Election stirs debate about Fed’s handling of political pressure
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donald Trump says the Federal Reserve has stoked asset bubbles and backs a congressional review of its decisions. Bernie Sanders also wants to “audit” the Fed to make it less beholden to Wall Street. Ted Cruz calls for a return t…
Exclusive: White House declines to support encryption legislation – sources
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House is declining to offer public support for draft legislation that would empower judges to require technology companies such as Apple Inc to help law enforcement crack encrypted data, sources familiar with the discus…
Puerto Rico enacts emergency debt moratorium bill
SAN JUAN (Reuters) – Puerto Rico’s governor on Wednesday signed an emergency bill allowing the government to halt payments on its debt, throwing into doubt broader restructuring plans to stave off a financial collapse of the U.S. territory.
Lawyers for ex House Speaker Hastert ask judge for probation
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Lawyers for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, convicted last year of a financial crime in a hush-money case, urged a federal judge on Wednesday to spare him prison time for health reasons and because he is “deeply sorry.”
Trump opponents buoyed after front-runner’s Wisconsin loss
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s Republican rivals were invigorated on Wednesday by the front-runner’s loss in the Wisconsin primary and moved quickly to bolster efforts to block the New York billionaire from capturing the party’s preside…
California bill to fight fashion models’ eating disorders advances
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – A California bill aimed at reducing eating disorders among models cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, following efforts in several countries to fight extreme thinness in an industry that pressures models to…
Tennessee bill would allow counselors to deny service based on religion
(Reuters) – The Tennessee House passed a bill on Wednesday allowing mental health counselors to refuse service to patients on religious grounds, the latest in a list of U.S. state measures that gay rights activists have criticized as discriminating aga…
Trump would try to squeeze Mexico into funding border wall
WASHINGTON – Donald Trump proposed on Tuesday forcing Mexico to pay for his planned border wall by threatening to block remittances from illegal immigrants, which he said amounts to “welfare” for poor families in Mexico that their government does not p…
Alabama governor to face impeachment push in state legislature
(Reuters) – Alabama Governor Robert Bentley will face a legislative effort seeking his impeachment, a state lawmaker said on Tuesday, announcing the start of formal proceedings amid escalating political fallout over his relationship with a former advis…
U.S. weakens retirement advice rule, responding to industry
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A new U.S. rule aimed at protecting retirement savers from profit-hungry brokers turned out to be much weaker than an initial proposal after the Obama administration bowed to pressure from the financial services industry.
