WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Prospects for a U.S. law to create a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants brightened on Saturday after major business and labour groups reached an agreement on a guest-worker program, a source familiar with the deal said.

The agreement was reached on Friday night in a conference call between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labour organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Prospects for a broad U.S. immigration overhaul brightened on Saturday after major U.S. business and labour groups reached an agreement on a guest-worker program, a source familiar with the deal said.

The agreement was reached on Friday night in a conference call between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labour organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Major U.S. business and labor groups have reached an agreement on a guest-worker program that removes a major hurdle to a broad immigration overhaul and clears the way for Senate legislation to be introduced soon, a source familiar with the deal said on Saturday.

The agreement was reached on Friday night between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labor organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama attempted on Thursday to inject fresh momentum into efforts to pass gun-control legislation, pleading with U.S. lawmakers not to forget those shot to death in Newtown, Connecticut three months ago.

Amid signs that he may have to accept a scaled-down version of gun legislation, Obama sounded a note of frustration in calling upon Americans to demand action from the U.S. Congress in the weeks ahead.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Actress Ashley Judd’s next role will not be as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky.

Judd said on Wednesday she has decided not to run in 2014 to try to unseat Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, after considering such a candidacy for months.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Tuesday chose veteran agent Julia Pierson to lead the Secret Service, the first woman to head the agency, a year after its reputation was tarnished by a scandal involving male agents and prostitutes in Colombia.

Pierson will replace Mark Sullivan, who was in charge during the Colombia scandal – one of the worst in the agency’s history. He retired as director in February.

Petra, JORDAN (Reuters) – President Barack Obama visited Jordan’s ancient city of Petra on Saturday as he wrapped up a four-day Middle East tour by setting aside weighty diplomatic matters and playing tourist for a day.

The visit followed a trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories that was capped by Obama’s brokering of a rapprochement between Israel and Turkey but which offered little more than symbolic gestures toward Middle East peacemaking.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – From old-fashioned schmoozing to “I feel your pain” appeals, President Barack Obama is wading into Middle East diplomacy with a personal touch he has rarely displayed on the world stage.

It is the kind of charm offensive he has been trying to pull off – with decidedly mixed results – with political opponents back home and which he now hopes will help advance peace prospects in a region mostly devoid of them.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – President Barack Obama faces a stony reception when he travels to the West Bank on Thursday for talks with Palestinian leaders who accuse him of letting Israel ride rough-shod over their dream of statehood.

Obama has said he will not bring any new initiatives to try to revive long-dormant peace talks and has instead come to Israel and the Palestinian territories for simple consultations.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the Republican best placed to compete against potential Democratic presidential candidates, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday that also underscored Democrat Hillary Clinton’s strength should she run.

As Republicans gather in the Washington area this weekend to ponder their future after losing the 2012 presidential race, the poll showed how far the party has to go to regain its footing and be competitive at the national level again.