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Outgoing Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has declared today that North Korean military ambitions are a “serious threat” to the US.
In a speech made after Pyongyang carried out its third nuclear test, Leon Panetta likened the North to Iran, describing them as “rogue states”.
In New York, the UN Security Council “strongly condemned” the nuclear test.
The council said it would begin work on measures against North Korea, after UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the test was a “clear and grave violation”.
Earlier, Pyongyang said “even stronger” action might follow, saying its test was a response to US “hostility”.
Nuclear test monitors in Vienna say the underground explosion had double the force of the last test, in 2009, despite the use of a device said by the North to be smaller.
If a smaller device was indeed tested, analysts said this could take Pyongyang closer to building a warhead small enough to arm a missile.
UN sanctions on North Korea were expanded after the secretive communist state launched a rocket in December, in a move condemned by the UN as a banned test of missile technology.
North Korea’s latest nuclear test comes as senators in Washington prepare for the first votes on whether to confirm Chuck Hagel as successor to current Defence Secretary Leon Panetta.
In a farewell speech at the Pentagon, Leon Panetta said the US would continue to be tested by unpredictable regimes in years to come.
“We’re going to have to deal with weapons of mass destruction and the proliferation. We’re going to have to continue with rogue states like Iran and North Korea.
“We just saw what North Korea’s done in these last few weeks – a missile test and now a nuclear test. They represent a serious threat to the United States of America. We’ve got to be prepared to deal with that.”
Outgoing Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has declared today that North Korean military ambitions are a “serious threat” to the US
President Barack Obama, who is to make his State of the Union speech later, called the test a “highly provocative act” and called for “swift” and “credible” international action in response.
China, North Korea’s main ally and a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, summoned North Korea’s ambassador to Beijing to express its concern over the test.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi delivered a “stern representation”‘ to Ji Jae Ryong and expressed China’s “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the test, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, it urged the North to honor its commitment to denuclearization and “not take any actions which might worsen the situation”.
The test was condemned by North Korea’s immediate neighbors, South Korea and Japan, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a revival of talks on the North’s nuclear arms programme.
In a defiant message to the UN’s disarmament forum, the North said it would never bow to resolutions on its nuclear programme and blamed the failure of diplomacy on the US.
“The US and their followers are sadly mistaken if they miscalculate the DPRK [North Korea] would respect the entirely unreasonable resolutions against it,” the North’s envoy, Jon Yong Ryong, told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
North Korea confirmed the test after international monitors recorded seismic activity consistent with a powerful underground explosion at 11:57 on Tuesday.
Activity had been observed at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site for several months.
State-run KCNA news agency said the test was “carried out at a high level in a safe and perfect manner using a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously”.
North Korea said the nuclear test was a response to the “reckless hostility of the United States”.
“The latest nuclear test was only the first action, with which we exercised as much self-restraint as possible,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“If the US further complicates the situation with continued hostility, we will be left with no choice but to take even stronger second or third rounds of action.”
The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization said the “explosion-like event” was twice as big as the 2009 test, which was in turn bigger than that in 2006.
It is the first such test under new leader Kim Jong-un, who took over the leadership after his father Kim Jong-il died in December 2011.
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President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan.
Sgt Clinton Romesha, 31, led a battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters four years ago.
About 50 US soldiers were at Combat Outpost Keating near Pakistan when it was almost overrun by insurgents.
Clinton Romesha is the fourth living veteran of Afghanistan or Iraq to receive America’s highest military award.
The father-of-three lives with his family in Minot, North Dakota, and works in oil-field safety.
According to the Army’s official narrative, at about 06:00 on 3 October 2009, some 400 Taliban fighters targeted Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, while many key US officers were off base.
The outpost was surrounded on four sides by insurgents who had occupied the high ground and began to attack with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars, heavy machine-gun fire and small-arms fire.
Sgt Clinton Romesha is said to have frequently exposed himself to withering enemy fire as he led the fightback.
He killed a team of machine-gun fighters, and was peppered with shrapnel when an RPG landed close to his position.
Ignoring his wounds, Sgt Clinton Romesha then killed more enemy fighters, including a nest of machine-gunners and a sniper.
He then killed three Taliban fighters as they were breaching the outpost’s perimeter.
President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan
Sgt Clinton Romesha also led a team to secure an ammunition supply point and then turned his attention to defending a vulnerable entry point.
From there, he was able to pinpoint the origin of enemy fire at a nearby village, Urmul, and at an Afghan National Police checkpoint that had been seized by the insurgents.
According to the official narrative, he helped to direct air support and 120 mm mortars to target the enemy positions.
Finally, Sgt Clinton Romesha helped wounded troops to withdraw to a safe location and recovered the bodies of two soldiers who died in the attack.
Eight US soldiers were killed and other 22 were wounded, including Sgt Clinton Romesha.
The official citation says that Sgt Clinton Romesha personally killed 10 Taliban fighters and was instrumental in the deaths of another 35.
Last month, after learning he would get the award, Clinton Romesha told a news conference: “You’re not going to back down in the face of adversity like that. We were just going to win, plain and simple.”
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Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears to be one of the most popular figures in Washington, even more popular then President Barack Obama himself, according to new polls.
The influential poll out of Quinnipiac University gives the former top American diplomat a 61% favorability rating, according to Huffington Post.
That’s a ten point on Barack Obama, who was up until recently her boss and who just won reelection to the highest office in the land for the second time.
In the telephone poll taken January 30 through February 4, Hillary Clinton also beat out fellow beltway big wigs Vice President Joseph Biden, House Speaker John Boehner, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and new Secretary of State, John Kerry.
“Hillary Clinton ends her term as Secretary of State and the bruising inquiry into the Benghazi murders as easily the most popular actor on the American political stage today,” said Quinnipiac’s assistant polling director Peter A. Brown told the Huffington Post.
But that has by no means always been the case.
Hillary Clinton’s popularity remained at the current levels basically throughout her tenure as Secretary of State.
Hillary Clinton appears to be one of the most popular figures in Washington, even more popular then President Barack Obama himself
However, starting from Hillary Clinton’s time as a first lady maligned by many, due in part to her avid politicking for healthcare reform, she has seen her share of intense public scrutiny, both negative and positive.
The prevailing public view of Hillary Clinton’s ebbed and flowed as she weathered her husband’s high-profile infidelity, ran for and won a U.S. Senate seat, and eventually went on to narrowly lose the 2008 Democratic Presidential, primary.
Now, as Hillary Clinton enters private life with the world wondering if she’ll make 2016 presidential run, she is seeing some of her highest favorability ratings of all time.
That leaves her potential rivals, many of whom this same Quinnipiac poll currently list as less popular, wondering the very same thing.
Donald Trump is suing Bill Maher after the comedian offered to pay out if the billionaire could prove his father was a homo sapiens and not an ape.
In January, Bill Maher appeared on Jay Leno’s show and announced that he would donate $5 million to charity if Donald Trump provided evidence that he was not the “spawn of his mother having sex with orangutan”.
Donald Trump produced his birth certificate to show both his parents were indeed human and now he is taking Bill Maher to court to force him to pay up.
“I don’t know whether I will win or lose the Bill Maher lawsuit but had an obligation to sue for charity,” Donald Trump said in a statement on Monday.
“He promised me $5 million for charity if I provided certain information. Well, I provided the information. He didn’t pay. So today I sue Bill Maher for $5 million for charity,” he said, calling into Fox and Friends.
“I don’t think he was joking. He said it with venom. That was venom. That wasn’t a joke. In fact, he was nervous when he said it; it was a pathetic delivery. But he said, <<I will give>>, and said, <<I will accept>>,” he added.
Bill Maher made his bet on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on January 8, to mock Donald Trump’s maligned YouTube announcement last October in which Trump said he would donate $5 million of his own money to charity if President Barack Obama would release his college records.
Donald Trump is suing Bill Maher after the comedian offered to pay out if the billionaire could prove his father was a homo sapiens and not an ape
Appearing on the NBC late night show, Bill Maher joked about Donald Trump, the host of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice.
He suggested the multimillion dollar prize could be directed to the charity of Donald Trump’s choice, naming the “Hair Club for Men” or “The Institute for Incorrigible Douchebaggery” as potential recipients.
Comparing Donald Trump to an orangutan, Bill Maher was drawing a comparison between the famously sandy hair of the New York billionaire and the great ape that roams the jungles of South East Asia.
In addition to calling Donald Trump the son of an orangutan, Bill Maher labeled Trump a “liar” and a “racist” and a “douche bag” as he reacted to some derogatory tweets that Trump had posted online about him.
Bill Maher accused Donald Trump of not even writing the tweets himself, but palming them off as a job to a “syphilitic monkey”.
But Donald Trump accepted the challenge.
Shortly thereafter, Scott S. Balber, a lawyer for Donald Trump, 66, sent the host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher a letter with the property magnate’s birth certificate attached and asked the comedian, who is estimated to be worth $40 million, to come up with the cash and honor his ultimatum.
The letter came with a birth certificate attached “demonstrating that he is the son of Fred Trump, not an orangutan. Please remit the $5 million to Mr. Trump immediately”.
Donald Trump indicated he wants to give $1 million each to charities for the Hurricane Sandy Victims, The Police Athletic League, The American Cancer Society, The March of Dimes and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
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The White House has released a picture of President Barack Obama skeet-shooting – seemingly to settle a row over whether he had fired a gun before.
Barack Obama recently told the The New Republic magazine: “Up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time.”
The photo, dated 4 August 2012, shows Barack Obama standing in jeans, polo shirt, sunglasses and ear defenders, aiming a shotgun that has a smoking barrel.
The president is due in Minneapolis on Monday to discuss his gun-control proposals.
Asked this week why more had not been said about Barack Obama’s shooting habits before, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said: “Because when he goes to Camp David, he goes to spend time with his family and friends and relax, not to produce photographs.”
The photograph apparently shows Barack Obama shooting clay targets on the range at the Maryland retreat.
The White House has released a picture of President Barack Obama skeet-shooting, seemingly to settle a row over whether he had fired a gun before
The New Republic interview, carried in the magazine’s February 11 issue, quotes Barack Obama as saying he has great respect for US hunting traditions, while advising gun-control advocates to be better listeners in the firearms debate.
“I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations,” the president is quoted as saying.
“And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake. Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas.
“And if you grew up and your dad gave you a hunting rifle when you were 10, and you went out and spent the day with him and your uncles, and that became part of your family’s traditions, you can see why you’d be pretty protective of that.”
“So it’s trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes,” Barack Obama said.
President Barack Obama last month proposed sweeping measures on guns, including a renewed ban on assault rifles and wider background checks on buyers.
The announcement came a month after the 14 killings of 20 children and six adults at a primary school in Connecticut.
In an interview with Spanish-language TV channel Telemundo, President Barack Obama has said US immigration deal could be achieved within six months.
Barack Obama said reform should pass in 2013 and he would put “everything” into securing a deal even sooner.
Obstacles to a deal were political rather than technical, Barack Obama added.
The comments come the day after Barack Obama backed comprehensive immigration reform, and after a group of senators unveiled a similar plan on Monday.
Correspondents say the focus on immigration reflects the growing influence of Hispanic voters.
“I can guarantee that I will put everything I have behind it,” Barack Obama told Telemundo, one of two Spanish-language networks he spoke to on Wednesday.
The president also said he would work with all politicians to achieve reform, including Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican.
Barack Obama’s plan, unveiled at a secondary school in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, reflects a blueprint he rolled out in 2011.
But while he applauded the Senate effort – put together by a group of four Democrats and four Republicans – the president also warned that if Congress fails to take action on immigration, the White House would write legislation of its own and insist that lawmakers vote on it.
In an interview with Spanish-language TV channel Telemundo, President Barack Obama has said US immigration deal could be achieved within six months
Like the bipartisan plan, the president backed an overhaul of the existing legal immigration system, securing US borders, and offering a pathway to earned citizenship.
But the senators’ proposals would allow undocumented immigrants to start the process of becoming citizens only after US borders are deemed secure, a link that did not feature in the president’s plan.
In a second interview on Wednesday with Spanish-language channel Univision, Barack Obama appeared to diverge from the senators’ plan on that point.
“What we don’t want is to create some vague prospect in the future that somehow comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship will happen, you know, manana,” the president said, using the Spanish word for “tomorrow”.
The so-called gang of eight have said they hope their blueprint could pass the Senate by summer.
Politicians in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives are reportedly working on their own immigration framework.
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President Barack Obama has rallied support for “common-sense, comprehensive” immigration reform.
Barack Obama made his case at a high school in Las Vegas, Nevada, a day after a bipartisan group of senators said the time was right for reform.
It partly mirrors the senators’ plan, including a path to citizenship for many of an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.
The move reflects the growing influence of Hispanic voters.
In his opening remarks, Barack Obama said: “The time has come for common sense, comprehensive immigration reform.”
He noted that many of the undocumented workers believed to be in the US were already “woven into the fabric of our lives”, and there were economic imperatives for reform.
Barack Obama’s case for an immigration revamp reflects a blueprint he rolled out in 2011, though that did not go far, to the disappointment of Latino voters.
The president did not unveil legislation, but championed the proposals outlined on Monday by a group of four Democratic and four Republican senators.
“The good news is that – for the first time in many years – Republicans and Democrats seem ready to tackle this problem together,” Barack Obama said, urging Congress to act.
President Barack Obama has rallied support for immigration reform
Like the bipartisan plan, Barack Obama also backed an overhaul of the existing legal immigration system and securing US borders.
His 2011 blueprint also focused on a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship, as well as making it easier for businesses to verify the legal status of workers.
But he asked: “Do we have the resolve as a people, as a country, as a government?”
Barack Obama warned that immigration was a polarizing issue, even though he believed reform was “within our grasp”.
Under his previous proposal, Barack Obama required those in the US illegally to register with the government and pass a background check, as well as pay a series of fines and back taxes if necessary.
After eight years, individuals would be allowed to become legal permanent residents and could eventually become citizens five years later.
The process is similar to the path outlined by senators on Monday – paying taxes and passing background checks would allow undocumented immigrants to live and work in the US legally but not qualify for benefits.
Once immigrants are able to apply for permanent residency, they would do so behind everyone else who had already applied for a green card.
But the senators’ proposals would allow undocumented immigrants to start the process of becoming citizens only after US borders are deemed secure, a link that did not feature in the president’s plan.
At their news conference on Monday, the so-called gang of eight promoted their blueprint, which they hope could pass the Senate by summer.
While passage of such a bill is not assured in the Senate, it faces a tougher route in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
Many conservative lawmakers there denounce a path to legalization as an “amnesty” for lawbreakers.
But many Republicans recognize their party’s hard line on immigration has become a liability, after November’s election when the Democratic president won more than 70% of the Latino vote.
Arizona Senator John McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate who lost to Barack Obama in 2008, said on Monday: “The Republican Party is losing the support of our Hispanic citizens.
“And we realize that there are many issues on which we think we are in agreement with our Hispanic citizens, but this is a pre-eminent issue with those citizens.”
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President Barack Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a rare joint interview for CBS’ 60 Minutes, fanning the flames of expectations that she is going to run for his job in four years.
The interview was something of a staged photo opportunity, as no news was actually broken except for the fact that the President considers Hillary Clinton “a strong friend” and she described their relationship as “very warm, close”.
More than anything, their relaxed attitudes, clear friendship, and grinning smiles show that time has healed the markedly harsh wounds that they endured 5 years ago when they faced off in the Democratic primary leading up to the 2008 election.
The fact that Hillary Clinton was initially hesitant to take the post as Secretary of State- so much so that she avoided his phone calls and he did the same when she was ringing him back to turn down the offer- has already been widely reported, but now the pair explained how they worked to improve their bond.
“What did evolve was a friendship, as opposed to just a professional relationship,” Barack Obama told 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft.
“Friendships involve a sense of trust and being in the foxhole together. And that emerged during the course of months when we were making some very tough decisions.”
Hillary Clinton agreed, saying that their frosty rivalry began to thaw after she conceded and started stumping for him during the general election.
“He is pretty persuasive, I’ll tell you that much,” she said, smiling.
“If the roles had been revered and I had ended up winning I would have desperately wanted him to be in my cabinet.”
President Barack Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a rare joint interview for CBS’ 60 Minutes
The prospect of Hillary Clinton forming her own cabinet is certainly not a joke, as she is widely seen as one of, if not the, leading contender for her party’s nomination when Barack Obama leaves office after his second term.
The issue of 2016 is a tricky one for the President; however, as recent activity has led to increased chatter about his Vice President Joe Biden potentially seeking the top spot during the next goes around.
Though such a head-to-head would put Barack Obama in a tough spot- as he would effectively be forced to choose between his two-term Vice President and his extremely popular former Secretary of State, he tried to brush off the issue with incredulous concern.
“You guys in the press are incorrigible; I was literally inaugurated four days ago, and you’re talking about elections four years from now,” he said.
When Steve Kroft made a reference to whether or not viewers could “read the tea leaves” from the interview in terms of predicting the next election, Hillary Clinton jokingly looked around the room, saying: “We don’t have any tea, we’ve got some water here the best I can tell.”
In terms of her positioning, the happy duo appeared to be pegging Hillary Clinton as one-in-the-same as the sitting President, boasting about how they share an almost telepathic connection.
“I think there’s a sense of understanding sometimes it doesn’t even take words,” Hillary Clinton said.
“It made for tough debates because we could never figure out what we differed on,” Barack Obama said of their attempts to differentiate themselves from one another during the primary.
“Well the main thing is I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say thank you because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest Secretaries of State we’ve had, It has been a great collaboration over the last four years,” Barack Obama said when he started out the interview.
“I’m going to miss her, wish she was sticking around, but she has logged in so many miles I can’t begrudge her wanting to take it easy for a little bit, but I want the country to appreciate what an extraordinary role she’s played during the course of my administration and a lot of the successes we’ve had internationally have been because of her hard work.”
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Washington D.C. reverberated to the sounds of partying for a second consecutive evening last night as Lady Gaga headlined the Inauguration Staff Ball, a spectacular private event for thousands of Barack Obama staffers.
Lady Gaga, who wore a jaw-dropping white Versace dress, sang The Lady Is A Tramp with renowned crooner Tony Bennett at the Washington Convention Center to the delight of those who had campaigned for Barack Obama’s re-election.
Although no media were allowed into the event, many in attendance took to social media and Instagram to share pictures.
President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama took to the stage before Lady Gaga’s entrance to thank supporters for their hard work, saying that the thousands of guests at his staff ball represented his “deepest hopes for America”.
Tuesday’s inauguration festivities came hot on the heels of Barack Obama’s Gangnam Style dance off with singer Usher at the spectacular after-party he and wife Michelle Obama threw at the White House on Monday night after attending two glitzy events to celebrate his inauguration.
At last night’s event, the final celebration of his inauguration, Barack Obama welcomed more than 10,000 guests, including campaign employees and volunteers, inaugural workers, Democratic Party members, and White House officials, saying: “You all clean up pretty good.”
The president continued: “It makes me know that America’s future is in good hands. As long as all of you understand the immense and incredible power that you possess when you work together, when you join voices.”
He introduced Michelle Obama, who was dressed in a silver and black ensemble, and referred to her new hairstyle.
“Here’s the First Lady, bangs and all, looking very sparkly,” Barack Obama said.
Lady Gaga sang The Lady Is A Tramp with renowned crooner Tony Bennett at the Washington Convention Center to the delight of those who had campaigned for Barack Obama’s re-election
First Lady Michelle Obama echoed the President’s campaign-year chant of “fired up, ready to go”. And fired up she was, dancing in her seat when her husband announced the musicians.
“It’s been a long weekend,” Barack Obama said.
“She’s getting a little silly now.”
The crowd then serenaded the President and the first lady with an impromptu rendition of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours”, one of the many campaign theme songs, according to one report.
Lady Gaga sang a few of her hits including Born This Way and Edge of Glory before Tony Bennett joined her for a duet of The Lady is a Tramp, a track the odd couple first recorded together in 2011.
David Plouffe, the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s 2008 bid for the White House, and Jim Messina, the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, also addressed the crowds, followed by speeches of thanks from Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill.
Proceeds from the ball will go to a memorial fund for Alex Okrent, a campaign worker who collapsed and died at Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters in July.
“Alex was one of you,” Barack Obama said of Alex Okrent.
“This incredibly thoughtful, talented, compassionate, caring young person who decided to get involved because he thought he could make a difference. And tragically, he ended up leaving us while working on the campaign… It was heartbreaking. It reminded us of how precious our time on this earth is.”
Staffers who attended the exclusive ball were treated to a spectacular cake made to resemble the White House.
Lady Gaga tweeted a picture of the edible 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, with the comment: “The cake inside the White House party!”
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President Barack Obama made an emotional tribute to First Lady Michelle Obama last night as they danced at the inauguration balls to celebrate the beginning of his second term.
The Obamas appeared on stage at the Washington Convention Center to wild cheering and thunderous applause from thousands of people. First Lady Michelle Obama’s choice of dress was finally revealed – a dramatic, red chiffon and velvet gown by Jason Wu. The designer had also created her dress for the 2008 ball.
Barack Obama paid tribute to his wife saying that although he was often criticized as President, “nobody disputes the quality of the First Lady”. The couple then danced as Jennifer Hudson sang Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together.
The Obamas were scheduled to attend two glitzy occasions on Monday evening. That’s far fewer than the ten they attended after the 2009 inauguration, though this year’s events are still expected to draw around 40,000 people.
Barack Obama spoke briefly and offered his deep gratitude to the military, saying: “I have no greater honor than being your commander-in-chief.”
The president then spoke to troops in Afghanistan via video-link, telling them: “You will be on our minds tonight and every single night until our mission in Afghanistan is completed.”
He promised them they would get the equipment and support they need.
Barack Obama made an emotional tribute to First Lady Michelle Obama last night as they danced at the inauguration balls to celebrate the beginning of his second term
Barack Obama then turned his focus to Michelle to whom he paid glowing tribute as First Lady and his wife.
He continued: “I’ve got a date with me here. She inspires me every day. She makes me a better man and a better president. The fact that she is so devoted to taking care of our troops and our military families is just one more sign of her extraordinary love and grace and strength. I’m just lucky to have her.”
The First Lady’s choice of the same dress designer surprised many as she had returned to Jason Wu, whose career was made by her decision four years ago. She teamed the red gown with shoes by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald.
Jason Wu told Women’s Wear Daily that he was completely surprised by Michelle Obama’s decision to wear another of his designs.
He said: “Mrs. Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again.”
The Inaugural Ball saw performances from Alicia Keys, Black Violin, Brad Paisley, Far East Movement, FUN., members of the Glee cast, John Legend, Katy Perry, Maná, Smokey Robinson, Soundgarden, Stevie Wonder and Usher.
The Commander-In-Chief’s ball for members of the Armed Forces were entertained by Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson and Marc Anthony.
The President’s second inauguration sees the lowest number of official balls in 60 years. Obama cut back this year’s festivities to two balls and a concert honoring military families as an effort to reduce government spending in line with current economic conditions.
Alicia Keys took to the stage in a backless, floor-length, sequined gown where she sang an altered version of her hit Girl On Fire for President Obama. Her performance was followed by Mexican band Mana.
Jennifer Hudson who sang Al Green classic Let’s Stay Together to the first couple looked slender and glamorous in a form-fitting black gown with plunging neckline and sparkling platforms.
Vice-President Joe Biden appeared with his wife Jill who was glamorous in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang. The couple danced as Jamie Foxx sang the Ray Charles’ song I Can’t Stop Loving You before pairing off with young members of the military.
Earlier today, President Barack Obama urged Americans to stand together to secure prosperity and freedom for the entire nation as he was sworn in to his second term as president at his spectacular inauguration ceremony in Washington D.C.
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President Barack Obama, who was sworn in for his second term at a spectacular ceremony in front of the nation today, was looking decidedly well rested as he approached the podium, with not a wrinkle in sight.
Barack Obama’s smooth skin was so clear and glowing that it appeared as though a sweep or two of bronzer had been applied, with CNN commentators remarking he “looks five years younger”.
While some questioned whether Barack Obama had employed the help of a makeup artist, his smooth complexion may simply be down to his New Year vacation to Hawaii with his family.
It may also reveal his relief following the fiscal cliff deal, which was secured earlier this month.
Barack Obama, who was sworn in for his second term at a spectacular ceremony in front of the nation today, was looking decidedly well rested as he approached the podium, with not a wrinkle in sight
Barack Obama had interrupted his vacation to return to the United States to save the country plunging over the fiscal cliff, and returned to Hawaii on New Year’s Day until January 6.
The return trip to his native Hawaii adds an estimated $3 million the President’s air travel tab – which will total more than $7million by the time the First Family returns to the White House later this month.
Barack Obama was not the only guest at the ceremony who raised eyebrows for his bronze complexion – Speaker of the House John Boehner also looked decidedly orange as he spoke at the Inaugural luncheon.
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US President Barack Obama has told the American people to “seize the moment”, in a speech in Washington DC inaugurating his second term.
After taking the oath of office, Barack Obama said America’s possibilities were limitless as it emerged from a decade of war and a long economic crisis.
Barack Obama, 51, who is the 44th US president, was sworn in to his second term by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Hundreds of thousands of people thronged the National Mall ceremony.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with dozens of senators, congressional leaders and other dignitaries attended the event at the US Capitol.
In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama laid out his vision for the next four years.
“This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience,” he said.
“A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless.”
He added: “My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.”
Barack Obama has told the American people to seize the moment, in a speech in Washington DC inaugurating his second term as US president
In a roughly 18-minute address, Barack Obama called for “collective action” to preserve American freedom, which he linked to social and economic equality.
“We, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it,” he said.
“We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.”
Without making specific policy recommendations, Barack Obama said the US must overhaul the tax code, reform its education system, revamp the voting system, and address climate change.
“Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms,” he said.
He also alluded to the struggles of women, racial minorities and gays to win social equality, saying “the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still”.
And after four years of hyper-partisan struggle, during which he has repeatedly tussled with Republicans, Barack Obama challenged Washington to change the tone of its politics.
“We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate,” he said.
As he was sworn in on Monday, Barack Obama placed his left hand on Bibles owned by legendary American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and President Abraham Lincoln.
According to the words prescribed by the US Constitution, Barack Obama swore he would “faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.
Vice-President Joe Biden also publicly took the oath.
Barack Obama was also sworn in at a small White House ceremony on Sunday, as the US Constitution dictates presidential terms begin on 20 January.
Following Monday’s ceremony, Barack Obama will have the traditional lunch with US lawmakers in the capitol building’s Statuary Hall.
The president is also expected to walk at least part of the parade route down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House.
The zone surrounding the National Mall in the US capital is in virtual lockdown, with movement of people and vehicles tightly restricted.
White tents, trailers and generators line the parade route, while nearby buildings have been adorned with red, white and blue bunting.
Officials estimate about 700,000 people were to attend the inauguration, down significantly from 2009, when about 1.8 million people witnessed Barack Obama be sworn in as America’s first black president.
In the evening, the Obamas will don formal evening attire for several lavish inaugural balls in Washington.
About 260,000 people attended George W. Bush’s second inauguration ceremony in 2005.
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Barack Obama is to be publicly sworn in as US president for second time.
Hundreds of thousands are expected in Washington for the event, which will feature music from Beyonce, parades, black tie balls and tight security.
They will crowd on to the Washington Mall to see the president take the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol.
Barack Obama was officially inaugurated in a small White House ceremony on Sunday, as the US Constitution requires the president be sworn in by January 20.
In the famous Blue Room, Barack Obama rested his hand on a Bible used for many years by his wife’s family and vowed “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.
He will repeat those words at Monday’s public inauguration, in which he is also expected to use part of his address to outline his plans for the next four years.
Speaking at a reception for supporters late on Sunday, Barack Obama suggested he would dwell on the “common good” and the “goodness, the resilience, neighborliness, the patriotism” of Americans.
“What we are celebrating is not the election or the swearing-in of the president,” Barack Obama said.
“What we are doing is celebrating each other and celebrating this incredible nation that we call home.”
Barack Obama is to be publicly sworn in as US president for second time
By the end of Monday, Barack Obama will have taken the oath four times – as many as President Franklin D Roosevelt.
Four years ago, Barack Obama had to repeat the oath privately to make sure all constitutional obligations were met after he tripped over the words.
Following Monday’s ceremony outside Congress, Barack Obama will have the traditional lunch with US lawmakers in the building’s Statuary Hall.
The president is then expected to follow the recent tradition of walking through the crowds for at least some of the way in the procession back to the White House.
Vice-President Joe Biden, who was also sworn in on Sunday, will repeat his oath publicly as well.
Thousands of workers and volunteers prepared Monday’s celebrations. White tents, trailers and generators are set up along the Washington Mall parade route, while nearby buildings have been adorned with red, white and blue bunting.
In 2009, nearly two million people crammed into Washington to witness President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
Inauguration Day schedule:
11:30 EST : Official ceremony begins at the West Front of US Capitol
11:55 EST: Barack Obama is publicly sworn in as president by Chief Justice John Roberts
12:00 EST: Barack Obama delivers inaugural address
12:39 EST: Barack Obama signs nomination papers for his Cabinet
13:00 EST: Inaugural lunch in Statuary Hall at the US Capitol
14:36 EST: Inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Avenue, ending at the White House.
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Barack Obama has officially been sworn in today for his second term as US president in a small ceremony at the White House.
Although the US Constitution requires the oath of office to be taken by noon on January 20, that falls on a Sunday so the public inauguration will take place on Monday.
Barack Obama took his official oath in the White House’s Blue Room.
The public ceremony with pomp and circumstance will follow on Monday.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Barack Obama, witnessed by First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Malia as well as some family members and reporters.
Resting his hand on a bible used for many years by his wife’s family, Barack Obama vowed “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.
He will repeat those words during Monday’s public inauguration, in which he will set out his plans for the next four years.
Barack Obama has officially been sworn in today for his second term as US president in a small ceremony at the White House
Vice-President Joe Biden was sworn in for a second term at a small ceremony at his official residence earlier on Sunday morning.
Joe Biden, 70, will also repeat his oath publicly on Monday.
Thousands of workers and volunteers have been working to finish construction for Monday’s celebrations, with white tents, trailers and generators being set up along the Washington Mall’s parade route as nearby buildings were adorned with red, white and blue bunting,
For his part, Barack Obama rolled up his sleeves and donned gloves to spend Saturday sprucing up a school with other volunteers, as part of a National Day of Service kicking off the inauguration ceremonies – similar to the way he spent the day before his first presidential inauguration in 2009.
He urged volunteers to honor the memory of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, whose birthday, a national holiday, falls on Monday. This year is the 50th anniversary of King’s march on Washington.
President Barack Obama’s second term work will be more of a challenge than Saturday’s school work, trying to change America’s gun laws, reforming immigration and dealing with the country’s debt.
In 2009, nearly two million people crammed into Washington to witness President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
Four years on, the mood is unlikely to match that excitement.
But the second inauguration of America’s first black president is a moment many will not want to miss.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Washington for that event – a smaller number than the 1.8 million who flocked for the swearing-in in 2009.
They will crowd onto the Mall leading to Congress wrapped up against the cold, to see their president take the oath of office on the steps of the flag-draped Capitol and listen to his speech.
The day will include music from Beyonce and Fun, parades, black tie balls and very tight security.
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First Lady Michelle Obama paraded her new haircut as she took the stage with her daughters at Kids’ Inaugural Concert, the star-studded gala for military families Saturday night, marking the beginning of inauguration weekend festivities.
Some of Hollywood’s biggest recording artists, from Usher to Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and Fun., gathered at the Washington Convention Center in DC entertain hundreds of DC-area children and spouses of service members.
Dressed in a casual yet chic ensemble consisting of a while loose blouse cinched at the waist with a vibrant belt paired with ankle-length trousers, Michelle Obama appeared on stage accompanied by her daughters. President Barack Obama was not in attendance at the gala.
“Inauguration is a really big deal. There’s balls. Everybody dress up and dances,” Michelle Obama told the children.
“Let me tell you: I love every single minute of it. Every single minute. But I have to tell you that my very favorite part of this entire weekend is being right here with all of you.”
Usher performed his hit song OMG after Yeah and Without You, while Katy Perry put on a patriotic show with Firework set to a slideshow of President Obama shaking hands and talking on the phone.
Far East Movement and a gospel fusion group called Soul Children of Chicago performed as well, but neither Stevie Wonder nor Smokey Robinson, who were both originally reported to be in the lineup, made an appearance.
The night’s entertainment also included Mindless Behavior and members of the cast of the Fox series Glee.
The concert continues a tradition started at the 2009 inauguration by honoring the nation’s military families. It’s being hosted by Michelle Obama and the vice president’s wife, Jill Biden, and emceed by Nick Cannon.
But the Kids’ Inaugural Concert was not the only glamorous event in town Saturday night.
Michelle Obama paraded her new haircut as she took the stage with her daughters at Kids’ Inaugural Concert
To continue the weekend’s festivities, the Texas State Society hosted the Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball at the Gaylord National Resort in DC.
The western-themed gala featured performances from several country acts, including legendary signer Charley Pride, Rodney Foster, Jack Ingram, with a special appearance by actor Jamie Foxx.
This year’s ball continues a tradition that has been in place for more than 30 years.
The glamorous variety show featuring musical performances, a presidential puppet show and speeches from dignitaries came just hours after the first family took part in the National Day of Service.
On the brink of a second term, the president invoked Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to service Saturday.
“I think we’re on the cusp of some really great things,” Vice President Joe Biden predicted for a country still recovering from a deep recession.
The president made only a glancing reference to race as he spoke at an elementary school not far from the White House after he and first lady Michelle Obama stained a bookcase as part of a national service event organized by the inaugural committee.
“We think about not so much the inauguration, but we think about this is Dr. King’s birthday we’re going to be celebrating this weekend,” the president said.
The National Day of Service and the night’s star-studded event set the stage for a weekend of festivities to mark the beginning of Barack Obama’s second term in office.
Freshly built inaugural stands at the Capitol gleamed white in the sun, and hundreds of chairs for special guests were set out on the lawn that spills down toward the National Mall as the president and vice president began their inauguration weekend.
Officials estimated that as many as 800,000 people will attend Monday’s public ceremonies. That’s more than live in the city, if far fewer than the 1.8 million who were at Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009.
Because the date for inauguration set in the Constitution, January 20, falls on a Sunday this year, Barack Obama and Joe Biden were to be sworn in for second terms in separate, private ceremonies on Sunday.
The public ceremonies are set for Monday, when Barack Obama will take the oath of office at noon, then deliver an inaugural address before a large crowd and a national television audience in the millions.
American Idol alum Kelly Clarkson will perform My Country Tis of Thee, James Taylor will sing America the Beautiful and long-time Barack Obama supporter Beyonce will entertain the crowd with her rendition of the national anthem.
The traditional lunch with lawmakers in the Capitol follows, and the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House.
There, a reviewing stand was adorned with the presidential seal and equipped with seats enough for Barack Obama and other dignitaries to watch in relative comfort as military units, marching bands, floats and thousands of participants go past. A pair of inauguration balls will cap the day, including one with a guest list that runs to 40,000 names.
A select few – those who donated as much as $1 million to defray inauguration expenses – received special access to public as well as invitation-only receptions and parties.
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton headlined a National Day of Service gathering under a tent on the National Mall, where she said she had been inspired by her grandmother, as well as her famous parents. She urged her audience to become part of a “chain of service” by helping the less fortunate.
Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, spent time at an armory pitching in as volunteers packed 100,000 care kits for deployed members of the military, wounded warriors, veterans and first responders.
Joe Biden credited former President George H. W. Bush, a Republican, for starting the “Points of Light” program, which was a sponsor of the event. He said service was an antidote to “the coarsening of our culture. We’ve got to get back to reaching out to people”.
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Barack Obama is due to be officially sworn in for his second term as US president in a small ceremony at the White House.
Although the US Constitution requires the oath of office to be taken by noon on January 20, as that falls on a Sunday the public inauguration will take place on Monday.
Barack Obama will take his official oath in the White House’s Blue Room.
The public ceremony with pomp and circumstance will follow a day later.
Thousands of workers and volunteers have been working to finish construction for Monday’s celebration, with white tents, trailers and generators being set up along the Washington Mall’s parade route as nearby buildings were adorned with red, white and blue bunting,
For his part, Barack Obama rolled up his sleeves and donned gloves to spend Saturday sprucing up a school with other volunteers, as part of a National Day of Service kicking off the inauguration ceremonies – similar to the way he spent the day before his first presidential inauguration in 2009.
Barack Obama urged volunteers to honor the memory of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, whose birthday, a national holiday, falls on Monday. This year is the 50th anniversary of Luther King’s march on Washington.
Barack Obama rolled up his sleeves and donned gloves to spend Saturday sprucing up a school with other volunteers, as part of a National Day of Service kicking off the inauguration ceremonies
In 2009, nearly two million people crammed into Washington to witness President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Washington for that event – a smaller number than the 1.8m who flocked for the swearing-in of the nation’s first black president in 2009.
They will crowd onto the Mall leading to Congress wrapped up against the cold, to see their president take the oath of office on the steps of the flag-draped Capitol and listen to his speech.
The day will include music from Beyonce and Fun, parades, black tie balls and very tight security.
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UPDATE
President Barack Obama has unveiled wide-ranging measures aimed at curbing gun violence.
The proposals could echo measures, considered the toughest in the nation, passed in New York State on Tuesday.
Barack Obama has said he favors bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as broader background checks.
The US gun control debate has been revived by last month’s mass shooting at a school in Newtown, Connecticut.
There, a gunman shot dead 27 people, including 20 children and his own mother.
At 11:45 EST on Wednesday, Barack Obama is expected to unveil the new proposals at the White House, flanked by children who wrote him letters after the Newtown shooting.
Barack Obama has already acknowledged his proposals will face stiff opposition in Congress. But he is said to be weighing as many as 19 specific measures he could take through unilateral executive action.
These could include tougher punishment of gun trafficking, aggressive prosecution of people who lie on background checks, and an end to limits on government research into gun violence.
President Barack Obama is expected today to unveil wide-ranging measures aimed at curbing gun violence
The US top gun lobby, the National Rifle Association (NRA) says it will fight any attempts to limit access to guns or ammunition.
Barack Obama’s expected proposals are the result of a task force led by Vice-President Joe Biden, who met the president on Monday and Tuesday to share the group’s recommendations.
The Biden task force held meetings with gun control advocates and firearms owners’ groups, as well as representatives of the entertainment industry.
On Tuesday, the New York state legislature comfortably passed the first gun control law since the shootings in Newtown. Supporters said the state’s firearms restrictions were now the tightest in the nation.
“Common sense can win,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said.
“You can overpower the extremists with intelligence and with reason and with common sense.”
The New York measures include a wider ban on assault weapons, a law limiting high-capacity ammunition magazines, and provisions to keep guns from mentally ill people who make threats.
Some gun owners will also have to register them with authorities.
According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Monday evening, about half of Americans say they have grown more supportive of gun control measures since the Newtown shooting.
The poll found 58% of respondents back a ban on the most powerful rifles.
During the press conference, President Barack Obama urged Congress:
- to ban “military-style” assault weapons such as those used in several recent mass shootings
- impose limits on ammunition magazines to 10 rounds
- introduce background checks on all gun sales; currently private sales and some sales at gun shows are exempt
- pass a ban on possession and sale of armour-piercing bullets
- introduce new gun-trafficking laws
- Finally approve the appointment of the head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Barack Obama added he would sign a directive so that government agencies can conduct research into gun crime
Among the unilateral steps Barack Obama pledged to take was to end a ban on gun-violence research by a prominent federal agency.
Barack Obama acknowledged his legislative push would encounter stiff opposition in Congress.
“This will be difficult,” he said.
“I will put everything I’ve got into this.”
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America is “not a deadbeat nation”, President Barack Obama has said, as he warned Republicans unconditionally to approve a rise in the US debt ceiling.
At a White House news conference, Barack Obama said it would be “absurd” to use the borrowing limit as a negotiating chip.
But Republican House Speaker John Boehner said spending cuts should accompany a federal debt ceiling rise.
The US is expected to hit its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit by February unless lawmakers act.
Monday’s press conference came a week before the inauguration ceremony in Washington DC that will begin Barack Obama’s second term.
With an agreement to prevent the so-called fiscal cliff of sharp spending cuts and tax increases barely two weeks old, Barack Obama faces another budget showdown with congressional Republicans.
The Democratic president warned lawmakers: “They will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the economy.”
He demanded that Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives approve a rise in the federal government’s authority to borrow money to pay existing obligations – without seeking policy concessions in return.
President Barack Obama has warned Republicans unconditionally to approve a rise in the US debt ceiling
The last debt ceiling battle between Congress and Barack Obama ended in July 2011, after bringing the nation close to default and resulting in a credit rating downgrade as well as financial market turmoil.
“The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip. And they [Republicans] better decide quickly because time is running short,” Barack Obama said.
He said he was happy to engage in debate over US fiscal policy, but only after an increase in the debt limit.
“We are not a deadbeat nation,” he said.
“While I’m willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up.”
He added: “What I will not do is to have that negotiation with a gun at the head of the American people.”
Afterwards, John Boehner, leader of the House Republicans, acknowledged the economic risk of failing to raise the debt ceiling. But he indicated the House would attach spending cuts to any measure to raise the federal borrowing authority.
“The American people do not support raising the debt ceiling without reducing government spending at the same time,” he said in a statement.
Speaking on a day marking a month on from the massacre at a Connecticut primary school that shocked the nation, Barack Obama also said he would present proposals for gun control later in the week.
He said stronger background checks, control of high capacity magazine clips, and an assault weapons ban were all measures he believed made sense.
“Will all of them get through this Congress?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
The National Rifle Association and some lawmakers have suggested that any plan to ban assault weapons would not pass Congress.
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US Congress last night finally passed a deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff, as critics attacked the Republican party for giving in and allowing tax hikes on wealthy Americans in return for minimal spending cuts.
President Barack Obama was in a triumphant mood as he addressed the nation after the vote on Capitol Hill, even winking at photographers before flying back to Hawaii to resume his vacation.
- Income tax rates: Extends decade-old tax cuts on incomes up to $400,000 for individuals, $450,000 for couples. Earnings above those amounts would be taxed at a rate of 39.6%, up from the current 35%. Extends Bill Clinton-era caps on itemized deductions and the phase-out of the personal exemption for individuals making more than $250,000 andcouples earning more than $300,000.
- Estate tax: Estates would be taxed at a top rate of 40%, with the first $5 million in value exempted for individual estates and $10 million for family estates. In 2012, such estates were subject to a top rate of 35%.
- Capital gains, dividends: Taxes on capital gains and dividend income exceeding $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for families would increase from 15% to 20%.
US Congress finally passed a deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff
- Alternative minimum tax: Permanently addresses the alternative minimum tax and indexes it for inflation to prevent nearly 30 million middle- and upper-middle income taxpayers from being hit with higher tax bills averaging almost $3,000. The tax was originally designed to ensure that the wealthy did not avoid owing taxes by using loopholes.
- Other tax changes: Extends for five years Obama-sought expansions of the child tax credit, earned income tax credit, and an up to $2,500 tax credit for college tuition. Also extends for one year accelerated “bonus” depreciation of business investments in new property and equipment, a tax credit for research and development costs and a tax credit for renewable energy such as wind-generated electricity.
- Unemployment benefits: Extends jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed for one year.
- Cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors: Blocks a 27% cut in Medicare payments to doctors for one year. The cut is the product of an obsolete 1997 budget formula.
- Social Security payroll tax cut: Allows a 2 percentage point cut in the payroll tax first enacted two years ago to lapse, which restores the payroll tax to 6.2%.
- Across-the-board cuts: Delays for two months $109 billion worth of across-the-board spending cuts set to start striking the Pentagon and domestic agencies this week. Cost of $24 billion is divided between spending cuts and new revenues from rules changes on converting traditional individual retirement accounts into Roth IRAs.
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President Barack Obama has hailed a deal reached to stave off a “fiscal cliff” of drastic taxation and spending measures as “just one step in the broader effort to strengthen the economy”.
Barack Obama was speaking after the House of Representatives passed a Senate-backed bill by 257 votes to 167.
It raises taxes for the wealthy and delays spending cuts for two months.
There had been intense pressure for the vote to be passed before financial markets reopened on Wednesday.
In Tuesday night’s house vote, 172 Democrats and 85 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
A majority of Republicans, 151 in total, voted no, along with 16 Democrats.
The bill had been passed in the Senate less than 24 hours earlier by 89 votes to eight after lengthy talks between Vice-President Joe Biden and Senate Republicans.
Barack Obama has hailed a deal reached to stave off a fiscal cliff of drastic taxation and spending measures
Asian markets have responded positively to the move, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index up 2.1% on Wednesday morning, while South Korea’s Kospi added 1.7% and Australia’s ASX 200 rose 1.2%.
Speaking before returning to Hawaii for his interrupted Christmas holiday, Barack Obama said that in signing the law he was fulfilling a campaign pledge.
“I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest 2% of Americans… while preventing a middle-class tax hike,” he told a White House press conference.
The US deficit was still too high, Barack Obama said: “While open to compromise on budgetary issues, he would not offer Congress spending cuts in return for lifting the government’s borrowing limit, known as the debt ceiling.”
“There is a path forward, if we focus not on politics, but on what’s right for the country,” he added.
The “fiscal cliff” measures – cutting spending and increasing taxes dramatically – came into effect automatically at midnight on Monday when George W. Bush-era tax cuts expired.
The 1st of January deadline triggered tax increases of about $536 billion and spending cuts of $109bn from domestic and military programmes.
Economists had warned that if the full effects of the fiscal cliff were allowed to take hold, the resulting reduction in consumer spending could have sparked a new recession.
The compromise deal extends the tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 – up from the $250,000 level Democrats had originally sought.
In addition to the income tax rates and spending cuts, the package includes:
- Rises in inheritance taxes from 35% to 40% after the first $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple
- Rises in capital taxes – affecting some investment income – of up to 20%, but less than the 39.6% that would prevail without a deal
- One-year extension for unemployment benefits, affecting two million people
- Five-year extension for tax credits that help poorer and middle-class families
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The US Senate has decided to approve a deal to avert general tax hikes and spending cuts known as the “fiscal cliff”.
The bill, which raises taxes for the wealthy, came after lengthy talks between Vice-President Joe Biden and Senate Republicans.
The House is due to consider it later. Spending cuts have been delayed for two months to allow a wider agreement.
Congress missed the deadline to pass a bill, but few effects will be felt as Tuesday is a US public holiday.
Tax cuts approved during the presidency of George W. Bush formally expired at midnight.
Without approval in the House, huge tax rises for virtually all working Americans will kick in automatically.
Analysts warned that if the full effects of the fiscal cliff were allowed to take hold, the resulting reduction in consumer spending could spark a new recession.
The compromise deal reached on Monday seeks to avoid this by extending the tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 – up from the $250,000 level Democrats had originally sought.
A huge spending cut that would see $1.2 trillion shorn from the federal budget over 10 years has been deferred for two months, allowing Congress and the White House to reopen negotiations.
The Senate approved the compromise bill by 89-8.
The US Senate has approved a deal to avert general tax hikes and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff
“If we do nothing, the threat of a recession is very real,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said.
“Passing this agreement does not mean negotiations halt, far from it.”
In addition to the income tax rates and spending cuts, the package includes:
• Rises in inheritance taxes from 35% to 40% after the first $5m for an individual and $10m for a couple
• Rises in capital taxes – affecting some investment income – of up to 20%, but less than the 39.6% that would prevail without a deal
• One-year extension for unemployment benefits, affecting two million people
• Five-year extension for tax credits that help poorer and middle-class families
President Barack Obama welcomed the Senate vote.
“Leaders from both parties in the Senate came together to reach an agreement that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support today that protects 98% of Americans and 97% of small business owners from a middle class tax hike,” he said in a statement.
“While neither Democrats nor Republicans got everything they wanted, this agreement is the right thing to do for our country and the House should pass it without delay.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said: “It took an imperfect solution to prevent our constituents from a very real financial pain, but in my view, it was worth the effort.”
Many of the Republicans who dominate the House dislike the deal and may stand on their principle.
Speaker John Boehner said the House would consider the deal but left open the possibility of amending the Senate bill – which would spark another round of legislation.
“Decisions about whether the House will seek to accept or promptly amend the measure will not be made until House members… have been able to review the legislation,” John Boehner and other House Republican leaders said in a statement.
The current House can legislate until Wednesday, when it is replaced by a new chamber chosen during last November’s election.
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US Congressional leaders have one more day to stop the threat of steep tax rises and spending cuts, known as the “fiscal cliff”, after talks ended with no deal.
Senators will continue to seek a compromise deal on Monday to send to the House of Representatives.
Failure to reach agreement by January 1 could push the US back into recession.
Earlier, President Barack Obama increased pressure on Republicans to accept a deal, blaming them for the deadlock.
He said their “overriding theme” was protecting tax breaks for the rich.
Talks ended on Sunday with no deal after a day that saw Republican and Democratic senators wrestle over detail and seek to shape a final bill.
Sticking points included the fate of expiring Bush-era tax cuts, an estate tax and steep cuts in spending known as the sequester.
If no agreement is reached on Monday, senators are expected to be given the chance to vote on a fallback plan proposed by President Barack Obama.
That would renew tax cuts on earnings under $250,000 and extend unemployment benefits, but does not address the steep spending cuts.
US Congressional leaders have one more day to stop the threat of fiscal cliff after talks ended with no deal
The current stand-off has its roots in a failed 2011 attempt to tackle the government debt limit and budget deficit. Republicans and Democrats agreed then to postpone difficult decisions on spending until the end of 2012, and imposed a threat of compulsory cuts if no deal was reached by December 31.
Analysts say that even if a deal is reached on the fiscal cliff, it will do little to reduce the original problem of the deficit and the government debt limit, raising the prospect of further political in-fighting early in the new year.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell were locked in negotiations over the weekend.
The two senators appeared to admit not long before the 15:00 deadline that negotiations were at a standstill, with their two parties still divided over core ideological issues about tax and government funding.
Senator Harry Reid said the Democrats were as yet unable to make a counter-offer to an apparent Republican proposal to slow cost-of-living increases for social security recipients, known as “chained CPI”.
Meanwhile Senator McConnell said he had asked Vice-President Joe Biden for help in breaking the deadlock.
“I’m concerned with the lack of urgency here. There’s far too much at stake,” he said.
“There is no single issue that remains an impossible sticking point – the sticking point appears to be a willingness, an interest or courage to close the deal.”
In his interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, broadcast on Sunday, Barack Obama said the priority was to ensure taxes do not rise for middle-class families, saying that would “hurt our economy badly”.
“That’s something we all agree on. If we can get that done, that takes a big bite out of the <<fiscal cliff>>,” he said.
There is also debate over where to set the threshold for tax rises. Democrats say the Bush-era tax cuts should be extended for all Americans except the richest – those with annual earnings of more than $250,000.
Republicans – some of whom have pledged never to vote for increased taxes – say the deficit is a consequence of excessive government spending.
They want the tax threshold set higher, at around $400,000, and for revenue to be raised by economic growth and cuts in social security and other services states are legally bound to provide.
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President Barack Obama pledged this morning to put his “full weight” behind a legislative gun control package aimed at avoiding another Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Barack Obama voiced skepticism about proposals to place armed guards at schools in the aftermath of the December 14th deadly assault in Connecticut which claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six teachers.
In his boldest terms yet, Barack Obama vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence and said he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high capacity clips or magazines.
“It is not enough for us to say. This is too hard so we’re not going to try,” Barack Obama said.
“So what I intend to do is I will call all the stakeholders together. I will meet with Republicans. I will meet with Democrats. I will talk to anybody.
“I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can’t have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids. And, yes, it’s going to be hard.”
Barack Obama’s comments come as the schoolroom shooting has elevated the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public attention.
Six adults also died at the school. Authorities say the shooter killed himself and also killed his mother at their home.
The slayings have prompted renewed calls for greater gun controls. The National Rifle Association has resisted those efforts vociferously, arguing instead that schools should have armed guards for protection.
“I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools,” the president said.
“And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem.”
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Barack Obama voiced skepticism about proposals to place armed guards at schools in the aftermath of the December 14th deadly assault in Connecticut which claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six teachers
Barack Obama said he intended to press the issue with the public.
“Will there be resistance? Absolutely there will be resistance,” he said.
“The question then becomes whether we are actually shook up enough by what happened here that it does not just become another one of these routine episodes where it gets a lot of attention for a couple of weeks and then it drifts away. It certainly won’t feel like that to me.
“This is something that – you know, that was the worst day of my presidency. And it’s not something that I want to see repeated.”
Besides getting gun violence legislation passed next year, Barack Obama also listed immigration as a top priority for 2013 as well as deficit reduction.
A big deficit reduction deal with Republicans proved elusive this month and Obama is now hoping Senate Democratic and Republican leaders salvage a scaled back plan that avoids across the board tax increases for virtually all Americans.
He issued a defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates for new secretary of defense.
Chuck Hagel, who opposed President George W. Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq, has been criticized in conservative circles for not being a strong enough ally of Israel.
Many liberals and gay activists also have banded against him for comments he made in 1998 about an openly gay nominee for an ambassadorship.
Barack Obama, who briefly served with Chuck Hagel in the Senate, stressed that he had yet to make a decision on a secretary of defense but said called Hagel a “patriot”.
“He is somebody who has done extraordinary work both in the United States Senate,” he said.
“Somebody who served this country with valor in Vietnam. And is somebody who’s currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job.”
Barack Obama noted that Chuck Hagel had apologized for his 14-year-old remark.
“And I think it’s a testimony to what has been a positive change over the last decade in terms of people’s attitudes about gays and lesbians serving our country,” he said.
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President Barack Obama has used a last-ditch White House meeting to urge Congress to back an interim plan to avoid the “fiscal cliff”, reports say.
Barack Obama reportedly asked Republican and Democratic leaders to back tax cuts for those earning under $250,000.
They have only four days to reach an agreement before across-the-board tax rises and spending cuts take effect.
Analysts say sliding over the “cliff” could tip the US into recession and set back the global economic recovery.
There appeared to be no immediate resolution after the meeting, but Barack Obama is due to make a statement at 17:45 EST.
Barack Obama cut short his holiday in Hawaii to resume the negotiations. The Senate returned to work on Thursday, with the House due back on Sunday.
Reports ahead of the meeting suggested the president would propose a limited package including the renewal of most expiring tax cuts, and a delay or replacement of some spending cuts.
But as the meeting at the White House began, US media reported that the president was making no new offer, instead seeking a simple vote on extending tax cuts for middle class Americans.
There was no word on whether Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell were open to a deal or had a counter-offer.
Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid and senior House figure Nancy Pelosi were also at the White House.
Earlier, there was upbeat rhetoric from some senators.
Barack Obama has used a last-ditch White House meeting to urge Congress to back an interim plan to avoid the fiscal cliff
“I’m getting a little more optimistic today. Sometimes it’s darkest before the dawn and there are two good signs for optimism today,” senior Democrat Chuck Schumer told NBC’s Today show.
Republican Jon Kyl told Bloomberg News: “Everybody recognizes we’re either going to get something in the next few hours or not. There’s no more posturing time left.”
Barack Obama’s plans to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans have remained a point of division between the two parties since he won re-election in November.
Many Republicans oppose new taxes as a matter of principle, and are demanding cuts to what they see as deficit-inflating public spending, putting at risk healthcare and welfare benefit schemes popular with Democrats.
An alternative plan proposed by House Speaker John Boehner – which would have seen taxes rise only on those earning over $1 million – failed in the House of Representatives late last week.
Speaking on Thursday, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, said he thought a deal was unlikely. Later, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said his colleagues were unwilling to sign a “blank cheque”.
“Hopefully there is still time for an agreement of some kind that saves the taxpayers from a wholly preventable economic crisis.”
In the Senate chamber on Thursday, Harry Reid said the requirement to get at least 60 of 100 votes to move to a vote on any legislation almost certainly doomed any new plan unless Republicans gave it strong backing.
“It looks like that [the fiscal cliff] is where we’re headed,” Harry Reid said.
The term fiscal cliff refers to the combination of almost $600 billion of tax rises and spending cuts due to come into force on January 1st 2013 if Congress does not pass new legislation.
Sweeping tax cuts passed during the presidency of George W. Bush will expire, eventually affecting people of all income levels, and many businesses.
Other tax cuts and benefits to expire include:
- A 2010 payroll tax cut, the expiration of which would prompt immediate wage-packet cuts
- Benefits or the long-term unemployed
- Compensation for doctors treating patients on federal healthcare programmes
- Inheritance taxes are also likely to be affected if no deal is reached.
In addition, spending cuts mandated by a law passed to break a previous fiscal impasse in Congress will come into force, affecting both military and domestic budgets.
The cuts are expected to affect federal government departments and the defence sector, as well as hitting unemployment insurance and veterans’ support.
As 2012 comes to a close, Barack Obama has pulled together a collection of his favorite pictures for the year and posted them to the White House Facebook page for America to enjoy.
Many of the images of the world’s most photographed man were taken at campaign rallies.
Others were shot during down time, when the President and First Lady, Michelle Obama, could take a breather from their exhausting schedules.
A poignant photo of the First Couple embracing in the darkness after the President’s final campaign rally made Barack Obama’s dozen favorite pictures, as well as one of the pair gazing at their home town, Chicago, from across the water.
“We don’t turn back. We leave no one behind. We pull each other up,” Barack Obama said at the Democratic National Convention, where an image of him at the podium made the top shots.
Barack Obama has pulled together a collection of his favorite pictures for 2012 and posted them to the White House Facebook page
Photos of Barack Obama interacting with his youngest fans also made the cut for 2012’s best pictures.
In one image, Barack Obama is being saluted by an adorable toddler, while another shows him hugging a couple of kids at an elementary school visit.
On first glance, the school photo looks like a million others, however it’s the two classmates sneaking a cheeky kiss in the background that makes the photograph brilliant.
A superb shot of Barack Obama throwing a football on a bright green field and another of him dropping for push ups while a group of basketball players high five beside him round off the photos that chronicle what was a huge, but ultimately successful, year for America’s leader.
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