Yahoo! News: Politics News

---

• 3 Secret Service employees out amid scandal
• Scorching talk: Romney, Obama battle over economy
• THE RACE: Romney, Obama both claim Reagan legacy
• As U.S. ages, Europe-style problems could flourish
• Top Republican rejects criticism by Catholic bishops
• Bissau junta sets two-year roadmap to elections
• Contractors lose bid to lift political aid ban
• Iowa GOP Examines What Went Wrong With Caucuses
• Barred Islamist says Egypt army wants to keep power
• Secret Service: three employees leaving over Colombia incident
• Libya insists on Gaddafi son trial as ICC visits
• Congressional Oversight Leaders Say Secret Service Agents Brought Prostitutes into Contact With Sensitive Security Information
• 3 Secret Service employees out amid scandal
• New military photo scandal: Panetta apologizes
• Scorching talk: Romney, Obama battle over economy
• House panel okays $33 billion in food stamp cuts
• House highway bill is prelude to talks with Senate
• Biden Criticizes Holdup of Violence Against Women Bill
• Yemen air strike kills six militants, government says
• Secret Service scandal takes sharp political turn
• Watergate figure, ministry founder Colson near death
• NATO says concrete plans emerging for Afghanistan after 2014
• Netanyahu defends comparison of Iran, Nazi Holocaust
• Ohio, Mich. and NC by the numbers _ now and then
• Bissau junta sets two-year roadmap to elections
• Food stamps, federal pensions face GOP cuts
• No 'Silver Spoon' Here: Obama in Ohio Draws Contrast with GOP on Jobs Aid
• Layoffs, freezes, retirements for U.S. public sector
• Romney Predicts GOP Takes Back North Carolina in November
• U.S. signals comfort with IMF bid for more funds
• Obama Briefed on Photos of Soldiers Posing With Dead Suicide Bombers
• Russia admits irregularities in regional vote after protests
• Romney Says Even if You Like Obama, You Can't Afford Him

3 Secret Service employees out amid scandal Posted: The Secret Service says three employees are out of the agency in the wake of a prostitution scandal in Colombia.

Scorching talk: Romney, Obama battle over economy Posted: Their battle joined, challenger Mitt Romney savaged President Barack Obama's handling of the economy on Wednesday while the commander-in-chief commiserated up close with victims of the recession and warned that Republicans would only make matters worse.

THE RACE: Romney, Obama both claim Reagan legacy Posted: There they go again. President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney both like to channel Ronald Reagan. Neither one should probably push it too far.

As U.S. ages, Europe-style problems could flourish Posted: LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - The population of the United States is quickly aging, a trend that will soon have a big impact on local finances unless quick fixes are adopted. The alarm was sounded at a conference of municipal bond analysts in Las Vegas on Wednesday. "Problems we see now in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are the same ones we will be facing in 10 years from now," said Tom Gillaspy, a demographer with the state of Minnesota. With the exception of Alaska, which continues to attract young people, and Utah, which has a high birth rate, U.S. states are seeing their populations age. ...

Top Republican rejects criticism by Catholic bishops Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Republican in the Congress on Wednesday defended his party's proposed deficit-cutting federal budget plan against complaints by Roman Catholic bishops that it would hurt the poor and violate certain "moral criteria." House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner argued that matters would worsen, with the government eventually unable to afford programs for the needy, unless it stops spending more money than it takes in. Boehner, who is Catholic, acknowledged that the bishops have a "moral argument," but said, "I want them to take a bigger look. ...

Bissau junta sets two-year roadmap to elections Posted: BISSAU (Reuters) - Guinea-Bissau's military junta said on Wednesday it would take two years to restore democratic rule in the West African state through elections that will be set by a soon-to-be-named caretaker government. The announcement came after broad international condemnation of the shadowy "Military Command" which seized power last week and cut short a presidential poll by detaining its front-runner, former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior. The former Portuguese colony has seen several coups and army revolts since independence in 1974. ...

Contractors lose bid to lift political aid ban Posted: A judge has turned aside a request to temporarily lift a long-standing ban on contributions by federal contractors to political campaigns.

Iowa GOP Examines What Went Wrong With Caucuses Posted: It was one of the logistical lowlights of the 2012 primary. After a late night of vote counting, the Iowa GOP announced Mitt Romney as the caucuses' tentative winner, having staved off Rick Santorum by a mere eight votes. "The good news is we were...

Barred Islamist says Egypt army wants to keep power Posted: CAIRO (Reuters) - A leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said on Wednesday his removal from the presidential ballot showed the army wanted to cling to power, a charge that turns up the heat between generals and Islamists, who both say they back a transition to democracy. Khairat al-Shater, a wealthy businessman and top official in the Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest Islamist group, had been a frontrunner for next month's first round of voting - until the election committee rejected his bid over a criminal record he acquired during political persecution under Hosni Mubarak. ...

Secret Service: three employees leaving over Colombia incident Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three of 11 Secret Service employees, who are being investigated for allegations of misconduct over an incident in Colombia that involved prostitutes, are leaving, the agency said on Wednesday. "Although the Secret Service's investigation into allegations of misconduct by its employees in Cartagena, Colombia, is in its early stages, and is still ongoing, three of the individuals involved will separate or are in the process of separating from the agency," a statement from Assistant Director Paul Morrissey said. (Reporting By Tabassum Zakaria)

Libya insists on Gaddafi son trial as ICC visits Posted: TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor met Libyan officials in Tripoli on Wednesday where they reiterated that Muammar Gaddafi's detained son would be tried at home, despite calls by the Hague-based court to hand him over. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Saif al-Islam last year, after prosecutors accused him and others of involvement in the killing of protesters during the revolt that eventually toppled his father. ...

Congressional Oversight Leaders Say Secret Service Agents Brought Prostitutes into Contact With Sensitive Security Information Posted: The partying U.S. Secret Service agents and officers who allegedly brought prostitutes into their Cartagena, Colombia hotel rooms brought the call girls "into contact with sensitive security information," the Chair and ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wrote to Mark...

3 Secret Service employees out amid scandal Posted: The Secret Service says three employees are out of the agency in the wake of a prostitution scandal in Colombia.

New military photo scandal: Panetta apologizes Posted: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta apologized Wednesday for gruesome, newly revealed photographs that show U.S. soldiers posing with the bloodied remains of dead insurgents in Afghanistan. He said war can lead young troops to "foolish decisions" and expressed concern the photos could incite fresh violence against Americans.

Scorching talk: Romney, Obama battle over economy Posted: Their battle joined, challenger Mitt Romney savaged President Barack Obama's handling of the economy on Wednesday while the commander-in-chief commiserated up close with victims of the recession and warned that Republicans would only make matters worse.

House panel okays $33 billion in food stamp cuts Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel approved about $33 billion in cuts over 10 years from food stamp benefits, in a largely symbolic and highly partisan vote opposed by committee Democrats and by anti-poverty groups. The cuts advanced by the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee on Wednesday would reduce spending on food stamps that help 46 million people buy food by $7.7 billion in the first year, by $19.7 billion in five years, and the balance in the next five years. The cuts are expected to die in the Democratic-controlled Senate. ...

House highway bill is prelude to talks with Senate Posted: The House on Wednesday approved a Republican bill aimed at keeping alive prospects for enacting an overhaul of federal transportation programs and continuing the flow of highway and transit aid to states.

Biden Criticizes Holdup of Violence Against Women Bill Posted: Vice President Biden criticized Republicans for  holding up the reauthorization of the Violence Against Woman Act (VAWA) at an event today in Washington, D.C. "When all that has occurred, the idea we're still fighting about this in the Congress, that this is even a debatable...

Yemen air strike kills six militants, government says Posted: ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - Yemeni warplanes killed at least six militants linked to al Qaeda on Wednesday, the government said as it pressed ahead with an offensive against insurgents in the south. Since the outbreak of anti-government protests that unseated former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, security has deteriorated in Yemen, particularly in the south, where the army is struggling to control Islamist fighters. The defense ministry said it launched an air strike on a group of militants near the southern city of Lawdar, killing six. ...

Secret Service scandal takes sharp political turn Posted: The prostitution scandal at the Secret Service took a sharp political turn Wednesday as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said he would fire the agents involved and suggested a lack of leadership led to the incident. In Washington and Colombia, site of the incident involving agents, military personnel and at least 20 women, separate U.S. government investigations into the episode were already under way.

Watergate figure, ministry founder Colson near death Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chuck Colson, an aide to President Richard Nixon who went to jail over the Watergate scandal and later became an evangelical Christian and founder of a prison ministry, was near death on Wednesday at a Northern Virginia hospital, his associate said. Colson, 80, underwent surgery more than two weeks ago to remove clotting on his brain and there had been some "hopeful signs" during his recovery, Jim Liske, chief executive of Prison Fellowship Ministries, said in a message to staff on the organization's website. ...

NATO says concrete plans emerging for Afghanistan after 2014 Posted: BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday he saw an "emerging agreement" among the alliance's members on what role they would play in Afghanistan once that country's forces take charge of security by 2015. Speaking during a meeting of NATO allies in Brussels, Rasmussen said a number of member states had already pledged the size of their financial contributions to help the Afghan government maintain security forces after 2014. ...

Netanyahu defends comparison of Iran, Nazi Holocaust Posted: JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected criticism of his likening of a nuclear-armed Iran to the Nazi Holocaust as improper, saying in an address to the country on Wednesday that "uncomfortable truths" must be aired. He defended his analogy on the eve of Israel's annual day of Holocaust remembrance against those who say it is not only irreverent to the six million Jews killed by Hitler's Germany but also stokes panic about a new war. ...

Ohio, Mich. and NC by the numbers _ now and then Posted: President Barack Obama campaigned in Midwestern battlegrounds Ohio and Michigan on Wednesday while Republican rival Mitt Romney spoke in North Carolina.

Bissau junta sets two-year roadmap to elections Posted: BISSAU (Reuters) - Guinea-Bissau's military junta said on Wednesday it would hand power fully back to civilians in two years, after elections that will be set by a soon-to-be-named caretaker government. The announcement came after broad international condemnation of the West African state's shadowy "Military Command", which seized power last week and cut short a presidential election by detaining its front-runner, Carlos Gomes Junior. The former Portuguese colony has seen several coups and army revolts since independence in 1974. ...

Food stamps, federal pensions face GOP cuts Posted: Republicans controlling the House are targeting food stamps, federal employee pensions, tax breaks for illegal immigrants and subsidies under President Barack Obama's health care law in a multifaceted drive to swap cuts to domestic programs for big Pentagon cuts scheduled next year.

No 'Silver Spoon' Here: Obama in Ohio Draws Contrast with GOP on Jobs Aid Posted: ELYRIA, Ohio -  President Obama today touted the success of his job training initiatives for the unemployed, while warning voters that they are in the crosshairs of Republicans' proposed budget cuts. Obama spoke to a crowd of 400 mostly blue-collar workers and students at Loraine...

Layoffs, freezes, retirements for U.S. public sector Posted: (Reuters) - More than half of local and state employees continue to work under pay freezes, while others are accelerating their retirements or facing the prospects of layoffs as the effects of the recession linger on the public sector, according to a survey released on Wednesday. The survey of members of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources and the National Association of State Personnel Executives, found public employees also worry about their image. ...

Romney Predicts GOP Takes Back North Carolina in November Posted: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – With the site of the Democratic National Convention behind him, Mitt Romney today looked forward to this fall, predicting a win in the crucial state of North Carolina and previewing what he believes President Obama will and will not say to Americans...

U.S. signals comfort with IMF bid for more funds Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday threw its support behind a bid to boost the International Monetary Fund's financial resources, signaling greater satisfaction among Group of 20 nations with Europe's efforts to resolve its debt crisis. The U.S. government will not chip in more money of its own, but warm words from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner for commitments by others may clear a path for G20 nations meeting this week in Washington to agree on a way to bolster the IMF's war chest. ...

Obama Briefed on Photos of Soldiers Posing With Dead Suicide Bombers Posted: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said President Obama was briefed on photos published today in the Los Angeles Times depicting U.S. military personnel posing with the dismembered bodies of suicide bombers. Carney, speaking with reporters on Air Force One today, said he did not ask the...

Russia admits irregularities in regional vote after protests Posted: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia admitted on Wednesday that some irregularities had taken place in the course of a disputed mayoral election in a southern Russian city last month, after the victory of a pro-Kremlin candidate there set off a wave of anti-government protests. The disputed election in Astrakhan has become a focus for the opposition as it tries to breathe new life into its protest movement which has lost steam since Vladimir Putin was elected president for a six-year term on March 4. ...

Romney Says Even if You Like Obama, You Can't Afford Him Posted: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Mitt Romney appeared today to acknowledge a recent poll that found President Obama more likeable by warning a crowd in North Carolina that "even if we like" the president, Americans "can't afford" his policies. Romney's nod to the issue of likeability came...

You are subscribed to email updates from Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610