Obama’s move on gender pay gap seen as first step in uphill battle
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Advocates fighting to close the U.S. gender pay gap hailed President Barack Obama’s proposal to expand salary reporting requirements but said much more was needed to end wage discrimination.
Rubio under attack as New Hampshire primary race heats up
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie has dismissed him as a puppet and former mentor Jeb Bush called him not fit to serve as up-and-coming Republican Marco Rubio becomes the man to beat in next week’s New Hampshire pr…
Donors to White House hopeful Jeb Bush urged not to switch to Rubio
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donors say Republican Jeb Bush’s U.S. presidential campaign has not given them a green light to switch to rival establishment candidate Marco Rubio, whose strong third-place finish in this week’s Iowa caucuses outshone the sixth-…
Obama pledges more than $450 million aid to help Colombia peace plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Thursday he would ask the U.S. Congress for more than $450 million in aid to help Colombia end “half a century of wrenching conflict” and implement a peace accord aimed at ending Latin America’s lon…
NYC mayor proposes retirement plan, light-rail system in speech
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a retirement plan for private-sector workers and a new light rail system in his State of the City speech on Thursday, while indicating that social inequality was decreasing under his administr…
Rice aides, Powell got classified info on personal email accounts
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and aides to his successor, Condoleezza Rice, both received classified information a handful of times via personal email accounts, the top Democrat on a congressional oversight panel sa…
Obama says faith a cure for fears stirred by war, hard times
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama, taking on Republican presidential candidates for stirring up anxiety among Americans, told leaders at Washington’s national prayer breakfast on Thursday that faith could conquer fear brought on by war, tec…
Democrats block U.S. energy bill in fight over Flint aid
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senate Democrats teamed up with some of their Republican counterparts on Thursday and blocked a wide-ranging U.S. energy bill in a fight over aid to Flint, Michigan, to help rectify its drinking water crisis.
New York mayor to back $2.5 billion light rail in key speech
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will back a $2.5 billion plan to create a light rail service linking the city’s outer boroughs when he gives his annual keynote speech on Thursday
Republican Senator Portman opposes TPP trade deal in present form
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman on Thursday said he opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in its present form, dealing a significant blow to the pact a day after officials from 12 countries signed it.