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Obama defends Iran nuclear deal, calling it best alternative to avoid more wars in Middle East

​The U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the Iran nuclear agreement was the best way to avoid a nuclear arms race and more wars in the Middle East, urging Congress to approve the deal.

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Iran deal triumph for diplomacy, earnest implementation crucial

​Those who have waited anxiously in the past 20-plus months for a comprehensive deal on Iran's nuclear issue could breath a sigh of relief Tuesday as parties are confirmed to have finally clinched after marathon talks a deal that represents a huge triumph for diplomacy.

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Obama signs trade bills into law, giving boost to TPP talks

​U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday signed several trade bills into law, including the legislation giving him the so-called fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals with other countries, injecting new momentum to the stalled Asia-Pacific trade talks.

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U.S. Senate passes Iran nuclear review bill

​The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan bill to allow Congress to review and potentially reject an international nuclear agreement with Iran.

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U.S. court says NSA phone record collection illegal

A U.S. federal appeals court on Thursday said a National Security Agency (NSA) program that collected the records of millions of Americans' phone calls was not authorized by Congress.

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U.S. "screws up" on its approach to AIIB: former secretary of state

The United State has "screwed up" on its way to deal with the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and "should not have done in this way," former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said on Tuesday.

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Pentagon chief says anti-IS fight may take longer than 3 yrs

​U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Wednesday that the fight against the extremist group "Islamic State" (IS) may take longer time than the three- year timeline stipulated in U.S. President Barack Obama's force authorization request.

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Obama aide urges Congress not to impose new sanctions on Iran

An aide to U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday called on Congress not to impose new sanctions on Iran, warning that such a move could derail ongoing talks on Tehran's nuclear program.

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New U.S. defense chief sworn in amid mounting challenges home and abroad

​Former Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was sworn in Tuesday as the 25th U.S. Defense Secretary, the fourth defense chief in President Barack Obama's six years in office.

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White House welcomes new Pentagon chief

​The White House on Thursday welcomed the Senate vote that confirmed Ash Carter to be the new chief to run the Pentagon, looking forward to his role in working with the Republican-controlled Congress on defense spending issues.

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Senior provincial legislator in NW China removed from post

Lu Wucheng, a senior legislator of northwest China's Gansu Province, was removed from official post and stripped of status as a national law-maker on Sunday.

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U.S. Senate approves Keystone XL oil pipeline

​The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a bill to build the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline even though President Barack Obama has threatened to veto this project.

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U.S. Senate Democrats give Obama breathing room on Iran nuclear talks

Several Democratic Senators in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday pledged not to push new sanctions legislature against Iran before March 24, giving President Barack Obama breathing room to reach a nuclear deal with the Islamic republic.

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U.S. House leader invites Israeli PM to address Congress

​Speaker of House of Representatives John Boehner on Wednesday invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of U.S. Congress next month.

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Obama pushes for fast track authority to advance trade deals

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday night asked Congress to grant the administration the so-called "fast track" authority to negotiate far-reaching trade deals with Asia-Pacific and European countries and speed them through Congress.

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Obama: New Iran sanctions will lead to "failure of diplomacy"

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned that further sanctions on Iran pushed ahead by Congress would lead to "failure of diplomacy" in solving the Iranian nuclear issue.

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Obama vows to cooperate with new Congress on concerned issues

​U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday met for the first time with leaders of the country's 114th Congress, vowing to find common ground with the Republican- controlled Congress on economic and national security issues including trade, cybersecurity as well as the legal basis for attacks against Islamic State (IS).