Senate plan to change U.S. military sex assault rules still short on votes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The senator leading a push to overhaul how the U.S. military handles sexual assault complaints made an urgent appeal on Thursday for more support as the measure stood seven votes short of passage before a vote expected as soon as…
U.S. House Speaker Boehner expresses doubts over immigration bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Thursday joined other leading Republicans in expressing doubts that immigration reforms could be passed this year and put the blame on President Barack Obama.
At prayer breakfast, Obama talks faith and foreign policy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama pressed for greater religious freedom in China and offered prayers for U.S. prisoners in North Korea and Iran on Thursday during remarks at an annual prayer breakfast that highlighted his Christian faith.
Boehner: no decision on provisions of debt ceiling legislation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday there was no decision yet among his fellow Republicans on whether to add any conditions to raising the U.S. debt ceiling but he repeated there would be no default.
Kerry is reluctant ‘star’ of Israeli settlers’ spoof
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Trying humor over hectoring, Israeli ultra-nationalists have lampooned U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a video campaign against his troubled quest for peace between the Jewish state and the Palestinians.
U.S. policy change on Cuba stalled – by Obama
MIAMI/HAVANA (Reuters) – U.S. relations with Cuba are at their best in almost two decades, but President Barack Obama seems unwilling or unable to confront a well-organized anti-Cuba lobby and push for further progress.
U.S. bank leverage rules to include global revisions: Fed governor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A top U.S. bank regulator plans to tell lawmakers on Thursday that final leverage rules for U.S. banks will incorporate recent revisions to a global capital standard, which likely means tougher requirements for the institutions.
U.S. freezes assets of Pakistan-based Haqqani militants
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration, under pressure from Congress to act against Pakistan-based militants blamed for fueling violence in Afghanistan, moved on Wednesday to freeze the assets of three suspected militants linked to the hard-li…
Kerry plays down criticism from Israeli officials, citizens
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday brushed off Israeli criticism of his Middle East peace efforts, saying he has been “attacked” with bullets in the past and would not be intimidated by words.
Cuts in U.S. defense spending force hard strategic choices
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Big budget cuts over the next decade will force the Pentagon to make painful cuts to personnel and readiness and could make it hard to execute a global security strategy, defense analysts predicted on Wednesday.
