United States

• Thursday, November 1st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  U.S. pilot who dropped Hiroshima bomb dies

  

  Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the U.S. bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan on August 6, 1945, died on Thursday at age 92, a newspaper reported.

• Wednesday, October 31st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Fed cuts interest rate to 4.5% but admits risks to inflation

  The United States Federal Reserve by a clear majority voted on Wednesday to cut US interest rates 25 basis points from 4.75% to 4.5%. The widely expected decision was taken to help revive the country's faltering housing and credit markets.

• Thursday, October 25th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Wind fanned wildfires scorch California, half million evacuees

  

  US President George W Bush has declared California a major disaster zone after four days of wildfires sparked the biggest evacuation since Hurricane Katrina. The fires have killed five people, injured 40 and burned 1.500 homes, causing an estimated one billion US dollars in damage.

• Friday, October 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  US markets plunge on growing concerns about a recession

  

  United States stocks tumbled lower Friday (anniversary of 19 October 1987 Black Monday) closing a disastrous week sparked by poor bank and company earnings reports plus growing concerns about the state of the economy.

• Thursday, October 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Bill Gates anticipates voice-text-video integration revolution

  

  Computer giant Microsoft is getting into the telephone business. Chairman Bill Gates was in San Francisco for the official launch of software linking a person's phone, computer and other communications devices.

• Wednesday, October 17th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  US Lower House votes four year extension for internet tax ban

  The United States House of Representatives approved Wednesday a new four-year ban on state or local taxation of Internet over the objections of both Republicans and Democrats seeking a permanent ban. The current three-year ban on access taxes expires on November first.

• Tuesday, October 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  US private banks set up rescue fund for sub-prime debt

  Three of United States largest banks have announced a plan to buy up billions of dollars of troubled investments that lost value in the global credit crunch. The unusual move aims to boost confidence in the market for short-term and sub-prime debt, preventing a further sell-off of such investments.

• Monday, October 15th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  US Gulf of Mexico oil tracts bids bring in 2.9 billion

  

  The United States Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service recent central Gulf of Mexico lease sale received 1,428 bids on 723 tracts, attracting 2.9 billion US dollars in high bids – the second highest total in U.S. leasing history.

• Sunday, October 14th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Gap between US richest and poorest at its widest in 25 years

  The gap between United States richest and poorest is at its widest in 25 years with the wealthiest taking home a record share of the nation's income that exceeds even the previous high in 2000, according to recent data from the Internal Revenue Service, IRS.

• Sunday, October 14th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Bush urges Congress on trade pacts with Latam countries

  United States President George Bush on Saturday urged Congress to pass trade pacts with Peru, Colombia and Panama, and promised to strengthen job re-training programs and other measures to help workers displaced as a result of trade-related job losses.