Politics News

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says that while the details may change, any budget passed by Congress must cut the deficit, reform health care, invest in education and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

WASHINGTON - After getting his usual White House briefing on the world's problems, President Barack Obama heads to Camp David for a long weekend with his family.

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's optimistic campaign rhetoric has crashed headlong into the stark reality of governing.

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans are drawing out a flap that has made the Obama administration squirm, applying the brakes to Democratic attempts to quickly tax away most of the bonuses at troubled insurance giant AIG and other bailed-out companies.

MONTPELIER, Vt. - A state Senate committee unanimously approved a gay marriage bill on Friday, moving Vermont one step closer to allowing same-sex couples to legally wed.

House Democrats and Republicans today lobbed some of their most caustic criticisms at one another since Barack Obama became president--but they did manage to rally around their shared outrage over American International Group's millions in bonus payments long enough to pass a bill with bipartisan support that will "claw back" those bonuses through taxes.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service has already suggested dropping a day of mail delivery to save money. Now, with economic gloom everywhere, it's turning to early retirements, management cutbacks and office closings.

WASHINGTON - The National Rifle Association on Friday appealed a federal court ruling that blocked a Bush administration policy allowing people to carry concealed, loaded guns in national parks.

WASHINGTON - Starbucks Corp. and other companies are exploring alternatives to a bill that would make it easier for workers to unionize, but the idea of any compromise drew the wrath of business groups lobbying furiously to defeat the measure.

BRUSSELS (AFP) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Saturday rebuffed Russian calls for a new security architecture in Europe, insisting that existing bodies like the NATO-Russia Council could do the job.

BUDAPEST - Hungary's prime minister stunned the country Saturday by announcing his resignation because he had become an "obstacle" to the reforms needed to pull the country out of its worse financial crisis since the end of communism nearly 20 years ago.

PERUGIA, Italy - The trial of two people for the murder of a British student has resumed in Perugia with a witness describing a meeting with the accused the day of the murder.

WASHINGTON - Months after its debut, "Hillary: The Movie" faces nine of the nation's toughest critics: the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON - Elena Kagan on Friday became the nation's first female Solicitor General, a position informally regarded as the 10th Supreme Court justice and, for her, a possible audition for a spot in the starting nine.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Elena Kagan, a former law school colleague of President Barack Obama, as U.S. solicitor general -- a post that will have her argue the government's position in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service has already suggested dropping a day of mail delivery to save money. Now, with economic gloom everywhere, it's turning to early retirements, management cutbacks and office closings.

WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is putting the finishing touches on a plan to get toxic assets off the books of the country's struggling banks, according to administration and industry officials. The plan could be announced as soon as Monday, they said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says that while the details may change, any budget passed by Congress must cut the deficit, reform health care, invest in education and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.