Lindsey Graham to test 2016 Republican presidential waters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday formed a political organization to explore a potential run for his party’s presidential nomination, the latest high-profile politician to test the 2016 waters.
Russia blacklists four more U.S. citizens in retaliatory move
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Thursday it had barred four more U.S. citizens from its territory in retaliation for Washington’s decision to expand the number of Russians blacklisted over suspected human rights abuses.
Democratic lawmakers seek swaps data from JPMorgan, other banks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Thursday asked giant banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co to explain how they will manage swaps trading activities after lawmakers weakened rules for those operations at the end of 2014.
Obama 2016 budget proposes 7 percent spending increase over caps
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2016 budget proposes a roughly 7 percent increase in spending over mandatory levels set in spending caps known as “sequestration,” a White House official said on Thursday.
Pennsylvania governor bans new oil/gas leases on state land
(Reuters) – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on Thursday signed an executive order reinstating a moratorium on new leases for oil and natural gas development in state parks and forests.
Key Democratic senator says wait until June for Iran sanctions bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, on Thursday called on panel members to wait until June to pass legislation to toughen sanctions on Iran, in order to give world powers and T…
Top Nevada lawyer joins suit against Obama’s immigration relief plan
(Reuters) – Nevada’s newly minted Republican attorney general has joined a multi-state lawsuit seeking to block President Barack Obama’s order easing the threat of deportation for millions of undocumented immigrants, without the support of the state’s …
Arkansas defeats measure to separate Martin Luther King and Robert E. Lee day
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) – A bid to end Arkansas’ practice of honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Confederate General Robert E. Lee on the same day failed in a state legislative committee on Wednesday.
Pentagon official urges NATO to focus on innovative weapons
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work on Wednesday urged NATO allies to develop and make more innovative weapons, and said bold action was needed to stay ahead of rapid weapons development by China, Russia and other countries…
Pelosi says Netanyahu speech to Congress could hurt Iran talks
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled speech to the U.S. Congress in March could damage the Obama administration’s attempts to broker a deal with Iran on nuclear weapons development, the senior U.S. House of Rep…
