WHITE HOUSE

President Barack Obama celebrates the big 5-0.

Thousands of civilians were fleeing the city, a bastion of protest surrounded by a ring of steel of troops with tanks and heavy weapons

In the largest one-day hike in history, U.S. Government debt shot up to $239 billion.

The U.S. Debt Deal crisis has claimed another casualty: the U.S. air transportation system -- Congress has left town without funding a key Federal Aviation Administration budget: as a result, 70,000 construction and related workers have been idled, and 4,000 furloughed, work on projects valued at $11 billion has been delayed.

Faced with the prospect of a U.S. debt deal that could substantially shrink the military budget, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta posted a letter to Pentagon employees warning against 'misguided' cuts that could imperil the nation's security.

President Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to end the 12 day long FAA shutdown, as they recessed for the summer. The President remarked that members need not even return to town to resolve the dispute, and that it could be done through a procedural agreement when the debate resumes in September. He stated, "This is a lose, lose, lose situation that can be easily solved...."

Two top Republican leaders have apologized to President Obama for using racially charged language while criticizing the White House policies.

The world's largest economy was headed toward an unprecedented default, and all Washington wanted to talk about was the manner in which the president had left a room.

The world's largest economy was headed toward an unprecedented default, and all Washington wanted to talk about was the manner in which the president had left a room.

The White House said on Wednesday it was looking at ways to end a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration that has halted airport construction projects employing thousands of people and extended the summer's political battles.

President Barack Obama will take a three-day campaign-style bus tour through the American Midwest this month, as he tries to refocus attention on jobs seen as vital to his chances of winning re-election in 2012.

Security experts announced on Wednesday the discovery of an unprecedented series of cyber attacks spanning five years that affected the networks of 72 organizations globally, including the United Nations, governments and corporations.

A homeless man was the cause of a heightened security alert in Washington D.C., Wednesday after jumping the White House fence, though he was immediately apprehended by gun-pointing Secret Service agents.

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, aged 31, is the king of Bhutan, a tiny kingdom in the Himalayas. He was born February 21, 1980 (when Obama was already in college).

House Representative Doug Lamborn told a Colorado radio show that being associated with President Obama's policies is like "touching a tar baby." He apologized for the remark on Wednesday.

With Medicare at the top of lawmakers' fall agenda, Tea Party movement leaders hope to ignite support for Republican plans to transform the popular federal healthcare program for the elderly.

As the FAA shuts down, ticket holders and prospective flyers could experience cheaper flights- for now.

If you had his job, you'd probably have some grey hair too

President Barack Obama suffered a defeat in the battle over raising the U.S. debt limit that may have repercussions for his efforts to restore growth to the U.S. economy and win re-election in 2012.

The chaotic and often ugly debt-ceiling talks managed to avert a potential economic catastrophe but inflicted new damage to the political reputations of most of the key players.

President Barack Obama will be celebrating his 50th birthday Wednesday night at Chicago's classy Aragon Ballroom, and he's looking for a specific type of present for the midlife milestone: campaign contributions.