Yahoo! News: Politics News

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• More fiscal clashes loom as new Congress opens
• Farm bill extension evidence of lost clout
• New tax law packed with breaks for businesses
• Sudan, South Sudan leaders to try to defuse tension at summit
• Gay marriage floor vote postponed in Ill. Senate
• Cuban group says political detentions rose dramatically in 2012
• Eleven dead in Damascus gas station blast
• Farm bill extension is evidence of lost clout
• British government extradites al-Qaida suspect
• House chooses Boehner as speaker again despite strains
• Car bomb hits Damascus petrol station, 11 killed
• Prosecutors bring charge in case involving Gallup
• House adopts GOP rules after partisan debate
• NY pension fund sues Qualcomm for political records
• Health union alliance could threaten larger rival
• Senator from cotton state named top Republican on farm panel
• Clinton planning to return to work next week
• Classic Biden on Display at Senate Mock Swearing-In
• U.S. Congress tax panels welcome fresh faces
• Rig accident shows danger of Arctic drilling - Green groups
• THE RESET: GOP leaders of new Congress face tests
• Fed minutes short-circuit Wall Street rally
• U.S. approves health exchanges in four Republican-governed states
• Fed becoming worried about stimulus side effects
• Private sector job gains offer hope for labor market
• U.S.: Time not right for Google executive's North Korea trip
• Transocean to pay $1.4 billion for role in BP oil spill
• Congress to vote Friday on Sandy flood aid
• Face of the new Congress
• Red states, too, get health care nod from Obama
• Lucky 113th Congress?
• State by state: Implementation of health law
• Senator Juggles Kid, Bible, Mussed Hair During Swearing In
• More than 240 arrested in U.S.-led crackdown on global child porn
• FTC ends long Google probe with mild reprimand
• Clinton resting, plans to return to the office next week
• House re-elects Boehner speaker

More fiscal clashes loom as new Congress opens Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:32 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A new Congress opened for business Thursday to confront long-festering national problems, deficits and immigration among them, in an intensely partisan and crisis-driven era of divided government. "The American dream is in peril," said House Speaker John Boehner, re-elected to his post despite a mini-revolt in Republican ranks.

Farm bill extension evidence of lost clout Posted: 03 Jan 2013 03:17 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A patchwork extension of federal farm programs passed as part of a larger "fiscal cliff" bill keeps the price of milk from rising but doesn't include many of the goodies that farm-state lawmakers are used to getting for their rural districts.

New tax law packed with breaks for businesses Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:54 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Tucked into the "fiscal cliff" tax package approved by Congress are billions of dollars in tax breaks that should make the new year a lot happier for businesses of many stripes, including film producers, race track owners and the makers of electric motorcycles.

Sudan, South Sudan leaders to try to defuse tension at summit Posted: 03 Jan 2013 03:13 PM PST KHARTOUM (Reuters) - The leaders of Sudan and South Sudan meet on Friday to make another attempt to defuse hostilities after their countries split and restart cross-border oil flows to throw their beleaguered economies a lifeline. Sudan's Omar Hassan al-Bashir and South Sudan's Salva Kiir have both signaled possible concessions at the talks in Addis Ababa to end a stalemate over how to set up a demilitarized buffer zone after the countries came close to war in April. ...

Gay marriage floor vote postponed in Ill. Senate Posted: 03 Jan 2013 03:13 PM PST Illinois Senate Democrats delayed a floor vote Thursday on legislation to make the state the 10th in the nation to legalize gay marriage, but the sponsor expressed confidence there would be enough votes to pass it soon.

Cuban group says political detentions rose dramatically in 2012 Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:55 PM PST HAVANA (Reuters) - Political detentions rose dramatically in Cuba in 2012 and will likely increase again in 2013 because of a lack of "real reforms" on the communist island, a Cuban human rights group said on Thursday. The independent Cuban Commission of Human Rights said in its annual report there were 6,602 detentions of government opponents last year, compared to 4,123 in 2011 and 2,074 in 2010. Elizardo Sanchez, head of the group, said the rise reflected growing discontent among Cubans and the government's attempts to keep a lid on dissent. ...

Eleven dead in Damascus gas station blast Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:54 PM PST AZAZ, Syria (Reuters) - At least 11 people were killed and 40 wounded when a car bomb exploded at a crowded petrol station in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, opposition activists said. The station was packed with people queuing for fuel that has become increasingly scarce during the country's 21-month-long insurgency aimed at overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad. The semi-official al-Ikhbariya television station showed footage of 10 burnt bodies and Red Crescent workers searching for victims at the site. ...

Farm bill extension is evidence of lost clout Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:53 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A patchwork extension of federal farm programs passed as part of a larger "fiscal cliff" bill keeps the price of milk from rising but doesn't include many of the goodies that farm-state lawmakers are used to getting for their rural districts.

British government extradites al-Qaida suspect Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:47 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Police in Britain have extradited a terror suspect to the United States to face charges that he took part in an alleged al-Qaida plot to detonate explosives aboard the New York City subway system.

House chooses Boehner as speaker again despite strains Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:43 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite a rocky few weeks during the "fiscal cliff" fight, John Boehner won re-election as speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday and will again lead Republicans as they take on the White House over federal spending. Boehner defeated House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi 220-192 in a vote on the opening day of the 113th Congress and vowed to use his second term to shrink the national debt of $16 trillion to prevent it from "draining free enterprise. ...

Car bomb hits Damascus petrol station, 11 killed Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:42 PM PST AMMAN (Reuters) - At least 11 people were killed and 40 wounded when a car bomb exploded on Thursday at a petrol station in the Syrian capital Damascus, opposition activists said. The petrol station was packed with people queuing for fuel that has become increasingly scarce during the country's 21-month-long civil war, the activists said. The bombing took place in the Barzeh al-Balad district, whose residents include a mix of majority Sunni Muslims and several other religious and ethnic minorities. ...

Prosecutors bring charge in case involving Gallup Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:34 PM PST The Justice Department has filed a criminal charge against a former Federal Emergency Management Agency employee who allegedly helped secure federal funds for The Gallup Organization while he was negotiating to go to work for the polling firm.

House adopts GOP rules after partisan debate Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:33 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday adopted Republican-written rules for the chamber that reflect the party's efforts to cut spending, stop government regulations and oppose same-sex marriage.

NY pension fund sues Qualcomm for political records Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:33 PM PST (Reuters) - New York State's $150-billion public pension fund has sued Qualcomm Inc., seeking to force the chipmaker to reveal its political spending, according to the state comptroller. The suit was filed late on Wednesday in Delaware Court of Chancery, after Qualcomm refused the request by the New York State Common Retirement Fund -- a Qualcomm shareholder -- to inspect records detailing the use of corporate resources for political activities, said state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who oversees the fund. ...

Health union alliance could threaten larger rival Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:05 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Two health care unions are joining forces in a move that could threaten a powerful rival's dominance and fuel a new round of labor tensions.

Senator from cotton state named top Republican on farm panel Posted: 03 Jan 2013 02:01 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran claimed the role of Republican leader on the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday, giving the U.S. cotton-and-rice-growing region a more powerful voice in the debate over how to reform farm subsidies. Cochran, who chaired the committee from 2003 to 2007, displaced Pat Roberts from Kansas, one of the largest wheat-growing states. Roberts was an advocate of replacing traditional crop subsidies with a program that shielded crop revenue from poor yields or low prices. ...

Clinton planning to return to work next week Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:59 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, sidelined for almost a month by a string of medical problems, is upbeat and planning to return to work next week, the State Department said Thursday.

Classic Biden on Display at Senate Mock Swearing-In Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:58 PM PST Vice President Joe Biden turned on the charm and amped up the wit at the Senate mock swearing-in today, schmoozing with senators' moms, doling out dating advice to one senator's granddaughter and offering some workout help to one new senator's family member. As senators brought...

U.S. Congress tax panels welcome fresh faces Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:49 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The rosters of the powerful, tax-writing panels of the U.S. Congress were nearly filled out on Thursday, with three prominent Republicans named to the Senate Finance Committee. At a time when tax-and-spending issues are at center stage, Republican Senators Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Rob Portman of Ohio are joining the finance panel. It is chaired by Montana Democrat Max Baucus. Toomey in 2011 proposed a tax reform plan that included raising revenues - taboo to many Republicans. ...

Rig accident shows danger of Arctic drilling - Green groups Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:42 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Opponents of Royal Dutch Shell's ambitious Arctic oil program have called on the Obama administration to put offshore drilling plans in the region on hold after one of the company's oil rigs broke away from tow boats in high seas and ran aground off Alaska. The Natural Resources Defense Council and The Wilderness Society on Thursday said the accident involving Shell's Kulluk oil rig is new evidence that oil companies are not prepared to safely manage the extreme conditions of the Arctic. ...

THE RESET: GOP leaders of new Congress face tests Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:39 PM PST Re-elected presidents know all too well that second terms can be treacherous. Returning Republican congressional leaders may find the next few years won't be a picnic for them, either.

Fed minutes short-circuit Wall Street rally Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:34 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks dipped on Thursday after signs the Federal Reserve has growing concern about its highly stimulative monetary policy, giving investors reason to pull back after a two-day rally. The minutes from the Fed's December policy meeting, released on Thursday, showed increasing reticence about adding to the central bank's $2.9 trillion balance sheet, which it expanded sharply in response to the financial crisis and recession of 2007-2009. ...

U.S. approves health exchanges in four Republican-governed states Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:32 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials on Thursday gave four states currently governed by Republicans the green light to set up their own health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, an initiative largely opposed by Republicans. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah joined a list totaling 17 states and the District of Columbia that have all won conditional approval to establish their own state exchanges, with operations set to begin on January 1, 2014. ...

Fed becoming worried about stimulus side effects Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:27 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials are increasingly concerned about the potential risks of the U.S. central bank's asset purchases on financial markets, even if they look set to continue an open-ended stimulus program for now. In a surprise to Wall Street, minutes from the Fed's December policy meeting, published on Thursday, showed a growing reticence about further increases in the central bank's $2.9 trillion balance sheet, which it expanded sharply in response to the financial crisis and recession of 2007-2009. ...

Private sector job gains offer hope for labor market Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:18 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Private-sector employers shrugged off a looming budget crisis and stepped up hiring in December, offering further evidence of underlying strength in the economy as 2012 ended. While other data on Thursday showed an increase in the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits, the trend remained consistent with steady job growth. "The underlying economy has momentum, and the employment data confirms that. The hope and prayer of the market is that our political leaders don't screw it up," said John Brady, managing director at R.J. ...

U.S.: Time not right for Google executive's North Korea trip Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:16 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Thursday the time was not right for Google Inc Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and former diplomat Bill Richardson to visit North Korea, which drew international criticism for a rocket launch last month. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said Schmidt and Richardson would be traveling as private citizens, not representatives of the U.S. government. "Frankly, we don't think the timing of this is particularly helpful," Nuland told reporters, citing North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket in December. ...

Transocean to pay $1.4 billion for role in BP oil spill Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Offshore rig contractor Transocean Ltd has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle U.S. government charges arising from BP Plc's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The settlement unveiled on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice includes $1 billion in civil penalties and $400 million in criminal penalties. The company had set aside $1.95 billion in potential losses related to the Macondo well disaster, including $1.5 billion for its anticipated DoJ settlement. ...

Congress to vote Friday on Sandy flood aid Posted: 03 Jan 2013 01:04 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Many home and business owners flooded out by Superstorm Sandy could get insurance payouts soon through congressional action expected Friday on a $9.7 billion bill to replenish the National Flood Insurance Program.

Face of the new Congress Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:54 PM PST Politically, the 113th Congress that was sworn in Thursday won't be much of a change from the less-than-stellar 112th Congress it replaces: Democrats picked up a few seats in the House and Senate, but the balance of power is unchanged, with Republicans controlling the House and Democrats holding a majority in the Senate.

Red states, too, get health care nod from Obama Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:43 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Injecting a rare shot of bipartisanship in the nation's contentious health care overhaul, the Obama administration Thursday cleared four Republican-led states to build their own consumer-friendly insurance markets.

Lucky 113th Congress? Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:42 PM PST According to calculations, it has been a century since the United States had a Congress enumerated with lucky 13. This class at least hopes to be luckier than the 112th Congress which had an approval ratings as low as 12% and received the distinction of...

State by state: Implementation of health law Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:35 PM PST A look at the routes states are taking to implement President Barack Obama's health care law, including health insurance exchanges and expansion of Medicaid coverage, along with the number of people in each state who don't have health insurance:

Senator Juggles Kid, Bible, Mussed Hair During Swearing In Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:32 PM PST They may be getting sworn into the Senate today, but for Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), their kids were the ones who stole the show. First was Gillibrand's son, held atop his mother's hip as she lightly touched the...

More than 240 arrested in U.S.-led crackdown on global child porn Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:24 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. special agents identified 123 victims of child sexual exploitation during a five-week-long global crackdown on child pornography that resulted in the arrests of 245 people in the United States and overseas, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched "Operation Sunflower" to rescue child victims and find people who trade and produce child pornography. The operation took place across the United States and in six countries and involved children as young as 2 years old. ...

FTC ends long Google probe with mild reprimand Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:21 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators closed a long-running investigation into allegations that Google tweaks search results to hurt rival companies without finding any wrongdoing, a decision that disappointed rivals and critics of the Web search giant. The Federal Trade Commission did, however, win promises from Google that it would end the practice of "scraping" reviews and other data from rivals' websites for its own products, and to allow advertisers to export data to independently evaluate advertising campaigns, the FTC said on Thursday. ...

Clinton resting, plans to return to the office next week Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is resting at home in New York after being treated for a blood clot and plans to return to her office next week, the State Department said on Thursday. Clinton, 65, has suffered a series of ailments over the last month including a stomach virus, a concussion and a blood clot in a vein behind her right ear. She was released from New York Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday after a stay of several days during which she was given blood thinners to treat the clot. Her doctors have said they expect her to make a full recovery. ...

House re-elects Boehner speaker Posted: 03 Jan 2013 12:06 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The House and Senate ushered in a new Congress Thursday, re-electing embattled Republican John Boehner as speaker and hailing one of their own who returned a year after being felled by a stroke.

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