United States

• Friday, April 3rd 2009 - 10:19 UTC

  Last minute agreement on tax havens completes G20 agenda

  

  As G20 negotiations on a new regulatory blueprint bogged down, President Barack Obama pulled French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao into a corner of a room in London’s Excel Centre, according to press reports from London.

• Friday, April 3rd 2009 - 09:12 UTC

  Bipartisan support in US to lift travel restrictions to Cuba

  

  United States senators from both parties, backed by activists and businessmen, began promoting a bill this week to lift travel restrictions to Cuba, and apparently have the necessary votes for approval.

• Wednesday, April 1st 2009 - 10:29 UTC

  Obama in London to convince G-20 he can lead the world out of recession

  

  United States President Barack Obama is in the United Kingdom for his first major foreign trip since taking office in January. In London he is to attend the G20 summit of the world’s 20 major economies representing 85% of global GDP, which is hosted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The two will have breakfast talks in Downing Street on Wednesday followed by meetings with other world leaders.

• Tuesday, March 31st 2009 - 07:21 UTC

  Restructuring deadline for GM & Chrysler; Wall Street plunges

  

  President Barack Obama has given US carmakers General Motors (GM) and Chrysler strict deadlines to restructure before getting more aid. General Motors will be given 60 days and Chrysler just 30 days to submit new plans for recovery.

• Monday, March 30th 2009 - 15:24 UTC

  US will no longer “dictate unilaterally”, but Cuban embargo remains

  

  United States Vice President Joe Biden said that Washington would no longer “dictate unilaterally” to Latin America, and that it had entered a new era in the historically troubled relationship.

• Monday, March 30th 2009 - 15:01 UTC

  CEO of GM steps down following suggestions from Obama

  

  The chief executive of struggling US car company General Motors, Rick Wagoner, has agreed to step down. He will leave his post immediately at the request of the White House, a government official confirmed.

• Monday, March 30th 2009 - 14:32 UTC

  Central America will ask Biden to slow flood of deportations

  

  Central American leaders are expected to push United States to slow a flood of deportations when Vice-President Joe Biden meets with them Monday, promising a “new day for relations” with a region that has felt ignored.

• Saturday, March 28th 2009 - 08:01 UTC

  Biden advances President Obama’s Latinamerican approach

  

  United States Vice President Joe Biden is on a four-day trip to Central and South America for meetings he said represent a “new day” for partnerships in the Americas.

• Saturday, March 28th 2009 - 03:34 UTC

  US economy at its worst in fourth quarter but could be bottoming out

  

  The United States economy contracted at a stunning pace of 6.3% in the fourth quarter of 2008, the most in 26 years, as consumers cut down on spending and exports weakened.

• Friday, March 27th 2009 - 08:02 UTC

  Obama administration unveils regulatory framework for financial system

  

  United States Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has outlined far-reaching plans to strengthen government authority over the US financial system. The measures are designed to prevent the kind of systemic risk-taking among banks that has contributed to the current financial crisis.