U.S. President Barack Obama has become directly involved in the stalled negotiations over the national debt and federal borrowing limit, meeting with the top Senate Democratic and Republican leaders to discuss the issues. President Obama held talks Monday with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Afterwards, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president left […]
US Supreme Court Strikes Down Violent Video Game Ban
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 7:30 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the video game industry, saying states cannot ban the sale or rental of violent games to children because doing so would violate free speech rights. In its 7-2 decision Monday, the justices struck down a 2005 California law covering games sold or rented to those under […]
Blagojevich Convicted of 17 Corruption Charges
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 4:15 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. jury has convicted former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich of nearly all charges against him in his corruption retrial. Blagojevich said he was “stunned” by the verdict, which came Monday after several days of deliberations. He was found guilty of 17 of 20 counts, including trying to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat […]
US Gives Failing Grades to 23 Countries in Human Trafficking Fight
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 3:05 pm (UTC-5)
The United States has sharply increased, from 13 to 23, the number of nations said to be failing to meet international standards in the fight against human trafficking. Lebanon, Libya, Venezuela and several African countries are among the countries new to the list of the world’s worst offenders on the State Department’s annual report on […]
Flooding, Wildfires Causes Havoc in Parts of US
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
Heavy flooding in the midwestern state of North Dakota continues to threaten dozens of cities across the state despite reaching its peak. The Souris River on Sunday crested at its highest level in 130 years, but not before damaging an estimated 3,000 homes and displacing more than 12,000 people in the city of Minot. The […]
US Consumer Spending Stalls
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. consumer spending was unchanged in May, after 10 months of gains. Monday’s report from the Commerce Department also shows inflation rose a bit during the month. Economists watch consumer spending carefully because consumer demand drives about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity. Experts say consumer spending stalled in May because rising costs of food […]
Bachmann Formally Launches Presidential Bid
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann has formally launched her White House bid, joining a crowded field of Republicans who hope to run against President Barack Obama in 2012. Bachmann made the announcement in Waterloo, the city of her birth, in the Midwestern state of Iowa. The state is an important campaign destination for presidential hopefuls, as […]
China Welcomes “New Channel” for Dialogue With US
Posted June 27th, 2011 at 2:20 am (UTC-5)
China is welcoming the opening of a “new channel” of communications with the United States after talks in Hawaii where South China Sea tensions were discussed. A commentary Sunday in the official Xinhua news agency said the talks resulted from Washington’s strategic emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region and China’s growing global influence. It said China […]
US Official: China’s Military Expansion Raises Concerns in Asia- Pacific
Posted June 26th, 2011 at 10:15 pm (UTC-5)
A top U.S. official for East Asian and Pacific affairs says the U.S. government has conveyed to China that its military expansion is raising concerns in the region. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke to reporters in Honolulu, after a meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai. The two officials held their […]
Obama to Meet With Senate Leaders Over Debt Ceiling
Posted June 26th, 2011 at 3:55 pm (UTC-5)
President Barack Obama is set to meet with the Democratic and Republican leaders of the U.S. Senate, after negotiations stalled between the two sides on the U.S. national debt and raising the federal government’s borrowing limit. Mr. Obama will meet separately at the White House Monday with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, […]
