State of the Union 2015: as it happened

President Barack Obama last night set the stage for two years of grinding political warfare with Republicans in Congress, asking them to accept higher taxes on the rich while threatening to use his veto power to block many of their priorities.

In his first State of the Union address since Republicans seized control of Congress in November's election, Mr Obama declared that "the shadow of crisis has passed" after more than a decade of turmoil that began with 9/11 and continued through a painful recession.

"We are fifteen years into this new century," Mr Obama said. "Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across our nation and the world.

"It has been, and still is, a hard time for many. But tonight, we turn the page."