President Obama says the United States will continue to keep pressure on al-Qaida, even as U.S. forces draw down in Afghanistan. The president made the statement during a lengthy news conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Mr. Obama said 33,000 U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan within a year. Those troops were sent to the […]
Obama Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
President Obama has called for comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. The president said the country needs a system that upholds the law, while also upholding the nation’s tradition as a land of immigrants. He said border security and employment verification need to be addressed. And he said there should be a pathway to […]
Obama Calls on Lawmakers to ‘Seize This Moment,’ Tackle Debt
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama says Congress must act soon to raise the government debt limit, while also reducing the U.S. budget deficit. During a news conference at the White House on Wednesday, Mr. Obama told reporters that no one wants to see the U.S. default on its $14 trillion national debt, saying “we have to […]
Obama: US to Keep Pressure on Al-Qaida
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
President Obama says the United States will continue to keep pressure on al-Qaida, even as U.S. forces draw down in Afghanistan. The president said 33,000 U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan within a year. Those troops were sent to the country as part of a surge Mr. Obama announced in December 2009. The United […]
Obama: Greater Equality for Gays a ‘Good Thing’
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
President Obama says he thinks it is a “good thing” that the United States is moving in the direction of greater equality for homosexuals. He said the legalization of gay marriage in New York was part of what he called a “profound recognition” on the part of the American people that gays, lesbians and transgender […]
Obama Defends US Involvement in Libyan Conflict
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
President Obama has defended U.S. involvement in Libya, saying the international operation has protected thousands of people in the North African country. Mr. Obama said he did not violate the War Powers Resolution, a U.S. law that requires congressional approval within 60 days if U.S. forces are involved in hostilities. He said Libyan leader Moammar […]
Obama: Deficit Agreement Will Require ‘Tough Decisions’
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
President Obama says any agreement to reduce the nation’s deficit is going to require “tough decisions,” including decisions on what he called “spending in the tax code” by eliminating some tax benefits for the wealthy. The president called reducing the deficit one of the most important and urgent things the U.S. government can do for […]
Obama Calls on Congress to Take Action on Economy
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama has called on Congress to take action that he says would strengthen the economy and help Americans who are struggling financially. At a White House news conference Wednesday, Mr. Obama said the nation’s economic problems will not be solved immediately. He said Americans are still looking for work, or seeking better-paying […]
Southern Sudan Asks US to Lift Oil Sanctions
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
Southern Sudan, which will soon become an independent country, has asked the United States to lift oil sanctions on all of Sudan. The south’s vice president, Riek Machar, said Wednesday that the current sanctions will hurt the new country’s ability to export oil because it must rely on the north’s pipelines. South Sudan is set […]
IMF Urges US Congress To Raise Debt Limit
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
Officials of the International Monetary Fund are urging the U.S. Congress to move promptly to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. An IMF report says inaction could bring sharply increased interest rates that could hurt the U.S. economy and cause problems on world financial markets. U.S. law requires Congress to approve borrowing more than the currently […]
