Outlook murky for Obama’s trade pact in Congress, Clinton weighs in
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Hopes of reviving the White House’s drive for a Pacific trade pact looked increasingly uncertain on Monday as no clear path forward for it in Congress emerged and presidential contender Hillary Clinton said her fellow Democrats’ …
California lawmakers pass budget increasing social services spending
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – California lawmakers on Monday approved a budget with $2.2 billion more in spending than proposed by Democrat Jerry Brown, the latest move by progressives to nudge the fiscally moderate governor to the left amid improveme…
Jeb Bush strikes softer tone at start of White House run
MIAMI (Reuters) – Jeb Bush cast himself as a more moderate type of Republican while still holding on to his conservative principles as he began his U.S. presidential bid with an eye on the Hispanic vote which has eluded the party for years.
Washington state NAACP leader embroiled in race controversy resigns
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Rachel Dolezal, a civil rights advocate who has been accused of falsely claiming she is black, announced her resignation on Monday as leader of a local branch of the NAACP in Washington state.
Chicago judge grants request to keep some Hastert evidence secret
CHICAGO (Reuters) – A federal judge in Chicago on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to keep secret some of their evidence in the case against former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who pleaded not guilty last week to charges of trying to hide …
Clinton urges tax cuts to help families pay for child care
(Reuters) – Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Monday called for a tax cut to help middle-class parents cope with rising child care costs and said she wanted to boost services for low-income families with young children.
Senate panel looking at hiring practices at weather agency
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. congressional committee on Monday said it was seeking more information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on whether its employees have boosted their pay in post-retirement contracts with the a…
Key U.S. senator ‘alarmed’ by reports on Iran talks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee told President Barack Obama on Monday he was alarmed by reports that negotiators may be making too many concessions in nuclear talks with Iran, a sign of the stiff fight…
Singapore says TPP vital for U.S. to be taken seriously in Asia
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Singapore’s Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said on Monday it was vital that the United States be able to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement if it wanted to stay engaged with the Asia Pacific region and be tak…
Florida legislature reaches tax deal as budget crisis nears end
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) – Florida legislators voted to send Republican Governor Rick Scott a package of more than $400 million in tax cuts on Monday, trimming fees on a wide range of services, from cellular phone and cable TV bills to yacht repairs…
