Obama says 'no clear evidence' on gunman's link to ISIS

U.S. President Barack Obama, who will visit Orlando on Thursday to pay his respects to the victims of the country's worst shooting massacre, has said there is no clear evidence that the gay nightclub gunman was directed by the Islamic State to carry out the mass killing.

President Obama after a briefing with law enforcement, counterterrorism and Homeland Security officials yesterday said that even though the gunman had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State while making a 911 call during the attack, there was no clear evidence that he had been part of a wider plot directed by the terrorist group, reports the New York Times.

President Obama scripts history by visiting Hiroshima

Scripting history by becoming the first U.S. President to visit the world's first atomic bombing site, Barack Obama on Friday said 71 years ago death fell from the sky and mankind showed that it had the means to destroy itself.

"The image of a mushroom cloud reminds us of humanity's contradiction; how easily we learn to justify violence in the name of some higher cause. The same discoveries of science can be turned into ever more efficient killing machines," said Obama.

Obama praises 'strengthening ties' between US and Vietnam

Barack Obama praised "strengthening ties" between the US and Vietnam at the start of a landmark visit today, as the former wartime foes deepen trade links and share concerns over Chinese actions in disputed seas.

"We come here as a symbol of the strengthening ties we have made over the last several decades," Obama told his counterpart President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi.

"Across the board, what we have seen is increased cooperation for the benefit of both of our people.
-Source PTI

Obama criticises Trump's policies on Muslims, border

President Barack Obama has taken a swipe at presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's plans to ban Muslims from entering America and build walls between the US and other nations, saying the biggest challenges cannot be solved in isolation.

Though he did not name Trump, Obama made it clear what he thinks about the 69-year-old real estate tycoon's campaign and policy proposals in a highly political commencement speech at Rutgers University yesterday.

US elections are not a 'reality' show: Obama to Trump

United States President Barack Obama issued a stern warning to Republican nominee Donald Trump asking him to not treat the contest for the US presidency as a mere 'reality' show and called on the voters to examine the business mogul's records.

According to CNN, the President asked reporters and voters yesterday to deeply scrutinize at the record Trump, who became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee this week.

Obama calls on Congress to pass legislation to curb tax evasion

US President Barack Obama on Friday called on Congress to pass legislation that would help law enforcement crack down on tax evasion.

"I am calling on Congress to pass new legislation that requires all companies formed inside the US to report information about their real owners to the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network," Xinhua news agency quoted Obama as saying at the White House.

Senate confirms Obama's Mexico ambassador pick

The Senate has confirmed President Barack Obama's nominee to be US ambassador to Mexico, clearing the way for the first woman to hold what is considered to be one of the country's most important diplomatic posts.

Roberta Jacobson was confirmed by voice vote nine months after her nomination. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had been blocking her confirmation, objecting to her role in negotiating the normalisation of US relations with Cuba. At the time he was seeking the Republican nomination for president.

Jacobson is the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. That position gave her a prominent voice in leading talks with Havana on re-establishing diplomatic ties and embassies after more than five decades of antagonism.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US was sending "one of our finest diplomats to advance this important relationship."

"I have long relied on Roberta's wise counsel and good cheer, and I am confident that as ambassador, she will bring her extensive experience and judgement to this critical post," Kerry said in a statement.

Mexico's Foreign Relations department said Jacobson's confirmation "demonstrates the importance of a bilateral relationship which, given its maturity, transcends internal situations."

"Ambassador Jacobson will give a new impetus to our bilateral relations and will contribute to the consolidating anew institutional structure, lending more certainty and solidity to this relationship," the Foreign Relations department said in a statement.

Jacobson is a career diplomat who previously served as deputy chief of mission in Peru, director of the State Department's Office of Mexican Affairs and deputy assistant secretary for Canada, Mexico and NAFTA issues.

Obama selected Jacobson for the post last June and she was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination in early November by a vote of 12-7. Rubio voted against her in committee.

In February, Kerry chided Rubio for blocking Jacobson's nomination, saying the senator was punishing a highly qualified candidate who did nothing wrong.

"He's out there running for president. He has ample opportunity to make his case about the policy," Kerry said of Rubio before Rubio dropped out of the GOP nomination race.

"But don't punish the country because you're angry about what happened.
-Source PTI

Obama felt disappointed after missing Taj trip: White House

US President Barack Obama was "disappointed" at not being able to visit the iconic Taj Mahal during his trip to India last year, the White House has said.

"The President was quite disappointed to not have an opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal on his last visit to India," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters yesterday.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Obama had visited India in January last year to be the chief guest of at the annual Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.

Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama were scheduled to visit Agra but the trip was cut short as the US President decided to go to Saudi Arabia to pay condolence to the Royal family following death of King Abdullah.

"That (a visit to the Taj) had originally been part of the itinerary, but the President had to cut short his visit to India because of the untimely death of the King of Saudi Arabia. So the President travelled to Saudi Arabia to pay his respects at that point," Earnest said.

"I think the President wishes I could promise that he would have an opportunity to visit Taj Mahal before the end of his presidency, but I'm not sure that will happen," the White House Press Secretary said indicating that this wish of Obama would remain unfulfilled when he leaves his presidency on January 20 next year.
-Source PTI

Obama, Merkel 's push for Trans-Atlantic trade deal in Germany

United States President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have made a joint pitch for deeper trans-Atlantic trade. They vowed to complete a vast US-European Union trade pact that could spur much-needed economic growth.

Obama, on a farewell visit to Germany as President, is trying to counter public skepticism about a trans-Atlantic trade deal with Europe, while also facing down criticism from the 2016 presidential candidates of a pending Asia-Pacific trade pact,reports Guardian.

President Obama made the statement in Hanover yesterday, where he will inaugrate the Hanover Messi fair along with German Chancellor on Monday.

Obama said, "the majority of people still favour trade. They still recognize, on balance, that it's a good idea."

United States is the partner country for this year's fair. After talks yesterday, US president said, the world's largest trade pact could be finalised by the end of the year.

He said that United States and European Union need to keep moving forward with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

Both sides hope the pact will provide a shot in the arm to Western economies that are still struggling to erode the devastating effects of the global financial crisis.

German Chancellor Merkel said, the deal was extremely helpful to allow the economy in Germany as well as Europe to grow. German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned the deal will fail if the United States refused to make concessions in Buy American clauses.

Obama, at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, made a strong public show of support for her handling of the migrant issue, saying she was 'on the right side of history on this.'

Her decision to allow the resettlement in Germany of thousands fleeing violence in Syria and other Mideast conflict zones has created an angry domestic backlash.

Merkel recently helped European countries reach a deal with Turkey to ease the flow, but she and the other leaders are now under pressure to revisit it.
-Source ANI

President Obama says Prince was most gifted, prolific musicians of his time

Washington D.C., April 22 (ANI): After it was confirmed that legendary pop star Prince has passed away at the age of 57, US President Barack Obama issued an official statement.

Obama said, "Today, the world lost a creative icon. Michelle and I join millions of fans from around the world in mourning the sudden death of Prince. Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent," reports E! Online.

"As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all. Funk. R and B. Rock and roll. He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer. 'A strong spirit transcends rules,' Prince once said-and nobody's spirit was stronger, bolder, or more creative. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his band, and all who loved him," his statement further read.

Meanwhile, many other celebrities including Justin Timberlake, Sheila Edrummer, Paul McCartney, Simon Le Bon, Chelsea Clinton, Katy Perry and Chris Rock paid their tribute to the music legend.

Prince was found at his Paisley Park studio in Minnesota on April 21. Authorities found him unresponsive in an elevator and were unable to revive him. His death remains under investigation.
-Source ANI

Obama pleads with UK voters to 'stick together' with EU

London, Apr. 22 (ANI): United States President Barack Obama made a poignant plea to the British electorate saying that as a 'friend and ally' they need to 'stick together' with the rest of the European Union.

According to the Guardian, Obama, who arrived in the UK to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday, used careful diplomatic language to make a direct appeal to the voters.

"As citizens of the United Kingdom take stock of their relationship with the EU, you should be proud that the EU has helped spread British values and practices - democracy, the rule of law, open markets - across the continent and to its periphery," he wrote in an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Evoking the close cooperation between the US and UK during the second world war, citing president Franklin D Roosevelt's toast to King George VI in 1939, when he said: "I am persuaded that the greatest single contribution our two countries have been enabled to make to civilisation, and to the welfare of peoples throughout the world, is the example we have jointly set by our manner of conducting relations between our two nations."

He added: "The US sees how your powerful voice in Europe ensures that Europe takes a strong stance in the world, and keeps the EU open, outward-looking, and closely linked to its allies on the other side of the Atlantic. So the US and the world need your outsized influence to continue - including within Europe."

UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Obama will also discuss the progress in taking on ISIS in Syria, where British planes have joined the US bombing campaign.
-Source ANI

Obama seeks Gulf help against IS as summit begins

Riyadh, Apr 21 (AFP) US President Barack Obama met Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia today to push for an intensified campaign against the Islamic State group, despite strains in ties with Washington.

Making what is likely his final presidential visit to America's historic allies, Obama posed for a summit photo with the six regional leaders, including Saudi King Salman, before beginning about four hours of talks at a royal palace.

With nine months left of his term, the president is also again seeking to reassure his Sunni allies upset over American overtures to their regional rival, Shiite Iran.

The summit comes after Washington reported progress in recent months against the Sunni extremists of IS, who seized large parts of Iraq and Syria.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are part of the US-led coalition which has been carrying out air strikes against IS.

In a bid to keep up the momentum against the jihadists, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter - in Riyadh with Obama - announced on Monday that the US will send more troops and Apache attack helicopters to Iraq.

Washington also wants to emphasise the reconstruction of cities taken back from IS.

Yesterday, Carter pleaded for greater Gulf financial and political involvement in Iraq, which is battling an economic crisis as well as the extremists.

Carter made the comments after meeting his Gulf Cooperation Council counterparts.

"I encourage our GCC partners to do more, not only militarily as the Saudis, as the UAE have been doing... but also politically and economically," Carter said.

Sunni support for "multisectarian governance and reconstruction" in Shiite-majority Iraq will be critical to ensuring the defeat of IS, the Pentagon chief said.

On the eve of the summit, US Secretary of State John Kerry was also in Riyadh, where he held talks with Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

Bahrain's King Hamad said in a statement that the summit "clearly reflects outstanding relations between the GCC countries and US".

He hoped the talks "would come up with results that would help handle the grave regional and international challenges, (and) boost regional peace and security.
-Source PTI

Islamic State is on the defensive, says Obama

Washington, Apr 14 (PTI) The dreaded Islamic State terror group is now on the defensive in Syria and Iraq, President Barack Obama said today reiterating that the US and its allies are focused on dismantling and destroying the IS network.

"Today, on the ground in Syria and in Iraq, IS is on the defensive. Our 66-member coalition, including Arab partners, is on the offensive. We have momentum, and we intend to keep that momentum," Obama said after his meeting with top national security team at CIA headquarters.

Obama said the recent terrorist attacks from Brussels to Istanbul to Iraq, where IS slaughtered children watching football have shown that these depraved terrorists still have the ability to inflict horrific violence on the innocent, to the revulsion of the entire world.

"With attacks likes these, IS hopes to weaken our collective resolve. Once again, they have failed. Their barbarism only stiffens our unity and determination to wipe this vile terrorist organisation off the face of the Earth.

"Our air campaign -- more than 11,500 strikes so far -- continues to pound IS targets. It's harder than ever for them to move and for them to mass forces. When they try, we take them out. IS still has managed to advance in some areas of Syria and Iraq, but it has not had a single successful major offensive operation on the ground there since last summer. So it's been nearly a year since they were able to mount a major successful offensive operation," he said.

The US and its allies continue to take out their leaders, their commanders and those plotting terrorist attacks.

For IS' leadership, it has been a bad few months, the US President said, adding that the IS core in Syria and Iraq continues to shrink.

"Their ranks of fighters are estimated to be at the lowest levels in about two years, and more and more of them are realising that their cause is lost. Our cyber operations are disrupting their command-and-control and communications.

"We continue to target IS' financial infrastructure, including its oil wells, refineries and supply lines. We've reduced their oil production and their oil revenue. And every dollar we deny them means one less dollar to pay their fighters and to fund their terror," Obama said.

Obama said the only way to truly destroy IS is to end the Syrian civil war that it has exploited and that the US will continue to work for a diplomatic end to the conflict.

"In the face of terrorists who try to spread panic, we have to refuse to give in to fear. We have to stay true to our values of liberty and diversity and openness. In the face of madmen who only know how to kill, we re going to keep on living our lives and trying to lift people up. We go to our stadiums. We cheer for our teams. We thrive in our cities. We run our races, as they will next week in Boston," he said.

"In other words, we carry on. Terrorists like IS and al-Qaeda, they can't destroy a great nation like the United States of America," Obama said.
-Source PTI