Trio of Republican 2016 hopefuls stake out positions with Syria vote
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Three likely Republican White House contenders thrust the party’s foreign policy divide into the spotlight with their Thursday votes and comments on a measure to arm moderate Syrian rebels.
Bush family member angered by Republican Senate candidate’s ads in Georgia
(Reuters) – Neil Bush, son and brother of two former presidents, has denounced assertions in political ads for Republican Senate nominee David Perdue in Georgia that an organization founded by Bush’s father funneled money to extremist groups.
U.S. Senate to cast final vote on arming Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Thursday was poised to approve President Barack Obama’s plan for training and arming moderate Syrian rebels to battle Islamic State militants.
Arab Bank never backed Hamas, lawyer tells U.S. jury
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Arab Bank Plc never provided material support for the Palestinian group Hamas, a lawyer for the bank told jurors on Thursday during closing arguments at the bank’s civil trial on charges of financing terrorism.
Obama nominates Indian-American as ambassador to India
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama nominated former State Department official Richard Verma as U.S. ambassador to India on Thursday, just ahead of a visit to Washington by new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a White House statement said…
U.S. House Speaker Boehner bemoans notion ‘I don’t have to work’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Thursday expressed his dissatisfaction with a chronically high jobless rate and complained of a “very sick idea” that the unemployed would “rather just sit around.”
U.S. calls for Japan to buckle down on Pacific trade pact
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman urged Japan on Thursday to ramp up efforts on a Pacific trade pact ahead of planned talks with his Japanese counterpart next week.
United States steps up pressure on Guatemala over labor rights
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States ramped up pressure on Guatemala to better protect workers’ rights on Thursday by restarting a trade case that could lead to hefty fines for the Central American nation.
U.S. wasted $6.5 million on Afghan broadcast towers: inquiry
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Six communications towers built in Afghanistan were never used and were a waste of more than $6.5 million in U.S. taxpayer funds, an inquiry into U.S. State Department spending on Afghan reconstruction said on Thur…
Republican senator says 2015 could be time for U.S. oil export bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top supporter in the U.S. Congress for reversing the 40-year ban on crude oil exports, Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, said next year could be the time for a bill on lifting the restriction.