U.S. Justice Department reviews dispute between CIA and Senate panel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Justice Department and FBI are looking into a dispute over Senate investigators’ access to what the Central Intelligence Agency regarded as highly privileged and sensitive documents about its use of “enhanced” interrogation t…
Big budget cuts pose ‘tough, tough choices’ for Pentagon: Hagel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned on Thursday that “tough, tough choices are coming” if the Pentagon implements deep future spending cuts required by law, including whether to slash the Army to 420,000 soldiers and decommissio…
In U.S. strategy on Ukraine, a whiff of Kennan’s ‘containment’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns on Thursday laid out a strategy of patiently trying to counter Russia, including its intervention in Ukraine, reminiscent of legendary American diplomat George Kennan’s concept of “contai…
U.S. Justice Department reviews dispute between CIA and Senate panel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Justice Department and FBI are looking into allegations the Central Intelligence Agency secretly monitored a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation of Bush-era detention and interrogation policies, sources familiar with …
U.S. Congress steps into action on Ukraine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill backing $1 billion in loan guarantees for Ukraine, the first formal response by U.S. lawmakers to the worst crisis in U.S.-Russia relations since the Co…
Christie calls on conservatives to focus on ‘what we’re for’
NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland (Reuters) – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie urged conservative activists on Thursday to talk about what they are for, not just what they are against, and said Republicans need to focus on winning elections in addition to pr…
California Democrats, beset by two scandals, propose ethics reforms
SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) – California Democrats, whose supermajority in the state legislature was effectively lost after two party lawmakers were either indicted or convicted of criminal wrongdoing, proposed a sweeping package of ethics reforms…
U.S. official in charge of Obamacare exchanges resigns
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A top U.S. healthcare official, accused by Republicans of misleading Congress about the readiness of the Obamacare rollout, will resign from his post at the end of March, officials said on Thursday.
Rifle-toting McConnell seeks firepower for re-election campaign
NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell tried to bring some firepower to his tough re-election battle on Thursday, brandishing a rifle as he strode onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Big budget cuts pose ‘tough, tough choices’ for Pentagon: Hagel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned on Thursday that “tough, tough choices are coming” if the Pentagon implements deep future spending cuts required by law, including whether to slash the Army to 420,000 soldiers and decommissio…