Cubans anticipate news on reforms in Castro speechmore similar news »
HAVANA (Reuters) - President Raul Castro will mark the 55th anniversary of the start of the Cuban revolution on Saturday with a speech to a nation waiting to hear how far and how fast he plans to go in reforming the island's struggling state-run economy.
U.S. regulators seize two more banks, engineer salemore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators took over two banks on Friday and sold them to Mutual of Omaha Bank, the sixth and seventh bank failures this year as financial institutions struggle with a housing bust and credit crunch.
French fries helped calm bin Laden driver: witnessesmore similar news »
GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Hot McDonald's french fries and a call home encouraged Salim Hamdan to cooperate under interrogation but Osama bin Laden's driver did not like cold fries and isolation upset him, witnesses said at his Guantanamo war crimes trial on Friday.
Pentagon auditors request probe after criticismmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The agency that audits Pentagon contracts said on Friday it had asked for an investigation into allegations that its supervisors pressured employees to alter audits in favor of contractors.
U.S. house prices overvalued by up to 20 percent: IMF papermore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The downward spiral of U.S. housing prices still has a way to go and homes were overvalued by between 8 percent to 20 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to research by an International Monetary Fund economist published on Friday.
U.S. expands sanctions against Mugabe's governmentmore similar news »
HARARE (Reuters) - The United States expanded sanctions against President Robert Mugabe's government on Friday, increasing pressure on the Zimbabwean leader as his party discusses a power-sharing deal with the opposition.
Worst over for drivers as pump prices slide: AAAmore similar news »
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. retail gasoline prices have fallen more than 10 cents per gallon in a week and could fall another 25 cents by the end of summer, a sign the worst is over for U.S. motorists this vacation season.
Senate energy speculation bill fails key votemore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to rein in excessive energy speculation failed a key procedural vote on Friday to move forward in the Senate, and now lawmakers will set aside the bill to consider other legislation.
Home sales at 10-year low, jobless claims jumpmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jobless claims jumped and the pace of existing home sales tumbled to a 10-year low as slowing growth hit hiring and a glut of unsold houses weighed on real estate, data released on Thursday showed.
Obama presses Europe on Afghanistan in Berlinmore similar news »
BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama urged Europe to stand by the United States in stabilizing Afghanistan in a speech to over 200,000 in Berlin that stressed the need for unity in the face of new threats.
Flooding feared along U.S.-Mexico border from Dollymore similar news »
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - Hurricane Dolly, which lashed the U.S.-Mexico coastline, weakened to a tropical depression on Thursday over South Texas, but concern remained over flooding along the populous Rio Grande Valley.
Senate on course to vote Saturday on housing billmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate was on course for a Saturday vote to approve a major housing market rescue bill offering a lifeline to mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and bond market action on Thursday indicated investors were encouraged by the progress.
House bid to sell oil from reserve failsmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Thursday failed to pass legislation intended to cool off gasoline prices by requiring the government to sell 70 million barrels of light sweet crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the national stockpile.
WTO trade talks limp into another daymore similar news »
GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks to salvage a global trade deal will limp into another day on Friday after ministers made minimal progress on Thursday in their bid to prevent the suspension of the World Trade Organisation round.
Wall Street tumbles, led by financialsmore similar news »
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks tumbled more than 2 percent on Thursday after a report showing yet another drop in U.S. home sales prompted investors to take profits in financial shares, which had rallied over the past week.
Accounting change not meant to shock: SEC's Coxmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An accounting change that could force banks to bring trillions of dollars of off-balance sheet transactions back on their books will be implemented in a way that will not create unnecessary shocks, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Thursday.
Bin Laden driver was not read rights, court toldmore similar news »
GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's driver was not told of any rights against self-incrimination under years of interrogation, FBI agents told the Guantanamo war crimes court on Thursday.
House passes housing bill; Bush lifts veto threatmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives passed a massive housing rescue bill on Wednesday while the White House dropped a threat to veto it, paving the way for measures aimed at shoring up the worst U.S. housing market since the Great Depression.
Hurricane Dolly hits South Texas, flooding fearedmore similar news »
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - Hurricane Dolly moved inland after tearing into the south Texas coast on Wednesday with 95 mph (150 kph) winds, pouring torrential rain on the U.S.-Mexico border area and threatening floods.
U.S. rejects outside probe of Canadian sent to Syriamore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said on Wednesday he had rejected a request from lawmakers that an outside special counsel investigate the case of a Canadian taken off a plane in New York and sent to Syria, where he says he was tortured.
India warms to U.S. offer to help save WTO talksmore similar news »
GENEVA (Reuters) - India welcomed on Wednesday an offer by the United States to limit its disputed farm subsidies as part of efforts to save a global trade deal but immediately came under pressure from Washington to make concessions itself.
Arctic's oil could meet world demand for 3 yearsmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Arctic Circle holds an estimated 90 billion barrels of recoverable oil, enough supply to meet current world demand for almost three years, the U.S. Geological Survey forecast on Wednesday.
Obama assures Israel he's a friendmore similar news »
SDEROT, Israel (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama assured Israel and its U.S. Jewish supporters on Wednesday he was a friend who would not press for peace concessions that would compromise its security.
Pentagon plays down fears over Afghan violencemore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday sought to play down the seriousness of growing violence in Afghanistan but declined to say the United States and NATO were winning their fight against Taliban insurgents.
Iran sees U.S. respect but says no nuclear retreatmore similar news »
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday praised U.S. participation in last week's talks with Tehran on its disputed nuclear program as "a positive step" and said its arch foe had shown respect.
Dolly becomes hurricane, churns toward Texasmore similar news »
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Dolly became a hurricane on Tuesday and bore down on southern Texas, but forecasters don't expect it to pack too much of a punch when it comes ashore near the Mexican border on Wednesday.
Indian government wins confidence votemore similar news »
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government won a vote of confidence in parliament on Tuesday, ensuring the survival of the ruling coalition and a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.
Fannie, Freddie rescue gets big price tag as House vote loomsmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Bush administration plan to bolster Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could cost U.S. taxpayers $25 billion, congressional analysts said on Tuesday in a report that triggered debate as Congress moved toward approving a major housing market rescue package.
Karadzic arrested in Serbia, worked as doctormore similar news »
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb wartime president Radovan Karadzic, indicted for genocide in the Bosnia war, was captured in disguise near Belgrade after 11 years on the run and had been working as a doctor, Serbian officials said on Tuesday.
Obama says committed to Iraq withdrawal timetablemore similar news »
AMMAN (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Tuesday he was committed to a 16-month timetable for a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq, after a trip in which he met Iraqi leaders and U.S. officials.
Bulldozer in Jerusalem rampage before Obama visitmore similar news »
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian rammed a bulldozer into vehicles on a Jerusalem street on Tuesday before a visit by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who condemned the attack and pledged to push for a peace deal.
Testimony begins in Guantanamo war crimes trialmore similar news »
GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's driver was so close to al Qaeda's inner circle he knew the target of the fourth hijacked jetliner in the September 11 attacks, a prosecutor said on Tuesday in the first Guantanamo war crimes trial.
U.S. offers farm subsidy cut, is asked for moremore similar news »
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States sought to kickstart efforts to rescue a global trade deal on Tuesday by offering to cut a ceiling on its contested farm subsidies, but leading developing countries said it was not enough.
Zimbabwe crisis talks starts in South Africamore similar news »
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition MDC began negotiations on Tuesday in neighboring South Africa on a power-sharing deal that could end the country's political crisis, diplomatic sources said.
Rice in Singapore for N.Korea talksmore similar news »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Singapore on Tuesday for six-party talks over North Korea's weapons program that China said would push forward the process of denuclearization.
First U.S. war crimes trial starts at Guantanamomore similar news »
GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's driver went on trial at Guantanamo on Monday in the first U.S. war crimes trial since World War Two, nearly seven years after the September 11 attacks prompted U.S. President George W. Bush to declare war on terrorism.
Top war crimes fugitive Karadzic arrested: Serbiamore similar news »
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb wartime president Radovan Karadzic, one of the world's most wanted men for his part in civilian massacres, was arrested on Monday, Serbian President Boris Tadic's office said on Monday.
Storm Dolly to become hurricane, hit Texasmore similar news »
CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Dolly churned toward southern Texas on Monday, and forecasters said they expected it to grow into a hurricane before hitting land near the Mexican border later this week.
Obama visits Iraq, focus on U.S. troop levelsmore similar news »
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Iraqi leaders and U.S. military commanders in Baghdad on Monday in a visit overshadowed by the question of when U.S. troops should go home.
Bush law chief seeks new Qaeda war declarationmore similar news »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress should explicitly declare war against al Qaeda to make clear the United States can detain suspected members as long as the conflict lasts, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said on Monday.
U.S. B-52 bomber crashes off Guam, killing 2 crewmore similar news »
MANILA (Reuters) - Two U.S. airmen were killed and four missing after their B-52 bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after take-off on Monday, while preparing to fly in a Liberation Day parade in the U.S. territory of Guam, officials said.
Mugabe, Tsvangirai sign Zimbabwe framework dealmore similar news »
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis.
