U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Russia to negotiate with members of the World Trade Organization to resolve the remaining issues blocking it from becoming the 154th member of the group. The White House said that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called President Obama Wednesday to wish him a happy birthday, a day ahead of his […]
Obama Urges Russia to Finish Negotiations to Join WTO
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 3:00 pm (UTC-5)
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US Transportation Chief Calls for Congress to Resolve FAA Funding Dispute
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 1:50 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. transportation chief is calling on Congress to return from its summer recess and end a partial shutdown of the agency that oversees the nation’s airlines and air safety. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday that the 12-day-old shutdown because of a dispute over funding for the Federal Aviation Administration has halted $11 billion […]
Worried Wall Street Extends Slump
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
The major U.S. stock indexes kept sliding in Wednesday’s midday trading, after a series of reports showed factories stalling and layoffs on the rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped nine-tenths of a percent, on pace for its longest losing streak in more than 30 years. The S&P 500 index dipped eight-tenths of a percent. […]
Obama: “Tremendous Progress” in U.S.-Russia Relationship
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama has told Russian media that the new nuclear disarmament treaty between Russia and the United States is an example of “tremendous progress” made in bilateral ties. Mr. Obama spoke with Russian reporters ahead of his 50th birthday which is Thursday. The president noted that when he was born during the Cold […]
Treasury Secretary Defends US Debt Deal
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 9:15 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is defending the compromise deal to cut spending and raise the country’s borrowing limit, saying it gives government officials a chance to fix a broken system. Writing in Wednesday’s Washington Post, Geithner says the last-minute debt deal signed Tuesday takes away the threat of a default, which could cause interest […]
China Expresses Disgust Over US Debt Deal
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 2:40 am (UTC-5)
America’s biggest creditor — China — is signaling deep unhappiness over this week’s deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and the way it was accomplished. A Chinese credit rating agency Wednesday downgraded U.S. debt, saying the deal does nothing to address the underlying problem. And the official Xinhua news agency dismissed the negotiating process […]
US Senate Confirms Dempsey as Next Top Military Officer
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 12:45 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. Senate has confirmed General Martin Dempsey to become the country’s next top uniformed military officer. Dempsey, who previously served as Army chief, will become the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the end of September, when Admiral Mike Mullen is set to retire. Senators confirmed Dempsey’s nomination by voice vote on […]
Space Shuttle Columbia Fuel Tank Found in Dried Up Texas Lake
Posted August 2nd, 2011 at 9:10 pm (UTC-5)
The severe drought in eastern Texas has exposed a grim artifact. A piece of the ill-fated Space Shuttle Columbia was found in a dried-up lake north of Houston, Texas. NASA engineers confirm that the large globe-shaped piece was one of 18 fuel tanks that plunged to Earth or disintegrated when Columbia broke apart upon reentry […]
Senate Starts Vacation Without Passing FAA Funding Bill
Posted August 2nd, 2011 at 8:40 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. Senate has gone on a five-week vacation without renewing the operating authority of the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency that oversees the nation’s airlines and air traffic partially shut down on July 23 and may not return to full operation for at least another month. President Barack Obama made a last-minute appeal Tuesday, […]
Tropical Storm Emily Heads Toward Hispaniola
Posted August 2nd, 2011 at 8:25 pm (UTC-5)
Tropical storm warnings and watches are posted for parts of the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Emily moves on a track that is expected to bring its center across Hispaniola Wednesday. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola. The news is particularly bad for Haiti, where thousands of people still live in tent […]
