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His political problems boiling in capital, Obama takes a road trip to promote a jobs agenda

BALTIMORE - President Barack Obama tried on Friday to leave behind the political battles that have overshadowed his second-term agenda, saying lawmakers should work on creating more middle-class jobs in the slowly growing economy. "Our work is not done, and our focus cannot drift," Obama said.

Obama says had no prior knowledge of tax abuses

US President Barack Obama said Thursday he had not known about abuses by tax officials who targeted conservative groups until a report into the affair was leaked to the press last week. "I promise you this. The minute I found out about it, then my focus has been about making sure we get the thing fixed," Obama told reporters. The president spoke just a day after sacking acting Internal Revenue Service chief Steven Miller over reports that some agents had singled out groups affiliated with the ultra-conservative Tea Party and other right-wing causes.

Obama says had no prior knowledge of tax abuses

US President Barack Obama said Thursday he had not known about abuses by tax officials who targeted conservative groups until a report into the affair was leaked to the press last week. "I promise you this. The minute I found out about it, then my focus has been about making sure we get the thing fixed," Obama told reporters. col/dc

Obama, under pressure, tries to regain control amid trio of controversies

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is trying to halt a perception spreading among both White House opponents and allies that he has been passive and disengaged as a trio of unexpected controversies consume his second term. On Wednesday Obama released a trove of documents related to the Benghazi attack and forced out the top official at the federal tax collection agency following revelations that the it targeted conservative political groups.

Obama takes arms against a sea of scandal

President Barack Obama launched a multipronged counterattack Wednesday at Republicans who had painted a trio of alleged scandals as flagrant evidence of abuses of power and cover-ups. Obama seized the initiative after days of incoming fire over the assault on a US mission in Libya, the targeting of conservative groups by tax officials and a Justice Department trawl of reporters' phone records.

AFP 0100 GMT News Advisory

Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Obama launches counter-attack against Republicans + UN condemns Syria's Assad for 'escalation' of war + Myanmar, Bangladesh brace for approaching cyclone + Google takes on streaming-music rivals on Android US-politics-Obama,WRAP WASHINGTON

Obama fires head of US tax agency over scandal

An angry President Barack Obama sacked the acting head of the US Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday over a fast moving scandal sparked when officials unfairly targeted conservative groups. Obama said Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had asked for and received the resignation of tax agency chief Steven Miller and promised a new system of checks and safeguards to make sure the episode was not repeated. "Given the controversy surrounding this audit, it's important to institute new leadership that can help restore confidence going forward," Obama said.
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