Why the Obamas returned to the White House

Published

3 years ago

September 8, 2022

It was quite the occasion at the White House on Wednesday with former President Barack Obama returning for a special ceremony

Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle returned to the White House on Wednesday for the unveiling of official portraits.

Barack Obama selected Robert McCurdy to paint his portrait and says the “stripped down” style of his works helps create an “encounter” between the person in the painting and the person looking at it.

Barack took his chance being back at the White House to thank President Biden.

Back to the portraits, and It’s a modern vibe for the former First Lady’s too.

The video of Michelle Obama:

"We hold an inauguration to ensure a peaceful transition of power. Those of us lucky enough to serve work, as Barack said, as hard as we can, for as long as we can — as long as the people choose to keep us here — and once our time is up, we move on." pic.twitter.com/2fns1hx3NG
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 7, 2022

“A girl like me was never supposed to be up there next to Jacqueline Kennedy … she was never supposed to live in this house,” @MichelleObama says, looking at her portrait as it’s unveiled. “What we are seeing is a reminder that there is a place for everyone in this country.” pic.twitter.com/YWottCJRdg
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) September 7, 2022

Sharon Sprung painted Michelle Obama seated on a sofa in the Red Room wearing a formal light blue dress.

Sprung worked on the portrait for eight months, day and night, the most time she’s ever spent on a single painting.

She worked entirely from photographs and getting the dress just right was the hardest part.

The portraits do not look like any others in the collection to which they will be added, in terms of style and substance.

Obama’s portrait is destined for display in the Grand Foyer of the White House, the traditional showcase for paintings of the two most recent presidents.

Israel and Hamas agree to landmark hostage deal

Israel and Hamas agree to release hostages in U.S.-brokered deal, marking a potential turning point in Gaza conflict.

Published

10 hours ago

October 10, 2025

ticker NEWS

Israel and Hamas agree to release hostages in U.S.-brokered deal, marking a potential turning point in Gaza conflict.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and Hamas have agreed to release all remaining Israeli hostages under a U.S.-brokered framework. The deal pairs prisoner exchanges with an Israeli troop pullback and expanded aid access, marking a potential turning point in the two-year Gaza conflict.

The agreement, set for approval by Israel’s cabinet, could pave the way for lasting peace if both sides uphold the terms. It follows weeks of negotiations led by U.S. envoys and regional mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye.

As international agencies prepare to facilitate aid and logistics, the world watches to see whether this fragile deal can hold and bring relief to millions affected by the war.

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News

Google leads Australia media tax rankings

Google leads in Australian media tax payments, unlike Netflix and others, igniting discussions on fairness and corporate responsibility.

Published

1 day ago

October 9, 2025

ticker NEWS

Google leads in Australian media tax payments, unlike Netflix and others, igniting discussions on fairness and corporate responsibility.

Google is currently on the of top of Australian media tax payments, while Netflix, Dentsu, and Singtel pay nothing, sparking a fresh debate over fairness and corporate responsibility in the industry.

#TaxTransparency #Google #Netflix #CorporateResponsibility #AustraliaBusiness