Government And Institutions

Germany's Parliament will vote on a four-month bailout extension for Greece with a large majority of lawmakers in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc signaling their backing.

Congressional Republicans Friday named economist Keith Hall to serve as Capitol Hill's budget referee as director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

As Florida lawmakers appear ready to allow key portions of the state's high-stakes gambling deal with the Seminole to expire, other gambling interests are watching keenly for openings in the multi-billion dollar industry if the tribe and Gov. Rick Scott can't negotiate something new.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback said he saw signs of economic growth Friday after a report showed that Kansas collected $22 million more in taxes than anticipated this month.

Minnesota's bank account is projected to run up a $1.87 billion surplus over the next two years, which will drive calls for new spending, tax cuts or most likely a mix.

The head of the company that operates Massachusetts' snow-crippled commuter rail system says full service should be restored by the end of March.

With wind energy production in full swing in Oklahoma, legislative leaders are looking to impose some new restrictions on the booming industry.

Oil production has more than doubled and production of natural gas has tripled in Ohio in one year, bolstering arguments by the administration of Gov. John Kasich that the industry is thriving enough to sustain a tax increase.

Roughly 61,000 Ohioans in Medicaid are expected to lose their coverage this weekend after failing to take steps to renew their health benefits as required, the state's Medicaid director said Thursday.

President Barack Obama is stepping up his campaign to expand exports and negotiate new trade deals in Asia and Europe, a rare spot of common ground with Republicans and a raw point of friction with Democrats.

Italy and Liechtenstein have signed an agreement to exchange financial information to crack down on tax evasion.

Investigators said Thursday they have recovered 32,000 emails related to a former IRS official at the heart of the agency's tea party scandal.

The Arizona House gave initial approval Thursday to a bill allowing payday lenders to offer a new product after they were barred from operating in the state under a 2008 voter initiative.

Gov. Dannel P.

Power-producing giant Exelon Corp. rounded out a phalanx of Illinois lawmakers and business leaders who said Thursday that three nuclear power plants could close unless consumers chip in to reward them for producing environmentally-friendly electricity.

A budget proposal laid out Thursday could wind up grounding two search and rescue helicopters and a plane capable of prisoner and personnel transports.

The U.S. Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week.

The Supreme Court says a state regulatory board made up mostly of dentists violated federal law against unfair competition when it tried to prevent lower-cost competitors in other fields from offering teeth-whitening services.

Federal officials will let Southwest Airlines keep flying planes that missed a required inspection of a backup rudder system.

President Barack Obama in just three days has provoked Republicans on issues as disparate as immigration, Wall Street and the Keystone pipeline.