Yahoo! Canada News: U.S.

U.S. job losses spike in June, dampen recovery hopes

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:33:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers cut far more jobs than expected last month and the unemployment rate hit 9.5 percent, the highest in nearly 26 years, underscoring the likelihood of a long, slow recovery from recession.

South Carolina governor did not misuse state funds: official

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:21:00 GMT

Reuters - ATLANTA (Reuters) - South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who faces growing calls to quit over his affair with an Argentine woman, did not misuse public funds in trips he made to see his mistress, the state's top police official said on Thursday.

White House to hold swine flu summit

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:02:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House said Thursday it would hold a high-level meeting next week bringing together top government officials to prepare for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of A(H1N1) flu.

MySpace suicide conviction tentatively dismissed

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:50:00 GMT

Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday tentatively dismissed the conviction of a suburban mother accused of driving a love-lorn 13-year-old girl to suicide by tormenting her with a fake MySpace persona.

U.S. marshals seize Madoffs' $7 million NY apartment

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. marshals seized the luxury $7 million New York City penthouse apartment of imprisoned fraudster Bernard Madoff and his wife, Ruth, officials said on Thursday.

U.S. home prices seen down over 40 percent: Barclays

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:56:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. housing prices will fall by a double-digit percentage from already beaten-down levels, resulting in an overall 40 percent plunge by the time foreclosures peak in the second half of 2010, Barclays Capital economist Michelle Meyer said.

Vice President Biden visits Baghdad

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:51:00 GMT

Reuters - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden made a previously unannounced visit to Baghdad on Thursday to meet Iraqi leaders and U.S. military commanders just days after American troops withdrew from Iraqi towns and city centers.

Obama, Russia PM Putin may discuss reserve currencies

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:35:00 GMT

Reuters - MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin may discuss reserve currencies with U.S. President Barack Obama at a breakfast in Moscow next week, Putin's spokesman said on Thursday.

Surge in US job losses 'sobering' : Obama

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:31:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama said Thursday the latest surge in job losses was "sobering," after new government figures pushed the unemployment rate to a new 26-year high of 9.5 percent.

US sends swine flu meds to Latin America, Caribbean

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:27:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States will provide 420,000 courses of antiviral medication Tamiflu to fight swine flu in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said Thursday.

NY thieves want iPhones, victims fight back

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:53:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thieves are increasingly going after iPhones and other smartphones but victims now can fight back with technology.

Obama says will take months to turn around economy

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:51:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday there were signs that the "economic storm" that has made millions jobless was waning, but warned that it would still take the United States many months to recover.

Cash-strapped California sets interest rate on "IOUs"

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:34:00 GMT

Reuters - SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California officials, facing a cash crisis without a state budget agreement, approved on Thursday a 3.75 percent interest rate and an October 2 maturity date for registered warrants, or "IOUs," the state will issue in lieu of payments to vendors, local agencies and individuals.

US puts sanctions on Iraq Shiite group, Iran adviser

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:29:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States imposed financial sanctions Thursday on an adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a Iraq-based Shiite group Kata'ib Hezbollah, branded a foreign terrorist outfit.

White House says expects jobless rate to climb

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:08:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy will continue to shed jobs for months to come but there are signs the economic stimulus plan is working, the White House said on Thursday.

Taco Bell replaces McDonald's as NBA sponsor: source

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Reuters - CHICAGO (Reuters) - Taco Bell has replaced McDonald's Corp as the National Basketball Association's official fast-food sponsor, a source familiar with the deal said on Thursday.

Hot dogs to replace steaks this July 4 holiday

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:03:00 GMT

Reuters - CHICAGO (Reuters) - Americans will be throwing more hot dogs and hamburgers on their backyard grills rather than higher-priced meat like steaks this July 4 U.S. Independence Day holiday as the recession and high unemployment crimp celebrations.

Lawyers for US terror trial ask to visit CIA jails

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:42:00 GMT

AFP - NEW YORK (AFP) - Lawyers for the first Guantanamo Bay detainee to be transferred to US soil for a civilian trial, set for September 2010, asked Thursday to see the secret CIA prisons where he was allegedly tortured.

Kennedy, Dodd health plan cost drops to $611 billion

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:26:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Key Senate Democrats said on Thursday the cost of their plan to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system has dropped to $611 billion over a decade, a figure they hope will help draw wider bipartisan support in Congress.

Biden on surprise trip to Iraq

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:16:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Iraq Thursday in a surprise trip just days after US forces completed their pullout from Iraqi cities, the White House said.

United Air says O'Hare computer outage addressed

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:43:00 GMT

Reuters - ATLANTA (Reuters) - United Airlines said on Thursday that a computer outage that had caused flight delays with its operations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was being resolved, but advised travelers to continue to check the status of flights on its Website.

Weak US jobs data dashes quick recovery hopes

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:12:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - US job losses surged to 467,000 in June, pushing the unemployment rate to a new 26-year high of 9.5 percent, according to data Thursday that dampened hopes for an early recovery from recession.

US ready for NKorean missile: military commander

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:12:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States is ready to intercept any North Korean long-range missile, a top US military commander said Thursday, as Pyongyang further tested international patience with fresh launches.

Guantanamo suspect to be tried in U.S. court in 2010

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:09:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - The first detainee transferred from Guantanamo Bay to a U.S. civilian court will go on trial on September 13, 2010, a Manhattan federal court judge said on Thursday.

Americans take to road but cautious after gas shock

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:04:00 GMT

Reuters - GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - Robert Neal will take to the road this Independence Day holiday the same as millions of other Americans. But there's a difference in their road-trip ritual this Fourth of July.

Marines told to make history in south Afghanistan

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Reuters - GARMSIR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Thousands of U.S. Marines were told they were about to make history before they set out on Thursday to wrest control of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province away from the Taliban.

USTR investigating reports China blocks U.S. poultry

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:18:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is concerned about industry reports that China will stop issuing import permits for chicken, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative said Thursday.

Web advertisers propose self-regulation principles

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:56:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Online advertisers are proposing a mix of consumer education, disclosures about what information is being collected and special protections for children and sensitive information in an effort to head off tough legislation.

US names new envoy to Taiwan

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:21:00 GMT

AFP - TAIPEI (AFP) - The United States has named a new de facto ambassador to Taiwan, amid improving ties with Taipei under President Ma Ying-jeou, the US mission here said Thursday.

Obama on 'reset' mission in Russia summit

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:09:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama leaves for Russia Sunday, seeking to honor a US vow to "reset" strained but tentatively easing ties with Moscow and to muster a united front against Iran's nuclear program.

US officials meet with China on NKorea sanctions

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:53:00 GMT

AFP - BEIJING (AFP) - A US delegation met on Thursday with Chinese officials for talks on implementing UN sanctions imposed on North Korea in retaliation for its nuclear test in May, officials said.

US slaps sanctions on Al-Qaeda backers, others

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:48:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on an Al-Qaeda backer and three leaders of Pakistan-based Islamist group Laskhar-e-Taiba, which was blamed over last year's Mumbai attacks.

Obama's climate leadership faces test at G8 forum

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:11:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, buoyed by a domestic victory on climate policy, faces his first foreign test on the issue next week at a forum that could boost the chances of reaching a U.N. global warming pact this year.

Russia's Medvedev urges Obama to put aside differences

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:54:00 GMT

Reuters - MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday Washington and Moscow must set aside the power politics of the past and use a forthcoming summit to unite in tackling global economic and political problems.

SEC lawyer raised alarm about Madoff: report

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:48:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer warned about irregularities at Bernard Madoff's financial management firm as far back as 2004, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing agency documents and sources familiar with the investigation.

US, Venezuela mend breach with ambassadors' return

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:45:00 GMT

AFP - CARACAS (AFP) - The US ambassador to Venezuela has returned to Caracas, restoring diplomatic ties that were ruptured nine months ago with his expulsion in a row with President Hugo Chavez, the US embassy said.

NY City apartment sales down over 50 percent

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:44:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Manhattan apartment sales plunged more than 50 percent and the average price dropped 21.4 to 24 percent from a year ago, as the U.S. recession forced many who own a piece of the Big Apple to eat humble pie, several reports said.

US voices concern over Niger crisis

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:58:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House waded into the Niger's deepening political crisis, accusing the Saharan country's president of undermining the rule of law.

Muslims not just concerned about US policy: envoy

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:39:00 GMT

AFP - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US envoy tasked with reaching out to Muslims around the world said she expects to go beyond criticism of Washington's foreign policy, outlining an ambitious program of reconciliation.

New York police expand dirty bomb security

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:48:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thousands of additional law enforcement officers within 50 miles of New York City will have access to radiation detectors for dirty bombs and nuclear devices, New York police said on Wednesday.

Oscar winning actor Karl Malden dies at 97

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:23:00 GMT

Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar winner Karl Malden, the bulbous-nosed character actor acclaimed for film roles in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront" before gaining TV fame as a leading man in "The Streets of San Francisco," died on Wednesday at age 97.

Obama pushes ahead with transport fund rescue

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:26:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is pushing ahead with plans to shore up dwindling federal reserves for highway construction and establish a government-run bank to pay for future transportation projects.

Pet python kills Florida toddler

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:09:00 GMT

Reuters - MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida toddler was strangled on Wednesday by a 12-foot (3.6-meter) albino Burmese python that escaped from a holding tank in the girl's home, authorities said.

CORRECTION: U.S. senators press Vietnam on jailed priest

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:58:00 GMT

Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of U.S. senators urged Vietnam's president on Wednesday to free a Catholic priest as human rights groups said his imprisonment justified putting Hanoi on a U.S. religious freedom blacklist.

No Senate holiday, NY's gov says as GOP turns to him

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:57:00 GMT

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York senators must stay in Albany over the U.S. Independence Day holiday for extraordinary sessions, according to a decision on Wednesday by the governor, trying again to get warring lawmakers to pick a leader and finally enact bills.