White House concerned over Senate vote on mortgage regulator
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration expressed concern on Wednesday that Republicans may block a vote in the U.S. Senate on the nomination of the president’s choice to regulate mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Partisan battle lines drawn on taxes as U.S. budget talks begin
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers launched a new round of budget talks on Wednesday with pledges to work toward easing automatic government spending cuts, but drew familiar partisan battle lines over boosting tax revenues to help pay for that.
U.S. security agency denies reports it targeted Vatican
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The National Security Agency, responsible for U.S. electronic eavesdropping, said on Wednesday that it does not target the Vatican, and called an Italian media report that it had done so “not true.”
New York Mayor Bloomberg looks ahead to golf, speaking Spanish
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A golfing holiday and learning to speak Spanish “like a native” are at the top of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s list of activities he’ll pursue when his term ends in December, he said in an interview published on Wednesday.
Democrat showing solid lead in Virginia governor’s race: poll
RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) – Democrat Terry McAuliffe’s lead over Republican Ken Cuccinelli in the widely watched Virginia governor’s race may be helping lower-level Democratic candidates in a state hard hit by the recent government shutdown, a poll …
U.S. senator vows to block Yellen, Johnson nominations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A senior Republican U.S. senator vowed on Wednesday to block confirmation of President Barack Obama’s nominees to head the Federal Reserve and the Department of Homeland Security if the administration does not provide more inform…
U.S. primaries a legacy of President Kennedy: historians
BOSTON (Reuters) – Nearly fifty years after an assassin’s bullet found its mark in Dallas, one of President John F. Kennedy’s greatest political legacies is the power of the presidential primaries to select who will lead the nation.
U.S. criminal division nominee could counter ‘revolving door’ criticism
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration’s pick to serve as the top criminal prosecutor dedicated more of her time in the private sector to defending technology companies than she did financial institutions, a resume that could ease concerns tha…
Senate panel to hold Obamacare hearing on November 5
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee plans to hold a hearing on November 5 with Marilyn Tavenner, a top U.S. health official, about the rocky rollout of Obamacare.
Merkel envoys at White House to discuss U.S.-German intelligence cooperation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A German delegation is visiting the White House on Wednesday to discuss ways to intensify U.S.-German intelligence sharing after reports that the U.S. National Security Agency monitored German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile ph…
