Obama budget offers contrasts, long-shot deals with GOP
By ANDREW TAYLOR and JIM KUHNHENN With a blend of tax hikes and spending increases, President Barack Obama’s budget spells out a policy agenda that will distinguish him from Republicans…
Business
Vatican hits sour note with women, but progress may come
By NICOLE WINFIELD A new Vatican outreach initiative to listen to women hit a sour note before it even got off the ground: The sexy blonde on its Internet promo…
Cost pressure intensifies for Southern Co. nuclear plant
By RAY HENRY The delays and cost overruns are piling up for a new plant in Georgia that was supposed to prove nuclear energy can be built affordably. Instead, the…
Obama calls for spending surge, buoyed by rising economy
By JOSH LEDERMAN and ANDREW TAYLOR Declaring an end to “mindless austerity,” President Barack Obama called for a surge in government spending Thursday, and asked Congress to throw out the…
Senate passes bill approving Keystone XL oil pipeline
By DINA CAPPIELLO The Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday approved a bipartisan bill to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline, defying a presidential veto threat and setting up the first of…
Gas blast wrecks Mexico children’s hospital, at least 2 dead
By ALBERTO ARCE and PETER ORSI Injured and bleeding, mothers carrying infants fled from a maternity hospital shattered by a powerful gas explosion Thursday, and rescuers swung sledgehammers to break…
Malaysia says MH370 crash an accident to clear compensation
By EILEEN NG Malaysia’s government formally declared still-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 an accident on Thursday and said all those on board were presumed dead, paving the way for compensation…
Obama to seek to bust limits on domestic, defense spending
By JOSH LEDERMAN President Barack Obama will seek to bust through spending limits for both domestic and defense programs, the White House said Thursday, negating the effects of across-the-board cuts…