White House News

WASHINGTON - After 10 months in office, President Barack Obama on Wednesday granted his first pardon — to Courage, a 45-pound turkey spared from the Thanksgiving table. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The Obama family passed out turkeys, stuffing and other Thanksgiving favorites to people at a food pantry organization. Full Story »

President Barack Obama's Thanksgiving Day proclamation, as released by the White House: Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama plans to announce a redrawn battle plan for Afghanistan, including what the military says could be a roughly 50 percent increase in U.S. forces, in a national address Tuesday night from the U.S. Military Academy. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Wednesday welcomed Israel's decision to temporarily freeze new construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a step toward resolving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is backtracking on an announcement that it had reviewed its policy allowing military use of land mines and decided to leave it in place. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - With more Americans going hungry than ever before, the Agriculture Department is concerned that dozens of states aren't adequately administering food stamp programs designed to provide food to low-income Americans. Full Story »

Estimated participation rates of citizens eligible for food stamps by state. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The government is imposing fines for the first time against airlines for stranding passengers on an airport tarmac, the Transportation Department said Tuesday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the government has scheduled 38 oil and natural gas lease sales for public lands next year, including one in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - US welcomes Israeli decision to temporarily halt Jewish settlements in West Bank. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is holding out the possibility that Iraq's national election could be delayed beyond January because of a dispute over the allocation of seats in parliament. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - India's prime minister said Wednesday that Pakistan must do more to punish the masterminds of last year's terrorist attacks in the Indian financial capital. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Reports of hate crimes against gays and religious groups increased sharply in 2008, according to new FBI data released Monday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will publicly pardon a turkey in a Rose Garden ceremony Wednesday, honoring a Thanksgiving season tradition that dates to Harry Truman's presidency. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The federal courts and military tribunals that will prosecute suspected terrorists vary sharply in their independence, public stature and use of evidence. But the Obama administration has so far offered no clear-cut rationale for how it chooses which system will try a detainee. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Celebrities, major Democratic fundraisers and prominent Indian businessmen were among those scoring coveted invitations to President Barack Obama's first state dinner. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Military prosecutors said Friday they plan to seek new charges against the alleged mastermind of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Full Story »