The US standoff over debt plans offers little hope of compromise, increasing the threat of a ratings downgrade that could sow chaos in global markets.
Negotiations on a deficit-reduction deal collapsed on Friday as US House Speaker John Boehner pulled out of talks with President Barack Obama.
Deficit reduction talks between President Barack Obama and Republican leaders ran into trouble on Sunday at a meeting marked by testy exchanges.
President Barack Obama set a goal of cutting the US deficit by $4- trillion, plunging into the debate over the nation’s fiscal woes.
US President Barack Obama and congressional leaders reached a last-minute budget deal on Friday, averting a government shutdown.
US congressional negotiators are racing to agree on billions of dollars in spending cuts before the federal government is forced to shut down.
Political momentum was expected to carry a Wall Street reform Bill to approval, but the death of Senator Robert Byrd threatens to delay final action.
United States lawmakers finalised an historic overhaul of financial regulations as dawn broke over Capitol Hill on Friday.
Two Washington, DC, subway trains collided during the Monday afternoon rush hour, killing six people and injuring 70 in a mass of tangled metal.
Pope Benedict, celebrating a stadium Mass for 45 000 people, acknowledged on Thursday that the United States paedophile priests scandal caused ”indescribable pain and harm” to victims but asked Catholics to love their pastors. ”No words of mine can describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse,” he said.