Tags: Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday reversed course, approving "fast-track" legislation central to President Barack Obama's trade deal with Pacific Rim nations and sending it back to the Senate.

After nationwide protests against police and years of debate over sentencing guidelines, the U.S. House of Representatives' top judicial lawmaker plans to consider criminal justice reforms piece by piece, rather than as a single, broad reform package.

The lower chamber of Brazil's Congress passed a bill on Wednesday toughening access to social security pensions, the second measure approved in a week to cut benefits in a drive to reduce a growing fiscal deficit.