Ny Safidinao

President Obama will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term on February 12, having received a formal invitation from House Speaker John A. Boehner on Friday to address a joint session of Congress on that date. State of the Union speeches typically take place in late January, except for years in which presidents are sworn in and deliver an inaugural address. President Obama delivered his first such address to a joint session of Congress in late February 2009, and President George W. Bush delivered both of his post-inaugural State of the Union speeches in February. In his letter, Mr. Boehner said, “Our country continues to face immense challenges, and the American people expect us to work together in the new year to find meaningful solutions. This will require a willingness to seek common ground as well as presidential leadership.” By MARK LANDLER State of the Union Date Is Set

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington National Cathedral, where the nation gathers to mourn tragedies and celebrate new presidents, will soon begin performing same-sex marriages . Cathedral officials tell The Associated Press the church will be among the first Episcopal congregations to implement a new rite of marriage for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members. The church will announce its new policy Wednesday.        As the nation's most prominent church, the decision carries huge symbolism. The 106-year-old cathedral has long been a spiritual center for the nation, hosting presidential inaugural services and funerals for Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors.        In light of the legality of same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia and now Maryland, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, decided in December to allow an expansion of the Chris...