Groups say Thailand should face U.S. sanctions over trafficking
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Thailand should be liable to potential U.S. sanctions for failing to crack down on trafficking in migrant workers, a group of human rights and labor organizations said on Friday.
Republicans name seven to U.S. House panel on Benghazi attacks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican-run U.S. House of Representatives named seven lawmakers to a special committee on Friday to investigate the 2012 Benghazi attacks, but Democrats called the panel a stunt and were undecided on whether they would par…
U.S. Treasury’s Lew to push currency reform on China visit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Friday he would press Chinese officials next week to allow markets to play a bigger role in determining the value of China’s currency, saying there had been “negative movement” in recent m…
U.S. lawmakers call Chinese actions in South China Sea ‘troubling’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Six U.S. senators urged their colleagues on Friday to support legislation reaffirming U.S. support for freedom of navigation, saying they consider China’s recent actions in the South China Sea troubling.
With corporate help, Obama announces actions on renewable energy
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) – President Barack Obama announced steps on Friday to increase the use of solar panels, boost energy efficiency in federal buildings and train more people to work in the renewable energy field.
House Republicans demand documents on systemic risk tags
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A group of Republican lawmakers demanded documents on Friday from U.S. regulators, voicing concerns that decisions about whether to designate large financial companies as systemically risky are unduly influenced by an internation…
Treasury says debt payments could be prioritized in default scenario
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Treasury Department has admitted for the first time that the government is technically capable of prioritizing payments if Congress triggers a default crisis by failing to raise the country’s borrowing authority.
In U.S., when high-tech meets high court, high jinks ensue
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One U.S. Supreme Court justice referred to Netflix as “Netflick.” Another seemed not to know that HBO is a cable channel. A third appeared to think most software coding could be tossed off in a mere weekend.
House backs permanent business research tax credit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted 274-131 to approve making a tax credit for business research and development (R&D) costs a permanent part of the federal tax code for the first time.
Senate push for U.S. housing finance bill comes up short
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A bid by the leaders of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee to secure more support from Democrats for a housing finance reform bill has fallen short, likely dooming their effort to push the legislation to a vote on the Senate floor…
