The United States will appoint an openly gay official as a special envoy to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people overseas.
Secretary of State John Kerry stressed to his Iranian counterpart that the US aimed to meet a late March deadline for a deal reining in Iran's nuclear programme.
Pope Francis will bring his message of peace and compassion to politically gridlocked Washington in September when he becomes the first pontiff to address the US Congress.
US House Republicans took the increasingly routine step of voting to repeal "Obamacare," a seemingly doomed effort that President Barack Obama ridiculed as making "absolutely no sense."
NASA hailed a proposal by President Barack Obama to boost spending for the US space agency and announced plans for a mission to explore Jupiter's moon, Europa.
Greece will not deliver a strong economic recovery unless authorities loosen austerity programs, US President Barack Obama suggested in remarks that aired.