Michelle Obama makes rousing call to dump Trump at Democratic convention

MILWAUKEE - US Democrats opened their nominating convention Monday with a show of unity behind Joe Biden and former first lady Michelle Obama delivering a scathing rebuke of Donald Trump as she urged voters to reject his politics of "division."

"Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country," former US President Barack Obama's wife said in a keynote speech on the first night of a convention that has shifted entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership, or consolation, or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy."

The pre-taped remarks came as unprecedented criticism by a former first lady of a sitting US president, painting him as a man who lacks the competence, character or decency for the job.

It was a potent message for voters who tuned in unsure of what to expect from a virtual convention that lacked the showstopping pizzazz and stagecraft of a live event.

With the Democratic Party poised to officially anoint the 77-year-old Biden as its nominee, Trump defied coronavirus concerns and staged a competing event in Wisconsin, the state where Democrats were supposed to hold their in-person convention.

The carefully choreographed opening for the four-day unifying gathering featured actress Eva Longoria as convention moderator. 

"Every four years we come together to reaffirm our democracy," she said. "This year we've come to save it." 

Dozens of speakers, including a host of Republicans opposed to Trump, offered a similar message.


In a poignant moment, everyday American Kristine Urquiza described how her father died from coronavirus after going out with friends when he believed the pandemic was not serious.

"His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life," Urquiza said.

'Truth and trust' 

Obama also took pains to describe Biden as a "terrific vice president" she grew to know well during the eight years he served as her husband's number two.

"He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country," she added.

Biden "will tell the truth, and trust science," she said in a jab at Trump, who has been accused of repeatedly ignoring the advice of his scientific advisors on how to respond to the pandemic.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who challenged Biden for the nomination from the progressive left, also addressed the convention by videolink, and warned that Trump is "leading us down the path of authoritarianism."

"The future of our democracy is at stake," and electing Biden over Trump is an absolute necessity, he stressed. 

"My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine." 

 'Crazy socialist policies' 

Trump flew on Air Force One meanwhile to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and delivered remarks to supporters gathered on the airport tarmac.

He accused Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris of seeking to enact "crazy socialist policies" and warned the 2020 election will be "the most dangerous" ever.

"The only way we're going to lose this election is if the election is rigged," added the president, who trails Biden in nearly all national polls as well as multiple battleground states.

The Democratic convention is taking place amid a furor over Trump's own efforts to limit mail-in voting.

Insisting without proof that it fosters fraud, Trump has threatened to block extra funding that Democrats say is urgently needed to allow the US Postal Service to process millions of ballots.

Obama addressed the controversy in her remarks, warning that Trump and Republicans were "lying about the security of our ballots."

Oshkosh, where Trump spoke, is about a 90-minute drive north of the Milwaukee arena where Democrats had intended to gather in a sign of eagerness to win back Wisconsin, one of multiple Democratic strongholds which flipped to Trump in 2016.

But the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed some 170,000 people in the United States, upended election campaigning.

Biden did not speak live on Monday, but he tweeted his support afterward.

"Tonight we saw that Americans are ready to come together, and that we the people can overcome these crises and emerge stronger than ever," he wrote.

While some speeches Monday were clearly pre-taped, Biden and Harris, 55, will address the convention live via videolink, according to the campaign.

Biden, whose poll leads over Trump remain significant, despite a slight tightening of the race, is hoping Harris -- the first woman of color on a major party's presidential ticket -- will invigorate Democrats.

Tuesday will see addresses from former president Bill Clinton and Jill Biden, the nominee's wife.

On Wednesday, Barack Obama will speak, and Harris will have her spotlight moment before the convention culminates Thursday when Biden formally accepts the Democratic nomination and delivers his acceptance speech.

Agence France-Presse

Obamas, not Kardashians, seen as model for Meghan and Harry rebrand

As newly liberated royals, Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have the world at their feet with the potential to make money in areas ranging from fashion and speaking engagements to forming their own production company.

But the couple, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, should move wisely to make themselves financially independent in a world where social media influencers like Kim Kardashian reign and where their visibility will be magnified rather than reduced, branding experts and Hollywood observers say.

"Brand Sussex is a global brand and could end up making an absolute fortune, from public speaking to Meghan reinventing her lifestyle blog, to merchandising or brand endorsements," said Nick Bullen, editor-in-chief of True Royalty TV.

Harry and Meghan shocked Queen Elizabeth when they announced on Wednesday they wanted to lead a more independent life, and finance it themselves.


Meghan's background as an actress on the US television show "Suits" immediately prompted speculation she could return to acting.

But the range of options open to them is far wider. It could include establishing an independent production company to make television shows, documentaries, podcasts or movies along the lines of the Higher Ground company formed by ex-President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Harry already has teamed up with Oprah Winfrey to produce a forthcoming documentary focusing on mental health for Apple's new streaming service. Apple declined to respond to queries about further collaborations with the prince.

"The Obamas are a great model for how to make money and keep it classy. They could find projects that are moving and sometimes Meghan could be in them. If it's a documentary, maybe Harry could narrate it," said veteran Hollywood public relations strategist Howard Bragman.

Bragman said the pair should be judicious about their choices because "the level of scrutiny they are going to get is going to be ridiculous, and not always fair."

The booming public speaking circuit in North America could prove to be a lucrative source of income.

"Big name speakers get well into 6 figures to make an appearance or give a speech at an event. If they choose to pursue that avenue, they would be considered in the top echelon of speakers," said Jeff Jacobson, co-founder of Canada-based Talent Bureau.

ECLIPSED ON INSTAGRAM

Meghan has considerable clout in the fashion world. Global fashion search platform Lyst in November named her the world's most powerful dresser of 2019 and last year she launched a clothing collection in Britain to benefit an organization that helps underprivileged women secure employment.

Britain's Sun newspaper reported on Friday that the duchess was discussing a project with French fashion house Givenchy, which made her wedding dress in 2018. Reuters could not confirm the report.

The "half-royal" duo will also face stiff competition from established celebrities and YouTubers, who can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars from a single endorsement on social media.

"Harry and Meghan have a combined Instagram following of 10 million, which is eclipsed by the likes of (soccer player) Cristiano Ronaldo with nearly 200 million," said Los Angeles branding expert Jeetendr Sehdev, author of "The Kim Kardashian Principle."

Building a social media following means being candid, fearless and transparent. "That is a challenge for the royal family because they have always tried to be the most neutral people," he said.

"The Meghan and Harry brand is like a start-up. There is lots of potential but no proven value yet," Sehdev added.

Bragman however said that the mixed race couple "are very representative of what brands are looking for today."

"If Harry and Meghan call you up and say, 'Hey, we'd like to have a meeting to talk about a project', who's not going to go to that meeting?," he said.

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Obamas make their Hollywood movie debut with 'American Factory'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Barack and Michelle Obama made their Hollywood debut on Wednesday with a documentary set in industrial Ohio that film reviewers are calling compelling and timely.

“American Factory,” the story of what happened when a Chinese company took over an abandoned General Motors plant, is the first product of a multi-year collaboration between Netflix and Higher Ground, the production company formed last year by the former U.S. president and first lady.

“A good story gives you the chance to better understand someone else’s life. It can help you find common ground. And it’s why Michelle and I were drawn to Higher Ground’s first film,” Obama said in a Twitter posting on Wednesday.

The documentary traces the lives of thousands of workers laid off from their auto jobs in Moraine, Ohio, in the 2008 recession, some of whom were hired six years later by Chinese company Fuyao Glass America to make automotive glass in the same plant.

The Washington Post called “American Factory,” which arrived on Netflix on Wednesday, “a perfect vehicle for (Higher Ground’s) mission to lift up stories from underrepresented groups.”

“We want people to be able to get outside of themselves and experience and understand the lives of somebody else,” Obama told filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar in a promotional video released by Netflix.

Michelle Obama told the filmmakers she was particularly struck by the opening scenes of workers on the factory floor.

“That was my background, that was my father,” she said.

“One of the many things I love about this film... is that you let people tell their own story. “American Factory’ doesn’t come in with a perspective; it’s not an editorial.”

The Los Angeles Times called the documentary “compelling,” and pop culture website Vox.com said it was “a fascinating peek into the challenges of globalization.” It received a 97% approval rate on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Under the Netflix deal, Higher Ground will produce, curate and acquire content for distribution on the streaming service. The value of the deal is not known.

Upcoming programming will include an adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” by David W. Blight about the slavery abolitionist, a period drama set in the fashion world and a series for pre-schoolers focusing on healthy eating.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall

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'It's our America,' reminds Michelle Obama

WASHINGTON, United States - Former first lady Michelle Obama added her voice Friday to the Democratic outcry following President Donald Trump's attack on four ethnic minority congresswomen, saying "there's a place for all of us."

"What truly makes our country great is its diversity... Whether we are born here or seek refuge here, there's a place for all of us," Obama tweeted, without mentioning Trump.

"We must remember it's not my America or your America. It's our America."

Trump has come under intense fire after he attacked four first-term Democratic congresswomen known as the "Squad."

In a rare move, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday rebuked Trump for "racist comments" after he said the four should "go back" to their countries of origin if they are not happy in the United States.

But chants of "Send her back!" directed at Somali-born congresswoman Ilhan Omar broke out at Trump's "Make America Great Again" rally in Greenville, North Carolina on Wednesday night.

Trump claimed to reporters in the Oval Office the following day that he was not pleased by the taunts and attempted to cut them short.

Television footage, however, showed he let the chant continue for more than 10 seconds before he resumed speaking.

"Those are incredible people. Those are incredible patriots," Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday when asked about the chants.

"She's lucky to be where she is, let me tell you," he added about Omar.

The first-term lawmakers -- all but one of whom, Omar, were born in the United States -- are of Hispanic, Arab, Somali and African-American descent.

Some Republicans have urged Trump to tone down the rhetoric, but the president has made it clear that attacks on the "Squad" will be a centerpiece of his 2020 re-election strategy -- despite the risk of inflaming racial tensions and widening the partisan divide.

Omar responded to the chants by condemning Trump's "racist remarks" and branding him a "fascist."

The president's "nightmare is seeing a Somali immigrant refugee rise to Congress," she told supporters when she returned home to Minnesota Thursday night.

"We are going to continue to be a nightmare to this president, because his policies are a nightmare to us," she said through a megaphone to the cheering crowd at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

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Obamas sign deal to produce podcasts for Spotify

NEW YORK, United States - Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground has signed a deal with Spotify to create a series of podcasts for the music streaming service, which is seeking to diversify its content.

"We're excited... because podcasts offer an extraordinary opportunity to foster productive dialogue, make people smile and make people think, and, hopefully, bring us all a little closer together," the former US president said in a statement released by Spotify and Higher Ground.

The former first lady also said she was "thrilled to have the opportunity to amplify voices that are too often ignored or silenced altogether." 

For the past year, Spotify -- better known for streaming music playlists -- has been moving into the business of podcasting. In February, it paid $230 million for the respected US podcast production house Gimlet Media. 

Several major players in the industry are seeking to shift podcast production away from the current model, where the audio broadcasts are free and producers earn revenue from advertising, towards a platform where users pay for content.

Luminary, which has already raised $100 million from investors, launched its new platform for a monthly subscription fee of $7.99 in April.

On Tuesday, the French service Majelan was launched with programs accessible in 50 countries for a monthly fee of 4.99 euros ($5.63). 

The Obamas' production company was created in 2018 and has already signed an exclusive deal with Netflix to produce films, television series and documentaries for the streaming giant.

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Michelle Obama makes surprise appearance at Grammy Awards

Former US first lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance during the opening address at the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday and was met with a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd.

Grammy host Alicia Keys kicked off the show by inviting Obama, 55, along with Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez, to share personal anecdotes about how music has changed their lives and empowered them as women.

Obama, wearing a shimmering, silver suit, was briefly interrupted as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the beginning of her comments.

"From the Motown records I wore out on the Southside to the 'Who Run the World' songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story," Obama said, referring to the Chicago neighborhood where she grew up.

Obama is currently touring to promote her memoir "Becoming," which was released in the United States and in 28 languages around the world. She and her husband, former U.S. President Barack Obama, signed deals for a book apiece with Penguin Random House a month after Obama left office in January 2017.

"Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys," Obama said. "It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in."

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Michelle Obama tops Hillary Clinton as America's most admired woman

WASHINGTON - Former First Lady Hillary Clinton's 17-year run as the woman Americans admire most is over.

Another former First Lady, Michelle Obama, has deposed Clinton as America's most admired woman, according to a Gallup poll published on Thursday.

Former president Barack Obama was named the man Americans admire most for the 11th year in a row, Gallup said.

President Donald Trump finished second in the poll for the fourth year in a row.

Gallup has conducted the annual poll every year since 1946 with the exception of 1976.

Fifteen percent of the 1,025 Americans polled said the woman they admire most is Michelle Obama, who is currently on a tour promoting her book "Becoming."

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey was second with 5 percent followed by Hillary Clinton and First Lady Melania Trump with 4 percent.

Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and a former US senator and secretary of state, has topped the list 22 times including the past 17 years in a row.

Nineteen percent of those polled said Barack Obama was the man they admired most.

Trump was second with 13 percent followed by former president George W. Bush and Pope Francis, who were tied with 2 percent.

Gallup said the survey conducted December 3-12 had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

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Michelle Obama confident progress can't be stopped, urges girls to aim high

LONDON -- Former US first lady Michelle Obama expressed confidence on Monday that the social progress made by having the first black couple in the White House could not be overturned.

Without directly addressing her husband's successor, Donald Trump, Obama said change was "not a straight line" but the election of Barack Obama to the White House showed people were open to change.

Earlier in the day she encouraged some London schoolgirls to ensure they played a role in tackling the "the bitterness, the nastiness that we see in politics" by never wasting their vote.

Obama, 54, said she was surprised as anyone when her husband was elected the first black president, taking office in 2009 - especially because when "he was elected he looked like he was 12" - and hopes were high.

"We mistakenly thought Barack Obama was going to erase hundreds of years of history in 8 years," Obama told a full house of 2,900 people at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall as part of a tour to promote her memoir "Becoming."

"We made progress and going backwards doesn't mean it wasn't real," she said, adding that actions taken now helped to pave the way for people's grandchildren.

Receiving a standing ovation as she strode onto the stage, Obama spoke about everything from convincing her parents to let her eat peanut butter for breakfast, to her father talking about the joy of sex, to dealing with his death in 1991.

She also joked about breaking protocol when she touched Queen Elizabeth, wanting to sometimes push her husband out of a window, and her drive to protect her 2 daughters, now aged 20 and 17, from the public spotlight and online attacks.

But she also had a serious message about the need for girls to get a good education and to overcome self-doubt - particularly young black girls.

Earlier this year, Obama was named the world's second-most admired woman, behind Angelina Jolie, in a YouGov poll, but she said she still sometimes questioned if she was good enough.

"I still feel at some level I have something to prove because of the color of my skin, the shape of my body," she said.

NO FORGIVENESS

"My advice to young women is that you have to start by trying to get those demons out of your head," she said.

"Your task is to get yourself ready because people will try to hold you back ... it will crush you if you are not ready."

Obama, who brought up in a working class family in Chicago, said she watched girls strive as she had and she would continue her campaign for girls' education that became a passion while in the White House alongside her work on childhood obesity.

Returning to a central London school for girls - Elizabeth Garrett Anderson - that she first visited in 2009, Obama encouraged students to find their passion, mentors, and help each other, adding "there's no room for mean girls".

Obama said it was important to give young people a reason to hope, particularly in the current divisive political climate.

"The one challenge we have ... is harnessing the power we do have and not relinquishing that and by that I mean voting," Obama, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, told 300 rapt teenagers.

Asked often about her political ambitions, Obama makes it clear in her book she has no intention of going down that route.

"I have no intention of running for office, ever," she wrote. "I have never been a fan of politics and my experience over the past 10 years has done nothing to change that."

While Obama has not criticized Trump directly at events to promote her memoir, she does criticize him in the book.

Trump with "his loud and reckless innuendos" about her husband's birth certificate put "my family's safety at risk."

"And for this, I'd never forgive him," she wrote.

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Michelle Obama says no miracle candidate will 'save' America

LOS ANGELES - Michelle Obama urged women not to expect a miracle candidate to "save" America on Saturday, indicating again she has no plans to run for president as some have speculated.

The former first lady, 54, was greeted like a rock star at a conference called the United State of Women Summit, with an audience of some 5,000 people in Los Angeles, almost all women.

"It doesn't matter who runs," she said, urging women to act for women's empowerment wherever they can -- including at home and in the workplace.

"We don't wait for the one person to save us. We voted for Barack Obama and he didn't end racism," she said.

Obama also paid tribute to young Americans who have risen up against gun violence following the Valentine's Day shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida that left 17 students and staffers dead.

Other speakers at the conference included actress Jane Fonda and Tarana Burke, a key figure in the #MeToo movement that arose after the flood of sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

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Obamas reveal unconventional portraits in Washington

WASHINGTON - Former US first couple Barack and Michelle Obama unveiled their portraits at Washington's National Gallery Monday, 2 contrasting works by African American artists that shocked and delighted.

The paintings by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, were revealed at a star-studded event that is a rite of passage for most former American presidents. 

The museum holds portraits of all American ex-commanders in chief, but these latest additions stand in stark contrast to the more buttoned-down approach of traditional presidential portraiture.

Both show their subjects -- America's first black presidential couple -- looking cool and confident, a stark contrast to the bubbling swamp of anger and braggadocio that is political Washington today.

Wiley painted the ex-president against a signature lush botanical backdrop.

Obama, in a serious seated pose at the edge of a wooden chair, is enmeshed in a thicket of leaves and flowers that recall the tropical hues of the 44th president's home state of Hawaii. 

"How about that? That's pretty sharp," Obama joked, as he thanked staff and friends in attendance.

The internet quickly got busy making jokes about him being stuck in a bush.

'CHARM AND HOTNESS'  

Obama also praised Sherald for "so spectacularly capturing the grace and beauty and intelligence and charm and hotness of the woman that I love."

The Baltimore-based artist rendered Michelle Obama in her trademark grayscale, with only a few splashes of coral, pink and yellow, against an eggshell blue backdrop. 

The resulting image makes the subject's race almost an afterthought.

Obama's dress -- true to form for a first lady whose wardrobe was often the focus of attention -- dominates the frame.

As in Sherald's previous paintings of African American subjects, Michelle Obama appears poised and powerful as she looks down on the viewer.

Obama's portrait will be hung alongside those of former presidents, including the Lansdowne portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart.

Michelle Obama's likeness will hang at the gallery until November this year.

The official portraits of the Obamas, which will be displayed the White House, have not yet been commissioned.

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It's official: the Obamas are Washington homeowners

Former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle initially decided to stay in Washington once he left the White House so their daughter Sasha could finish high school.

Now, their presence in the US capital looks more permanent.

The couple paid $8.1 million to buy the mansion in Washington's swank Kalorama neighborhood that they have been renting since January, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The eight-bedroom, nine-and-a-half-bath home is in the same neighborhood as the home of President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner.

Other Kalorama residents include Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post.

"Given that President and Mrs. Obama will be in Washington for at least another two and a half years, it made sense for them to buy a home rather than continuing to rent property," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis told the paper.

The posh neighborhood has a long history as home to government ministers, Supreme Court justices, Treasury secretaries, and other powerful figures in government and business.

Other past presidents who have lived in the neighborhood located about two miles (three kilometers) from the White House include Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft.

Franklin D Roosevelt lived there before becoming president.

The Obamas have traveled a fair bit since leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, vacationing in French Polynesia and Italy.

Obama and his wife have signed a contract with Penguin Random House to publish their memoirs, reportedly worth more than $60 million.

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Trump downshifts Michelle Obama's healthy school food scheme

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump's administration on Monday put the brakes on a scheme championed by former first lady Michelle Obama meant to ensure healthier meals in schools through lower salt, fats and sugar.

The Agriculture Department said in a statement the change would give American schools "greater flexibility" and stop kids from throwing out the less appetizing food mandated under the scheme.

Forcing schools to adopt better nutritional standards under the 2012 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act if they wanted federal subsidies for meals was one of Michelle Obama's key achievements.

Lauded by supporters in the US as crucial in the fight against childhood obesity, the initiative put restrictions on sodium and sweetened milks, and required school lunches to increase the amount of whole-grain foods they contained.

The Trump administration's backtrack on the measure came the same day as a study suggesting that if American children exercised more, tens of billions of dollars in medical costs could be saved over their lifetimes.

The finding was made by researchers at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in six American children are overweight or obese.

The Agriculture Department said the nutritional requirements imposed on schools in the past five years had added $1.2 billion in costs to school districts and to states.

It said easing those rules would decrease costs, give back greater control to local authorities, and see children eating more enthusiastically.

"If kids aren't eating the food, and it's ending up in the trash, they aren't getting any nutrition –- thus undermining the intent of the program," Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said.

At the same time, the Trump administration discontinued another signature program by Michelle Obama and her husband Barack Obama.

The 2015 scheme designed to promote educational opportunities for adolescent girls in developing countries, called "Let Girls Learn," was being immediately scrapped, CNN reported on the basis of an internal email it had obtained.

The email, sent to members of the US Peace Corps, a US government overseas volunteer program, said some parts of "Let Girls Learn" would continue, but the name was being dropped along with its standalone status.

rmb/oh

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P&G's Francisco: Walking the talk on gender equality

For Procter and Gamble's first woman and Asian global president for feminine care, "walking the talk" is the most effective way to simply get things done and inspire change, even more when one is in a position to do so.

In an email response to "The Boss" for her International Women's Day message, Fama Francisco shared how lucky she is to work for a company like P&G where all people are welcome, valued, and respected.

"When you’re a senior leader in a big international company, you have to hold yourself and your team accountable to make change happen and accelerate gender equality progress within the organization,"said Francisco.

She said P&G recently kicked off a new program in their global P&G Fem Care organization called "FemPowerment," which is designed to strengthen the metrics, policies, and practices across the organization to ensure women are getting the support they need to succeed.

"This includes reviewing and improving the pipeline of women for advancement and empowering them with a strong support system. Making this type of commitment to gender equality is essential. And we must walk the talk; putting specific policies and actions into practice is critical to remove barriers and ensure women are equipped to achieve their career goals," said Francisco.

The mother of two also shares her recollection meeting the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, which Francisco described as a "truly unforgettable experience".

"She is very warm and genuine (and very tall!), so I immediately felt comfortable chatting with her," said Francisco.

"She’s a mother of two teenage daughters, and I have a teenage daughter so its always nice to have this in common. And hearing her talk, it quickly became obvious that Michelle has great sensitivity and heart for girls. She is very aware of the barriers that girls around the world face when it comes to things like education and equal opportunity. And when she gets behind a cause, she really puts her personal time in to champion that cause," she added.

Catch The Boss on Thursdays at 7:30pm on ANC, THE Filipino Channel, and iWantTV.

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LOOK: Obamas hit the beach in youthful outfits

Former US President Barack Obama has traded his coat and tie for a shirt and a cap as he went on a vacation at the British Virgin Islands with his wife, Michelle, earlier this month.

Obama's on vacation with the hat backwards. He's never coming back. pic.twitter.com/RUakcwwgtT

— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 1, 2017

Netizens were surprised to see the laid-back side of the former president as Obama wore his cap backwards and matched it with flip-flops.

The former first lady, on the other hand, also looked youthful as she donned a purple top and pigtail braids.

 Obama really in the BVI in flip flops just chillin pic.twitter.com/k1zb1Z3bQ2

— Amat Victoria Curamॐ (@BR_Nation) February 1, 2017

Obama stepped down as the president of the United States on January 20, after eight years in the Oval Office.

-- Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

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Obama gives farewell address

U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, their daughter Malia, Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife Jill acknowledge the crowd after President Obama delivered a farewell address at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. on Tuesday. Obama delivered his farewell speech 10 days before stepping down as the 44th President of the USA on January 20, Inauguration Day of president-elect Donald Trump.

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Obama most admired by Americans, Trump comes in second: Poll

CHICAGO - In a survey released Wednesday, US President Barack Obama beat out Donald Trump as the man most admired by Americans in 2016.

Twenty-two percent of those surveyed by Gallup chose Obama, followed by 15 percent who chose Donald Trump. Pope Francis was a distant third with four percent.

Hillary Clinton topped the list of the most admired women in 2016, with 12 percent of Americans choosing her.

She and Obama have been at the top of the poll every year since 2008.

The survey, which tends to favor current and past presidents and first ladies, was released at an especially sensitive time.

Tensions between Trump and the current White House have been growing for weeks over US foreign and domestic policies.

Over the weekend, Obama suggested he may have won a third term were he not constitutionally barred, to which Trump tweeted, in part: "NO WAY!"

Tensions flared again early Wednesday, when in an unprecedented personal condemnation of his soon-to-be predecessor, Trump tweeted: "Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks."

"Thought it was going to be a smooth transition - NOT!"

Trump might take solace in the fact that he has been in the top 10 rankings of the most admired men in America before — five times, in fact, with the most recent being in 2015. He first appeared among the top 10 in 1988.

Among women, Hillary Clinton has now earned the most admired spot 21 times. She first led the poll in 1993 when she was first lady.

The current First Lady Michelle Obama was the second most admired woman in 2016, with eight percent of Americans choosing her.

Also among the top five women, though far behind Obama and Clinton, were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former and current talk-show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.

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WATCH: Michelle Obama sings Beyonce in 'Carpool Karaoke'

US First Lady Michelle Obama showed off her singing skills as she joined the "Carpool Karaoke" segment of "The Late Late Show with James Corden."

Obama sang to Stevie Wonder and Beyonce as she and Corden drove around the White House grounds.

Missy Elliot also joined the ride to sing "This Is for My Girls," before the trio grooved to "Get Your Freak On."

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Clinton snaps at Merkel heels in 'powerful women' list

NEW YORK - German Chancellor Angela Merkel tops the Forbes list of the world's most powerful women for the fifth straight year but Hillary Clinton is snapping at her heels, the magazine said Tuesday.

Behind them came Melinda Gates, who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with her billionaire philanthropist husband, US federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and General Motors CEO Mary Barra.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde was in sixth place and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff came in seventh.

The top 10 were rounded out by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (No. 8), Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube (No. 9) and US First Lady Michelle Obama.

Newcomers include US pop star Taylor Swift, in at number 64 and the youngest of the bunch at 25.

The annual list of the world's 100 most powerful women includes leaders in eight categories -- technology, politics, business, finance, media, entertainment, philanthropy and billionaires.

Clinton, who in April announced her second run for the White House, was listed at number six last year but as US secretary of state she also ranked number two to Merkel in 2011 and 2012.

"Come next year's US elections, she (Merkel) could lose her title for the first time since 2010 to the one person with a credible and mathematical chance of 'leading' the world," wrote Forbes.

Even if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination for the White House, she has no chance of being elected US president until November 2016 -- after Forbes publishes its 2016 most-powerful women list.

Forbes has put the German chancellor on the list 10 times in the past 12 years, nine of them as most powerful woman. Merkel was first elected in 2005 and won a historic third term in 2013.

Geographically speaking, the United States dominates the list. Fifty-nine on the list are American, including several immigrants.

There are 18 from the Asia-Pacific region, headed by South Korean President Park Geun-Hye at number 11, 12 from Europe, four each from Latin America and the Middle East and three Africans, Forbes said.

Other newcomers include EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, number 36; US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, number 34; and incoming Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner at number 80.

The magazine said the list features eight heads of state and one monarch, who govern nations with a combined GDP of $9.1 trillion and 15 billionaires with a total net worth of more than $73.3 billion.

The top ranking billionaire this year is Oprah Winfrey at number 12 with a personal net worth of $3 billion.

In another measure of influence, the 100 women on the 2014 list have a combined social media footprint that includes 474 million Twitter and YouTube followers, the magazine said.

The list can be viewed at www.forbes.com/power-women

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Michelle Obama 'knocked back' by race perceptions

WASHINGTON, United States - Michelle Obama says she had to fight misperceptions due to her African-American race during the 2008 White House campaign that saw her husband become the first black president of the United States.

The first lady, who grew up in humble circumstances in Chicago and became a successful corporate lawyer, has rarely discussed race during her husband's two terms in office.

But a string of recent cases of alleged abuse of police force against African Americans, and related unrest in Baltimore, made it hard to avoid.

"As potentially the first African-American first lady, I was also the focus of another set of questions and speculations, conversations sometimes rooted in the fears and misperceptions of others," Obama said Saturday.

"Was I too loud or too angry or too emasculating? Or was I too soft, too much of a mom, not enough of a career woman?" she asked in a frank commencement address at historically black Tuskegee University in Alabama.

For the first magazine cover featuring Obama in 2008, The New Yorker parodied her as a radical and a terrorist.

"It was a cartoon drawing of me with a huge afro and a machine gun," she recalled.

"Now, yeah, it was satire, but if I'm really being honest, it knocked me back a bit. It made me wonder just how are people seeing me."

'Sleepless nights'

In an almost half-hour address, she also recalled other racially insensitive comments, including when Fox News television said she was her "husband's crony of color" and "Obama's baby mama" -- the latter US slang for an unwed mother.

"Back in those days, I had a lot of sleepless nights worrying about what people thought of me," Michelle Obama recalled.

"I had to ignore all of the noise and be true to myself -- and the rest would work itself out," she said, winning cheers from graduates.

Aside from mastering details of administration policy, "I also worked to ensure that my efforts would resonate with kids and families -- and that meant doing things in a creative and unconventional way," Obama said.

"So, yeah, I planted a garden, and hula-hooped on the White House lawn with kids. I did some mom dancing on TV... And at the end of the day, by staying true to the me I've always known, I found that this journey has been incredibly freeing."

Frustration, "can feel isolating. It can make you feel like your life somehow doesn't matter. And as we've seen over the past few years, those feelings are real," the first lady added.

"They're rooted in decades of structural challenges that have made too many folks feel frustrated and invisible, and those feelings are playing out in communities like Baltimore and Ferguson and so many others across this country."

But while being a minority in the United States can be tough, she said, it was no reason to lose hope.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Obama blames Jessica Sanchez's 'aunt' for lipstick mark

MANILA - This time, it was Jessica Sanchez's relative who stole the limelight during an important event that prompted the most powerful man in the world, US President Barack Obama, to call her out from among the crowd.

On her Twitter account (@JessicaESanchez), she wrote: "Oh my gosh my grandma made it to the news. Haha.."

Sanchez was referring to the incident where President Obama searched for her "aunt" at the start of his remarks during the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month event held at the White House.

"I want to thank everybody who is here, the incredible warmth, the reception," said President Obama who was quick to point to a lipstick mark on his collar which he described was a sign of that "warmth".

The culprit, he said, was the Filipino-American singer's relative.

"A sign of the warmth is the lipstick on my collar. I have to say I know the culprit. Where is Jessica Sanchez? It wasn't Jessica. It was her aunt. Where is she?" Obama said.

The remark elicited laughter from the crowd.

"Auntie! Right there! Look at this. I just want everybody to witness so I do not want to be in trouble with Michelle. That's why I'm calling you out, right in front of everybody," he said.

Sanchez, a runner-up in the 11th season of the reality show American Idol, attended the event with relatives.

She was earlier invited to the National Memorial Day concert held at the West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington DC where she sang her own rendition of "God Bless America".

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com