Iran deal progress dampens push for new U.S. sanctions bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama is more likely to win his battle with the U.S. Congress to keep new sanctions on Iran at bay now that world powers and Tehran have made a new advance in talks to curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program….
Senate Republicans make new offer on jobless benefits
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Prospects of 1.4 million unemployed Americans getting their federal jobless benefits back soon brightened on Monday when U.S. Senate Republican negotiators offered a new plan to extend the emergency relief for three months.
Obama defends himself from Gates’ book criticism
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Monday rejected criticism from former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who questioned whether the president supported his own policy toward Afghanistan.
FBI doesn’t plan charges over IRS scrutiny of Tea Party: WSJ
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The FBI is not planning to file criminal charges involving the Internal Revenue Service’s extra scrutiny of the Tea Party and other conservative groups, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing law enforcement officials…
Senate confirms previously blocked Obama judicial nominee
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins won Senate confirmation to a key federal appeals court on Monday, two months after Republicans initially blocked President Barack Obama’s nomination of the Harvard-educated jurist.
Embattled N.J. Governor Christie faces probe over Sandy funds
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. investigators are looking into whether embattled New Jersey Governor Chris Christie misused about $2 million in Superstorm Sandy relief funds for an ad campaign that put him in the spotlight in an election year, off…
U.S. Senate panel approves McSweeny for FTC commissioner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Senate panel on Monday approved the nomination of Justice Department official Terrell McSweeny to be the third Democratic commissioner on the five-member Federal Trade Commission.
Agreement reached on details of $1 trillion spending bill: Mikulski
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Negotiators in the U.S. Congress have reached agreement on a $1 trillion spending bill aimed at keeping the federal government open through September 30, Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman Barbara Mikulski said on Monday….
Penis pumps cost U.S. government millions, watchdog cries waste
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Penis pumps cost the U.S. government’s Medicare program $172 million between 2006 and 2011, about twice as much as the consumer would have paid at the retail level, according to a government watchdog’s report released on Monday.
Obama to visit Mexico in February for leaders summit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will visit Mexico in February to attend a North American leaders’ summit, the White House said on Monday.
