Trump lacks team and clear plan for quick tax reform

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has neither a clear White House tax plan nor adequate staff yet to see through a planned tax reform, according to interviews with people in the administration, in Congress and among U.S. tax experts.

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U.S. signals policy decision soon on Russian arms treaty allegations

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis signaled on Friday Washington might soon decide how to respond to what it says are Russian violations of a Cold War-era arms control agreement, saying the United States was conferring with allies.

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Germany balks at Tillerson call for more European NATO spending

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany said on Friday that NATO's agreed target spend of two percent of members' yearly economic output was neither "reachable nor desirable" countering a call by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for all allies to comply and quickly.

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Protests begin, foreign pressure mounts on Venezuela's Maduro

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition protests began and foreign pressure mounted on Friday over a court takeover of Congress that many viewed as a lurch into dictatorship by a leftist government grappling with a plunge in popularity.

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EU offers Brexit trade talks, sets tough transition terms

VALLETTA/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union offered Britain talks this year on a future free trade pact but made clear in negotiating guidelines issued on Friday that London must first agree to EU demands on the terms of Brexit.

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Trump says former adviser Flynn should seek immunity

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday supported the decision of his former national security adviser to seek immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony in congressional probes of possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

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China downplays tensions with U.S. as Xi prepares to meet Trump

BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Beijing sought to play down tensions with the United States and put on a positive face on Friday, as the U.S. administration slammed China on a range of business issues ahead of President Xi Jinping's first meeting with President Donald Trump.

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Republican disarray deepens as Trump attacks rebel conservatives

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out on Thursday at Republican conservatives who helped torpedo healthcare legislation he backed, escalating a feud within his party that jeopardizes the new administration's legislative agenda.

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Ex-Trump adviser Flynn talking to Congress about testifying in Russia probe: lawyer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has offered to testify before congressional committees probing potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia but wants protection against "unfair prosecution," his lawyer said on Thursday.

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Trump to order trade abuses study, improve import duty collection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign executive orders on Friday aimed at identifying abuses that are causing massive U.S. trade deficits and clamping down on non-payment of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on imports, his top trade officials said.

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Ousted South Korean leader behind bars after arrest on bribery charges

SEOUL (Reuters) - Ousted South Korean leader Park Geun-hye was behind bars in the Seoul Detention Centre on Friday after her arrest, on charges including bribery, in a corruption scandal that has brought low some of the country's business and political elite.

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Senate kills family-planning rule; Pence breaks tie

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Mike Pence took the rare step of breaking a tie in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, casting the deciding vote to roll back protections for reproductive health funds.

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Senate kills rule meant to protect family planning funds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For the second time on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence took the rare step of breaking a tie in the U.S. Senate, as he cast the deciding vote in rolling back protections for federal funds for family planning and reproductive health.

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Venezuela's Maduro decried as 'dictator' after Congress annulled

CARACAS (Reuters) - Opposition leaders branded Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro a "dictator" on Thursday after the Supreme Court took over the functions of Congress and pushed a lengthy political standoff to new heights.

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High court pick could help decide fate of Trump's climate policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee could help decide the fate of his moves to undo climate-related U.S. regulations, but legal experts said Neil Gorsuch's judicial record makes it hard to predict whether as a justice he would back a sweeping rollback.

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Green groups sue Trump administration for approving Keystone pipeline

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Six environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday to challenge its decision to approve construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

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North Carolina Senate passes repeal of transgender bathroom law

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina's Senate on Thursday approved a bill to retool a law prohibiting transgender people from using restrooms in accordance with their gender identities, a measure that had triggered boycotts by companies and sports leagues.

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Trump administration seeks mainly modest changes to NAFTA: WSJ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is seeking mainly limited changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing an administrative draft proposal circulated in Congress by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

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Federal judge in Hawaii extends court order blocking Trump travel ban

HONOLULU (Reuters) - A federal judge in Hawaii indefinitely extended on Wednesday an order blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump's revised ban on travel to the United States from six predominantly Muslim countries.

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Ryan opposes Trump working with Democrats on healthcare

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, the top Republican in Congress, said he does not want President Donald Trump to work with Democrats on new legislation for revamping the country's health insurance system, commonly called Obamacare.

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North Carolina lawmakers reach deal to repeal transgender bathroom law

(Reuters) - North Carolina Republican lawmakers said late on Wednesday they had reached a deal to repeal the state's controversial law prohibiting transgender people from using restrooms in accordance with their gender identities.

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Exclusive: Republicans mostly blame Congress for healthcare reform failure - Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republicans mostly blame the U.S. Congress, and not President Donald Trump or party leaders, for failing to pass their party's healthcare overhaul, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Wednesday.

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Trump, conservatives try to put aside bitterness to cut tax deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Raw feelings and mistrust could pose an obstacle to President Donald Trump and hard-line conservative lawmakers in his Republican Party as they seek to rebound from defeat on healthcare legislation by launching into an overhaul of the U.S. tax code.

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'No turning back': PM May triggers 'historic' Brexit

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May formally began Britain's divorce from the European Union on Wednesday, declaring there was no turning back and ushering in a tortuous exit process that will test the bloc's cohesion and pitch her country into the unknown.

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State Department employee to face charges in FBI probe: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. State Department employee is expected to appear in federal court in Washington on Wednesday to face charges in a FBI counterintelligence investigation, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

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Russia probe should focus on Trump financial ties: senator

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate investigation into Russia's meddling during the U.S. election should include a thorough review of any financial ties between Russia and President Donald Trump and his associates, Democratic senator Ron Wyden said Wednesday.

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A scramble at Cisco exposes uncomfortable truths about U.S. cyber defense

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange disclosed earlier this month that his anti-secrecy group had obtained CIA tools for hacking into technology products made by U.S. companies, security engineers at Cisco Systems swung into action.

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U.S. envoy to U.N.: Syria's Assad 'hindrance to moving forward'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Wednesday that Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is a "big hindrance in trying to move forward" to find an end to the country's six-year conflict.

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Exclusive: Malaysia inspects North Korean coal ship for possible U.N. sanctions breach

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia briefly prevented a North Korean ship carrying coal from entering its port in Penang because of a suspected breach of United Nations sanctions, a port worker and Malaysian maritime officials told Reuters on Wednesday

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Goldman Sachs reassures staff over Brexit in voicemail

LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs sought to reassure London-based staff over potential disruption to its business as Britain prepares to leave the European Union, in a voicemail to staff sent by the Wall Street firm's Europe CEO.

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Trump tells lawmakers he expects deal 'very quickly' on healthcare

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump told a group of senators on Tuesday that he expected lawmakers would be able to reach a deal on healthcare, without offering specifics on how they would do it or what had changed since a healthcare reform bill was pulled last week for insufficient support.

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House Republicans reject bids to obtain Trump tax returns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican-controlled congressional panel rejected a bid by Democrats on Tuesday to obtain President Donald Trump's tax returns, despite warnings that Trump's business holdings could pose conflicts of interest as Congress turns to tax reform.

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Trump's funding request for U.S. border wall hits snag among some Republicans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's call for $1.5 billion this year to help build a wall along the border with Mexico could be in jeopardy as fellow Republicans in Congress weigh delaying a decision on the request.

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House intel panel chief Nunes says he will not divulge his sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said on Tuesday he will not divulge - even to other members of his panel - who gave him intelligence reports that indicated President Donald Trump and his associates may have been ensnared in incidental intelligence collection.

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White House backs repeal of broadband privacy rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Tuesday that the Trump administration strongly supports a bill to repeal regulations requiring internet service providers to do more to protect customers' privacy than websites like Alphabet Inc's Google or Facebook Inc.

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Republicans on Obamacare repeal: 'We're going to get it done'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Republican leaders said on Tuesday they still intended to repeal and replace Obamacare after their White House-backed bill failed to get enough support and collapsed last week.

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Trump to offer federal coal to industry awash in reserves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has billed his move to re-open federal lands to new coal leases as a win for miners seeking to expand production. But a review of company filings shows that coal miners with the most to gain already have enough leases in hand to last well over a decade.

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House intelligence chairman under pressure in Trump-Russia inquiry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three Republican senators joined Democrats on Tuesday in questioning the objectivity of the chairman of House of Representatives intelligence committee in its investigation of possible Russia ties to President Donald Trump's campaign.

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Trump to sign order sweeping away Obama-era climate policies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to undo a slew of Obama-era climate change regulations that his administration says is hobbling oil drillers and coal miners, a move environmental groups have vowed to take to court.

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Exclusive: As Democratic attorneys general target Trump, Republican AGs target them

(Reuters) - For years the national political organizations of both Democratic and Republican state attorneys general observed an agreement not to target the other party's incumbent office-holders in elections.

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Trump to sign order sweeping away Obama-era climate policies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to undo a slew of Obama-era climate change regulations, a move meant to bolster domestic energy production but which environmentalists have vowed to challenge in court.

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More Democrats oppose Trump's U.S. Supreme Court pick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court nominee grew on Monday while the White House demanded a "fair, up-or-down vote" in the Senate on confirming Neil Gorsuch to the lifetime post.

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Trump's son-in-law to oversee government revamp: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday will announce that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will oversee a broad effort to overhaul the federal government, a White House official confirmed.

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After healthcare loss, investor faith wavers as Trump turns to taxes

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks slid on Monday amid concerns that Republican President Donald Trump may struggle to push a sweeping overhaul of the tax code through Congress in the wake of his party's failure last week to pass broad healthcare legislation.

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United Airlines bars teenage girls in leggings from flight

(Reuters) - Two teenage girls wearing leggings were barred from boarding a United Airlines flight on Sunday because they did not meet a dress code for special pass travelers, a company spokesman said amid a furor on social media.

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Senate panel to question Trump son-in-law on Russians: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Intelligence Committee is seeking to interview President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as part of its investigation into ties between Trump associates and Russian officials, a congressional official said on Monday.

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'Religious left' emerging as U.S. political force in Trump era

(Reuters) - Since President Donald Trump's election, monthly lectures on social justice at the 600-seat Gothic chapel of New York's Union Theological Seminary have been filled to capacity with crowds three times what they usually draw.

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Stocks stumble on U.S. policy woes; Trumpflation trades suffer

HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures and the dollar fell on Monday while Asian markets struggled as President Donald Trump's failure on healthcare reform raised questions about his ability to push through tax cuts and fiscal spending to boost the economy.

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Trump to sign order on Tuesday easing energy regulations: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will sign an order on Tuesday aimed at making it easier for companies to produce energy in the United States, administration officials said on Sunday.

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White House will court moderate Democrats on tax plan: Priebus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on Sunday that President Donald Trump's tax plan would include both a border tax and middle class tax cuts that the administration will aim to sell to moderate Democrats as well as Republicans.

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How Republicans can hobble Obamacare even without repeal

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Republicans may have failed to overthrow Obamacare this week, but there are plenty of ways they can chip away at it.

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Angry over U.S. healthcare fail, Trump voters spare him blame

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (Reuters) - The day after the flaming out of U.S. President Donald Trump's first major legislative initiative, his supporters across America were lashing out - at conservatives, at Democrats, at leaders of his Republican Party in Congress.

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U.S.-backed Syrian militia makes gains against Islamic State

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Kurdish and Arab Syrian militia backed by the United States has captured the town of Karama as it prepares for an assault on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa that it expects to take place in early April, it said on Sunday.

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Iran sanctions 15 U.S. firms, citing human rights and Israel ties

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has imposed sanctions on 15 U.S. companies for alleged human rights violations and cooperating with Israel, the state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.

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Trump tastes failure as U.S. House healthcare bill collapses

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump suffered a stunning political setback on Friday in a Congress controlled by his own party when Republican leaders pulled legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, a major 2016 election campaign promise of the president and his allies.

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One killed, at least 14 wounded in Ohio nightclub shooting: police

(Reuters) - One person was killed and at least 14 people were wounded in a shooting at a nightclub in Cincinnati, Ohio, early on Sunday, police said.

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Speaker Ryan dented by healthcare debacle, but keeps support

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Friday acknowledged the unthinkable for a Republican leader: he could not deliver the votes to repeal and replace Obamacare, even though he and his fellow Republicans had vowed to do so for seven years.

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With healthcare bill dead, Republicans turn to taxes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After failing to repeal Obamacare, Republicans in the U.S. Congress quickly pivoted on Friday to President Donald Trump's next priority: overhauling the federal tax code, but their plan has already split the business community.

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Democratic opposition to U.S. high court nominee grows

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A third of Democratic senators have so far announced they will vote against confirming U.S. President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, adding to a chorus of opposition from the left, but leaving questions over whether there will be a concerted effort to block a vote in the Senate.

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Exclusive: Venezuela increased fuel exports to allies even as supply crunch loomed

HOUSTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - A gasoline shortage in OPEC member Venezuela was exacerbated by an increase in government-sanctioned fuel exports to foreign allies and an exodus of crucial personnel from state-run energy company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL], according to internal PDVSA documents and sources familiar with its operations.

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Virginia court rules for Trump in travel ban dispute; order still halted

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge in Virginia ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump's travel ban was justified, increasing the likelihood the measure will go before the Supreme Court as the decision took an opposing view to courts in Maryland and Hawaii that have halted the order.

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House intelligence panel chair cancels public session on Russia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee canceled a planned public hearing in its probe of allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, saying the panel needed to hear from directors of the FBI and the National Security Agency in a closed session instead.

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House panel seeking more testimony from FBI, NSA chiefs in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee will ask the directors of FBI and the National Security agency to appear in a closed session in its probe of allegations of Russian interference in U.S. elections and U.S. spy agency surveillance of President Donald Trump's team, the head of the panel said on Friday.

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Trump administration grants permit for Keystone XL pipeline: TransCanada

(Reuters) - The United States has issued a presidential permit for TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL oil pipeline, the Canadian company said on Friday, ending a years-long battle between environmentalists and the industry over whether Washington should approve it.

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Exclusive: Trump to approve Keystone XL at meeting with TransCanada CEO - official

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will announce the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline at the White House on Friday, alongside the chief executive officer of builder TransCanada Corp, according to a senior administration official.

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All drill, no frack: U.S. shale leaves thousands of wells unfinished

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. shale producers are drilling at the highest rate in 18 months but have left a record number of wells unfinished in the largest oilfield in the country – a sign that output may not rise as swiftly as drilling activity would indicate.

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London attacker Khalid Masood was a 52-year-old criminal with militant links

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Before he killed at least four people in Britain's deadliest attack since the 2005 London bombings, Khalid Masood was considered by intelligence officers to be a criminal who posed little serious threat.

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Police arrest two more over British parliament attack

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said they had made two further significant arrests in the investigation into the attack on London's parliament and gave the birth name of the man behind the assault as Adrian Russell Ajao.

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Republican Nunes apologizes over handling of Trump surveillance claim

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican head of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee apologized on Thursday for the way he handled sensitive allegations about U.S. spy agency surveillance of President Donald Trump's team.

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UK parliament attacker named as British-born Khalid Masood

LONDON (Reuters) - The attacker who killed three people near parliament in London before being shot dead was named on Thursday as British-born Khalid Masood, who was once investigated by MI5 intelligence officers over concerns about violent extremism.

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Vote looming, Trump struggles to win Obamacare repeal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday was set to make a final push on Thursday to secure the votes to begin dismantling Obamacare in the House of Representatives, with signs that enough Republicans might defect to jeopardize one of his top legislative priorities.

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As Trump targets energy rules, oil companies downplay their impact

BOSTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s White House has said his plans to slash environmental regulations will trigger a new energy boom and help the United States drill its way to independence from foreign oil.

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Exclusive: U.S. embassies ordered to identify population groups for tougher visa screening

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has directed U.S. diplomatic missions to identify "populations warranting increased scrutiny" and toughen screening for visa applicants in those groups, according to diplomatic cables seen by Reuters.

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Trump Tantrum looms on Wall Street if healthcare effort stalls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump Trade could start looking more like a Trump Tantrum if the new U.S. administration's healthcare bill stalls in Congress, prompting worries on Wall Street about tax cuts and other measures aimed at promoting economic growth.

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Police officer, three others killed in Wisconsin shooting: reports

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A police officer and three other people were killed in a string of shootings that unfolded three small communities in central Wisconsin, local media reported on Wednesday.

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Surveillance findings raise concern about spying on Trump campaign: Nunes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee said on Wednesday some of President Donald Trump's personal communications may have been caught up in "incidental" surveillance involving a foreign power in the months after the election.

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Trump seeks to nail support for healthcare bill before House vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican congressional leaders worked on Wednesday to try to secure enough support in the House of Representatives to win passage of their Obamacare rollback bill, watched by wary investors in financial markets.

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Assailant shot, at least a dozen injured in incident at UK parliament

LONDON (Reuters) - An assailant was shot outside the British parliament by armed police, the leader of the House of Commons said on Wednesday after loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen injured people on a nearby bridge.

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U.S. existing home sales fall from 10-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales fell more than expected in February amid a persistent shortage of houses on the market that is pushing up prices and sidelining potential buyers.

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Trump, Koch brothers at odds over 'Trumpcare' vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans considering whether or not to back U.S. President Donald Trump's healthcare reforms in a crucial House of Representatives vote this week face a painful choice.

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North Korean missile launch fails: U.S. military says

SEOUL (Reuters) - A North Korean missile launch failed on Wednesday, with the rocket exploding within seconds, the U.S. military said, the latest in a series of North Korean weapons tests to rattle its neighbors and raise tension in the region.

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Exclusive: North Korea has no fear of U.S. sanctions move, will pursue nuclear arms - envoy

GENEVA (Reuters) - North Korea has nothing to fear from any U.S. move to broaden sanctions aimed at cutting it off from the global financial system and will pursue "acceleration" of its nuclear and missile programs, a Pyongyang envoy told Reuters on Tuesday.

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Trump: Republican lawmakers should get behind healthcare bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump warned Republican lawmakers on Tuesday that voters could punish them if they do not approve a plan he favors to dismantle Obamacare, as pressure grew on the businessman-turned-politician to win the first major legislative battle of his presidency.

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Supreme Court nominee stakes out independence from Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court pick, said on Tuesday he would not hesitate to rule against the president as he vowed independence amid concerns by Democrats he would be beholden to the man who nominated him.

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U.S. restricts electronics from 10 airports, mainly in Middle East

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed restrictions on carry-on electronic devices on planes coming to the United States from 10 airports in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa in response to unspecified terrorism threats.

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South Korea's Park apologizes, promises cooperation in graft probe

SEOUL (Reuters) - Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye apologized to the country on Tuesday as she arrived at prosecutors' offices for questioning as a criminal suspect in a widening corruption investigation that has already cost her the presidency.

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Exclusive: Trump administration weighing broad sanctions on North Korea - U.S. official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions aimed at cutting North Korea off from the global financial system as part of a broad review of measures to counter Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threat, a senior U.S. official said on Monday.

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Trump's Russian imbroglio prompts Republican rethink on surveillance law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some Republican lawmakers appear to be reassessing whether to make changes to a surveillance law that allows broad snooping of Internet communications, citing concerns over the handling of classified intercepts after leaks of conversations between Russian officials and American associates of President Donald Trump.

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U.S. to ban some airline passengers from carrying larger electronics

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are planning to ban passengers traveling on certain U.S.-bound foreign airline flights from carrying into the cabin larger electronic devices in response to an unspecified terrorism threat, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

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Exclusive: Almost half of Canadians want illegal border crossers deported - Reuters poll

WINNIPEG, Manitoba/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nearly half of Canadians want to deport people who are illegally crossing into Canada from the United States, and a similar number disapprove of how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is handling the influx, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday.

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New U.S.-led force to deter Russia in Poland from April

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A U.S.-led battalion of more than 1,100 soldiers will be deployed in Poland from the start of April, a U.S. commander said on Monday, as the alliance sets up a new force in response to Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

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Uber president Jeff Jones quits, deepening turmoil

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Ride services company Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] has been thrust deeper into turmoil with the departure of company president Jeff Jones, a marketing expert hired to help soften its often abrasive image.

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How much is an Afghan life worth? That depends

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In March 2014, the U.S. military paid an Afghan man just over $1,000 to compensate for killing his civilian son in an operation near the border with Iran, according to U.S. military records released to Reuters.   

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Lawmakers seek FBI, NSA answers on Trump, Russia at rare public hearing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency will break their public silence on Monday about their investigations into possible links between Russia and President Donald Trump's campaign at a rare open congressional intelligence committee hearing.

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Colorado wildfire scorches woodland, at least 1,000 people evacuated

(Reuters) - A wildfire near the University of Colorado in Boulder burned through about 62 acres (25 hectares) of woodland on Sunday, prompting authorities to urge at least 1,000 people to evacuate the drought-hit region.

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Trump: North Korea's Kim 'acting very, very badly'

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying he was "acting very, very badly."

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White House to offer balanced budget plan by mid-May: Mulvaney

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A detailed version of President Donald Trump's budget to be released in May will lay out plans to eventually erase U.S. deficits, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday.

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Leak is the 'one crime we know' of in Russia probe: Nunes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican head of a congressional panel investigating accusations of Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election said on Sunday a leak involving former Trump aide Michael Flynn was a crime and that the panel was probing whether other names were leaked.

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Rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry dead at 90

(Reuters) - Chuck Berry, who duck-walked his way into the pantheon of rock 'n' roll pioneers as one of its most influential guitarists and lyricists, creating raucous anthems that defined the genre's sound and heartbeat, died on Saturday at his Missouri home. He was 90.

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Germany rejects Trump's claim it owes NATO and U.S. 'vast sums' for defense

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Germany owes NATO and the United States "vast sums" of money for defense.

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Smoothly but warily, U.S. and China stick to script in Tillerson visit

BEIJING (Reuters) - Despite a long list of potential pitfalls, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to China, the first by a senior member of the Trump administration, passed off relatively smoothly although there were no tangible gains to show.

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U.S. Supreme Court’s ideological balance at stake in confirmation fight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is sworn in for his Senate confirmation hearing on Monday, Democrats will make the case that he is a pro-business, social conservative insufficiently independent of the president.

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Tillerson says Trump looks forward to enhancing understanding with China

BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday that President Donald Trump looks forward to enhancing understanding with China and the opportunity for a visit in the future.

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North Korea's Kim Jong Un says engine test is 'new birth' of rocket industry

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea conducted a test of a newly developed high-thrust engine at its Tongchang-ri rocket launch station and leader Kim Jong Un said the successful test was "a new birth" of its rocket industry, the country's official media said on Sunday.

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Another person tries to jump White House fence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A person jumped over a bike rack in a buffer zone in front of the White House on Saturday while President Trump was in Florida, but was not able to make it over the fence into the grounds, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Twitter.

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U.S. wants free but fair and balanced trade: Mnuchin

BADEN BADEN, Germany (Reuters) - The United States remains committed to free trade but wants to re-examine some trade deals and correct their excesses, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday after G20 finance chiefs backtracked on past commitments about trade.

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G20 financial leaders row back on free trade pledge

BADEN BADEN, Germany (Reuters) - The world's financial leaders rowed back on a pledge to keep an open and inclusive global trade system after being unable to find a suitable compromise with an increasingly protectionist United States.

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Top NSA official ridicules allegation Britain spied on Trump

LONDON (Reuters) - Allegations from the United States that British spy agency GCHQ snooped on Donald Trump during his election campaign are "arrant nonsense", the deputy head of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) said in an interview on Saturday.

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Russian parliament backs investigation into U.S. media

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has approved a proposal to launch an investigation into U.S. media organizations that operate in Russia, it said in a statement posted on its web site late on Friday.

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Man shot dead after seizing soldier's gun at Paris Orly airport

PARIS (Reuters) - Security forces shot dead a man who seized a soldier's gun at Paris Orly airport on Saturday and a police officer was shot and injured in a separate incident north of the French capital, the French Interior Ministry said.

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Tillerson to face Chinese ire over blame for North Korea tensions

BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in China on Saturday for what is likely to be a prickly visit, with Beijing angry at being told to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea and Washington repeatedly demanding it do more to control Pyongyang.

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Arkansas restores Martin Luther King holiday without Robert E. Lee

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - Arkansas lawmakers on Friday gave final approval to a bill setting aside an official state holiday solely for slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and relegating Confederate General Robert E. Lee to a separate, lesser observance.

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U.S. government will appeal Maryland court ruling against travel ban

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government said on Friday in a court filing they would appeal a ruling by a federal judge in Maryland that halted portions of President Donald Trump's March 6 executive order temporarily banning the entry of refugees and travelers from six Muslim-majority countries.

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Justice Department delivers documents on wiretap claim to Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Friday said it delivered documents to congressional committees responding to their request for information that could shed light on President Donald Trump's claims that former President Barack Obama ordered U.S. agencies to spy on him.

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Secret Service laptop with Trump Tower floor plans stolen: ABC News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Secret Service agent's laptop computer containing floor plans for Trump Tower, details on the criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and other national security information was stolen, ABC News reported on Friday, citing law enforcement sources.

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UK says U.S. claims about spying will not be repeated

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May has received assurances from the White House it would not repeat allegations that Britain's GCHQ spy agency had helped former U.S. President Barack Obama eavesdrop on Donald Trump, her spokesman said on Friday.

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U.S. policy of 'strategic patience' with North Korea over: Tillerson

SEOUL (Reuters) - A U.S. policy of strategic patience with North Korea has ended, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in South Korea on Friday, adding that military action would be "on the table" if North Korea elevated the threat level.

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Trump, Germany's Merkel to hold first face-to-face meeting at White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday for a White House meeting that could help determine the future of the transatlantic alliance and shape the working relationship between two of the world's most powerful leaders.

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Missing from Trump's grand Navy plan: skilled workers to build the fleet

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to build dozens of new warships in one of the biggest peace-time expansions of the U.S. Navy. But interviews with ship-builders, unions and a review of public and internal documents show major obstacles to that plan.

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Leading Republicans, Democrats reject Trump's Obama wiretap assertion

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee issued a bipartisan statement on Thursday rejecting President Donald Trump's assertion that the Obama administration tapped his phones during the 2016 presidential campaign.

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Sirens blare as Japan, fearing North Korea, holds first missile drill

OGA, Japan (Reuters) - Sirens blared and loudspeakers broadcast warnings in Japan's first civilian missile evacuation drill on Friday, conducted in a fishing town by officials wary about the threat of North Korean missiles.

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McDonald's deletes Trump tweet, says Twitter account compromised

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp quickly deleted a tweet sent from the company's handle slamming President Donald Trump on Thursday and said its official Twitter account had been compromised.

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EPA hit hardest as Trump budget targets regulation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday proposed a 31 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, as the White House seeks to eliminate climate change programs and trim initiatives to protect air and water quality.

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New York City mayor will not face corruption charges: prosecutors

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal and state prosecutors on Thursday said they would not bring criminal charges against New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio or his aides in connection with two simultaneous investigations into his fundraising practices.

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Letter bomb at IMF's Paris office injures employee

PARIS (Reuters) - A female employee of the International Monetary Fund was injured in the face and arms on Thursday when a letter bomb posted to the world lender's Paris office blew up as she opened it, police said.

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Two injured in shooting at French school, one arrest: police source

PARIS (Reuters) - A shooting has taken place at a high school in the small southern French town of Grasse, injuring at least two people, a police source said.

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Trump vows to appeal against travel ban ruling to Supreme Court

HONOLULU/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A defiant Donald Trump has pledged to appeal against a federal judge's order placing an immediate halt on his revised travel ban, describing the ruling as judicial overreach that made the United States look weak.

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Dutch PM Rutte fends off far-right's Wilders

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch center-right Prime Minister Mark Rutte fought off the challenge of anti-Islam and anti-EU rival Geert Wilders to score an election victory that was hailed across Europe on Thursday by governments facing a rising wave of nationalism.

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Hawaii judge halts Trump's new travel ban before it can go into effect

HONOLULU/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Just hours before President Donald Trump's revised travel ban was set to go into effect, a U.S. federal judge in Hawaii on Wednesday issued an emergency halt to the order's implementation.

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Yahoo cyber indictment shows Kremlin, hackers working hand-in-hand

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wednesday's indictments in the United States of four people in a 2014 cyber attack on Yahoo Inc provides the clearest details yet on what some U.S. officials say is a symbiotic relationship between Moscow's security services and private Russian hackers.

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Apple, Google, Facebook skip legal challenge to new travel ban

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc are among more than 60 technology companies that appear to have backed away from the legal fight against U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban, deciding not to put their weight behind a lawsuit seeking to block the second version of his executive order.

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U.S. judge to issue ruling on halting Trump's travel ban before Thursday

HONOLULU (Reuters) - U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson said at a court hearing in Hawaii on Wednesday that he will issue a written ruling about whether to halt President Donald Trump's revised travel ban before it is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Thursday.

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Trump suggests more information coming about wiretap claim: Fox News interview

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump suggested more information would be coming out soon about his claim that former President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap of Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign.

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Fed raises rates as job gains, firming inflation stoke confidence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Wednesday for the second time in three months, a move spurred by steady economic growth, strong job gains and confidence that inflation is rising to the central bank's target.

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In victory for automakers, Trump orders fuel economy rule review

DETROIT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Wednesday ordered a review of tough U.S. vehicle fuel-efficiency standards put in place by the Obama administration, handing a victory to auto industry executives and provoking criticism from Democrats and environmental groups.

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U.S. indicts Russian spies, hackers over massive Yahoo hack

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Wednesday unsealed charges against two Russian spies and two criminal hackers for allegedly pilfering 500 million Yahoo user accounts in 2014.

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FBI, NSA chiefs to testify on Trump wiretap claims, Russia: lawmakers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Wednesday they do not believe Trump Tower was tapped during the 2016 presidential campaign and that FBI and NSA directors will testify at a hearing next week about that claim and any Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

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Snap shares hit new low in choppy trading as valuation concerns mount

(Reuters) - Shares in Snap Inc hit a fresh low on Wednesday, falling as much as 2.6 percent before clawing back some losses in choppy trading as analysts questioned the company's prospects.

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U.S. Senator Graham threatens subpoena on Trump wiretapping claim

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Congress was ready to "flex its muscles" if FBI Director James Comey did not answer questions by Wednesday about any Russian ties to the Trump campaign or provide evidence of a wiretapping warrant for Trump Tower.

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Pope says closing firms without protecting workers 'very grave sin'

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Managers who close businesses, shut factories or restructure firms without fully considering the impact on workers and their families are committing a "very grave sin", Pope Francis said on Wednesday.

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Trump budget would slice domestic programs, foreign aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday will offer the first details of his plans for deep cuts in domestic programs and foreign aid, releasing a budget outline that would boost military spending by $54 billion and seek cuts of the same size in non-defense programs.

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High profile Twitter accounts hijacked in Turkish-Dutch protest

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The diplomatic spat between Turkey and the Netherlands spread online on Wednesday when a large number of Twitter accounts, many with no apparent connection to the dispute, were hijacked and replaced with anti-Nazi messages in Turkish.

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Dutch begin voting in election testing anti-establishment mood

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch began voting on Wednesday in an election seen as a test of anti-establishment and anti-immigrant sentiment in the middle of a fiery dispute with Turkey and at a time of doubts about the future of the European Union.

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China begins new work on disputed South China Sea island

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China has started fresh construction work in the disputed South China Sea, new satellite images show, a sign that Beijing is continuing to strengthen its military reach across the vital trade waterway.

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IS Mosul commander killed, government forces battle for bridge

MOSUL, Iraq, (Reuters) - Iraqi government forces killed the Islamic State commander of Mosul's Old City on Tuesday as the battle for the militants' last stronghold in Iraq focused on a bridge crossing the Tigris river.

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MSNBC says it has Trump's 2005 tax returns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said on Twitter on Tuesday she had obtained Donald Trump's 2005 tax returns, and the White House responded by saying the president had paid $38 million in taxes on more than $150 million in income.

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Trump to roll back use of climate change in policy reviews: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is preparing to release a wide-ranging executive order to reduce the role that climate change plays in policy decisions, according to a Trump administration official who reviewed a draft of the order.

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Trump to drop climate change from environmental reviews: Bloomberg

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump is set to sign an order to greatly reduce the role climate change plays in decision making across the U.S. government, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the administration's plan.

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Republicans on defense after report says millions would lose insurance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans on Tuesday defended their plan to dismantle the Obamacare healthcare reform after a bipartisan research report showed 14 million Americans would lose medical insurance by next year under the proposal even as it reduces the budget deficit.

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Tillerson used email alias at Exxon to talk climate: New York attorney general

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp, used an alias email address while at the oil company to send and receive information related to climate change and other matters, according to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

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Neiman Marcus says exploring alternatives, including sale

(Reuters) - Luxury fashion retailer Neiman Marcus Group Ltd LLC [NMRCUS.UL] said on Tuesday it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale of the company.

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EU headscarf ban ruling sparks faith group backlash

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Companies may bar staff from wearing Islamic headscarves and other visible religious symbols under certain conditions, the European Union's top court ruled on Tuesday, setting off a storm of complaint from rights groups and religious leaders.

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Dollar rises before expected Fed rate rise, euro zone bond yields up

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar rose before the start on Tuesday of a Federal Reserve policy meeting expected to raise U.S. interest rates while euro zone government bond yields headed higher as investor nerves over an election in the Netherlands appeared to ease slightly.

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Blizzard rolls into northeast U.S.; flights canceled, schools shut

NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) - Snow began blanketing northeastern United States on Tuesday as a winter storm packing blizzard conditions rolled into the region, prompting public officials to ask people to stay home while airlines grounded flights and schools canceled classes.

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Turkey says EU exercising democracy selectively, wrong to stand by Netherlands

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign ministry on Tuesday said the European Union was exercising democratic values selectively and that it should not be standing by the Netherlands, which it accused of violating human rights and European values.

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North Korea warns of 'merciless' strikes as U.S. carrier joins South Korea drills

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea warned the United States on Tuesday of "merciless" attacks if an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, which is joining South Korean forces for exercises, infringes on its sovereignty or dignity.

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Justice Department seeks more time on Trump wiretap evidence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday it had asked for more time to respond to a request from lawmakers for evidence about President Donald Trump's allegation that then-President Barack Obama wiretapped him during the 2016 election campaign.

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Trump gives CIA authority to conduct drone strikes: WSJ

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has given the Central Intelligence Agency new authority to conduct drone attacks against suspected militants, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing U.S. officials.

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Several states jointly sue to block Trump's revised travel ban

(Reuters) - A group of states renewed their effort on Monday to block President Donald Trump's revised temporary ban on refugees and travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, arguing that his executive order is the same as the first one that was halted by federal courts.

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Video poses new questions about 2014 Ferguson police shooting

FERGUSON, Mo. (Reuters) - Previously undisclosed video of Michael Brown, recorded hours before the unarmed black 18-year-old was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, has raised new questions about a suspected robbery that police said he committed in his final hours.

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Wall Street dips as drug stocks drag; Fed meeting in focus

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow trended lower in afternoon trading on Monday as drug stocks fell, while investors awaited a widely expected interest rate hike later this week.

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Agency's analysis of Republican health bill may sharpen resistance to measure

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A non-partisan report expected as soon as Monday on the costs of a Republican plan to replace the Obamacare healthcare law could harden opposition to the proposal, adding to the obstacles facing President Donald Trump's first major legislative effort.

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Exclusive: Japan plans to send largest warship to South China Sea, sources say

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May, three sources said, in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two.

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U.S. VP Pence to tour Asia next month amid security crises

JAKARTA (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia next month, sources said on Monday, as part of an Asian tour amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia".

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Trump budget opens new fight among Republicans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Representative Todd Rokita keeps a clock hanging on the wall of his Capitol Hill office that tracks the U.S. government's rising debt in real time and reminds him of his top priority: reining in federal spending.

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China's Xi pushes advanced technology for military

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military needs to promote technological innovation as the "key" to its upgrading and modernization, President Xi Jinping told military delegates to the annual meeting of parliament.

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Turkey's Erdogan says Netherlands acting like a 'banana republic'

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad.

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Trump tried to call New York prosecutor Bharara before firing him: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two days before U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was fired, President Donald Trump tried to call the high-profile New York prosecutor in what a White House official said was an effort to "thank him for his service and to wish him good luck."

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Trump aides attack agency that will analyze health bill's costs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aides to U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday attacked the credibility of the nonpartisan agency that will analyze the costs of a replacement for Obamacare, as the White House sought to quell opposition from many Republicans.

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German minister links Essen security alert to Islamic State

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister said police had stopped a possible attack at a shopping center in the western city of Essen on Saturday and there were indications of a link to Islamic State militants.

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UK political parties warned of Russian hacking threat: report

LONDON (Reuters) - A British intelligence agency has told political parties to protect themselves against potential cyber attacks, citing allegations that Russian hackers tried to influence last year's U.S. presidential election.

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Trump economic adviser: Fed doing 'good job,' respects independence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said on Sunday that the Federal Reserve "has been doing a good job" and the Trump administration respects its independence, even if the U.S. central bank raises interest rates this week.

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Defiant U.S. prosecutor fired by Trump administration

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prominent U.S. prosecutor said the Trump administration fired him on Saturday after he refused to step down, adding a discordant note to what is normally a routine changing of top attorneys when a new president takes office.

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Iraqi general says 30 percent of west Mosul recaptured from Islamic State

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces have retaken around 30 percent of west Mosul from Islamic State militants, a commander of the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) said on Sunday, as soldiers pushed into more districts.

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Death toll from Damascus bombing climbs to 74: Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The death toll from a double bomb attack targeting Shi'ites visiting a pilgrimage site in Damascus has climbed to 74, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday.

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South Korean opposition vows justice as Park prepares Blue House exit

SEOUL (Reuters) - The South Korean politician likely to emerge as the next president promised justice and common sense on Sunday as workers renovated the home of ousted leader Park Geun-hye to prepare for her departure from the presidential Blue House.

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Islamic State frees Mosul prisoners as grip on last major city slips

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic State has released dozens of prisoners held in jails in the districts of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul that remain under its control, residents said on Saturday.

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Intruder arrested on White House grounds: Secret Service

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An intruder carrying a backpack entered the White House grounds late Friday and was arrested at an entrance near the part of the building where the president resides, the U.S. Secret Service and CNN said on Saturday.

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Assad calls U.S. forces 'invaders', but still hopeful on Trump

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said U.S. forces in Syria were "invaders" and he had yet to see "anything concrete" emerge from U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to prioritize the fight against Islamic State.

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At least 40 killed in Damascus bombing targeting Shi'ites

BEIRUT/DAMASCUS (Reuters) - A double bomb attack targeting Shi'ite pilgrims in Damascus killed at least 40 Iraqis and wounded 120 more who were going to pray at a nearby shrine, the Iraqi foreign ministry said.

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Sessions asks 46 Obama-era U.S. attorneys to resign

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions abruptly asked the remaining 46 chief federal prosecutors left over from the Obama administration to resign on Friday, including Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who had been asked to stay on in November by then President-elect Donald Trump.

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Critics of South Korea's ousted Park call for her arrest

SEOUL (Reuters) - Opponents of South Korea's ousted leader, Park Geun-hye, demanded on Saturday that she be arrested a day after she was thrown out of office over a corruption scandal involving the country's conglomerates.

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Trump chooses Gottlieb to run FDA; Pharma breathes sigh of relief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a conservative health policy expert with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry, to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the White House said on Friday.

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U.S. forges ahead with South Korea missile defenses, despite upheaval

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday it plans to forge ahead with building the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea, separating the issue from a political crisis in Seoul that saw President Park Geun-hye's removal from office on Friday.

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White House welcomes strong jobs data in potentially rule-violating tweets

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A series of tweets by White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Friday commenting on strong February job creation figures may have run afoul of federal guidance barring most officials from commenting on key economic data within an hour of its release.

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South Korean court throws president out of office; two die in protest

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Constitutional Court removed President Park Geun-hye from office on Friday over a graft scandal involving the country's conglomerates at a time of rising tensions with North Korea and China.

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Trump invites Palestinian leader Abbas to White House: Abbas aide

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House, an Abbas spokesman said, after the two leaders spoke by phone for the first time since Trump took office.

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Americans oppose bathroom laws limiting transgender rights: poll

(Reuters) - The majority of respondents to a new U.S. poll opposed laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identities and indicated growing acceptance for gay rights, a nonpartisan research group said on Friday.

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U.S. job growth seen strong in February; wages to rebound

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers likely maintained a brisk pace of hiring in February and boosted wages for workers, which is expected to give the Federal Reserve the green light to raise interest rates next week despite slowing economic growth.

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Trump administration sends judges to immigration detention centers: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Department of Justice is deploying 50 judges to immigration detention facilities across the United States, according to two sources and a letter seen by Reuters and sent to judges on Thursday.

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Tillerson has recused himself from Keystone pipeline issues: State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has recused himself from issues related to TransCanada Corp's application for a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, the State Department said in a letter on Thursday to the environmental group Greenpeace.

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EU slaps down Poland, reappoints summit chair Tusk

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The leaders of the European Union delivered a withering snub to Poland's right-wing government on Thursday by disregarding its objections and reappointing former Polish premier Donald Tusk to chair their summits.

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Special Report : Aircraft carriers, championed by Trump, are vulnerable to attack

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Last week, President Donald J. Trump chose the deck of the newest U.S. aircraft carrier, the $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford, for a speech extolling his planned boost in military spending.

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Julian Assange says WikiLeaks will share CIA hacking tools with tech companies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Thursday his organization would provide technology companies with exclusive access to CIA hacking tools to allow them to patch software flaws.

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U.S. to host 68-nation meeting on countering Islamic State: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will host a 68-nation meeting in Washington this month to discuss the next moves by the coalition fighting Islamic State, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday.

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AIG CEO Peter Hancock to resign, Icahn cheers move

(Reuters) - American International Group Inc said Chief Executive Peter Hancock has informed the board that he plans to resign, more than a year after billionaire investor Carl Icahn called for a breakup of the company.

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U.S. crude oil slumps below $50 after stocks build

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, extending the biggest falls this year as record U.S. crude inventories kept sentiment weak, pointing to a global glut despite supply cuts.

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U.S. adds to forces in Syria to expedite IS defeat in Raqqa: coalition

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A U.S. Marines artillery unit has deployed to Syria in recent days to help local forces speed up efforts to defeat Islamic State at Raqqa and the campaign to isolate the city is going "very, very well", the U.S.-led coalition said on Thursday.

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Republicans forge ahead on Obamacare repeal despite U.S. budget worries

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans pushed ahead on Thursday with their plan for a massive overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system backed by President Donald Trump, despite Democratic concern that the cost of the bill and its impact on the budget remain unknown.

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North Korea lets two Malaysians leave, talks on to lift travel ban

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia will not cut diplomatic ties with North Korea while pursuing its investigation of the Kuala Lumpur airport murder, Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Thursday, as North Korea let two Malaysian U.N. employees to leave despite its travel ban.

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Hawaii issues first challenge to Trump's new travel ban

(Reuters) - The state of Hawaii requested emergency court intervention on Wednesday to halt a revised executive order from President Donald Trump placing U.S. entry restrictions on refugees and travelers from six Muslim-majority countries.

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Two victims of Marines nude photo-sharing network come forward

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two women from the U.S. Marine Corps, one still on active duty, came forward on Wednesday as victims of a clandestine all-male social media network of military personnel and veterans under investigation for sharing nude photos of female colleagues.

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Exclusive: U.S. weighs deploying up to 1,000 'reserve' troops for IS fight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is weighing a deployment of up to 1,000 American soldiers to Kuwait to serve as a reserve force in the fight against Islamic State as U.S.-backed fighters accelerate the offensive in Syria and Iraq, U.S. officials told Reuters.

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U.S. senators ask government for proof Obama wiretapped Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two senior senators asked the FBI and Justice Department on Wednesday for any information they have on President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claim that his predecessor Barack Obama wiretapped him during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

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Snap perks up after initial rush of short sellers

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Snap Inc rebounded on Wednesday following a steep selloff while an initial rush to short sell the stock appeared to be slowing.

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Disney CEO says he is staying on Trump advisory council

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger on Wednesday said his seat on President Trump's business advisory council provides an opportunity to voice opinions that will benefit the company and its shareholders.

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U.S. officials aware of CIA security breach in 2016, say WikiLeaks papers authentic

WASHINGTON/BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials said on Wednesday that they have been aware since the end of last year of a security breach at the CIA that led to anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks publishing agency documents on its hacking tools.

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Banks spent record amounts on lobbying in recent election

(Reuters) - Banks and other financial companies expecting big benefits from Republican-led deregulation spent record amounts on lobbying in the last election cycle, according to an advocacy group report released on Wednesday.

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Wikileaks' CIA hacking dump sends tech firms scrambling for fixes

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Tech companies must rapidly step up information sharing to protect users from prying eyes, a security software executive said on Wednesday after WikiLeaks released a trove of documents detailing the CIA's capacity to hack all manner of devices.

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'It's like kumbaya:' Trump's genial private meetings with CEOs jar with public attacks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When the bosses of some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies headed to Washington in January to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, it had all the makings of a potentially hostile meeting.

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U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy ship changed course toward Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a guard commander was quoted as saying on Wednesday while issuing a warning.

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Video emerges of man claiming to be murdered North Korean's son

SEOUL (Reuters) - A man claiming to be the son of the slain, estranged half brother of North Korea's leader said he was lying low with his mother and sister, in a video posted online by a group that said it helped rescue them following the murder a month ago.

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Facing test of resolve, Trump pushes ahead with North Korea review

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Faced with a growing test of resolve for a new U.S. president who vowed while campaigning to get tough on North Korea, Donald Trump's aides are pressing to complete a strategy review on how to counter Pyongyang's missile and nuclear threats.

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U.S. seeks to dismiss appeal of Trump travel ban ruling

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday said it would voluntarily dismiss its own appeal of a Seattle federal court ruling that had suspended President Donald Trump's first executive order concerning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.

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House intelligence panel to hold hearing on Russia probe on March 20

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee will hold an open hearing on March 20 on the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, the committee's chairman, Devin Nunes, said on Tuesday.

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Trump administration pledges 'great strictness' on Iran nuclear deal

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration pledged on Tuesday to show "great strictness" over restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities imposed by a deal with major powers, but gave little indication of what that might mean for the agreement.

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WikiLeaks claims publication of secret CIA hacking tools

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks said on Tuesday it had obtained a top-secret trove of hacking tools used by the CIA to break into phones, communication apps and other electronic devices, and released documents related to those programs.

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Trump signs revised travel ban in bid to overcome legal challenges

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump signed a revised executive order on Monday banning citizens from six Muslim-majority nations from traveling to the United States but removing Iraq from the list, after his controversial first attempt was blocked in the courts.

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Trump says he is working on plan to bring down drug prices

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is developing a plan that will encourage competition in the drug industry and bring down prices for medicines, as the House of Representatives leadership unveiled a new health care plan.

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U.S. starts deploying anti-missile system in South Korea after defiant North's latest test

SEOUL (Reuters) - The United States started to deploy the first elements of its advanced anti-missile defense system in South Korea on Tuesday after North Korea's test of four ballistic missiles, U.S. Pacific Command said, despite angry opposition from China.

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North Korea bars Malaysians from leaving as murder row boils

KUALA LUMPUR/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea barred Malaysians from leaving the country on Tuesday, prompting Malaysia to take tit-for-tat action, as police in Kuala Lumpur sought to question up to three men hiding in the North Korean embassy over the murder of Kim Jong Nam.

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House Republicans unveil bill to repeal Obamacare

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled long-awaited legislation on Monday to repeal much of the Obamacare healthcare law, including its expansion of the Medicaid program for the poor.

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U.S. high court action leaves transgender students in legal limbo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Transgender students at U.S. public schools were left in legal limbo on Monday about whether a federal anti-discrimination law enables them to use the bathroom of their choice after the Supreme Court sidestepped a major ruling on the issue.

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Trump maintains confidence in FBI head amid wiretap friction

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump still has confidence in FBI Director James Comey, the White House said on Monday, despite his assertiveness in challenging Trump's claim that the Obama administration wiretapped him during the 2016 election campaign.

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U.S. Navy ship changes course after Iran vessel interaction: U.S. official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Multiple fast-attack vessels from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps came close to a U.S. Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, forcing it to change direction, a U.S. official told Reuters on Monday.

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Wall Street slips on wiretap accusation, geopolitical worries

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Monday amid losses across sectors as investors' appetite for risk was curbed by geopolitical tensions in Asia and President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor, Barack Obama, wiretapped him.

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U.S. Supreme Court sidesteps ruling in transgender rights case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court avoided a ruling on transgender rights by sending a closely watched case involving bathroom access at a Virginia high school back to a lower court on Monday after President Donald Trump rolled back protections for transgender students.

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Investors bet Trump-fueled tech rally far from over

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Technology companies have been a driving force behind the U.S. stock market's recent record rally, and despite mounting evidence of stretched valuations the sector remains a top pick for investors expecting a wave of capital expenditures by U.S. corporations.

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Geopolitics, Deutsche Bank drag global stocks lower

LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks and U.S. futures fell on Monday, as geopolitical tensions in Asia and U.S. President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama wiretapped him overshadowed a flurry of M&A activity in Europe.

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South Korea prosecutor paves way for charges against Park if impeachment upheld

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Park Geun-hye colluded with a friend to take bribes from Samsung Group aimed at cementing Samsung Chief Jay Y. Lee's control of the conglomerate, the special prosecutor's office said on Monday, paving the way for Park to be prosecuted if removed from office.

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PSA buys Opel from GM, sets recovery goals

PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - PSA Group has agreed to buy Opel from General Motors in a deal valuing the business at 2.2 billion euros ($2.3 billion), the companies said on Monday, creating a new regional car giant to challenge market leader Volkswagen .

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U.S. Republicans expected to unveil healthcare bill this week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. lawmakers expect to unveil this week the text of long-awaited legislation to repeal and replace the Obamacare healthcare law, one of President Donald Trump's top legislative priorities, a senior Republican congressional aide said on Sunday.

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North Korea fires four ballistic missiles into sea near Japan: Abe

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea fired four ballistic missiles early on Monday, three of which landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, the latest in a series of provocative tests by the reclusive state.

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U.S. confirms avian influenza in Tennessee chicken flock

(Reuters) - A strain of bird flu has been detected in a commercial chicken breeder flock in Tennessee's Lincoln County and the 73,500 birds will be culled to prevent the virus from entering the food system, U.S. and state agriculture officials said on Sunday.

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U.S. Marine Corps looking into nude photo scandal: report

(Reuters) - The U.S. Marine Corps is looking into the suspected distribution of nude photographs of female members of the service among military personnel and veterans via a social media network that promotes sexual violence, the Marine Corps Times said on Sunday.

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Deutsche Bank to raise 8 billion euros, plans major reorganization

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank plans to raise capital, list its asset management business and overhaul its business structure as it tries to reinvent itself after spending two years dealing with its past misdeeds and huge losses.

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Out in the cold: New U.S. budget priorities threaten housing aid programs

(Reuters) - When Paul Ryan, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, talks of social mobility, about helping struggling Americans move out of impoverished areas to give them greater opportunity, Shiva Daniels is the kind of person he has in mind.

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In day of pro-Trump rallies, California march turns violent

BERKELEY, Calif./LANSING, Mich. (Reuters) - Supporters of Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters at a rally in the famously left-leaning city of Berkeley, California, on a day of mostly peaceful gatherings in support of the U.S. president across the country.

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White House asks Congress to probe if Obama ordered wiretap

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday asked the U.S. Congress to examine whether the Obama administration abused its investigative authority during the 2016 campaign, as part of the ongoing congressional probe into Russia's influence on the election.

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Sikh, told to leave country, shot in Washington state: police

(Reuters) - A Sikh man was shot and wounded in Washington state by an attacker who approached him in his driveway and told him to leave the country, police and media reported on Saturday.

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Mexico opens migrant defense centers at U.S. consulates

(Reuters) - Mexico opened legal aid centers at its 50 consulates across the United States on Saturday to defend its citizens, the Mexican government said, amid worries of a crackdown on illegal immigration under U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Trump administration to propose 'dramatic reductions' in foreign aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House budget director confirmed Saturday that the Trump administration will propose "fairly dramatic reductions" in the U.S. foreign aid budget later this month.

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U.S. suspends fast processing of high-tech visa applications

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Foreigners aiming for temporary jobs at high-tech U.S. companies will undergo a longer visa approval process after the Trump administration announced it will temporarily suspend expedited applications for H-1B visas.

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Trump alleges wiretapping by Obama during campaign, cites no evidence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday accused former President Barack Obama of wiretapping him in October during the late stages of the presidential election campaign, but offered no evidence to support the allegation.

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Peugeot poised to buy GM's Opel, creating European car giant

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - France's PSA Group is set to announce a deal to buy Opel from General Motors on Monday after striking an agreement with the U.S. carmaker and winning the blessing of its board for the acquisition.

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Snap of Clinton reading Pence email headline goes viral

(Reuters) - A photo of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton glancing at a newspaper headline about U.S. Vice President Mike Pence using private email has gone viral on social media, with thousands of people commenting on it.

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U.S. secretary of state to visit Japan, South Korea, China: Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to visit Japan, South Korea and China this month to discuss North Korea on his first trip to the region since he took up his post, Japanese media reported on Saturday.

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Sessions to respond in writing to questions over Russia contacts: DOJ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will reply in writing to Senate Democrats' questions about his meetings with Russia's ambassador last year, the Justice Department said on Friday after a top Republican denied Democrats' request for a public hearing.

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Pence says his private email use was not the same as Clinton's

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Friday said there was "no comparison whatsoever" between his use of a private email account for state business while he was governor of Indiana and the email woes of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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Exclusive: Trump administration considering separating women, children at U.S.-Mexico border

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women and children crossing together illegally into the United States could be separated by U.S. authorities under a proposal being considered by the Department of Homeland Security, according to three government officials.

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St. Louis man charged over bomb threats to Jewish groups

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A disgraced former journalist made eight bomb threats to Jewish organizations across the United States, including one in which he called for a "Jewish Newtown," posing as an ex-girlfriend to retaliate after she had broken up with him, U.S. prosecutors said on Friday.

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Parents fearing deportation pick guardians for U.S. children

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Parents who immigrated illegally to the United States and now fear deportation under the Trump administration are inundating immigration advocates with requests for help in securing care for their children in the event they are expelled from the country.

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Exclusive: Trump aides' bid to plug leaks fuels government paranoia - sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin used his first senior staff meeting last month to tell his new aides he would not tolerate leaks to the news media, sources familiar with the matter said.

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Pence used private email while Indiana governor, was hacked: Indianapolis Star

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct public business as governor of Indiana, at times discussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues, and the account was hacked last summer, the Indianapolis Star reported on Thursday.

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U.S. authorities raid Caterpillar's Illinois facilities

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Federal law enforcement officials searched three facilities of heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar Inc on Thursday, prompting a sharp sell-off in the company's stock.

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Trump's EPA budget proposal targets climate, clean water programs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is proposing to slash a quarter of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's budget, targeting climate-change programs and those designed to prevent air and water pollution like lead contamination, a source with direct knowledge of the proposal said on Thursday.

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Trump says wants defense buildup to project U.S. power abroad

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants a U.S. military buildup of more ships and planes to "project American power in distant lands," making his case for a proposed $54 billion increase in defense spending that has U.S. lawmakers squabbling.

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Companies back transgender rights in Supreme Court fight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of 53 companies on Thursday backed transgender rights at the U.S. Supreme Court, signing on to a brief supporting a Virginia student who is fighting to use the school bathroom that corresponds with his gender identity.

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Snap Inc opens at $24 after pricing at $17 per share

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Snap Inc shares opened for trading on Thursday at $24 on the New York Stock Exchange after pricing on Wednesday at $17 per share.

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Suspected U.S. drone strike kills two in Pakistan near Afghan border: village elder

KURRAM AGENCY, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone strike killed two men on Thursday in a Pakistani village near the Afghanistan border, a local government official and a village elder said.

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Suspend visa-free EU travel for U.S. citizens, lawmakers say

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - United States citizens should be denied visa-free access to the European Union before summer because Washington does not allow some EU nationals to enter there without visa, EU lawmakers said in a vote on Thursday.

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U.S. jobless claims fall to 44-year-low as labor market tightens

WASHINGTON,(Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to near a 44-year-low last week, pointing to further tightening in the labor market even as economic growth appears to have remained moderate in the first quarter.

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Trump's immigration opening falls flat with key audience: Democrats

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's signal of a new openness to immigration reform in a speech to the U.S. Congress did little to win over Democrats who would be essential to revamping the nation's immigration laws.

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Attorney General Sessions did not disclose Russia contacts: Washington Post

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jeff Sessions, while still a U.S. senator, spoke twice last year with Russia's ambassador, encounters he did not disclose when asked during his confirmation hearing to become attorney general about possible contacts between Donald Trump's campaign and Russian officials, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing Justice Department officials.

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Exclusive: Trump administration has found only $20 million in existing funds for wall - document

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s promise to use existing funds to begin immediate construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border has hit a financial roadblock, according to a document seen by Reuters.

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Behind scenes, Ivanka encouraged Trump’s change of tone: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Behind the scenes at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka was a key advocate for the more measured, less combative tone he struck in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, officials said.

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Exclusive: SEC advisory committee to question Snap's transparency for investors

BOSTON (Reuters) - An investor committee that advises the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will next week review if Snap Inc's decision to deny shareholders voting rights might also reduce the social media company's public disclosures on executive pay and other governance matters, the head of that committee told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Iraqi army controls main roads out of Mosul, trapping Islamic State

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Iraqi army units on Wednesday took control of the last major road out of western Mosul that had been in Islamic State's hands, trapping the militants in a shrinking area within the city, a general and residents said.

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White House supports renewal of spy law without reforms: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration supports renewing without reforms a key surveillance law governing how the U.S. government collects electronic communications that is due to expire at the end of the year, a White House official said on Wednesday.

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Oil pares gains after U.S. crude stocks build to record high

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices were largely steady on Wednesday, paring gains and briefly turning negative, after crude inventories in the United States rose to a record high.

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Wall Street hits new highs as banks soar on rate hike hopes

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks hit record intraday highs on Wednesday, with the Dow breaching the 21,000 mark for the first time ever, as bank stocks surged on higher chances of an interest rate hike this month, while a more measured tone in President Donald Trump's speech reassured investors.

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New Trump travel order expected in coming days, Pence says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to finalize a new order limiting travel to the United States in the coming days, his vice president said on Wednesday, after federal courts blocked the administration's earlier travel ban.

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Women charged with North Korean's murder leave court in bullet-proof vests

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia on Wednesday charged two women, an Indonesian and a Vietnamese, with murdering the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader in a bizarre airport assassination using a super-toxic nerve agent that killed in minutes.

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Fed trumps Trump as dollar, U.S. Treasury yields soar

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar and U.S. Treasury yields jumped on Wednesday, while stocks were mixed, as investors focused less on U.S. President Donald Trump's first speech to Congress and more on what they see as a growing chance of a U.S. interest rate hike this month.

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Snap to price long-awaited IPO on Wednesday amid signs of brisk demand

(Reuters) - Snap Inc, owner of popular messaging app Snapchat, will price its initial public offering after the U.S. stock market closes on Wednesday in the most eagerly awaited technology IPO since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba went public in 2014.

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Ex-CIA spy held over kidnap avoids extradition from Portugal, will be freed

LISBON (Reuters) - A former CIA officer convicted for involvement in the kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric in Italy won a last-minute reprieve from deportation from Portugal on Wednesday and will be released, her lawyer said.

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