Former U.S. hostages angry about new Iran U.N. envoy appointee
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Former U.S. embassy workers held hostage in Iran from 1979 to 1981 are outraged that Tehran has selected a new U.N. envoy who may have played a role in the 444-day crisis and want him barred from U.S. territory, lawyers for t…
Senate advances bill to renew jobless benefits
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic-led U.S. Senate agreed by a voice vote on Monday to begin debate on a bipartisan bill to renew expired jobless benefits for 2.2 million Americans.
Obamacare website stalls a bit before enrollment deadline
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The federal website for U.S. consumers to enroll in private health insurance under Obamacare ran into problems twice on Monday because of a surge of people trying to access the site hours before a midnight deadline to sign up for…
Congress approves bill to avert Medicare pay cut for doctors
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval on Monday to legislation to avert a pay cut for doctors who participate in the Medicare insurance program for the elderly and disabled.
Hagel revamps effort to find U.S. troops missing from foreign wars
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday ordered the Pentagon to reorganize its much-criticized effort to account for U.S. troops missing from foreign wars, creating a single agency to improve accountability and speed recovery and…
Kerry returns to Middle East to push flailing peace talks
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry rushed back to the Middle East on Monday to try to salvage stalled peace talks, possibly by releasing an Israeli spy jailed in the United States to push Israel to free Palestinian prisoners.
New Mexico governor urges calm after stone-throwing protests
ALBUQUERQUE (Reuters) – New Mexico’s governor urged calm on Monday after weekend protests over police use of lethal force following the shooting of a mentally ill homeless man boiled over into stone-throwing demonstrations that police used tear gas to …
Exclusive: NSA infiltrated RSA security more deeply than thought – study
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Security industry pioneer RSA adopted not just one but two encryption tools developed by the U.S. National Security Agency, greatly increasing the spy agency’s ability to eavesdrop on some Internet communications, according to…
Republican Paul Ryan to unveil U.S. budget plan on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Representative Paul Ryan on Tuesday plans to unveil a 10-year balanced budget plan that seeks to bolster Republicans’ campaign credentials as the party of fiscal prudence but also leaves them open to fresh attacks over deep …
Virginia voters back gay marriage as court hearing nears: poll
RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) – A majority of Virginia voters support gay marriage, according to a poll released on Monday, which comes as a lawsuit to strike down the state’s ban on same-sex unions is headed to federal appeals court.