President Barack Obama’s nominees for key positions at the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Comptroller of the Currency are at risk of becoming collateral damage in an escalating fight between Senate Democrats and Republicans.

WASHINGTON — Defending President Barack Obama’s signature health care overhaul, the administration is urging the Supreme Court to uphold the contentious heart of the law, the requirement that individuals buy insurance or pay a penalty. The administration filed a written submission with the court Friday describing the 2010 law as an appropriate response to a “crisis in the national health care ...

Barack Obama’s visit to Australia prompted the people of Darwin to take out $50,000 worth of insurance to cover him against the risk of a crocodile attack. The gesture seemed to delight the U.S. president. In a speech to about 1,000 Australians troops, his praise of the “legendary Diggers” (soldiers who fought in trenches) and “true blue Aussies” (Australians loyal to local values) went down a ...

WASHINGTON -- In perhaps his most sober remarks about the economy this year, President Barack Obama on Thursday described the weakening economy as an emergency and made the case for his jobs bill as an insurance policy against a possible double-dip recession.

A combative President Barack Obama challenged a divided Congress on Thursday to unite behind his jobs bill or get ready to be run out of town by angry voters. Hoping to use public frustration and economic worry as leverage, he called his proposal an insurance plan against a painful return to recession.