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Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II, born August 4, 1961, was the 44th President of the United States and the first black US president. He served as president between January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017. Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate in October 2009. He was succeeded by Republican Donald John Trump, who assumed office in January 2017.

Born

4 Aug 1961

Industry

Politics

Job Title

44th President of the United States of America

“We should not forget there are more than 190 countries on our planet,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. Photo: Shutterstock

Two Sessions 2026

What’s wrong with a G2? Wang Yi lays out China’s case against great-power rivalry

Bloc confrontation is a path to disaster and the world must abide by the UN Charter, the foreign minister says.

8 Mar 2026 - 9:11PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Who was Ethel Kennedy – and was she really mean to Carolyn Bessette?

3 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

Donald Trump

Trump gambles his Iran attack will save flailing Maga agenda

1 Mar 2026 - 2:46AMvideocam

Crime

Son of slain director Rob Reiner pleads not guilty to parents’ murder

Nick Reiner faces two counts of first-degree murder over the double killing that sent shock waves through Hollywood.

24 Feb 2026 - 12:26PM

Nick Reiner in court on Monday. Photo: Pool via Reuters

Donald Trump

Trump says he’s ordering release of US files on UFOs and aliens

US president directs the Pentagon to release records on extraterrestrial life after accusing Obama of disclosing ‘classified information’.

20 Feb 2026 - 2:02PM

United States

US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84: ‘my constituency is the damned’

The Baptist minister’s two presidential runs helped lay the groundwork for the election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama.

17 Feb 2026 - 6:53PM

UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life

Are aliens real? Obama says yes but rules out long-running conspiracy

Barack Obama says a secretive US base isn’t holding extraterrestrials - unless a massive conspiracy kept him in the dark.

16 Feb 2026 - 1:13PM

Razor wire and security cameras at the entrance to Area 51 in Nevada. Photo: Reuters

Britain

Purrfect? Larry the cat marks 15 years – and 6 PMs – as UK’s chief mouser

Many cats have occupied the post since the 1920s with historical records even showing them in government residences in the era of Henry VIII.

15 Feb 2026 - 10:29PM

United States

Obama blasts ‘clown show’ after Trump’s racist monkey video

The ex-president said most Americans ‘find this behaviour deeply troubling’ and it will hurt the Republicans in the midterm election.

16 Feb 2026 - 11:18AMvideocam

United States

Epstein’s girlfriend married a woman, showing how he gamed immigration

The late sex offender used student visas, English language courses and sham marriages to keep foreign women in the US.

15 Feb 2026 - 1:30AM

An image of Jeffrey Epstein and Karyna Shuliak is seen at an unidentified location in one of the documents released by US authorities in January. US Department of Justice via AFP

United States

‘A giant scam’: Trump makes his biggest rollback of US climate policy to date

US president confounds critics as he repeals finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health.

13 Feb 2026 - 1:47PM

The US repeal eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks. Photo: TNS

United States

Trump admin removes rainbow flag from birthplace of US gay rights movement

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called it an ‘act of erasure’, while others described the move as an attack on the queer community.

11 Feb 2026 - 7:39AM

Donald Trump

Trump claims he ‘didn’t see whole’ racist post showing Obamas as apes

The White House initially defended the video clip as a Lion King meme, then blamed a staff member for posting it ‘erroneously’.

7 Feb 2026 - 3:58PM

Vietnam

Friend or foe? Leaked Vietnamese military document labels US ‘belligerent’

While noting that ‘there is little risk of a war’, document urges vigilance to prevent the US from finding a pretext to invade Vietnam.

4 Feb 2026 - 12:01PM

A US Marine honour guard holds the Vietnamese flag to welcome Defence Minister Phan Van Giang to the Pentagon on September 9, 2024. Photo: AP

ICBMs

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

President Xi Jinping plans to further expand China’s nuclear weapons stockpile, while caps on US and Russian deployments end this week.

5 Feb 2026 - 2:58PM

A Chinese DF-5C intercontinental strategic nuclear missile on display at a military parade. (Photo: EPA)

United States

US, Russia to enter new, unregulated nuclear age as arms pact nears expiry

With Trump showing less interest in extending the New START agreement, the future of nuclear weapon limits is unclear.

1 Feb 2026 - 2:43PMvideocam

United States

ICE thaw? White House softens tone after Minneapolis killings outrage

Some federal agents will start leaving Minneapolis following White House talks with the state’s governor and city mayor.

27 Jan 2026 - 4:33PMvideocam

United States

‘Wake-up call’: Obama and Clinton speak out as latest killing shocks US

Two former presidents join the outcry over the shooting of Alex Pretti, as video analysis appears to contradict the government’s statements.

26 Jan 2026 - 5:23PMvideocam

Clashes at the scene where federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Horoscopes

Horoscopes: what’s your luck like in January 2026, Earth Ox month?

It’s going to be smooth sailing for the Dragon, Horse and Dog, but those under the Ox sign need to be careful while on the road.

6 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

Singapore

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

22 Dec 2025 - 10:02AMvideocam

Taylor Swift

All about the Taylor Swift-approved book, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

In an episode of her new Disney+ docuseries, Swift listened to this Barack Obama-recommended book by Liz Moore – now it’s coming to Netflix.

18 Dec 2025 - 6:00PM

The audiobook Taylor Swift was listening to in her The End of an Era docuseries, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, is going viral. Photos: EPA, Riverhead Books

US-China decoupling

Open Questions | Yeo on how Trump wants to avoid Taiwan upending China relations

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo says that Donald Trump is prioritising stable relations with China, and that the US is facing decline amid a shift to a multipolar world.

18 Dec 2025 - 12:28PM

Donald Trump

Trump rewrites White House history with plaques mocking predecessors

Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his enmity for his Democratic predecessors, displays his grievances on White House walls.

18 Dec 2025 - 2:05PM

Donald Trump

Trump has signed more executive orders this year than in his entire first term

The US president’s 221st order designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, joining others on AI and fighting ‘woke’ culture.

17 Dec 2025 - 4:30AMvideocam

US-China relations

US commission wants more Mandarin language courses to curb Beijing’s sway

Move would deepen students’ linguistic and cultural understanding amid cuts to US cultural exchange programmes to China.

11 Dec 2025 - 6:53AM

Students at Yu Ying Public Charter School in Washington perform a Chinese song and dance. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s annual report recommends introducing more Mandarin immersion programmes in the US. Photo: Yu Ying Public Charter School

My Life

‘Architects are always jumping in water that’s over our heads’

Billie Tsien, founding partner of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, tells of designing the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre and the Obama Presidential Centre.

9 Dec 2025 - 3:18PM

Architect Billie Tsien, pictured at Asia Society Hong Kong Centre, which she says was a complicated and scary site to build on. Photo: Tracy Wong

United States

Trump ally ousted as New Jersey prosecutor by appeal court

The ruling calls into question the legitimacy of a number of cases and criminal charges approved during Habba’s challenged tenure.

2 Dec 2025 - 3:51AM

United States

Trump declares all orders signed by autopen under Biden ‘terminated’

Trump vows to terminate every document his predecessor signed, and if Biden lied about using an autopen, he would be charged with perjury.

29 Nov 2025 - 7:06AM

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Barack Obama

What’s wrong with a G2? Wang Yi lays out China’s case against great-power rivalry

Bloc confrontation is a path to disaster and the world must abide by the UN Charter, the foreign minister says.

Who was Ethel Kennedy – and was she really mean to Carolyn Bessette?

Trump gambles his Iran attack will save flailing Maga agenda

Son of slain director Rob Reiner pleads not guilty to parents’ murder

Nick Reiner faces two counts of first-degree murder over the double killing that sent shock waves through Hollywood.

Trump says he’s ordering release of US files on UFOs and aliens

US president directs the Pentagon to release records on extraterrestrial life after accusing Obama of disclosing ‘classified information’.

US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84: ‘my constituency is the damned’

The Baptist minister’s two presidential runs helped lay the groundwork for the election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama.

Are aliens real? Obama says yes but rules out long-running conspiracy

Barack Obama says a secretive US base isn’t holding extraterrestrials - unless a massive conspiracy kept him in the dark.

Purrfect? Larry the cat marks 15 years – and 6 PMs – as UK’s chief mouser

Many cats have occupied the post since the 1920s with historical records even showing them in government residences in the era of Henry VIII.

Obama blasts ‘clown show’ after Trump’s racist monkey video

The ex-president said most Americans ‘find this behaviour deeply troubling’ and it will hurt the Republicans in the midterm election.

Epstein’s girlfriend married a woman, showing how he gamed immigration

The late sex offender used student visas, English language courses and sham marriages to keep foreign women in the US.

‘A giant scam’: Trump makes his biggest rollback of US climate policy to date

US president confounds critics as he repeals finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health.

Trump admin removes rainbow flag from birthplace of US gay rights movement

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called it an ‘act of erasure’, while others described the move as an attack on the queer community.

Trump claims he ‘didn’t see whole’ racist post showing Obamas as apes

The White House initially defended the video clip as a Lion King meme, then blamed a staff member for posting it ‘erroneously’.

Friend or foe? Leaked Vietnamese military document labels US ‘belligerent’

While noting that ‘there is little risk of a war’, document urges vigilance to prevent the US from finding a pretext to invade Vietnam.

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

President Xi Jinping plans to further expand China’s nuclear weapons stockpile, while caps on US and Russian deployments end this week.

US, Russia to enter new, unregulated nuclear age as arms pact nears expiry

With Trump showing less interest in extending the New START agreement, the future of nuclear weapon limits is unclear.

ICE thaw? White House softens tone after Minneapolis killings outrage

Some federal agents will start leaving Minneapolis following White House talks with the state’s governor and city mayor.

‘Wake-up call’: Obama and Clinton speak out as latest killing shocks US

Two former presidents join the outcry over the shooting of Alex Pretti, as video analysis appears to contradict the government’s statements.

Horoscopes: what’s your luck like in January 2026, Earth Ox month?

It’s going to be smooth sailing for the Dragon, Horse and Dog, but those under the Ox sign need to be careful while on the road.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

All about the Taylor Swift-approved book, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

In an episode of her new Disney+ docuseries, Swift listened to this Barack Obama-recommended book by Liz Moore – now it’s coming to Netflix.

Open Questions | Yeo on how Trump wants to avoid Taiwan upending China relations

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo says that Donald Trump is prioritising stable relations with China, and that the US is facing decline amid a shift to a multipolar world.

Trump rewrites White House history with plaques mocking predecessors

Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his enmity for his Democratic predecessors, displays his grievances on White House walls.

Trump has signed more executive orders this year than in his entire first term

The US president’s 221st order designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, joining others on AI and fighting ‘woke’ culture.

US commission wants more Mandarin language courses to curb Beijing’s sway

Move would deepen students’ linguistic and cultural understanding amid cuts to US cultural exchange programmes to China.

‘Architects are always jumping in water that’s over our heads’

Billie Tsien, founding partner of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, tells of designing the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre and the Obama Presidential Centre.

Trump ally ousted as New Jersey prosecutor by appeal court

The ruling calls into question the legitimacy of a number of cases and criminal charges approved during Habba’s challenged tenure.

Trump declares all orders signed by autopen under Biden ‘terminated’

Trump vows to terminate every document his predecessor signed, and if Biden lied about using an autopen, he would be charged with perjury.

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack