Tim Devaney

Al Sharpton’s ‘Justice for Trayvon’ rallies begin in 100 cities

Reverend Al Sharpton organized protests in more than 100 cities in honor of Trayvon Martin — one week after his killer George Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder charges. Protests throughout the week were largely peaceful, though there were clashes with law enforcement. Published July 20, 2013

Carbon programs’ backlash in Australia, EU bode ill for U.S. efforts to fight climate change

Recent stumbles in Europe and Australia to implement ambitious climate change programs are providing a "cautionary tale" for the Obama administration and U.S. lawmakers as they consider how to fulfill President Obama's drive to reduce U.S. greenhouse gases. Published July 18, 2013

Unions wage legal fight against Michigan’s right-to-work law

In Michigan, a historic bastion of the nation's industrial unions, the legal battle over the state's new right-to-work law shows no signs of flagging. Published July 16, 2013

First round of trade talks with European Union ‘very productive’

Coming out of a successful first week of trade talks in Washington, where U.S. and European officials laid the foundation for a pact that would connect the economies of the Western world, both sides are turning their sights toward the next round of negotiations this fall. Published July 14, 2013

Smithfield CEO defends sale of pork producer to Chinese firm

The head of Smithfield Foods, the country's largest pork producer, told skeptical lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that the proposed $4.7 billion sale of his Virginia-based company to a Chinese rival will create jobs and expand markets. Published July 10, 2013

Anti-globalization groups take aim at proposed U.S.-Europe trade deal

As negotiations began Monday in Washington on a proposed blockbuster U.S.-European Union trade pact that would connect the largest economies of the Western world, activists warned against any deal that undermines environmental, labor, food or financial safeguards. Published July 8, 2013

Tech giants take new hits from fallout over spying

Germany's top security official on Wednesday warned Internet users in his country not to visit popular American websites like Google and Facebook if they are concerned about their private data being collected by the U.S. government, in the latest blow to Silicon Valley's high-tech giants trying to contain the damage from recent revelations that they participated in the National Security Agency's spying program. Published July 3, 2013

Online retailers worried about how to collect, transmit state and local taxes

As Washington considers enforcing sales tax collection for Internet purchases, a growing concern among online retailers is how to collect this tax and remit it to state governments. Published July 2, 2013

Senate panel to examine Smithfield sale to Chinese company

A Senate committee on Thursday announced plans to hold a hearing next month on the proposed $4.7 billion takeover of America's top pork producer by a Chinese rival — the biggest takeover of a U.S. corporation by a Chinese company ever. Published June 27, 2013

Senate bill aims to shut down Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

Government-owned mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be shut down within five years so taxpayers are no longer "on the hook" for future losses, under a bipartisan housing reform bill introduced Tuesday in the Senate. Published June 25, 2013

Foreign markets wary of U.S. tech giants that gave access to NSA

The revelations about secret surveillance programs that the National Security Agency uses to collect data and sometimes spy on people aren't making life easy for U.S. technology giants such as Google and Facebook that now lie under a cloud of suspicion as they try to expand in foreign markets. Published June 24, 2013

Markets see sharp drop after Bernanke comments; Dow closes down 352

Wall Street suffered through its worst day of the year Thursday, bringing investors down from the "sugar high" they have enjoyed this year as the markets topped milestone after milestone. Published June 20, 2013

Internet sales tax bill faces House showdown

In Washington, the drive to collect Internet sales taxes is heating up, as a bill that would raise the cost of shopping online nears a showdown in the House. Published June 19, 2013

Opponents slam Internet sales tax bill

Opponents of an Internet sales tax bill on Tuesday called it a "21st century version of taxation without representation," warning it raises the prospect of taxing online retailers in jurisdictions where the owners of those businesses cannot vote. Published June 18, 2013

Investor urges Smithfield Foods to kill Chinese buyout

One of Smithfield Foods Inc.'s largest investors would like to chop up America's biggest pork producer and sell it piece-by-piece, with representatives urging the board of directors to kill a planned $4.7 billion buyout by a Chinese company that they say "significantly understates" the company's value. Published June 17, 2013

G-8 discussions will focus on economic growth

Though it could be overshadowed by the conflict in Syria, leaders from the world's major industrial nations plan to discuss how they can boost economic growth and regain competitiveness during the Group of Eight summit this week. Published June 16, 2013

Rep. Mike Rogers: NSA leak case raises questions about China’s role

Current and former Washington officials Sunday slammed the leaker who exposed the government's secret collection of phone records and Internet data and vigorously defended the surveillance programs as essential and life-saving tools in the war on terrorism. Published June 16, 2013