Pennsylvania governor proposes new tax on natural gas extraction
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on Wednesday proposed a new 5 percent severance tax on the state’s booming natural gas extraction industry, a turnabout from his Republican predecessor who opposed such a tax.
McConnell: U.S. Senate to ‘thoughtfully’ review Obama force authorization request
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate will “thoughtfully” review President Barack Obama’s request for authorization to use military force against Islamic State, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday.
China’s Xi to make first state visit to U.S. as both flag problems
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping will make his first state visit to the United States in September, China said on Wednesday, after both countries’ leaders laid out possible areas of friction in a telephone call.
Exclusive: U.S., China to discuss repatriation of Chinese fugitives
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Senior U.S. officials will meet in August with their Chinese counterparts to discuss the possibility of repatriating Chinese officials who have fled to America with billions of dollars of allegedly stolen government assets, acco…
Obama seeks some limits on ground troops for Islamic State fight
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama will propose to Congress on Wednesday a new three-year authorization for the use of force against Islamic State with limits on U.S. combat troops’ involvement, lawmakers and congressional aides said.
Judge rules for NSA in warrantless search case
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Tuesday ruled in favor of the National Security Agency in a lawsuit challenging the interception of Internet communications without a warrant, according to a court filing.
Jeb Bush accepts resignation of chief technology officer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Jeb Bush’s campaign-in-waiting accepted the resignation on Tuesday of a recently hired chief technology officer after a series of insensitive comments were attributed to him.
Obama to bring back most U.S. troops fighting Ebola in Africa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama is set to announce on Wednesday that he will bring back nearly all of the 1,300 U.S. troops deployed in West Africa to fight the Ebola epidemic by April 30, the White House said late on Tuesday.
Kansas governor rescinds protections for gay state workers
(Reuters) – Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, a conservative Republican re-elected in November, on Tuesday rescinded an executive order issued by a Democratic predecessor that offered protections for gay and bisexual state workers.
Alaska lawmaker wants to follow Arizona, Hawaii and drop daylight saving
JUNEAU (Reuters) – An Alaska lawmaker on Tuesday said the state should ditch the twice-yearly time switches required by daylight savings time and join Arizona and Hawaii in sticking to one standard time, matching a similar proposal in Washington state….
