asked who’s the most interesting person MObama’s met since becoming First Lady (the Queen of England, the Pope, other monarchs, Nelson Mandela, and American r
  
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• Senate committee backs extension of aid for trade-displaced workers

  22-04-2015 23:36
  
  A committee in the U.S. Senate voted to approve aid for workers who lose their jobs due to trade, part of a package of bills key to closing a Pacific trade pact. The Senate Finance Committee voted 17 to 9 for an extension of trade adjustment assistance, which Democrats had demanded to accompany a bill to fast track trade deals through Congress. The White House has said passage of the fast-track bill is critical to nailing down the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact central to Pres
  
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• U.S. Senate committee backs extension of aid for trade-displaced workers

  22-04-2015 23:31
  
  A committee in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve aid for workers who lose their jobs due to trade, part of a package of bills key to closing a Pacific trade pact. The House Ways and Means Committee voted 17 to 9 for an extension of trade adjustment assistance, which Democrats had demanded to accompany a bill to fast track trade deals through Congress. The White House has said passage of the fast-track bill is critical to nailing down the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, a tr
  
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• Donald Trump Joins ‘Walking Dead’ Cast, Jane Fonda & Obama At White House Correspondents’ Dinner

  22-04-2015 23:24
  
  The President of the United States is the marquee name at the annual nerd prom but Barack Obama has some serious star power competition in the room at this weekend's White House Correspondents’ Dinner. With  Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong as the lead jokester, the 101st dinner of the D.C. journalist organization will see cast members of ratings blockbusters   The Walking Dead,  Modern Family, Empire and Game Of Thrones in attendance on April 25 along with a two-time…
  
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• Donald Trump Joins Obama, ‘Walking Dead’ Cast & Jane Fonda At White House Correspondents’ Dinner

  22-04-2015 23:24
  
  The President of the United States is the marquee name at the annual nerd prom but Barack Obama has some serious star power competition in the room at this weekend's White House Correspondents’ Dinner. With  Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong as the lead jokester, the 101st dinner of the D.C. journalist organization will see cast members of ratings blockbusters   The Walking Dead,  Modern Family, Empire and Game Of Thrones in attendance on April 25 along with a two-time…
  
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• Ex-Pentagon spokesman to move to State Dept

  22-04-2015 23:15
  
  A two-star naval officer and well-respected Pentagon spokesman is moving over to the State Department to brief reporters on US foreign policy and diplomatic affairs, a US official said Wednesday. Rear Admiral John Kirby, who has been the highly-visible face of the Pentagon since December 2013, is to take over as State Department spokesman from Jen Psaki, a US administration official confirmed to AFP. Psaki moved back to the White House last month as director of communications, and her deputy Mar
  
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• Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina is reportedly launching her presidential campaign in two weeks

  22-04-2015 22:14
  
  AP Photo/Jim Cole Carly Fiorina speaks at the Republican Leadership Summit Saturday, April 18, 2015, in Nashua, NH. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is set to launch her 2016 presidential campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Fiorina, a Republican, reportedly intends to officially announce her bid in a conference call on May 4. Fiorina’s candidacy is widely viewed as a bit of a long shot. Her tenure at HP earned very poor reviews and she lost her only other political c
  
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• Bill Clinton: What It Will Be Like to Have Him Back on the Campaign Trail

  22-04-2015 21:29
  
  Former President Bill Clinton has been keeping quiet when it comes to directly commenting on his wife's latest bid for the White House -- but he's starting to make more obvious hints now that she is officially two weeks into the race. You may have noticed that," he said at a Tuesday event held at his alma mater, Georgetown University. Moving past Hillary Clinton's return to the race for, what she described in her 2008 concession speech as "the highest, hardest glass ceil
  
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• Brent up on more Yemen bombing; U.S. crude dips after stock build

  22-04-2015 21:29
  
  Futures of U.K. North Sea Brent, the more globally used benchmark for crude, settled up 1 percent as warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen a day after Riyadh said it was ending air strikes against Iranian-allied Houthi rebels there. In New York, U.S. crude futures closed nearly 1 percent lower after reeling between negative and positive territory as players weighed government data that showed production declines versus higher stockpiles. Oil rallied hard and fast in the first two wee
  
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• White House hackers 'Russian speakers': researchers

  22-04-2015 21:19
  
  Hackers who penetrated the State Department and White House computer networks in recent months were "Russian speakers," security researchers said Wednesday. The hackers have aimed at high-profile targets including US government and commercial networks as well as in Germany, South Korea and Uzbekistan, according to researchers at Kaspersky Lab, a Russian-headquartered security firm. Kaspersky said CozyDuke's coding is related to similar malware MiniDuke and CosmicDuke. Kaspersky La
  
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• Streets near White House closed due to suspicious package

  22-04-2015 21:10
  
  Streets near the White House were shut down temporarily on Wednesday because of a suspicious package, but the area has since been cleared, the U.S. Secret Service said. Secret Service spokeswoman Nicole Mainor said the package was cleared at 1:20 p.m., and there were no reports of other problems. The Washington Post reported earlier on Wednesday that police were investigating a package found several blocks east of the White House at corner of 15th Street and F Street NW. The Washington police de
  
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• Jeb Bush knocks Hillary Clinton over Asia trade talks stance

  22-04-2015 20:50
  
  Republican Jeb Bush on Wednesday bashed Democratic 2016 presidential contender Hillary Clinton for voicing reservations about overseas trade talks, a rare issue on which the White House enjoys support from Republicans, with many Democrats opposed. Bush, the former Florida Governor who is also expected to jump into the presidential race, said Clinton backed foreign trade agreements as secretary of state but has grown reticent now that she is seeking the Democratic nomination. The U.S. Congress is
  
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• Streets near White House closed over suspicious package - Washington Post

  22-04-2015 20:35
  
  (Reuters) - Streets around the White House were shut down because a suspicious package, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. Police were investigating a package found several blocks east of the White House at 15th Street and F Street NW, the newspaper said. Nearby streets were closed to vehicles. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Sandra Maler)
  
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• Billionaire Kochs pull out wallets for US primaries

  22-04-2015 18:52
  
  Ultra-conservatives Charles and David Koch could spend $300 million on the 2016 US election, as they favor five Republican candidates that align with the billionaire brothers' political philosophy, one of them said. The brothers, head of the privately-held Koch Industries conglomerate, have involved themselves in American politics for years, funneling millions to conservative candidates up and down the ballot. He pointed to five Republican White House hopefuls that the Kochs could help fina
  
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• Top question for first lady? 'Can I have a hug?'

  22-04-2015 18:36
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The top question put to Michelle Obama during a question-and-answer session with the children of White House employees was "Can I have a hug?"
  
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• White House - end of Saudi military mission in Yemen opens door for negotiations

  22-04-2015 18:07
  
  ONBOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia's transition away from military operations in Yemen will open the opportunity for negotiations. White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters on Air Force One that there will be no military solution to problems in Yemen, calling for the resumption of all-party negotiations. (Reporting By Julia Edwards; Editing by Bill Trott)
  
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• Saudi-led coalition bombs Yemen despite calling off air campaign

  22-04-2015 17:39
  
  By Mohammed Ghobari Mohammed Mukhashef CAIRO/ADEN (Reuters) - Saudi-led coalition warplanes bombed Yemen on Wednesday despite an announcement by Riyadh that it was ending its campaign of air strikes, while renewed fighting erupted on the ground between rebels and forces loyal to the exiled president. The hostilities illustrated how tough it will be to find a political solution to a war stirring animosities between rival Gulf powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. Tuesday's announcement by Riyadh tha
  
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• White House seeks greater power over emergency oil stocks

  22-04-2015 17:33
  
  By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration wants greater authority from Congress to tap the emergency oil reserve to control spikes in global petroleum prices, seeking a more aggressive role for the 40-year-old stockpile. Authorized by Congress in 1975 after the Arab oil embargo, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has long been a defensive weapon to protect the U.S. economy from interruptions in crude imports from petroleum-producing countries that are not always frien
  
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• Greek markets point to exit panic but euro zone keeps its cool

  22-04-2015 16:24
  
  Greek debt markets are close to fully pricing in another default and fears that Athens might leave the euro zone have reached new heights, but there is no obvious sign that investors expect a spillover to the rest of the region. The head of Eurogroup finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the International Monetary Fund's European head, Poul Thomsen, and a White House adviser have warned in the past week that a Greek exit would lead to instability. Yet financial markets do not seem, for the mom
  
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• Oil prices edge up as Yemen concern lingers

  22-04-2015 15:37
  
  Oil prices rose on Wednesday as the Yemen conflict remained a concern despite concerns of a global supply glut after industry data showed a build in U.S. crude inventories for the 15th straight week. Prices drew support from continued fighting in Yemen, despite Saudi Arabia saying on Tuesday it was ending a month-long campaign against the Iran-allied Houthi rebels. Yemen sits on shipping lanes used to transport oil from the Arab Gulf to Europe via the Suez Canal. The White House said on Wednesda
  
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• Yemen rivals battle on despite declared end to Saudi raids

  22-04-2015 15:13
  
  By Mohammed Ghobari Mohammed Mukhashef CAIRO/ADEN (Reuters) - Rival forces fought on in Yemen on Wednesday despite a declared halt to a Saudi-led bombing campaign, showing how tough it may be to find a political solution to a war stirring animosities between rival Gulf powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. Tuesday's announcement by Riyadh that it would end almost a month of air strikes against the Iranian-allied Houthis drew positive responses from both the White House and Tehran, as well as fresh
  
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• Would-be Reagan assassin faces hearing that could expand freedom

  22-04-2015 15:05
  
  By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge begins hearings on Wednesday on whether would-be presidential assassin John Hinckley Jr. could get more time outside the mental hospital where he has lived since shooting Ronald Reagan in 1981. Hinckley, 59, has been allowed since December 2013 to leave Washington's St. Elizabeths Hospital for 17 days a month to stay with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia. Hinckley shot Reagan and three others, including White House press secreta
  
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• White House says 'job is not done' in Yemen

  22-04-2015 14:43
  
  (Adds quotes) WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - Yemen remains unstable and much more work needs to be done in the region, despite a declared halt to the Saudi-led bombing campaign in the country, the White House said on Wednesday. "Obviously, the job is not done," Jen Psaki, White House communications director, said on CNN. Tuesday's announcement by Saudi Arabia that it would end its campaign of air strikes against the Iranian-allied Houthis drew positive responses from the White House and Tehran
  
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• Pope to visit Cuba before flying on to U.S. in September: Vatican

  22-04-2015 14:28
  
  VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will visit Cuba before flying on to the United States for his visit there in September, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The stop in Cuba during a trip that will include visits to the White House, Congress and the United Nations will underline the role the Vatican played in helping restore diplomatic relations between Havana and Washington that had been frozen for more than half a century. (Reporting By Philip Pullella)
  
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• White House says "job is not done" in Yemen - CNN

  22-04-2015 14:26
  
  Yemen remains unstable and much more work needs to be done in the region, despite a declared halt to the Saudi-led bombing campaign in the country, the White House said on Wednesday. "Obviously, the job is not done," Jen Psaki, White House communications director, said on CNN. Tuesday's announcement by Saudi Arabia that it would end its campaign of air strikes against the Iranian-allied Houthis drew positive responses from the White House and Tehran, as well as fresh calls for pea
  
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• Yemen foes fight on despite declared end to Saudi strikes

  22-04-2015 12:38
  
  * Houthis take over army base, then hit by air strike * Southern forces vow to fight on against Houthis * Powerful former president welcomes end to campaign of strikes * Iran calls for renewed push for political solution By Mohammed Ghobari Mohammed Mukhashef CAIRO/ADEN, April 22 (Reuters) - Rival forces fought on in Yemen on Wednesday despite a declared halt to a Saudi-led bombing campaign, showing how tough it may be to find a political solution to a war stirring animosities between rival Gulf
  
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• Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 20,000 for first time in 15 years

  22-04-2015 12:38
  
  Tokyo's benchmark index closed above 20,000 on Wednesday for the first time in 15 years as hopes for strong Japanese corporate earnings overshadowed a weak lead from Wall Street. The Nikkei 225 index added 1.13 percent, or 224.81 points, to finish at 20,133.90. The last time the Nikkei was at that level Sony's groundbreaking PlayStation 2 was in stores, the Dot-com bubble was collapsing and Bill Clinton still occupied the White House. "What's behind (the Nikkei's) rise i
  
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• In Florida's Everglades, Obama wades into climate change politics

  22-04-2015 12:08
  
  By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will tour the subtropical swamps of Florida's Everglades on Wednesday, part of a push to get Americans thinking and talking about the damage climate change is causing close to home. Obama has said he sees addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue. The Everglades will give Obama a vivid backdrop for talking about his goals, the White House said, noting rising sea levels and shrinking freshwater in the uniqu
  
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• Drone with 'minuscule' quantity of radiation found on Japan PM's office roof: media

  22-04-2015 10:03
  
  A drone marked with a radioactive sign was found on the roof of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office on Wednesday and media said it tested positive for a "minuscule" amount of radiation. Public broadcaster NHK said the bomb squad was called in to take away the drone, which was carrying a small camera and a water bottle. Police would investigate, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said, adding that the country may need to consider regulating the devices. "This situatio
  
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• Obama submits n-deal with China to Congress

  22-04-2015 08:50
  
  Washington, April 22 (IANS) US President Barack Obama has submitted to Congress a proposed 30-year agreement on cooperating with China in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. "In my judgement, it meets all applicable statutory requirements and will advance the nonproliferation and other foreign policy interests of the US," Obama said in a message to Congress issued by the White House on Tuesday, Xinhua reported. The agreement, which permits transfer of material, equipment (including reactors), compo
  
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• Drone Lands on Roof of Japanese Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo

  22-04-2015 08:38
  
  Japanese police are investigating a small drone that appeared to have fallen Wednesday morning onto the roof of the office of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was away at an international gathering in Jakarta . The drone measuring about 50 centimeters (20 inches) was equipped with a small camera and an object that appeared to be a smoke flare, Kyodo News reported. “This could potentially lead to more regulations on unmanned aircraft,” said Koichi Nakano, a professor of politics at Sop
  
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• Mohammad Bin Zayed and Obama discuss regional security issues

  22-04-2015 07:26
  
  His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces said he was happy with the consturctive talks he has held on Monday with US President Barack Obama in the White House. “The President and I made important progress in today’s meeting on new steps to enhance the already deep security partnership between the United States and United Arab Emirates,” Shaikh Mohammad was qouted on his offcial twitter account as saying
  
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• Saudi coalition ends Yemen air war, US urges talks

  22-04-2015 03:32
  
  A Saudi-led coalition declared an end Tuesday to four weeks of air strikes in Yemen, saying it had eliminated the threat of Iran-backed rebels, as Washington welcomed the move and urged talks to end the crisis. The coalition said its operations have entered a political phase but left open the option of resuming strikes if the movements of the Huthi Shiite rebels warrant it, while adding that a naval and air blockade on the strategic country at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula will continue. A co
  
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• Former White House adviser says games are seen as a positive force by government

  22-04-2015 03:30
  
  Mark DeLoura was senior advisor for digital media at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2013 to the end of last year. During his tenure in government, he witnessed games thrust into the news media, and into the White House, in a familiar role. The White House talks were generally agreed to have been useful for all concerned. These days, DeLoura says, the government is mostly interested in how games can serve the public.
  
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• Kevin Harvick was honored at the White House Tuesday

  22-04-2015 03:14
  
  Harvick was recognized for his Sprint Cup Series title.
  
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• Kevin Harvick honored at the White House

  22-04-2015 03:14
  
  Harvick was recognized for his Sprint Cup Series title.
  
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• White House seeks Silicon Valley help on strong yet breakable encryption

  22-04-2015 00:59
  
  By Joseph Menn SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Obama administration hopes Silicon Valley technologists can think of a system with strong encryption that could be pierced legally by one party without opening the door to others, a White House official said on Tuesday. White House cybersecurity policy coordinator Michael Daniel said at the annual RSA Conference on security that he is trying to set starting principles for a broad public discussion on the issue, which has been a major source of tension
  
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• White House welcomes Saudi halt to Yemen air war

  22-04-2015 00:54
  
  The White House welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to halt air strikes in Yemen on Tuesday and urged talks to end a crisis that threatened to draw regional powers into direct conflict. "The United States welcomes today's announcement by the government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners of the conclusion of Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen," National Security Council spokesman Alistair Baskey told AFP. A Saudi-led coalition earlier declared it was ending four weeks of a
  
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• White house says welcomes end of Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen

  22-04-2015 00:30
  
  The White house said on Tuesday it welcomed Saudi Arabia's announcement that it would end air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and back political peace talks. "The United States welcomes today's announcement by the government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners of the conclusion of Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen," said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
  
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• White House avoids calling Armenian deaths 'genocide'

  22-04-2015 00:23
  
  The White House avoided referring to the mass World War I killings of Armenians as genocide Tuesday, as a diplomatic row raged ahead of the tragedy's 100th anniversary. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and one of President Barack Obama's top foreign policy advisors hosted Armenian American leaders at the White House to discuss the centennial. McDonough and Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes "discussed the significance of this occasion for honoring the 1.5 millio
  
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• House backs bill to boost energy efficiency

  22-04-2015 00:07
  
  The House has given final legislative approval to a long-delayed bill to boost energy efficiency, sending the measure to the White House. The bill was approved Tuesday on a voice vote. It includes incentives ...
  
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• Obama, lawmakers mingle to mark rare bipartisan breakthrough

  22-04-2015 00:06
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is hosting a rare gathering of lawmakers from both political parties at the White House to thank them for their work on legislation permanently changing how Medicare pays doctors.
  
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