Yahoo! News: Politics News

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• THE RESET: Obama has 'more flexibility' now to act
• Obama, Karzai agree: It's time to wind down war
• Jackson Jr.'s wife leaves Chicago City Council
• Texas Lt. Gov.: Fund weapons training for teachers
• US to search for World War II missing in Myanmar
• More than 30,000 flee fighting in Sudan's Darfur: U.N.
• 2 sailors request trial in prostitution scandal
• In gun debate, video game industry defends itself
• TV anchorman Gregory won't face charges over gun clip
• FAA to review of Boeing 787, but calls plane safe
• Malian army beats back Islamist rebels with French help
• Democrats urge Obama to be ready to bypass Congress on debt cap
• Pentagon weighs Mali options, including intel sharing
• Venezuela's Maduro to visit Chavez again in Cuba
• Report: Mark Sanford to Run for Congress
• Supreme Court to review free speech of HIV/AIDS groups
• Canadian aboriginals protest outside PM office, threaten unrest
• Netflix gets unfair postal advantage, court finds
• Alicia Keys, Katy Perry top bill at Obama inauguration parties
• Spain seizes valves bound for Iran's nuclear program: ministry
• Top Dems urge Obama to weigh unilateral debt hike
• Obama, Karzai agree to speed up Afghan military transition
• Anarchist bombs explode near Greek journalists' homes
• Trial ramps up in Oregon Christmas tree-lighting bomb plot
• France will ask EU to curb use of newer birth control pills
• Police fire water cannon, plastic bullet at Northern Irish rioters
• Biden: No Comment on NRA Broadside
• Biden voices interest in new technology for guns
• Republicans to Press Benghazi Issue With National Security Nominees
• Massachusetts governor seeks to revamp retiree health care
• Malian army retakes central town from Islamists
• Biden draws NRA ire in drive against gun violence
• Factbox: Video game industry meets with Biden gun task force
• Supreme Court to review sex offender registration law
• Air Force memo outlines sweeping budget cuts
• NJ mayor Booker can raise money for US Senate bid
• Supreme Court to consider if silence can be evidence of guilt
• Central African Republic signs peace deal with rebels

THE RESET: Obama has 'more flexibility' now to act Posted: 11 Jan 2013 10:01 AM PST Mitt Romney was going to "Etch A Sketch" his way to the White House. We saw how that worked out.

Obama, Karzai agree: It's time to wind down war Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:19 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Uneasy allies, President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai demonstrated Friday they could agree on one big idea: After 11 years of war, the time is right for U.S. forces to let Afghans do their own fighting. U.S. and coalition forces will take a battlefield back seat by spring and, by implication, go home in larger numbers soon thereafter.

Jackson Jr.'s wife leaves Chicago City Council Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:35 PM PST CHICAGO (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s wife has resigned from the Chicago City Council.

Texas Lt. Gov.: Fund weapons training for teachers Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:54 PM PST AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called Friday for state-funded, specialized firearms training for teachers and administrators to guard against school shootings.

US to search for World War II missing in Myanmar Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:38 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is preparing its first search in eight years for remains of American soldiers lost in Myanmar during World War II.

More than 30,000 flee fighting in Sudan's Darfur: U.N. Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:36 PM PST KHARTOUM (Reuters) - More than 30,000 people have fled during two weeks of fighting in Sudan's Darfur region, the United Nations said after some of the worst clashes between government troops, rebels and rival tribes reported there for months. Conflict has raged in Darfur, a vast arid region in the west of Sudan, since 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against the Arab government in Khartoum, accusing it of political and economic marginalization. ...

2 sailors request trial in prostitution scandal Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Navy sailors have rejected administrative punishments for allegedly hiring prostitutes in Colombia last year in a scandal that engulfed members of the military and Secret Service, and both asked for trials by court-martial.

In gun debate, video game industry defends itself Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:34 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The video game industry, blamed by some for fostering a culture of violence, defended its practices Friday at a White House meeting exploring how to prevent horrific shootings like the recent Connecticut elementary school massacre.

TV anchorman Gregory won't face charges over gun clip Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:33 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The District of Columbia has declined to prosecute NBC News anchor David Gregory for displaying an illegal high-capacity gun clip on a broadcast, a prosecutor said on Friday. District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin Nathan said his office would not seek to charge Gregory for showing the 30-round magazine on the December 23 broadcast of "Meet the Press" in part because it was an element of the renewed debate about firearms. His office "has determined to exercise its prosecutorial discretion to decline to bring criminal charges against Mr. ...

FAA to review of Boeing 787, but calls plane safe Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:32 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The government stepped in Friday to assure the public that Boeing's new 787 "Dreamliner" is safe to fly, even as it launched a comprehensive review to find out what caused a fire, a fuel leak and other worrisome incidents this week.

Malian army beats back Islamist rebels with French help Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:28 PM PST PARIS/BAMAKO (Reuters) - Malian government troops drove back Islamist rebels from a strategic central town after France intervened on Friday with air strikes to halt advances by the militants controlling the country's desert north. Western governments, particularly former colonial power France, had voiced alarm after the al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured the town of Konna on Thursday, a gateway towards the capital Bamako 600 km (375 miles) south. President Francois Hollande said France would not stand by to watch the rebels push southward. ...

Democrats urge Obama to be ready to bypass Congress on debt cap Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:27 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Democratic senators urged President Barack Obama on Friday to be ready to raise the debt ceiling without congressional approval in order to avert a damaging debt default. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his leadership team said Obama should use "any lawful steps" under his authority to "ensure that America does not break its promises and trigger a global economic crisis." They urged Obama to act on his own if Republicans insist on a debt limit extension that is coupled with "unbalanced or unreasonable" spending cuts. ...

Pentagon weighs Mali options, including intel sharing Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:24 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon is weighing options in Mali following French air strikes on Friday against Islamist rebels, including intelligence-sharing with France and logistics support, a U.S. official told Reuters. "Discussions are ongoing," the official said on condition of anonymity. Western governments, particularly former colonial power France, voiced alarm after the al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured the central Malian town of Konna on Thursday, a gateway towards the capital of Bamako 375 miles farther south. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Venezuela's Maduro to visit Chavez again in Cuba Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:23 PM PST CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro will fly to Cuba on Friday to visit cancer-stricken Hugo Chavez, a month after the socialist leader underwent his fourth operation in 18 months. The 58-year-old president has neither been seen nor heard from since the surgery, and he has suffered multiple post-operative complications including a severe lung infection. He missed his own inauguration on Thursday, but the Supreme Court said he could be sworn in later - in theory meaning he could remain in office for weeks or months from a Havana hospital. ...

Report: Mark Sanford to Run for Congress Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:20 PM PST Second chances do exist in politics, and Mark Sanford might just try his hand. According to The Weekly Standard, the disgraced former governor of South Carolina will run for Congress. South Carolina will stage a special election in May to replace Senate fill-in Rep. Tim...

Supreme Court to review free speech of HIV/AIDS groups Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:20 PM PST (Reuters) - The Supreme Court agreed to consider whether the government can require groups that receive federal funding for overseas HIV/AIDS programs to have explicit policies that oppose prostitution and sex trafficking. The case is one of six that the court on Friday agreed to hear in its current term, with oral arguments most likely in April. Among the other cases is one examining the reach of the court's landmark 1966 Miranda v. Arizona decision on the right to remain silent when questioned by the police. ...

Canadian aboriginals protest outside PM office, threaten unrest Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST OTTAWA (Reuters) - Aboriginal protesters blockaded the main entrance to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office on Friday and some native groups threatened economic disruption as part of a campaign to force Ottawa to address native grievances. Chiefs say a growing aboriginal protest known as "Idle No More" is prepared to bring the economy to its knees unless the federal government tackles the poor living conditions and high jobless rates facing many of Canada's 1.2 million natives. Harper opened a meeting with native chiefs on Friday to discuss their demands. ...

Netflix gets unfair postal advantage, court finds Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:15 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that Netflix Inc received an unfair advantage from the U.S. Postal Service's special handling of its DVDs, and ordered postal regulators to remedy the discrimination or offer a good explanation. The unanimous decision, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is a victory for GameFly Inc, which said the postal service should treat the games it ships similarly to Netflix DVDs. ...

Alicia Keys, Katy Perry top bill at Obama inauguration parties Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:14 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - R&B singer Alicia Keys, country guitar slinger Brad Paisley and pop star Katy Perry are some of the A-list performers who will entertain partygoers at President Barack Obama's inaugural celebration, organizers said on Friday. Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, two prominent elder statesmen of American music, also will perform at one of the three official parties planned for the onset of Obama's second term in office, the inaugural committee said. Other performers include salsa singer Marc Anthony, rappers Far East Movement and Nick Cannon, pop band fun. ...

Spain seizes valves bound for Iran's nuclear program: ministry Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:11 PM PST MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police arrested two men and seized the contents of a truck bound for Iran loaded with materials destined for use in the Islamic state's nuclear program, the Interior Ministry said on Friday. The truck, intercepted on a motorway in northern Spain early on Wednesday, was carrying highly corrosion-resistant valves, the ministry said in a statement. Police were examining computer databases and documents at Fluval Spain, the company where the two arrested men worked, a ministry spokesman said. ...

Top Dems urge Obama to weigh unilateral debt hike Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:10 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's top Democratic allies in the Senate advised him Friday to consider "any lawful steps" to make sure the government does not default of its debts and spur an economic crisis — even if it means acting without approval by Congress.

Obama, Karzai agree to speed up Afghan military transition Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:09 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed on Friday to speed up the handover of combat operations in Afghanistan to Afghan forces this year, underscoring Obama's determination to move decisively to wind down the long, unpopular war. Signaling a narrowing of differences, Karzai appeared to give ground in White House talks on U.S. demands for immunity from prosecution for any U.S. troops who stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, a concession that could allow Obama to keep at least a small residual force there. ...

Anarchist bombs explode near Greek journalists' homes Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:55 PM PST ATHENS (Reuters) - Makeshift bombs exploded outside the homes of five Greek journalists on Friday, attacks claimed by an anarchist group which said it was protesting at media coverage of the economic crisis. The incendiary devices caused minor damage but no injuries. They were the first coordinated attacks against mainstream journalists since the Greek debt crisis erupted in 2009. In an Internet statement, the anarchist group which goes by the name 'Lovers of Lawlessness' said of the journalists: "While they use a pro-workers rhetoric, they wink mischievously at their political bosses. ...

Trial ramps up in Oregon Christmas tree-lighting bomb plot Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:52 PM PST PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A jury was empanelled on Friday to hear the trial of a Somali-born man charged with trying to blow up a crowd of people at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Oregon two years ago with a fake bomb supplied by undercover agents posing as militant Islamists. Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was 19 when he was arrested, faces life in prison on a single charge of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction in a plot to blow up the 2010 festivities at a public plaza in downtown Portland. ...

France will ask EU to curb use of newer birth control pills Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST PARIS (Reuters) - French health authorities will ask the European Union to restrict the use of newer types of contraceptive pills over concerns they might carry health risks. France's health minister Marisol Touraine said on Friday the newer pills, which have caught on because they reduce side effects from earlier versions such as weight gain and acne, should only be prescribed by specialist doctors to women who cannot use other types of contraception. ...

Police fire water cannon, plastic bullet at Northern Irish rioters Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:44 PM PST BELFAST (Reuters) - Police in Northern Ireland fired water cannon and at least one plastic bullet round at rioters who had attacked them with bricks and bottles in the latest outbreak of anger at the removal of the British flag from Belfast City Hall. Hundreds of other protesters brought large areas of Belfast to a standstill, shutting at least a dozen roads and forcing the shut-down of the city's bus service. ...

Biden: No Comment on NRA Broadside Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:41 PM PST Vice President Joe Biden described his meeting with the National Rifle Association Thursday as "productive" and said that even advocates for gun owners do not agree on one single solution to minimizing gun violence "I thought we had a very straightforward, productive meeting," Biden told...

Biden voices interest in new technology for guns Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:35 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Looking for broader remedies to gun violence, Vice President Joe Biden expressed interest Friday in existing technology that would keep a gun from being fired by anyone other than the purchaser. He said evidence shows such technology may have affected events in Connecticut last month when 20 youngsters and six teachers were gunned down inside their elementary school.

Republicans to Press Benghazi Issue With National Security Nominees Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:34 PM PST Making clear they are not relenting in trying to hold the Obama administration accountable for the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, a trio of Republican senators said today they'll continue to press the matter at nomination hearings for Obama's...

Massachusetts governor seeks to revamp retiree health care Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:30 PM PST (Reuters) - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said on Friday that he will file legislation to overhaul benefits for public retirees, including a proposal to double the number of years an employee would have to serve to be eligible. The bill would require most current employees of the state and its cities, towns and school districts to work for 20 years instead of 10 years to become eligible for health benefits when they retire. Retirees would also have to pay a higher percentage of their health insurance premiums, leaving the employer responsible for a smaller share. ...

Malian army retakes central town from Islamists Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:18 PM PST BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's armed forces retook the central town of Konna from Islamist rebels with French military support on Friday, a Malian defense ministry official and residents said. "The Malian army has retaken Konna with the help of our military partners. We are there now," Lieutenant Colonel Diaran Kone told Reuters. A local shopkeeper confirmed that the army had entered the town, which had been seized on Thursday by the al Qaeda-linked insurgents who control Mali's desert north. (Reporting By Bate Felix; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Biden draws NRA ire in drive against gun violence Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:15 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Joe Biden butted heads with the powerful National Rifle Association on Thursday in his drive to reduce U.S. gun violence, drawing complaints from the lobby group that the White House is trying to limit constitutionally protected gun rights. Biden sat down for about an hour and a half of talks with an NRA representative and officials from other gun owners' groups after telling reporters he is likely to recommend background checks for all gun buyers and a ban on high-capacity ammunition clips. ...

Factbox: Video game industry meets with Biden gun task force Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:15 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Representatives from the companies that make "first-person shooter" games such as "Call of Duty," "Medal of Honor" and "Grand Theft Auto" met with Vice President Joe Biden on Friday as the Obama administration looks for ways to curb U.S. gun violence. Biden is heading a task force formed after a gunman shot dead 20 children and six adults last month at a Connecticut elementary school. Biden plans to make recommendations on reducing gun violence to President Barack Obama by next Tuesday. ...

Supreme Court to review sex offender registration law Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:11 PM PST (Reuters) - The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to decide whether the government can require a former federal sex offender to register a change of address even after he had served his sentence and been unconditionally freed from custody. In a brief order, the court agreed to hear the government's appeal of a July 2012 decision overturning the conviction of Air Force veteran Anthony Kebodeaux for violating the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act of 2006. SORNA provides what the U.S. ...

Air Force memo outlines sweeping budget cuts Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:52 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Air Force leaders will cut flying hours by nearly 20 percent and prepare for a possible end to all noncombat or noncritical flights from late July through September if Congress can't agree on a budget and billions of dollars in automatic cuts are triggered.

NJ mayor Booker can raise money for US Senate bid Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:52 PM PST Newark Mayor Cory Booker has taken an initial step toward running for U.S. Senate in 2014, adding intrigue to his political future and that of 88-year-old fellow Democrat Frank Lautenberg, who currently holds the seat.

Supreme Court to consider if silence can be evidence of guilt Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:48 PM PST (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether a suspect's refusal to answer police questions prior to being arrested and read his rights can be introduced as evidence of guilt at his subsequent murder trial. Without comment, the court agreed to hear the appeal of Genovevo Salinas, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison for the December 1992 deaths of two brothers in Houston. ...

Central African Republic signs peace deal with rebels Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:47 PM PST LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Central African Republic's government and rebels agreed on Friday to the formation of a national unity government under a ceasefire deal to end an insurgency that swept to within striking distance of the capital. The agreement, signed in Gabon's coastal capital Libreville after three days of talks mediated by regional neighbors, averted the biggest threat to President Francois Bozize's decade in charge of the mineral-rich former French colony. Aid groups had warned that a rebel attack on the capital Bangui could trigger a humanitarian crisis. "God is great. ...

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