U.S. Republicans look for ways to block normal ties with Cuba
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in Congress searched on Thursday for a strategy to sink or at least slow President Barack Obama’s plan to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba, drawing a shrug from the White House.
Obama to set up panel to boost trust between police and communities
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Thursday will set up a task force to draw up recommendations to strengthen trust between law enforcement and local communities, following protests over several instances of police killings of unarmed peo…
Obama signs U.S. sanctions law on Venezuela officials
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Thursday signed legislation to impose sanctions on Venezuelan government officials accused of violating protesters’ rights during demonstrations earlier this year.
U.S. banks to move cautiously into Cuba, trade groups say
(Reuters) – U.S. banks will be able to do more business in Cuba after the United States and the island nation agreed to restore diplomatic ties, but trade groups said their members will be slow to ramp up operations, fearing big penalties for mistakes….
U.S. Secret Service too insular, needs outside leader, more agents: review
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Secret Service needs an outsider to overhaul the insular agency, beef up staffing and improve training – after building a higher fence around the White House, an independent review concluded on Thursday.
U.S., Cuba restore ties after 50 years
HAVANA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and Cuba agreed on Wednesday to restore diplomatic ties that Washington severed more than 50 years ago, and President Barack Obama called for an end to the long economic embargo against its old Cold War e…
Hotel magnate avoids prison in illegal campaign contribution scheme
(Reuters) – A hotel tycoon and former Hillary Clinton fundraiser avoided prison on Thursday for conspiring to make $188,000 in illegal U.S. campaign contributions using straw donors.
‘Obama, formerly of Somerville,’ dials in to Mass. Gov.’s radio show
BOSTON (Reuters) – Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick got an apparently unexpected call on his final monthly radio show before his term ends in January in the form of U.S. President Barack Obama, who lived in the state during his years at Harvard Law…
U.S. Secret Service needs more training, outside leader: WSJ, citing report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Secret Service needs more staff, better training and a leader from outside to steer an agency that has become too insular, according to an independent review cited on Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.
Restoring U.S.-Cuba ties unlikely to be tied to human rights: U.S. official
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The restoration of U.S.-Cuban diplomatic relations after more than half a century is not likely to be directly tied to the issue of human rights in Cuba, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Thursday.
