Obama urges economic fairness in State of the Union

US President Barack Obama has attacked income inequality as he set the tone for his re-election bid in his third State of the Union speech.

Mr Obama emphasized the importance of an economy that works for everyone, in the nationally televised address to Congress. The speech saw a renewed call for higher taxes on the wealthy, something Republicans strongly oppose.  According to the BBC, the US economy is on the mend, but unemployment remains high at 8.5%. The annual State of the Union address - one of the most keenly watched events in US politics - traditionally includes policy prescriptions from the White House for the upcoming year. President Obama's speech on Tuesday in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives was delivered with an eye on November's presidential election, when he will seek another four years in office.  Mr Obama said the economy was bouncing back from the 2007-09 recession. Mr Obama also made a renewed call for his Buffett Rule - a principle that millionaires should not pay a lower tax rate than typical workers. The idea is named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who famously complained that his secretary pays a higher rate of tax than he does. Republicans have repeatedly rejected Mr Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy and accuse him of resorting to class warfare to get elected again. President Barack Obama finished his state of the Union speech by praising the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden.  (BBC)