Obama leaves for Asia to boost trade, cooperation
By NANCY BENAC President Barack Obama is leaving on a weeklong, 16,000-mile trip to Asia as part of his effort to pay more attention to the region and boost economic…
Human rights and civil liberties
Congo’s political crisis stokes fears of widespread violence
By RICHARD LARDNER A simmering political crisis in Congo that the U.S. and its allies have been unable to defuse is stoking fears in Congress that one of Africa’s largest…
Trump unveils list of potential picks for Supreme Court seat
By JILL COLVIN and MARK SHERMAN Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday released a list of 11 potential picks to replace Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court,…
Online auction halted for gun used to kill Trayvon Martin
By FREIDA FRISARO An online auction was halted without explanation Thursday for the pistol that former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman used to kill unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.…
North Carolina governor files lawsuit over LGBT rights law
By GARY D. ROBERTSON and EMERY P. DALESIO North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration sued the federal government Monday in a fight for a state law that requires transgender people…
Trump as nominee improves odds for parts of Obama’s legacy
By JOSH LEDERMAN There’s no cheering at the White House for Donald Trump’s success. Yet for President Barack Obama, things could be worse. Trump’s ascent as the presumptive Republican nominee…
US government: North Carolina LGBT law violates civil rights
By EMERY P. DALESIO and GARY D. ROBERTSON A North Carolina law limiting protections to LGBT people violates federal civil rights laws and can’t be enforced, the U.S. Justice Department…
China passes law tightening controls on foreign nonprofits
By DIDI TANG China passed a law Thursday tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations by subjecting them to close police supervision, a move officials say will help the groups but…