Obama delivers State of the Union address

Barack Obama has used his biggest speech of the year to push for narrowing the gap between rich and poor – and pledged to sidestep Congress “whenever and wherever” necessary to bypass the political gridlock that has bedevilled his presidency.

The US leader’s State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress and millions of Americans watching at home served as the opening salvo in a fight for control of Congress ahead of the November election.