TMCnet News
AP Political NewsBrief at 12:06 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Senate weighs Libya resolutionWASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate is weighing whether to give President Barack Obama the authority to continue U.S. military action against Libya. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has scheduled a vote for 5 p.m. on Tuesday on whether to proceed with debate on the measure this week. Analysis blames NKorea for cyberattack on SKoreaWASHINGTON (AP) _ North Korea or its sympathizers were responsible for the cyberattack against South Korean government and banking websites earlier this year, according to a new analysis that said it also appears to have been linked to the 2009 massive computer-based attack that brought down U.S. government Internet sites. A study by computer security software maker McAfee Inc. concludes that the attack that targeted more than two dozen sites in South Korea was a type of reconnaissance mission to see how quickly South Korea's government detected the problem and recovered from it. The McAfee report, expected to be released Tuesday, said clues in the code suggest that the attack was probably engineered by North Korea or its sympathizers. GOP uses budget, other tools to sap financial lawWASHINGTON (AP) _ Congressional Republicans are greeting the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama's financial overhaul law by trying to weaken it, nibble by nibble. Wary of attempting to dismantle the entire statute and being portrayed as Wall Street's allies _ banks are among the nation's most unpopular institutions _ GOP lawmakers are attacking corners of it. They can't prevail because they don't control the White House or Senate, but they may be able to force some compromises on agency budgets, pressure regulators and influence some of Obama's nominations. Myanmar diplomat defects, warns of oppressionWASHINGTON (AP) _ A senior Myanmar diplomat has defected to the U.S., warning that oppression is rising in his homeland despite elections touted by the dominant military as a transition to democracy. The deputy chief of mission at Myanmar's embassy in Washington, Kyaw Win, appealed for U.S. political asylum in a letter dated Monday and addressed to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Leading Democrat says GOP tax argument flawedWASHINGTON (AP) _ A leading House Democrat thinks members of Congress could reach a deal to avoid a government default if they could get past the semantics of tax increases. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina tells MSNBC one of the biggest obstacles in talks to resolve the issue is that many Republicans consider closing tax loopholes to be the same as raising taxes. This is a problem, he says, because most House Republicans have signed a no-new-taxes pledge. AP Enterprise: The man who hunted Osama bin LadenWASHINGTON (AP) _ After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Barack Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold. Hidden from view, standing just outside the frame of that now-famous photograph was a career CIA analyst. In the hunt for the world's most-wanted terrorist, there may have been no one more important. His job for nearly a decade was finding the al-Qaida leader. House panel to take up 3 trade agreementsWASHINGTON (AP) _ The House Ways and Means Committee will take up three long-pending free trade agreements in a package that does not include renewal of a worker aid program that the White House and Democrats say must be a part of any free trade agenda. The Republican-controlled committee says that on Thursday it will consider the trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, which were signed during the George W. Bush administration but never reached a vote in Congress. Absent from the package is renewal of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which helps workers displaced by foreign competition to find new jobs. Ex-Yanks' drug use likely out of Clemens trialWASHINGTON (AP) _ The federal judge who will preside over Roger Clemens' perjury trial said Tuesday he probably will not permit the pitcher's former teammates on the New York Yankees to give testimony aimed at bolstering the credibility of Clemens' former trainer, now a major prosecution witness. A day before the trial's start, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said at a hearing that statements from former Yankees Andy Pettite, Chuck Knoblauch and Mike Stanton that they received injections of performance-enhancing drugs from the trainer, Brian McNamee, could unfairly influence jurors. Obama thanks troops at July 4 party on South LawnWASHINGTON (AP) _ Telling U.S. troops that "America is proud of all of you," President Barack Obama marked the Fourth of July holiday by hosting a barbecue and concert for military members and families on the South Lawn of the White House. The president and first lady Michelle Obama greeted more than 1,200 guests from a White House balcony Monday evening. After brief remarks, the first couple stood in the driveway and shook hands with visitors. Secret Service to probe hack on Fox News TwitterWASHINGTON (AP) _ The Secret Service said Monday it will investigate the hacking of Fox's political Twitter account over updates claiming that President Barack Obama had been assassinated. Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie says the law enforcement agency whose job it is to protect the president will conduct a probe of the false postings and that "we will conduct the appropriate follow up." (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |