Republicans mull inviting Democrats into U.S. budget negotiations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. Congress, unable so far to resolve deep disagreements over spending for the fiscal year starting on Oct. 1, are mulling whether to seek a bipartisan budget deal with Democrats similar to one reached nearly…
After pointed criticism, Tillerson urges Gulf demands be sent to Qatar
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States hopes Arab countries involved in a diplomatic split with Qatar will soon present Doha a list of “reasonable and actionable” demands to move the crisis toward a resolution, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson s…
White House pressures State Department over refugee costs: sources
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two studies President Donald Trump hopes will buttress his case to cut the number of refugees are at the heart of a fight between senior White House adviser Stephen Miller and career U.S. government officials over immigration pol…
Trump lawyers make final Supreme Court pitch on travel ban
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Wednesday made its final plea to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow its proposed ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority countries to go into effect as the justices weigh how to handle the hotly contest…
Moscow cancels meeting with U.S. diplomat after sanctions
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Angered by expanded U.S. sanctions, Russia on Wednesday canceled a high-level meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon.
Russians targeted 21 election systems, U.S. official says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russian hackers targeted 21 U.S. state election systems in the 2016 presidential race and a small number were breached but there was no evidence any votes were manipulated, a Homeland Security Department official told Congress o…
Democratic lawmakers raise pressure on EPA over Icahn’s biofuels role
(Reuters) – U.S. Democratic lawmakers asked Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt on Wednesday to disclose procedures to prevent billionaire Carl Icahn from influencing U.S. biofuels policy for personal gain.
Former homeland secretary says FBI delayed notification of cyber hack
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told a congressional panel on Wednesday that there was a delay between the time the FBI first made contact with the Democratic National Committee about Russia hacking its servers and…
In high-level talks, U.S. asks China to do more to rein in North Korea
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States pressed China to exert more economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to help rein in its nuclear and missile programs during a round of high-level talks in Washington on Wednesday.
Democrats look to future after dispiriting loss in Georgia election
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Frustrated Democrats pondered the party’s future and questioned its campaign messaging on Wednesday after a demoralizing defeat in a Georgia congressional race widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s young adminis…
