House Republicans divided on immigration reform
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives emerged from an immigration meeting on Wednesday divided over whether to help the 11 million undocumented people living in the United States, but eager to bolster border security.
Obama orders review of U.S. aid to Egypt, Pentagon says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has ordered a review of U.S. assistance to Egypt’s government, the Pentagon said in a statement on Wednesday.
Senator calls for hearing on Pentagon payroll problems
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The leader of a U.S. Senate committee said Wednesday the panel would hold a hearing later this year to examine systemic payroll problems in the U.S. military, following a Reuters investigation that showed how widespread Pentagon …
Eyeing a comeback, Spitzer takes lead in NYC comptroller’s race
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, who is attempting a political comeback five years after resigning from office in a prostitution scandal, is leading the race to be New York City’s next comptroller, according to a poll releas…
Senators propose security clearance reforms after Snowden
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday introduced legislation aimed at security clearance reforms in the aftermath of disclosures of secret U.S. surveillance programs by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snow…
U.S.-China talks cover cyber issues, currency, Chinese reform
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials appealed to China’s self-interest on Wednesday with calls for deeper economic reforms including changes to the exchange rate policy and a halt to cyber theft of trade secrets – actions they said would benefit both …
Obama pushes House Republicans on immigration
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama jumped into the immigration debate on Wednesday by releasing a report touting economic benefits from reforms and meeting with Hispanic lawmakers, as Republican lawmakers gathered to try to craft their respo…
Senior lawmakers push Obama over Guantanamo force-feeding
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two senior Senate Democrats pushed President Barack Obama to cut back on force-feeding of prisoners at the Guantanamo naval base on Wednesday, two days after a judge ruled that only the president had the power to stop the procedu…
Obama rewards two big donors with plum diplomatic assignments
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama rewarded two major donors to his re-election campaign with plum diplomatic assignments in Britain and Italy on Wednesday.
Honoring opera to ‘Star Wars,’ Obama awards arts medals to 24
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Citing the power of artists and academics to open minds, President Barack Obama on Wednesday awarded 24 medals to people including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas and writer Joan Didion who he said touched his life and the lives…