Yahoo! News: Politics News

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• Fiscal cliff ads pick up where campaign stopped
• With election over, less attention to jobs report
• Supreme Court will hear gay marriage cases
• Egyptian opposition to shun Mursi's national dialogue
• FDA panel opposes recommending painkiller, cites safety
• Michigan Republicans end part of union tradition
• Supreme Court to hear "pay-for-delay" drug case
• Supreme Court takes up same-sex marriage for first time
• After scandals, Pentagon brass looks at staffing for generals
• Biden: Tax Deal Can Be Done in a Snap
• Iran's long-range missiles said to lag U.S. intelligence fears
• Clarification: Cancer Funding-Texas story
• U.S. extends waivers on Iran sanctions to China and India
• SEC wrestles with Internet age in Netflix case
• Canada sees more investment in oil sands despite new curbs
• Flu forces La Scala to change opening gala cast
• U.S. seeks to require black boxes in all cars
• Obama to ask Congress for more than $60 billion for storm repairs
• Canada approves China, Malaysia energy company takeovers
• Boehner says Obama pushing U.S. toward "fiscal cliff"
• Shadowy donor behind record 'super' PAC checks
• IMF chief warns U.S. of ripple effect of "fiscal cliff"
• Instant view: Canada clears CNOOC's $15 billion Nexen purchase
• Detroit eyes layoffs, other actions to avoid state control
• Michigan "right-to-work" law exempts existing union contracts
• New York bike-sharing program delayed again because of storm
• Employment ducks Superstorm Sandy's punch
• Supreme Court could limit scope for class arbitration
• Biden says ready to respond to any serious "fiscal cliff" offer
• Nikki Haley Shoots Down Colbert for Senate
• Federal Agencies Brace for Deep Cuts Post-'Cliff'
• Ghana extends voting to Saturday after technical hitch
• Boehner: No progress in fiscal cliff talks
• Report on Libya attack imminent
• With election over, jobs report gets less scrutiny
• Canada to restart fighter search, could buy F-35: source
• Second bomb this week kills three in Nairobi suburb

Fiscal cliff ads pick up where campaign stopped Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST Debate over the "fiscal cliff" has money pouring into television, print, radio and online ads, picking up where the wall-to-wall election campaign left off.

With election over, less attention to jobs report Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:14 PM PST Reaction to the monthly jobs numbers isn't what it used to be.

Supreme Court will hear gay marriage cases Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:38 PM PST The Supreme Court will take up California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case that could give the justices the chance to rule on whether gay Americans have the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals.

Egyptian opposition to shun Mursi's national dialogue Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:20 PM PST CAIRO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Mohamed Mursi was expected to press ahead on Saturday with talks on ways to end Egypt's worst crisis since he took office even though the country's main opposition leaders have vowed to stay away. Cairo and other cities have been rocked by violent protests since November 22, when Mursi promulgated a decree awarding himself sweeping powers that put him above the law. ...

FDA panel opposes recommending painkiller, cites safety Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:19 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts voted against recommending Zogenix Inc's Zohydro painkiller for FDA approval on Friday, citing concerns about the danger of addiction posed by the drug class known as opioids. But FDA officials said the regulatory agency could still approve the drug for sale in the United States by imposing restrictions to protect public safety. ...

Michigan Republicans end part of union tradition Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:19 PM PST For generations, Michigan was the ultimate labor stronghold — a state built by factory workers for whom a high school diploma and a union card were the ticket to a middle-class life.

Supreme Court to hear "pay-for-delay" drug case Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:18 PM PST (Reuters) - The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to decide whether brand-name drug companies may pay money to generic drug rivals to keep their lower-priced products off the market, a practice estimated to cost consumers and the government billions of dollars each year. The arrangements, known as "pay-for-delay" or "reverse payments," have for more than a decade vexed antitrust enforcers, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which have been stung until recently by a series of court decisions allowing such practices. ...

Supreme Court takes up same-sex marriage for first time Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:12 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court stepped into the gay marriage debate for the first time on Friday by agreeing to review two challenges to federal and state laws that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The high court agreed to review a case against a federal law that denies married same-sex couples the federal benefits heterosexual couples receive. It also took up a challenge to California's ban on gay marriage, known as Proposition 8, which voters narrowly approved in 2008. ...

After scandals, Pentagon brass looks at staffing for generals Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:11 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon's top military officers have decided to review the kind of staff support provided to senior generals and admirals after several high-profile scandals raised concerns about the inappropriate use of personnel and equipment for personal gain. The decision, announced on Friday, to take a closer look at support given to senior military leaders was one of two initial recommendations to come from a review of ethics training requested by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta three weeks ago. ...

Biden: Tax Deal Can Be Done in a Snap Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:08 PM PST ARLINGTON, Va. – Vice President Joe Biden took seven middle-class taxpayers to lunch at a diner in suburban northern Virginia today, highlighting their concern about the looming tax hike that could hit at the end of the month. "This is no time to add any...

Iran's long-range missiles said to lag U.S. intelligence fears Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:05 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An internal report for the U.S. Congress has concluded that Iran probably is no longer on track, if it ever was, to having an ocean-crossing missile as soon as 2015. The study casts doubt on a view long held by U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran could be able to test-fly by 2015 an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, if it receives "sufficient foreign assistance. ...

Clarification: Cancer Funding-Texas story Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:58 PM PST In a story Dec. 5, The Associated Press reported that ongoing troubles with the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas began in May with a $20 million award that was insufficiently reviewed. The story should have made clear that although the state agency has acknowledged making missteps in its awarding of the grant, at that time its rules did not require that type of proposal to be subjected to a scientific peer review.

U.S. extends waivers on Iran sanctions to China and India Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:50 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States granted 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and a number of other countries on Friday in exchange for their cutting purchases of oil from the Islamic Republic. President Barack Obama's administration has now renewed waivers for all 20 of Iran's major oil buyers, after granting them to Japan and 10 European Union countries in September. Friday's action was the second renewal for all 20 after Obama signed the sanctions into law a year ago. ...

SEC wrestles with Internet age in Netflix case Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:50 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. regulatory probe of Netflix Inc over disclosures made on its chief executive's Facebook page could prove an important test of whether a rule designed to prevent leaks to analysts can translate to the social media age. The movie and TV streaming service revealed on Thursday that it may face action from the Securities and Exchange Commission if the agency determines the comments from CEO Reed Hastings violate a rule that requires information to be disclosed to investors at the same time. ...

Canada sees more investment in oil sands despite new curbs Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:44 PM PST OTTAWA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper voiced confidence on Friday that Canada would still attract the investment it needs despite new curbs he has imposed on state-owned enterprises seeking to acquire majority stakes in oil sands businesses. "I think the oil sands remain an extremely attractive investment opportunity, and I am confident that the government, the industry, will be able to attract a range of investment to satisfy its needs and the country's needs over time," he told reporters. ...

Flu forces La Scala to change opening gala cast Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:44 PM PST MILAN (Reuters) - Opera house La Scala was forced to change its cast for Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin" hours before the opening gala on Friday after German soprano Anja Harteros and her understudy both fell ill with flu. The theatre said Annette Dasch will sing the lead female role of Elsa after arriving in Milan overnight, rescuing the biggest night of the year in the world of opera. Dasch has performed the role at the Bayreuth opera festival. The Milanese theatre has come under fire for choosing Wagner over local hero Giuseppe Verdi to open its season. ...

U.S. seeks to require black boxes in all cars Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:38 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Devices that record crash-related data would be required in all new cars and light trucks under a U.S. Department of Transportation proposal made on Friday to broaden their growing use in the United States. The proposed rule, which may stir consumer privacy concerns, would require automakers to put "event data recorders" in light passenger vehicles weighing less than 8,500 pounds, effective September 1, 2014. ...

Obama to ask Congress for more than $60 billion for storm repairs Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:37 PM PST (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration will ask U.S. lawmakers to approve more than $60 billion in funding for East Coast states to rebuild after Superstorm Sandy. Officials from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which were hit hard by the storm, had asked for much more, saying they needed at least $82 billion altogether to make emergency repairs and upgrade infrastructure to prevent similar damage from future storms. ...

Canada approves China, Malaysia energy company takeovers Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:30 PM PST OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada on Friday approved CNOOC Ltd's landmark $15.1 billion bid for Nexen Inc, but said it would block virtually all new attempts by foreign state-owned enterprises to buy assets in the oil sands. Separately, Canada approved a C$5.2 billion ($5.3 billion) bid by Malaysian firm Petronas for energy firm Progress Energy Corp. The federal Industry Ministry weighed both bids to see if they amounted to a net benefit to Canada. ...

Boehner says Obama pushing U.S. toward "fiscal cliff" Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:28 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican House Speaker John Boehner accused U.S. President Barack Obama of pushing the country toward the "fiscal cliff" on Friday and of wasting another week without making progress in talks. With three weeks left before a combination of steep tax hikes and deep spending cuts kicks in unless Congress intervenes, Boehner said the administration had adopted a "my way or the highway" approach and was engaging in reckless talk about going over the cliff. "This isn't a progress report because there is no progress to report," Boehner told reporters at the Capitol. ...

Shadowy donor behind record 'super' PAC checks Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:24 PM PST A lawyer in Tennessee who is mysteriously linked to millions of dollars in campaign contributions steered to congressional candidates doubled his investments in the weeks before Election Day and quietly funneled $6.8 million more to a prominent tea party group, according to new financial statements filed with the government.

IMF chief warns U.S. of ripple effect of "fiscal cliff" Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:24 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the International Monetary Fund urged U.S. policymakers on Friday to consider the implications for the rest of the world of failing to reach a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff." "If the U.S. suffers as a result of the fiscal cliff - a complete wiping out of growth - it is going to have repercussions around the world," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the BBC in an interview. "If the U.S. ...

Instant view: Canada clears CNOOC's $15 billion Nexen purchase Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:20 PM PST (Reuters) - Canadian ministers cleared Chinese state-owned energy company CNOOC Ltd's $15 billion bid to buy Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen Inc, allowing the largest foreign takeover by a Chinese firm to proceed. The following is instant reaction from investors and analysts. KEITH MOORE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MKM PARTNERS LLC "When the deal was announced we thought it would eventually be approved with concessions, but that there was going to be a lot of headline risk. ...

Detroit eyes layoffs, other actions to avoid state control Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:15 PM PST DETROIT (Reuters) - Under pressure by Michigan officials to turn around Detroit's sagging finances, city officials said on Friday they will lay off hundreds of workers in addition to putting some on unpaid leave to stave off increased state oversight. Mayor Dave Bing and top officials outlined plans to lay off 400 to 500 employees over the next two to three months in all non-revenue generating departments, including police and fire, exempting beat officers. He also reiterated plans to put more city workers on unpaid leave. ...

Michigan "right-to-work" law exempts existing union contracts Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:10 PM PST LANSING, Michigan (Reuters) - The proposed Michigan "right-to-work" law will not apply to existing union contracts, a leading sponsor of the proposal said on Friday, which may blunt its immediate impact on the state's huge auto industry. Michigan Republicans pushed through the state Legislature on Thursday a law making the payment of union dues voluntary in the private sector. The state Senate also voted to apply that to the public sector, except for police and fire unions. ...

New York bike-sharing program delayed again because of storm Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:05 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The rollout of New York City's bicycle-sharing program, to be the largest in the United States, will be delayed for two months and initially scaled back because of damage that bikes and docking systems sustained during Superstorm Sandy. The city will push back the debut of Citi Bike, its self-service short-term bike rental program, to May 2013 from March in order to replace and refurbish many of the electrical components that were exposed to floodwater, the New York City Department of Transportation and New York City Bike Share said in a statement on Friday. ...

Employment ducks Superstorm Sandy's punch Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:01 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies kept up their slow but steady hiring pace in November, defying predictions that Superstorm Sandy would deal a big blow to the labor market. While the unemployment rate fell to a near four-year low of 7.7 percent, that was only because many Americans gave up the hunt for work, tempering the signal from the stronger-than-expected payrolls growth. A big drop in consumer confidence in December, the largest fall in more than 1-1/2 years, also offered a cautionary note on the economy's health. ...

Supreme Court could limit scope for class arbitration Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:59 PM PST (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear an appeal that gives the nine justices a chance to limit the ability of consumers and businesses to litigate disputes as a class. At issue was whether doctors could collectively arbitrate a dispute over payments with Oxford Health Plans LLC even though the governing arbitration agreement did not mention class actions. The court has in recent years made it harder for some parties to litigate or arbitrate their claims together, which could boost payouts and lower costs. In the 2010 case Stolt-Nielsen v. ...

Biden says ready to respond to any serious "fiscal cliff" offer Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:45 PM PST ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) - The White House will respond to "any serious offer" from congressional Republicans to prevent the U.S. "fiscal cliff" and "theoretically" could negotiate how much tax rates must rise for top earners, Vice President Joe Biden said on Friday. ...

Nikki Haley Shoots Down Colbert for Senate Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:30 PM PST South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley may have brought Stephen Colbert's Senate candidacy to a halt with the click of a button. Rumors that the comedian was seeking the Senate spot left open by Sen. Jim DeMint's departure circulated Thursday, after a Twitter account with the...

Federal Agencies Brace for Deep Cuts Post-'Cliff' Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:23 PM PST With the "fiscal cliff" quickly approaching, federal agencies are stepping up preparations for deep automatic budget cuts that will kick in Jan. 2 unless the White House and Congress can reach a deal. The Office of Management and Budget told ABC News that a memo...

Ghana extends voting to Saturday after technical hitch Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:20 PM PST ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana extended voting in its presidential election into a second day, officials said on Friday, after a rash of technical problems prevented thousands of people in the West African state from casting their ballots on time. The decision was broadly accepted by political parties and voters, who hoped the poll would entrench Ghana's reputation as a bulwark of democracy and progress in a region better known for civil wars, coups and corruption. ...

Boehner: No progress in fiscal cliff talks Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:17 PM PST House Speaker John Boehner said Friday there has been no progress in negotiations to avert a "fiscal cliff" combination of automatic tax increases and spending cuts in January and called on President Barack Obama to produce a new offer.

Report on Libya attack imminent Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:58 PM PST Sen. John Kerry says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has agreed to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about an independent report on the deadly Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya.

With election over, jobs report gets less scrutiny Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:51 PM PST Reaction to the monthly jobs numbers isn't what it used to be.

Canada to restart fighter search, could buy F-35: source Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:48 PM PST OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is restarting its search for new fighter jets but could still choose Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35, which Ottawa had initially said it would buy before losing enthusiasm as cost estimates soared, a government source told Reuters on Friday. An independent four-person panel will study the F-35, Boeing Co's F-18 Super Hornet and the EADS Eurofighter and report back to Ottawa by early 2013, the source said. The panel, which could also look at other fighters, will not make a recommendation on which jet to buy. ...

Second bomb this week kills three in Nairobi suburb Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:47 PM PST NAIROBI (Reuters) - A bomb blast in a predominantly Somali district of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Friday killed three people and wounded at least eight, the Kenyan Red Cross said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the run-down Eastleigh suburb, the second explosion there since Wednesday night. Local lawmaker Yusuf Hassan was among the injured, Nairobi's police chief Moses Ombati said. One Eastleigh resident, Said Abdullahi, said he heard two gunshots followed by an explosion outside a mosque. ...

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