News April 12

Senator Sanders

World

Obama, Castro Meet President Obama and President Raúl Castro symbolically ended more than a half-century of official estrangement between the United States and Cuba here Saturday in a historic-face-to-face meeting that Obama said put them on “a path toward the future.” In a small room with two chairs side by side, Castro smiled as Obama said that they would relay their concerns about each other’s policies but could disagree with a spirit of respect, The Washington Post reported. LINK

National

Capitol Reopens after Shooting The U.S. Capitol reopened Saturday after a precautionary lockdown for about two hours following a suicide by a man carrying a protest sign. A Capitol Police spokeswoman said the man died after shooting himself on the west front of the Capitol building. No one else was hurt, The Associated Press reported. LINK

White House ’16, Obama and Clinton Rather than run from President Obama, Clinton intends to turn to him as one of her campaign’s most important allies and advocates — second only, perhaps, to her husband, the other president whose record will hover over her bid, according to The New York Times. LINK

White House ’16, Clinton What will drive Hillary Rodham Clinton's second bid for the presidency? Boosting economic security for the middle class and expanding opportunities for working families, key issues that her campaign says will be heralded by a results-oriented "tenacious fighter," The Associated Press reported. LINK

Vermont

Labor Rallies against Budget Cuts Hundreds of state workers rallied on Saturday against program cuts proposed under the budget working its way through the Legislature. The Vermont State Employees Association, which represents state workers, and about a dozen other groups gathered outside the Statehouse to voice their concerns. They said they want the state to focus on tax increases instead of spending cuts as the way to balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, AP reported.