Politics: All the Latest Headlines from Reuters News

Kerry defends trade deals against campaign attacks
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry defended a 12-nation Pacific trade agreement on Tuesday against what he suggested was fear-mongering by the leading U.S. presidential candidates.

U.S. Republicans cancel Puerto Rico rescue vote
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican leaders in Congress on Tuesday canceled a scheduled vote on Puerto Rico rescue legislation this week, sending bailout talks into a tailspin.

U.S. presidential rivals Clinton, Sanders tied in support among Democrats: poll
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The top contenders in both the Democratic and the Republican presidential nominating races have roughly equal support among members of their respective parties, according to a national Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday.

Not an endorsement, but close; Obama comments hint at support for Clinton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama seemed to inch a little closer on Tuesday to endorsing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.

Top Democrat, in letter, blasts Valeant CEO for lack of cooperation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday called on Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc for more details on its relationship with Philidor RX services and chided the company for not providing Congress any documents or other requested information.

U.S. confident Brazil can meet political, economic challenges: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Obama is optimistic about Brazil’s ability to meet political and economic challenges in the wake of a recent International Monetary Fund assessment, the White House said on Tuesday.

House Speaker Paul Ryan to rule out 2016 presidential candidacy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan will make a statement to the media on Tuesday ruling himself out as a potential 2016 presidential candidate, a Ryan aide said.

Republican Paul Ryan to rule out 2016 presidential candidacy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan planned a speech on Tuesday to try to put to rest any Republican hopes that he could be drafted as a presidential candidate and save the party from an expected disaster if Donald Trump or Ted Cruz is the nominee.

California to hike funds for new parents on family leave
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – California will increase the amount of money new parents can receive through the state’s paid family leave program under a bill signed on Monday by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.

Obama, Fed’s Yellen discussed economic risks in White House meeting
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen discussed risks to the economy and progress from Wall Street reform during a rare meeting in the Oval Office on Monday, the White House said.

Grassley, Garland reprise 1990s judicial confirmation fight
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chuck Grassley and Merrick Garland go way back, but when the Republican Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and President Barack Obama’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee meet for a private breakfast on Tuesday, they will not exactly be sharing fond memories.

New York City to pursue sweeping homelessness reforms: mayor
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City will implement a raft of reforms to combat its high level of homelessness, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday, following a three-month review of the problem.

Senate committee to take up bill on CFTC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate committee will soon consider legislation on the country’s commodities and derivatives regulator that is intended to keep financial-sector restrictions in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law from applying to farmers and ranchers because their derivatives trading helps them manage operational risks.

Police arrest 400 at U.S. Capitol in protest of money in politics
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Police arrested more than 400 protesters outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday from Democracy Spring, an organization seeking to remove big money from politics and combat restrictive voter identification laws.

California or bust: Bernie Sanders charts a White House path
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Defying opinion polls and expert predictions, Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders aims to seize the party’s White House nomination from Hillary Clinton’s grasp with a last-ditch come-from-behind triumph in California.

Trump blasts ‘rigged’ rules on picking Republican delegates
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump lashed out at what he called the party’s “rigged” delegate selection rules on Monday after rival Ted Cruz swept all of Colorado’s 34 delegates over the weekend.

Clinton’s joke with New York mayor criticized as insulting blacks
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A comic gag turned into a gaffe for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, triggering a social media storm that raged through Tuesday over what some said was their insensitivity to African-Americans.

Senate Judiciary chairman Grassley tells Garland no hearings
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama’s U.S. Supreme Court selection, on Tuesday failed to persuade Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley during a private meeting to hold confirmation hearings on his nomination.

Antitrust head Baer to serve as No. 3 at Justice Department
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced on Monday that Bill Baer will serve as acting associate attorney general, leaving his position as head of the department’s Antitrust Division to take the No. 3 post at the department.

More than 400 protesters arrested at U.S. Capitol: police
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More than 400 protesters were arrested on Monday for unlawfully demonstrating at the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Capitol Police said.

Obama ‘pleased’ with Fed’s Yellen: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama is happy with the job done by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, with whom he is meeting on Monday to discuss regulatory issues and world economy, the White House said.

Chicago finance committee approves payouts for police custody deaths
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday approved payments totaling $6.45 million to settle cases involving two black men who died while in police custody.