Aug 08 Watch Islamic State fighters defiant after U.S. airstrikes By PBS News Hour American warplanes and an unmanned drone targeted fighters and artillery of the Islamic State militant group in northern Iraq. President Obama announced the strikes — the first since the last U.S. troops left Iraq in 2011 — as thousands of… Continue watching
Aug 08 Obama's strategy is to contain extremists in Iraq By Robert Burns, Lara Jakes, Associated Press Obama insists he will not send American ground troops back to Iraq after having withdrawn them in 2011, fulfilling a campaign promise. Still, even the limited airstrikes against the vicious insurgency show the president's conviction that the U.S. military cannot… Continue reading
Aug 08 Pentagon: U.S. launches first airstrikes in Iraq By Julie Pace, Robert Burns, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- U.S. fighters dropped bombs on Islamic militants in Iraq Friday, the Pentagon said, redeeming President Barack Obama's promise of military force to counter the advancing militants and confront the threat they pose to Iraqi civilians and Americans. Continue reading
Aug 08 Gwen's Take: The U.S.-Africa Summit: Of opportunities and setbacks By Gwen Ifill African and American leaders prepare for the third and final plenary meeting of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington August 6. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images They arrived on jet planes. They clogged downtown Washington, D.C. streets with… Continue reading
Aug 07 Watch Islamic State movement into Kurdish territory changes equation for U.S. By PBS News Hour The White House is weighing launching airstrikes and sending humanitarian aid as the crisis darkens for displaced Christians and Yazidis fleeing Islamist militants in northern Iraq. Karen DeYoung of The Washington Post joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss how the rationale… Continue watching
Aug 07 Watch Obama considering air support operation for Iraqi refugees By PBS News Hour President Obama is reportedly considering "very limited" military action in Iraq against the Islamic State group. The Sunni extremists have renewed their surge across Northern Iraq, sending thousands of Christians and Yazidis fleeing from ultimatums to convert to Islam, pay… Continue watching
Aug 07 President Obama signs bill allowing new changes in veteran health care By Matthew Daly, Darlene Superville, Associated Press FORT BELVOIR, Va. — President Barack Obama says the government must ensure that the Veterans Affairs Department has the resources to keep up with the demands of troops returning from war. Continue reading
Aug 06 Obama, African leaders address security and government corruption By Julie Pace, Associated Press President Barack Obama and dozens of African leaders opened talks Wednesday on two key issues that threaten to disrupt economic progress on the continent: security and government corruption. Continue reading
Aug 05 Watch Turning a narrative of struggle into success story in Africa By PBS News Hour President Obama announced billions of dollars in new public and private investment in Africa’s rapidly growing markets -- on everything from construction to banking to clean energy infrastructure -- at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington. Gwen Ifill talks to… Continue watching
Aug 05 Obama pledges $33 billion to Africa commitments By Julie Pace, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Seeking to strengthen America's financial foothold in Africa, President Barack Obama announced $33 billion in commitments Tuesday aimed at shifting U.S. ties with Africa beyond humanitarian aid and toward more equal economic partnerships. Continue reading