United States

• Wednesday, July 22nd 2009 - 08:28 UTC

  Brazil tells Hillary of dissatisfaction with Arias mediation in Honduras crisis

  

  Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim phoned last weekend US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in New Delhi, India, to “express concern” about the slow pace and handling of the negotiations for the reinstatement of the democratic order in Honduras, reports Folha do Sao Paulo.

• Wednesday, July 22nd 2009 - 07:03 UTC

  US government exposure to financial crisis could reach 23.7 trillion USD

  

  The total exposure of the US government to the financial crisis could reach 23.7 trillion US dollars, according to a watchdog report. Neil Barofsky, overseeing the Troubled Asset Relief Programme (Tarp), made the estimate in prepared remarks to a House of Representatives committee. The US GDP for 2008 was estimated in 14.3 trillion US dollars.

• Saturday, July 18th 2009 - 14:47 UTC

  White House defends stimulus plan in spite of soaring unemployment

  

  United States President Barack Obama's 787 billion US dollars stimulus package is working, top White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers insisted on Friday. And although unemployment is a “major area of concern”, Mr Summers said rising joblessness does not prove that the stimulus “is falling short”.

• Friday, July 17th 2009 - 11:08 UTC

  Roubini proposes another stimulus plan to contain US unemployment

  

  New York University professor Nouriel Roubini, one of the few economists who accurately predicted the magnitude of the financial crisis, reiterated on Thursday that the worst of the turmoil has passed. But also emphasized the US will need a second fiscal stimulus, possibly by the end of this year to face two digits unemployment.

• Friday, July 17th 2009 - 07:38 UTC

  Jumbo Humboldt squid “invade” shallow waters off south California

  

  Thousands of jumbo Humboldt flying squid — aggressive 5-foot-long with razor-sharp beaks and toothy tentacles — have invaded the shallow waters off San Diego in southern California, scaring scuba divers and washing up dead on tourist-packed beaches.

• Thursday, July 16th 2009 - 07:37 UTC

  Obama administration and Cuba agree to further dialogue

  

  The first talks between US President Barrack Obama’s administration and Cuba ended with an invitation for US diplomats to visit Havana in December, marking the official beginning of the first dialogue between Havana and Washington in six years.

• Wednesday, July 15th 2009 - 07:55 UTC

  Exxon-Mobil partners with biotech company to develop fuels from algae

  

  The world’s largest publicly traded oil company Exxon Mobil said Tuesday it will make its first major investment in greenhouse gas reducing bio-fuels in a 600 million US dollars partnership with biotech company Synthetic Genomics Inc. to develop fuels from algae. The US corporation will be joining other oil giants (Shell and BP) that have been investing in bio-fuels.

• Monday, July 13th 2009 - 11:50 UTC

  US trade deficit in 2009, 350 billion USD less than in 2008

  

  United States saw its deficit narrow to 26 billion US dollars in May, its lowest level in more than nine years, according to figures from the Commerce Department. Imports continued to fall while exports increased, pushing the deficit to its lowest level since November 1999.

• Saturday, July 11th 2009 - 15:17 UTC

  New leaner GM is born: four key brands and 61% owned by US government

  

  General Motors (GM) says it has emerged from bankruptcy protection after creating a “new GM” made up of the carmaker's best assets. GM chief executive Fritz Henderson said it was the beginning of a “new era”.

• Friday, July 10th 2009 - 12:42 UTC

  Lula da Silva “football diplomacy” distends the G8 summit

  

  United States President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Lula da Silva took time out from their overloaded Thursday agendas to talk about the United States' defeat to Brazil in last month's Confederations Cup Final played in South Africa.