Yahoo! News: Politics News

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• Analysis: Cliff deal is another pain-free punt
• 'Fiscal cliff' deal leaves lots of issues dangling
• Cliff averted, it's on to the next fiscal crisis
• Clinton talking to staff as she recovers from clot
• Google's executive chairman plans North Korea trip - AP
• Boehner agrees to Sandy aid vote on Friday
• Hillary Clinton discharged from N.Y. hospital: State Department
• Boehner: 2 Sandy Aid Votes by Month's End
• Budget deal leaves U.S. defense sector in limbo
• U.N. lifts Syria death toll to "truly shocking" 60,000
• Bigger fights loom after "fiscal cliff" deal
• "Fiscal cliff" deal extends New York rebuilding bonds
• New FAA head among appointments approved by Senate
• Recall news
• Governor sues NCAA over Penn State sex scandal
• Moody's says more steps needed to save U.S. credit rating
• Fiscal Cliff Deal Leaves Charities' and NGOs' Fears Unresolved
• NY Times loses bid to uncover details on drone strikes
• Boehner sets House votes on Sandy aid after Republican attacks
• Wall Street starts new year with a bang after "cliff" deal
• Gun checks soar 39 percent, set new record: FBI
• U.S. economy to row against austerity tide in 2013
• Sandy Hook kids prepare for 1st school day since attack
• What fiscal cliff? Shoppers shrug off budget debate
• Hillary Clinton leaves New York hospital with family, aide
• Taboo on premarital sex can lead to tragedy in changing Oman
• Nominee to be Libyan foreign minister turns down the job
• CEOs pan fiscal cliff deal, vow to continue debt fight
• 'Fiscal cliff' standoff over, Obama back in Hawaii
• Rep. King says Boehner promises Sandy aid votes
• U.N. worried about reports of air strikes in Myanmar
• House sets votes on Sandy storm aid: Rep. King
• Evidence in Colorado theater shooting to be revealed
• NJ Governor Christie blames Boehner for stall in Sandy relief
• Obama, NY and NJ lawmakers press for Sandy aid
• Venezuela's opposition demands "whole truth" about Chavez health
• Clinton speaking to staff on phone, receiving memos

Analysis: Cliff deal is another pain-free punt Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:11 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress' hectic resolution of the "fiscal cliff" crisis is the latest in a long series of decisions by lawmakers and the White House to do less than promised — and to ask Americans for little sacrifice — in confronting the nation's burgeoning debt.

'Fiscal cliff' deal leaves lots of issues dangling Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:29 PM PST The "fiscal cliff" compromise on taxes leaves a big part of the nation's budget crisis still dangling.

Cliff averted, it's on to the next fiscal crisis Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:14 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Onward to the next fiscal crisis. Actually, several of them, potentially. The New Year's Day deal averting the "fiscal cliff" lays the groundwork for more combustible struggles in Washington over taxes, spending and debt in the next few months.

Clinton talking to staff as she recovers from clot Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:23 PM PST Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been speaking with staff and reviewing paperwork from the New York hospital where she is recovering from a blood clot in her head, the State Department said Wednesday.

Google's executive chairman plans North Korea trip - AP Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:22 PM PST SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, one of the highest-profile leaders of the U.S. technology industry, will travel to North Korea this year, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday. Schmidt's visit, which the AP said might take place as soon as this month, comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called this week for an end to confrontation with South Korea, with which the country is technically still at war. It was unclear whom Schmidt will meet or what his agenda might be, the AP reported. ...

Boehner agrees to Sandy aid vote on Friday Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:15 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner agreed Wednesday to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery.

Hillary Clinton discharged from N.Y. hospital: State Department Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:41 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was discharged from hospital on Wednesday after being treated for a blood clot in a vein behind her right ear, and her doctors expect her to make a full recovery, a State Department spokesman said. "Her medical team advised her that she is making good progress on all fronts, and they are confident she will make a full recovery," said Philippe Reines in a statement. "She's eager to get back to the office, and we will keep you updated on her schedule as it becomes clearer in the coming days," he said. ...

Boehner: 2 Sandy Aid Votes by Month's End Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:02 PM PST House Speaker John Boehner has pledged to hold two votes in the House of Representatives this month to distribute aid to states impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Just one day after he decided to pull emergency legislation from the floor to help victims suffering from the...

Budget deal leaves U.S. defense sector in limbo Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:02 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pentagon officials and weapons makers on Wednesday expressed relief after Congress approved a two-month delay in huge budget cuts, but warned that a longer-term fiscal solution is urgently needed to lift the uncertainty hanging over the sector. "Congress has prevented the worst possible outcome by delaying sequestration for two months. Unfortunately, the cloud of sequestration remains," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement. "Congress cannot continue to just kick the can down the road. ...

U.N. lifts Syria death toll to "truly shocking" 60,000 Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:58 PM PST AMMAN/GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 60,000 people have died in Syria's uprising and civil war, the United Nations said on Wednesday, dramatically raising the death toll in a struggle that shows no sign of ending. In the latest violence, dozens were killed in a rebellious Damascus suburb when a government air strike turned a petrol station into an inferno, incinerating drivers who had rushed there for a rare chance to fill their tanks, activists said. "I counted at least 30 bodies. They were either burnt or dismembered," said Abu Saeed, an activist who arrived in the area an hour after the 1 ...

Bigger fights loom after "fiscal cliff" deal Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST (Note language, paragraph 12) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face even bigger budget battles in the next two months after a hard-fought "fiscal cliff" deal narrowly averted devastating tax hikes and spending cuts. The agreement, approved late on Tuesday by the Republican-led House of Representatives, was a victory for Obama, who had won re-election on a promise to address budget woes in part by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. ...

"Fiscal cliff" deal extends New York rebuilding bonds Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional lawmakers added a provision into legislation on avoiding the U.S. "fiscal cliff" that extends for two years issuance of Liberty Bonds, the debt authorized after the September 11, 2001, attacks to help rebuild New York, according to a copy of the bill. Liberty Bonds are unlike many sold in the $3.7 trillion tax-exempt municipal bond market - they are issued by the New York Liberty Development Corporation to make loans to companies and they are solely secured by loan payments from those companies. ...

New FAA head among appointments approved by Senate Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:42 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate late on Tuesday approved a number of key White House nominations to regulatory agencies, including the president's choice for the top job at Federal Aviation Administration that had been vacant for over a year. Michael Huerta was confirmed as FAA administrator for a five-year term after acting in that role since December 2011, when his predecessor resigned after being arrested and charged with drunk driving. ...

Recall news Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:42 PM PST The following recalls have been announced:

Governor sues NCAA over Penn State sex scandal Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:36 PM PST (Reuters) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said on Wednesday he is seeking to have the costly sanctions levied by the NCAA against Penn State University over the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal thrown out, saying the punishment threatens to cause devastating damage to the state's residents and economy. The sanctions, which included an unprecedented $60 million fine, are "overreaching and unlawful," he said at a news conference in State College where the university is located. ...

Moody's says more steps needed to save U.S. credit rating Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:31 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States must do more than the recently passed "fiscal cliff" measures if the country is to rescue its Aaa debt rating from its current negative outlook, rating agency Moody's Investors Service said on Wednesday. Standard & Poor's said the deal does not affect its negative view of the U.S. credit outlook, and said more work remains ahead for policymakers. The last minute deal passed on Tuesday to avert potentially devastating tax hikes and spending cuts clarifies the medium-term deficit and debt trajectory of the federal government, Moody's said in a statement. ...

Fiscal Cliff Deal Leaves Charities' and NGOs' Fears Unresolved Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:20 PM PST The fiscal cliff agreement passed late last night extends some much-needed benefits and tax breaks, but looming spending cuts leave minority and poverty-stricken communities in limbo. Leaders in the nonprofit community praised the bill's handling of some aspects like the charitable-giving tax deduction. But in...

NY Times loses bid to uncover details on drone strikes Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:18 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday rejected The New York Times' bid to force the U.S. government to disclose more information about its targeted killing of people it believes have ties to terrorism, including American citizens. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan said the Obama administration did not violate the law by refusing the Times' request for the legal justifications for targeted killings, a strategy the Times said was first contemplated by the Bush administration soon after the attacks of September 11, 2001. ...

Boehner sets House votes on Sandy aid after Republican attacks Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:10 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker John Boehner made a U-turn on Wednesday to clear the way for approval of $60 billion in Superstorm Sandy relief by mid-January after drawing withering fire from fellow Republicans, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, for canceling an earlier vote. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives will now vote on Friday on a $9 billion down payment for storm-related aid to the National Flood Insurance program. ...

Wall Street starts new year with a bang after "cliff" deal Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:06 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks kicked off the new year with their best day in over a year on Wednesday, sparked by relief over a last-minute deal in Washington to avert the "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts that threatened to derail the economy's growth. In 2013's first trading session, the S&P 500 achieved its biggest one-day gain since December 20, 2011, pushing the benchmark index to its highest close since September 14. ...

Gun checks soar 39 percent, set new record: FBI Posted: 02 Jan 2013 02:02 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of FBI background checks required for Americans buying guns set a record in December, indicating that more people may purchase one after the Connecticut school massacre stirred interest in self-defense and prompted renewed talk of limits on firearms, according to FBI data. The FBI said it recorded 2.78 million background checks during the month, surpassing the mark set in November of 2.01 million checks - about a 39 percent rise. The latest monthly figure was up 49 percent over December 2011, when the FBI performed a then-record 1.86 million checks. ...

U.S. economy to row against austerity tide in 2013 Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:52 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington has steered clear of severe austerity measures for now, reducing the risk of recession, but a clutch of U.S. tax hikes will nevertheless be a drag on economic growth this year. The U.S. Congress approved a deal late on Tuesday to scale back some $600 billion in scheduled tax hikes and government spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff." Analysts said the package at least marked a temporary reprieve for the economy, and investors charged into U.S. stocks, pushing the Standard & Poor's 500 up 2.5 percent on Wednesday. ...

Sandy Hook kids prepare for 1st school day since attack Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:24 PM PST MONROE, Connecticut (Reuters) - Many of the children who escaped last month's massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school got their first glimpse of their new school on Wednesday afternoon, welcomed to a building that has been decked out as a "Winter Wonderland" with the help of thousands of kids from around the world. More than 400 Sandy Hook Elementary School students in kindergarten through grade 4 will return to classes on Thursday for the first time since the December 14 attack. ...

What fiscal cliff? Shoppers shrug off budget debate Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST (Reuters) - The "fiscal cliff" drama that dominated the news and spooked businesses and financial markets did little to dampen spending by shoppers this holiday season. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows nearly three-quarters of Americans said the debate around the fiscal cliff had no impact on their holiday spending. Fewer than 20 percent of those polled said they spent less during the season than they did in the 2011 holidays, according to the poll. Holiday season sales overall - including December sales data from several chains due this week - were likely good, but not great. ...

Hillary Clinton leaves New York hospital with family, aide Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:19 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was driven away from New York-Presbyterian hospital on Wednesday with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Chelsea, and an aide, a Reuters photographer witnessed. The four of them left the building and entered the same vehicle, which drove away. It was unclear where she was going or whether she was discharged from the hospital, where she was admitted for treatment of a blood clot. A hospital spokeswoman has directed all comment on Clinton to the State Department. (Reporting by Joshua Lott; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Taboo on premarital sex can lead to tragedy in changing Oman Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:15 PM PST MUSCAT (Reuters) - When unmarried 19-year-old Sama got pregnant, she ran away from home to have an abortion rather than face family wrath. The young man who got her pregnant had refused to marry her, saying he could not afford the financial burden. So she went to share a room with a friend in a university hostel in the Omani capital Muscat, 450 km (280 miles) away from her hometown of Buraimi in the north of the Gulf Arab state. The abortionist was her friend's aunt, a 76-year-old woman who boasted that she had successfully terminated over 200 fetuses in a long, illegal career. ...

Nominee to be Libyan foreign minister turns down the job Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:04 PM PST TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The man proposed as Libya's foreign minister has rejected the post despite being cleared by an Integrity Commission which was asked to examine his ties to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi. Ali Aujali, Libya's former ambassador to the United States was among eight of the 27 ministers nominated by Prime Minister Ali Zeidan who were referred to the commission, which studies the backgrounds of public officials, after protests outside congress over the makeup of his cabinet. ...

CEOs pan fiscal cliff deal, vow to continue debt fight Posted: 02 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST (Reuters) - U.S. executives largely panned the congressional deal to steer America away from the "fiscal cliff," saying Washington wasted an opportunity to address the nation's long-term debt, but said they would continue to agitate for a better budget plan. While CEOs expressed relief that $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts will not kick the fragile economy in the gut, their gratitude was salted with insults. "I think this deal's a disaster," said Peter Huntsman, chief executive of chemical producer Huntsman Corp. "We're just living in a fantasy land. ...

'Fiscal cliff' standoff over, Obama back in Hawaii Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST HONOLULU (AP) — A week after rushing to Washington to help end a tense, end-of-year standoff with Congress, President Barack Obama is back in Hawaii for vacation.

Rep. King says Boehner promises Sandy aid votes Posted: 02 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A New York lawmaker says House Speaker John Boehner has promised votes to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy by Jan. 15.

U.N. worried about reports of air strikes in Myanmar Posted: 02 Jan 2013 12:46 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Wednesday at reports of air strikes in Myanmar's Kachin State, where a 20-month conflict between government troops and rebels has been escalating. "(Ban) has taken serious note of the most recent reports indicating air strikes against targets in Kachin State," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement. ...

House sets votes on Sandy storm aid: Rep. King Posted: 02 Jan 2013 12:43 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Friday on a down payment for federal disaster aid related to Superstorm Sandy to be followed later in the month with a vote on a larger chunk of funding, Representative Peter King said on Wednesday. King, a Republican from New York, which was hit hard by the gigantic storm, said House Speaker John Boehner has promised a vote on Friday on $9 billion in money for the federal flood insurance program to help victims. Another vote - on the remaining $51 billion in aid - would come on January 15, King said. ...

Evidence in Colorado theater shooting to be revealed Posted: 02 Jan 2013 12:03 PM PST CENTENNIAL, Colo. (Reuters) - Evidence from a shooting in July in a Colorado movie theater, that killed 12 movie-goers and wounded 58, will be made public for the first time at a hearing next week, prosecutors said on Wednesday. The evidence will be presented to a district judge who will decide if there are sufficient grounds for James Holmes, accused of the shootings, to stand trial. Holmes, a 25-year-old former neuroscience graduate student, is charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder for the shooting rampage, in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colorado, on July 20. ...

NJ Governor Christie blames Boehner for stall in Sandy relief Posted: 02 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Wednesday blamed U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a fellow Republican, for delaying a vote on federal disaster aid for Superstorm Sandy, calling the inaction "disappointing and disgusting." "There is only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent (storm) victims - the House majority, and their speaker, John Boehner," he told a news conference in Trenton, New Jersey. Christie said that he was doubtful lawmakers would vote on the $60.4 billion relief package before the new session begins on Thursday. ...

Obama, NY and NJ lawmakers press for Sandy aid Posted: 02 Jan 2013 11:50 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans and Democrats from New York and New Jersey lashed out at House Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday for pulling legislation on Hurricane Sandy aid, demanding that he reverse course and allow a vote as their constituents continue to struggle with the aftermath of the devastating storm. President Barack Obama called for an immediate House vote, and governors of the two states called House inaction a "dereliction of duty."

Venezuela's opposition demands "whole truth" about Chavez health Posted: 02 Jan 2013 11:46 AM PST CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition on Wednesday demanded the government tell "the whole truth" about the health of cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez, who has not been heard from in three weeks after undergoing a grueling operation in Cuba. Officials have acknowledged the usually garrulous former soldier's health is delicate after his fourth cancer surgery in 18 months, but have offered scant details on his condition. He has not spoken in public in more than three weeks. ...

Clinton speaking to staff on phone, receiving memos Posted: 02 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is being treated for a blood clot behind her right ear, has been talking with her staff by telephone and receiving memos, the State Department said on Wednesday. Clinton also spoke to two foreign officials - the U.N. envoy on Syria and the prime minister of Qatar - on Saturday, the day before the State Department disclosed the blood clot and her stay at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "She's been quite active on the phone with staff and taking paper, etc.," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at her daily briefing. ...

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