Paris, France–(ENEWSPF)–March 30, 2014. SECRETARY KERRY: Good evening, everybody. Thank you very much for your patience. I know it’s late, at least here. And I apologize to everyone for running a little late, but we spent a fair amount of time in these talks. As you know, I came to[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–March 29, 2014. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Joe Biden. I’m filling in for President Obama, who is abroad. I want to talk to you today about the minimum wage and the overwhelming need to raise the minimum wage. There’s no reason in the world why an American working 40[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–March 28, 2014. Index for Today’s Briefing DEPARTMENT Secretary’s Travel SYRIA Violence in Kessab / Threat to Armenian Community in Syria DEPARTMENT Alfred Friendly Press Partners Fellows AFGHANISTAN Attack on Roots of Peace SYRIA Concerns about Targeting of Armenians in Syria / Opposition Committed to Fighting Extremism VENEZUELA Policy[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–March 28, 2014.  In his meetings with King Abdullah in Riyadh, President Obama reiterated the significance the United States places on its strong relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has endured for over 80 years.  The United States and Saudi Arabia are working together to address a number of critical[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—March 28, 2014. President Putin called President Obama today to discuss the U.S. proposal for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, which Secretary Kerry had again presented to Foreign Minister Lavrov at the meeting at the Hague earlier this week, and which we developed following U.S. consultations[Read More…]

BELGIUM–(ENEWSPF)–28 March 2014.  This afternoon, the North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Mr. Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the North Atlantic Council, in succession to Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Mr. Stoltenberg will assume his functions as Secretary General as from 1 October 2014, when Mr. Fogh[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–March 28, 2014. We welcome the selection of former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as NATO’s next Secretary General, beginning October 1, 2014.  Mr. Stoltenberg is a proven leader with a demonstrated commitment to the transatlantic Alliance.  As Prime Minister, he built Norway’s military capabilities and actively contributed to[Read More…]

En Route Riyadh, Saudi Arabia–(ENEWSPF)–March 28, 2014 – 12:08 P.M. CET MR. CARNEY:  Welcome aboard Air Force One, en route Riyadh from Rome.  I have with me Benjamin Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor, and he will gladly answer your questions on a variety of topics, as will I.  No announcements. [Read More…]

ANN ARBOR–(ENEWSPF)–March 28, 2014.  Consumer confidence has remained largely unchanged in the past three months despite the hard winter as well as a severe drought. Consumer finances were just as strong in March as in December 2013, and more importantly, consumers viewed their financial prospects for the year ahead much[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—March 28, 2014. Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in February. Twenty-nine states had unemployment rate decreases from January, 10 states had increases, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-nine states and the[Read More…]