| | |
| Senate leaders work to avoid New Year's "fiscal cliff" Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 11:11 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional negotiators burrowed into their Capitol offices on Saturday to see if they can stop the economy from falling off of a "fiscal cliff" in just three days when the biggest tax increases ever to hit Americans in one shot are scheduled to begin. Aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell were expected to work through the day on a possible compromise that would set aside $600 billion in tax increases and across-the-board government spending cuts that are set to kick in next week. ... Full Story | Top |
| Death of India rape victim stirs anger, promises of action Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 11:01 AM PST  NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A woman whose gang rape provoked protests and rare national debate about violence against women in India died from her injuries on Saturday, prompting promises of action from a government that has struggled to respond to public outrage. The unidentified 23-year-old medical student suffered a brain injury and massive internal damage in the attack on December 16 and died in hospital in Singapore where she had been taken for treatment. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: For Senate leaders, a mission impossible from Obama Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 09:22 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Following a Friday meeting with congressional leaders, an impatient and annoyed President Barack Obama said it was "mind boggling" that Congress has been unable to fix a "fiscal cliff" mess that everyone has known about for more than a year. He then dispatched Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, on a mind-boggling mission: coming up with a bipartisan bill to break the "fiscal cliff" stalemate in the most partisan and gridlocked U.S. Congress of modern times - in about 48 hours. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S. mentally ill and their families face barriers to care Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 05:27 AM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lori, a 39-year-old mother in New Jersey, would like to save for the usual things: college, retirement, vacations. But those goals are far down her wish list. For now, she and her husband are putting aside money for a home alarm system. They're not worried about keeping burglars out. They need to keep their son in. Mike, 7, began seeing a psychiatrist in 2009, after one pre-school kicked him out for being "difficult" and teachers at the public school he later attended were worried about his obsessive thoughts and extreme anxiety. ... Full Story | Top |
| Egypt opposition says Islamists trying to stifle dissent Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 12:27 AM PST  CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's opposition accused President Mohamed Mursi's Islamist allies of trying to muzzle dissent on Friday after prosecutors decided to investigate whether prominent government critics were guilty of sedition. The probe, which comes a month after Mursi replaced the chief prosecutor, further sours the political climate as the leader and his opponents face off over a new constitution that became law on Wednesday. ... Full Story | Top |
| Governor signs new law for abortion clinics in Michigan Friday, Dec 28, 2012 04:39 PM PST  (Reuters) - Michigan's Republican governor on Friday signed into law new rules for abortion providers that supporters say will protect the health of pregnant women but critics say will shutter clinics and restrict access. The law signed by Governor Rick Snyder increases state oversight of abortion clinics and establishes a screening protocol to make sure women are not being forced to get an abortion. The measure requires health facilities or clinics that perform more than 120 abortions a year to become licensed freestanding surgical outpatient facilities. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate's Reid prepares bill with $250,000 tax-hike threshold Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:59 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Friday he was preparing legislation to prevent middle-class tax hikes for a possible vote by Monday even as he negotiates with top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell for a larger deal to avert the looming "fiscal cliff." "At President Obama's request, I am readying a bill for a vote by Monday that will prevent a tax hike on middle-class families making up to $250,000, and that will include the additional, critical provisions outlined by President Obama," Reid said in a statement. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate leaders to make last-ditch "fiscal cliff" effort Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:49 PM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and congressional leaders agreed on Friday to make a final effort to prevent the United States from going over the "fiscal cliff," setting off intense bargaining over Americans' tax rates as a New Year deadline looms. The focus now turns to the Senate, where Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader, and Mitch McConnell, who heads the Republican minority, will try to come up with a deal that can then be approved in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives before the end of the year. ... Full Story | Top |
| India gang-rape victim dies in Singapore hospital Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:42 PM PST  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Indian gang-rape victim whose assault in New Delhi triggered nationwide protests died in hospital on Saturday of injuries suffered in the attack, a Singapore hospital treating her said. The death of the 23-year-old medical student could spawn new protests and possibly fresh confrontations with the police, especially in the Indian capital, which has been the focus of the demonstrations. "We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4:45 a.m. on Dec 29, 2012 (15:45 a.m. ET Friday). ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama: "modestly optimistic" fiscal cliff deal can be reached Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:42 PM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama held out hope for a last-minute agreement to avoid the "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts after a meeting with congressional leaders, scolding Congress for leaving the problem unresolved until the eleventh hour. "The hour for immediate action is here," he told reporters at the White House. "I'm modestly optimistic that an agreement can be achieved," he said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama to discuss "fiscal cliff" on NBC's "Meet the Press" Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:31 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will discuss the last-minute negotiations to avert the "fiscal cliff" during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, the network said in a statement. (Reporting By Karey Wutkowski; editing by Todd Eastham) Full Story | Top |
| U.S. Senate leaders aim to craft "fiscal cliff" bill by Sunday Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:16 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate leaders are working to craft legislation by Sunday that averts the year-end "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts, but many details needed to be worked out after a crucial meeting with President Barack Obama on Friday. U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell, termed the meeting "constructive" and "positive" and said they would keep working on trying to find a solution over the weekend. After adjourning on Friday, Reid he would probably not call the Senate back into session until about 1 p.m. ... Full Story | Top |
| Passengers on Queen Mary 2 sickened by unidentified pathogen Friday, Dec 28, 2012 03:05 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - An unknown illness, suspected of being a norovirus, has sickened 194 passengers and 11 crew members aboard the luxury cruise ship Queen Mary 2, causing vomiting and diarrhea, federal health officials said on Friday. Earlier in the week, 189 passengers and 31 crew members on the Emerald Princess came down with the same symptoms. The symptoms are those of norovirus, a contagious microorganism that can be acquired from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... Full Story | Top |
| Jean Harris, convicted of murdering "Scarsdale Diet" doctor, dies Friday, Dec 28, 2012 02:58 PM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jean Harris, a former girl's school headmistress who was convicted and imprisoned for the 1980 murder of a best-selling diet doctor, has died, The New York Times reported on Friday. Harris died on Sunday at an assisted-living facility in Connecticut, the Times said, citing her son James. She was 89. Harris served 12 years in prison for the murder of her lover, Dr. Herman Tarnower, author of the hugely popular "Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet. ... Full Story | Top |
| Congress to "keep working" on fiscal cliff deal Friday, Dec 28, 2012 02:38 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. congressional leaders pledged to keep working on solutions to avert the year-end tax hikes and spending cuts that would come into force if the so-called fiscal cliff is not averted, but details were yet to be decided after a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday. "We have a lot of paths forward, (we) just have to find out which one we can take," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters after the meeting. Senate leaders will try to craft legislation for a "fiscal cliff" deal, said an aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. ... Full Story | Top |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment