Nine Republican presidential candidates qualify for Tuesday debate
WASHINGTON — CNN is inviting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie back to prime-time in the upcoming Republican presidential debate.
View ArticleObama vows to hit IS harder, says commandos now in Syria
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday vowed to accelerate the U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq, implicitly acknowledging that progress has been too...
View ArticleOil export ban in play in final-stage talks on budget deal
WASHINGTON — Republican demands to end the ban on exporting crude oil emerged as a final negotiating point Monday as White House and congressional negotiators moved toward completing a year-end...
View ArticleStruggling Republican candidates hope debate is a pivot point away from Trump
WOLFEBORO, N.H. — With Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate looming, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sounded an urgent call: “It’s time for us to get serious.”
View ArticleNation briefs: Calif. shooter told friends of views
WASHINGTON — San Bernardino, Calif., shooter Tashfeen Malik sent at least two private messages on Facebook to a small group of Pakistani friends in 2012 and 2014, pledging her support for violent...
View ArticleHouse Speaker Paul Ryan announces deal on tax and spending bill
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Paul Ryan announced late Tuesday an agreement between congressional leaders and the White House on a year-end tax and spending package that would fund the government through...
View ArticleNational security dominates GOP debate
LAS VEGAS — Republican front-runner Donald Trump defended his provocative call for banning Muslims from the United States in Tuesday night’s presidential debate as the candidates pushed their own plans...
View ArticleCongress set for year-end push on tax, spending deal
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders girded Wednesday to push a massive government-wide budget deal to final passage by week’s end and quickly adjourn for the holidays, ending a tumultuous year on...
View ArticlePentagon chief offers more U.S. firepower to help Iraq battle IS
BAGHDAD — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter offered Iraqi leaders increased U.S. support and firepower Wednesday in hopes of bolstering the battle against Islamic State, which still controls some of...
View ArticleNation briefs: Self-driving cars won’t be driverless yet
LOS ANGELES — California unveiled precedent-setting draft rules Wednesday that would slow the public’s access to self-driving cars of the future until regulators are confident the technology is safe....
View ArticlePeduto pitches idea on funding rentals to Washington think tank
WASHINGTON – Mayor Bill Peduto is looking for the federal government’s help to rehabilitate Pittsburgh’s abandoned properties to revitalize poor neighborhoods and create jobs in construction trades.
View ArticleWorld dissects debate, sees border fears and hint of ‘bromance’
LONDON — The latest slugfest between Republican White House hopefuls drew attention from political watchers around the globe who were keen to see how front-runner Donald Trump and eight rivals would...
View ArticleU.S. poised to lift sanctions on Iran under nuclear deal
WASHINGTON — The United States was seen as poised to lift at least some sanctions against Iran — possibly as early as January — as members of Congress urge a swift, robust U.S. response to Tehran’s...
View ArticlePuerto Rican governor pushes Congress to change its mind on debt
WASHINGTON — Puerto Rico’s governor pressured Congress on Thursday in a last-ditch effort to win debt relief for his territory before the end of the year, warning that the island is headed toward a...
View ArticleHouse OKs tax-cut package, first leg of year-end budget deal
WASHINGTON — Republicans overwhelmed divided Democrats to whisk tax breaks for businesses, families and special interests through the House on Thursday as Congress sped toward final votes on a...
View ArticleObama signs big tax and spending package after Congress ends year in burst of...
WASHINGTON — Congress ended what is seen as a chaotic year on a note of bipartisan unity and productivity Friday, overwhelmingly approving a massive 2016 tax and spending package and sending it to...
View ArticlePuerto Rico electric utility said to reach tentative debt plan
NEW YORK — Puerto Rico’s electric utility reached a tentative agreement with insurance companies MBIA and Assured Guaranty, along with some bondholders, to restructure the utility’s $8.2 billion of...
View ArticleObama says he won’t fade away in final year
WASHINGTON — Closing out a tumultuous year, President Barack Obama laid the groundwork Friday for his last year in office, vowing not to fade into the background but instead to use his remaining months...
View ArticleDemocrats and Sanders clash over data breach
A fight between the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders and the Democratic leadership went public Friday as the party punished the campaign over a data breach and the Sanders camp sued the party and...
View ArticleObama commutes sentence of Clairton drug offender, 94 others
The family of Kenneth D. Hamlin Jr. has wept its share of tears in the 16 years since he was sent to prison on drug charges.
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