government

Obama lifts decades-old arms ban in his 1st visit to Vietnam

Obama lifts decades-old arms ban in his 1st visit to Vietnam

Associated Press

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam, looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region that he has tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy.

Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference where he vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the former war enemies and embrace a new era with a young, increasingly prosperous nation. Obama steered clear of harsh condemnation of what critics see as Vietnam's abysmal treatment of dissidents, describing instead modest progress on rights in the one-party state. Activists said his decision to lift the embargo destroyed the best U.S. leverage for pushing Vietnam on abuse.

Sanders breaks with White House on Puerto Rican rescue plan
Bernie Sanders

Sanders breaks with White House on Puerto Rican rescue plan

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is breaking with the Obama administration and House lawmakers over a plan to restructure Puerto Rico's $70 billion in debt, saying the legislation would make "a terrible situation even worse."

The Vermont senator writes in a letter released Monday that the deal reached last week between the White House and House Republicans and Democrats would empower an "unelected and undemocratic oversight board" and allow the governor of Puerto Rico to slash the minimum wage to $4.25 an hour for up to five years.

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