A tie vote by the US Supreme Court is blocking President Barack Obama's immigration plan that sought to shield millions living in the US illegally from deportation.

Faced with a trio of controversies, 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 unexpected developments consume his second term.

US president Barack Obama was officially sworn in yesterday ahead of today’s ceremonial inauguration, an event which is expected to attract well short of the 2m citizens who attended the groundbreaking occasion four years ago.

The stock market shot higher even as the “fiscal cliff” neared. By the time trading ended, Republicans and Democrats still had not reached a budget compromise – but investors were betting that they would.

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama faces a long re-election campaign, having all but given up on the economy rebounding in any meaningful way before November 2012.

Congressional Democratic leaders and the White House have finalised a deal to spend $15bn (€11.54bn) on emergency loans for struggling US car makers, officials said today.

A Democratic resolution on Iraq has attracted the support of at least two Republicans and is exposing fissures within the Republican Party over the unpopular war.