Obama Preps Final State Of the Union
Washington — President Obama will deliver his final State of the Union address on Tuesday night to a nation whose economy is far sturdier than it was when he took office in 2009. Yet as 2016 begins, the stout job market is accompanied by tepid economic growth and stubbornly flat wages. More broadly, two things are on the rise, to the president’s dismay: global temperatures and Americans’ concerns about terrorism. A snapshot of the...
Social Security Q&A: Will Same-Sex Couple Qualify for Benefits?
Question: My same-sex partner and I recently married. Will we qualify for Social Security benefits? Answer: You may be eligible to apply for Social Security benefits. Many factors affect your eligibility for benefits, including how long you worked and your age. Social Security encourages you to apply for benefits right away, even if you aren’t sure you’re eligible. Applying now will protect you against the loss of any potential...
Obama, Senate GOP Team Up
Washington — The Obama administration and Senate Republicans worked in unusual harmony Tuesday to advance major trade legislation opposed by many rank-and-file Democrats, an expanding struggle already leaving a mark on the 2016 campaigns for the White House and control of Congress. In rapid-fire order, the administration threatened to veto a proposed change in the trade bill to require U.S. negotiators to target currency manipulation...
Unsolved Mysteries, Airbag Edition
Detroit — After months of testing by air bag maker Takata and an independent panel of engineers, there’s still no clear answer why some air bags are blamed for killing drivers after being triggered and spraying metal shrapnel. “This may not be something as simple as just one root cause,” said former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator David Kelly, who has been hired by the industry to investigate the problem....
