Maine Democrats scramble after governor blocks Medicaid expansion
BOWDOINHAM, Maine (Reuters) – Democratic legislators in Maine scrambled on Tuesday to muster the votes needed to override Republican Governor Paul LePage’s late-night veto of a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to an additional 60,000 people.
Obama says Bernanke has ‘stayed a lot longer’ than he wanted at Fed
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama hinted in an interview aired on Monday that he may be looking for a new chief of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, saying Ben Bernanke has stayed a lot longer than the current chairman had originally planned.
Iceland received informal approach over Snowden seeking asylum
REYKJAVIK (Reuters) – Iceland has received an informal approach from an intermediary who says Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed the U.S. government’s secret surveillance programs, wants to seek asylum there.
Senior Republican says Snowden’s surveillance comments ‘dangerous’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican head of a congressional panel on Tuesday said officials are concerned that former U.S. contractor Edward Snowden’s continued efforts to speak out and release intelligence information pose more risk for the United S…
Obama pick for top U.S. telecom regulator to face Senate panel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s choice for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is expected to face questions about his past work within the telecommunications industry at a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
Insight: FBI relies on secret U.S. surveillance law, records show
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The FBI has used secret evidence obtained under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to prosecute at least 27 accused terrorists since 2007, according to a Reuters review of public records.
Obama sees Iran’s election of moderate as hopeful sign
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Monday that Iran’s election of a moderate as its next president is a sign that Iranians want to move in a different direction, but he was uncertain whether it would lead to a breakthrough over Tehra…
U.S. says it will buy Russian helicopters for Afghan military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon said on Monday it will spend $572 million to buy 30 Russian-built military helicopters that will be used by Afghan security forces.
Obama says will meet oversight board about NSA surveillance
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Monday he will meet soon with a privacy and civil liberties oversight board to discuss ways to balance the need for U.S. surveillance while respecting people’s right to privacy.
U.S. states, greens delay lawsuit, await Obama climate plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Environmental groups and a dozen states and cities said Monday they will delay planned legal action against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying they will wait to see if the White House soon unveils a climate policy s…
