
London: Michelle Obama contemplated divorcing Barack Obama in 2000 after he ignored her advice not to run for a House seat in Chicago, making him so "depressed" that friends feared he might commit suicide, says a new book. According to the book, Michelle prepared divorce papers in 2000 following Barack's disastrous attempt to win a House seat in Chicago - in fact, as she was upset that he ignored her...

04:31 PM, May 16, 2012

Washington: White House is priceless and, of course, not for sale. But, the mansion, which has housed US presidents and their families since 1800, could fetch up to $115 million in the open market, a realtor has claimed. "This would be an extreme luxury home. It would probably be $100 or $115 (million)," the 'New York Daily News' online quoted Jason Koitz, a strategist with The Koitz Group, as telling...

05:43 PM, May 06, 2012

Washington: The National Academy of Sciences is casting more doubt on whether the Obama administration's European-based missile defence shield can protect the United States and recommends scrapping key parts of the system. The academy's assessment could complicate White House efforts to persuade Congress to fund the still-developing programme. Though the academy says the plans would protect Europe effectively, some lawmakers already are asking why the US, at a time of...

02:50 PM, May 04, 2012

Washington: There is no credible terrorist threat to the US by al Qaeda or its affiliated outfits on the eve of the first death anniversary of Osama bin Laden, even as these groups continue to plan attacks against America to revenge his death, the White House said on Thursday. "At this time we have no credible information that terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda, are plotting attacks in the US to...

12:48 AM, Apr 27, 2012

Gettysburg: Rick Santorum ended his improbable run for the White House on Tuesday after leading a Republican tilt to the right that could dog the more moderate front-runner, Mitt Romney, in November's election. Trailing in polls and fundraising, the conservative former senator suspended his campaign and cleared the way for Romney to clinch the nomination to face President Barack Obama in the November 6 general election. A staunch social conservative...

06:42 AM, Apr 11, 2012

Washington: India's celebrated chef Sanjeev Kapoor was given a rare insight into the historic kitchen of the White House, which prepares the food for US President Barack Obama, his family and the large number of guests invited to the residence of the first family every day. Kapoor was not only given the tour of the historic kitchen, but also had an intensive discussion with the team of White House chefs...

11:04 AM, Apr 09, 2012

Washington: The Taliban's suspension of preliminary peace talks is a tactical move reflecting internal tensions, US officials believe, rather than a definitive halt to discussions the White House hopes will bring a peaceful end to the war in Afghanistan. US officials had been bracing themselves for backlash from the militant group following a string of public setbacks that have scandalized and angered Afghans, notably US soldiers' burning of copies of...

01:06 AM, Mar 23, 2012

Washington: US President Barack Obama says he doesn't want war but insists he would attack Iran if that was the only option left to stop that nation from getting a nuclear weapon. "Loose talk of war" only plays into Iran's hands, Obama said on Sunday. On Monday, he will try to persuade Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to slow quickening pressure among many in his hawkish government to attack Iran's...

05:28 PM, Mar 05, 2012

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama is confronting Americans' anxiety over rising gasoline prices by drawing attention to his energy policies and taking credit for rising oil and gas production, a greater mix of energy sources and decreased consumption. Obama is heading to Florida on Thursday to promote an energy strategy that the administration says will reduce dependence on foreign oil in the long term. But Obama's pitch will also have a...

04:06 PM, Feb 23, 2012

Washington: The White House on Thursday proposed a "bill of rights" that would give consumers greater online privacy protection and could eventually give the government greater powers to police Internet firms such as Google Inc and Facebook. While the privacy bill of rights does not impose any immediate new obligations on online companies, President Barack Obama said it was part of a broader plan to give Americans more control over...

01:24 PM, Feb 23, 2012

Washington The US government has unveiled a 'Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights' as part of a comprehensive blueprint to improve consumers' privacy protections and ensure that the Internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth. The blueprint will guide efforts to give users more control over how their personal information is used on the Internet and to help businesses maintain consumer trust and grow in the rapidly changing digital...

12:01 PM, Feb 23, 2012

Kabul: The US apologised on Tuesday for the burning of Muslim holy books that had been pulled from the shelves of a detention center library adjoining a major base in eastern Afghanistan because they contained extremist messages or inscriptions. The White House echoed military officials in saying that the burning of Qurans and other Islamic reading material that had been tossed in a pile of garbage was an accident. But...

05:29 AM, Feb 22, 2012

Washington: The United States hopes to meet soon with international partners to consider how to halt violence in Syria and provide humanitarian aid, the White House said on Wednesday. "In the coming days we will continue our very active discussions ... to crystallize the international community's next steps in that effort to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters. Carney said the...

04:33 AM, Feb 09, 2012

Washington: A former White House intern is speaking out about an 18-month affair she had with President John F Kennedy while he was in office, revealing intimate details in a new book to be published on Wednesday. Mimi Alford, who was 19 when she started her internship at the White House in 1962, discussed her secret sexual affair with the president in her book "Once Upon a Secret: My Affair...

12:37 PM, Feb 07, 2012

Washington: US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle will host a dinner at the White House on February 29 to honour members of the armed services who served in Iraq. "This dinner is an expression of the nation's gratitude for the achievements and enormous sacrifices of the brave Americans who served in the Iraq war, and of the families who supported them," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told...

09:46 AM, Feb 07, 2012