Torture Committee Inquiry Follows Scathing Rebuke by Committee on Rights of the Child Geneva—(ENEWSPF)—May 5, 2014. Today, the Vatican was summoned to appear before the United Nations Committee Against Torture to report on its record in preventing, punishing and redressing torture, which necessarily included its record addressing widespread sexual violence[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 3, 2014 – 10:21 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much, everybody.  Have a seat, have a seat.  Before I get started, can we get the new presidential setup out here?  (Aides bring out two ferns.) It was worked before.  (Laughter and applause.)  That’s more like it.[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 3, 2014. Hi, everybody.  My number one priority as President is doing whatever I can to create more jobs and opportunity for hardworking families.  And yesterday, we learned that businesses added 273,000 jobs last month.  All told, our businesses have now created 9.2 million new jobs over 50[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 3, 2014.  On Friday afternoon, President Obama met with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) business and faith leaders in the Roosevelt Room to discuss the importance of taking action to pass commonsense immigration reform. The meeting coincides with the start of AAPI Heritage Month, an opportunity to[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 2, 2014.  Index for Today’s Briefing DEPARTMENT Free the Press Campaign / Ethiopia / Pakistan World Press Freedom Day / $1.2 million in USAID Funding in Support of Ukrainian Media Update on Secretary Kerry’s Travel BENGHAZI Congressional Subpoena / Production of Documents DEPARTMENT Criticism of Administration’s Foreign Policy[Read More…]

Juba, South Sudan–(ENEWSPF)–May 2, 2014. SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good afternoon. I just completed an in-depth, very frank, and thorough discussion with President Kiir. And throughout the meeting, I think it’s fair to say that both of us spoke very candidly, very directly, and we got to the issues that I[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 2, 2014 – 12:07 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, good morning, everybody.  It is always a great pleasure to welcome my friend Chancellor Merkel to the White House.  Germany is one of our strongest allies, and Angela is one of my closest partners.  And with her indulgence, I[Read More…]

WASHINGTON—(ENEWSPF)—May 2, 2014. U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the April 2014 Employment Situation report released today: “This morning’s report demonstrates that the economy continues to rebound after a brutal recession that began in 2007. The economy generated 288,000 new jobs in April. The[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—May 2, 2014. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 288,000, and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 6.3 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment gains were widespread, led by job growth in professional and business services, retail trade, food services[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 1, 2014 – 11:47 A.M. EDT MR. CARNEY:  Hey, everybody.  No announcements.  I’ll go to your questions.  Jon, are you ready?  (Laughter.)  But I’ll start with Nedra.  Go ahead. Q    Thanks, Jay.  The Pentagon is releasing a report today showing a 50 percent increase in military sexual assaults. [Read More…]