Obama nominates GOP Senate aide for seat on Commodities Futures Trading Commission

September 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government must immediately ban futures trading in all essential commodities to control the "relentless rise" in their prices, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has demanded. "This UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government has completely failed in controlling this price rise," noted the CPI-M mouthpiece "People's Democracy".

September 24th, 2009 Commodities extend slide as dollar gains groundNEW YORK — Gold prices finished below the $1,000 mark for the first time in two weeks Thursday as the dollar rose against other currencies. Prices for other commodities like silver, oil and gasoline also dropped sharply, while the U.S.

September 24th, 2009 Obama nominates envoy on North Korean human rightsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is nominating a new special envoy on North Korean human rights issues. The White House announced on Thursday the nomination of Robert King, a one-time congressional aid on the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee.

September 7th, 2009 MUMBAI - In sharp variance to the findings of an expert panel set up by India, a UN agency says futures trading in commodities affects spot prices of physical markets across the world, calling for concerted regulatory action by governments. Released worldwide Monday, the report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) blames large financial investors for influencing commodity prices through futures trading, without regards to the actual demand-supply situation.

August 11th, 2009 Top aide to Blagojevich plans to run for US SenateCHICAGO —A political rookie who was a top aide to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Monday that she intends to run for the U.S.

July 29th, 2009 Obama nominates OSHA headWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama plans to nominate an epidemiologist to head the government's workplace safety agency. The White House on Tuesday said David Michaels is Obama's choice to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commonly known as OSHA.

July 21st, 2009 Obama to nominate Sommers to another CFTC termWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he intends to nominate Jill Sommers to another term as a commissioner on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The White House says Sommers' term expired on April 13, 2009.

July 21st, 2009 Senate panel addresses concern over wheat pricesWASHINGTON — A key regulator and industry executives are scheduled to appear before Congress amid concern over speculation in the wheat futures market that lawmakers say has artificially inflated prices, making it harder for farmers and grain processors to hedge against risk. That can mean higher prices for consumers, a yearlong investigation by a Senate panel has found, and several senators have called on the government to restrict the volume of index trading in the wheat futures market on the Chicago Board of Trade.

July 8th, 2009 Aide: Ill. atty gen. won't run for gov., SenateCHICAGO — An aide says Illinois' powerful attorney general, Lisa Madigan, has decided not to run for governor or U.S. Senate. Madigan's political director, Mary Morrissey, says the Chicago Democrat will seek another term as attorney general.

June 28th, 2009 Axelrod expects Senate to tackle health care firstWASHINGTON — A top presidential adviser says it probably will be the fall before the Senate deals with a major climate change bill that just passed the House. White House aide David Axelrod says he thinks health care overhaul will be the first thing on senators' agenda.

June 26th, 2009 Senate confirms 2 for FCCWASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday confirmed Julius Genachowski as head of the Federal Communications Commission and Robert McDowell for a second FCC term. McDowell is currently the only Republican on the five-seat commission, which has been operating with three commissioners.

June 18th, 2009 Ill. AG Madigan met with Obama, mulling Senate runCHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan met with President Barack Obama in Washington last week as she considers running for his former U.S. Senate seat.

June 16th, 2009 Fugitive commodities trader charged in $312M fraudCHICAGO — A fugitive businessman was charged in a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday with swindling hundreds of investors out of $312 million with bogus claims about profits he made in the commodities futures trading markets. Philip J. Baker, 44, was charged in the 27-count indictment with boasting that companies and commodities futures pools he controlled had been profitable for 13 years when in reality they had lost $38 million.

May 6th, 2009 Obama nominates SC pol to head consumer commissionWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is turning to South Carolina's former school superintendent to head an expanded Consumer Product Safety Commission, an embattled agency that has been criticized by advocates for being too cozy with industry. The president asked Congress Tuesday for $107 million to fund the agency charged with ensuring that products from toys and cribs to ATVs and toasters are safe for use.

May 5th, 2009 Hatch says Obama promised not to nominate radicalWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has told a leading Senate Republican he would not nominate a radical or extremist to the Supreme Court. Sen. Orrin Hatch said Monday that the president called him to discuss the nomination but did not provide names of anyone under consideration.