Friday, September 10
Goolsbee to head Obama's economics panel
Austan D. Goolsbee, now a member of President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, is to replace Christina Romer as its head, U.S. officials say.
Thursday, September 9
Crude oil prices drop to $74 per barrel
NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices slid in New York Thursday, with prices dropping to $74 per barrel in late afternoon trading.
Wheat futures rebound Thursday
CHICAGO, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Wheat futures regained most of Wednesday's losses on the Chicago Board of Trade Thursday, as the commodity continued a volatile week.
Kilpatrick friend indicted in Detroit
DETROIT, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A Detroit contractor and close friend of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been charged with money laundering, wire fraud and other federal charges.
China may relax one-child policy
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- China may relax its one-child policy as its population ages and a need for workers increases, a demographer in close contact with policymakers says.
China coal mine blast kills seven
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A gas explosion in a coal mine in southwest China Thursday killed seven miners and injured 12 others, officials said.
BOE keeps lending rate unchanged
LONDON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Bank of England said Thursday it would keep its commercial reserve lending rate at 0.5 percent, a move widely expected.
Bank of Korea keeps lending rate unchanged
SEOUL, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Bank of Korea said Thursday it would keep its seven-day repurchase rate unchanged at 2.25 percent, a move that surprised some bank observers.
Wednesday, September 8
Wheat futures fall hard in Chicago
CHICAGO, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Wheat futures fell hard on the Chicago Board of Trade Wednesday, despite the dollar index losing 0.29 percent and modest gains on Wall Street.
Fed's Beige Book documents recovery stall
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday the economic recovery showed "widespread signs" of slowing down, yet positive signs remained.
Retail sales lack that 'cold, wet' spark
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Sales at U.S. retail chains dropped slightly in the week ending Sept. 4, the International Council of Shopping Centers said Wednesday.
Corn popped on the stalk
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- A Kentucky farmer said he isolated a portion of his corn crop because kernels were popping while still on the stalk.
Fear at Kabul Bank leads to punches thrown
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has banned transfers of government funds from the troubled Kabul Bank, a source told The Washington Post.
Jackson slams 'urban farms' for Detroit
DETROIT, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson has pooh-poohed the idea of urban farms in Detroit, saying they wouldn't help repopulate the city.
Light bulbs: The odyssey of a bright idea
WINCHESTER, Va., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The light bulb dreamed up by Thomas Alva Edison is on its last legs as a product made in the United States, a victim of regulations, General Electric said.
2 missing after oil rig tilts in typhoon
BEIJING, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Two workers were missing after strong winds from Typhoon Malou tilted an oil drilling platform in Bohai Bay in China, officials said Wednesday.
Hotel owner finds gold
TRENTHAM, Australia, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The owner of a historic hotel in central Victoria, Australia, says she found a gold nugget in a fireplace.
Tuesday, September 7
PacifiCare faces $9.9B in fines in Calif.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- California regulators accuse PacifiCare of violating state law almost 1 million times and propose fines of up to $9.9 billion, court records show.
Oil prices make slight gains Tuesday
NEW YORK, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices rose slightly in New York Tuesday, but held under $74 per barrel as concern over a stalled recovery continues to dominate economic news.
Farmers/foresters: Healthiest behaviors
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Farmers and foresters lead all occupations in healthy behaviors such as eating healthy and exercising, a U.S. survey indicates.
Japanese journalist freed in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- A Japanese freelance journalist freed after being held 6 months denied Afghan claims his kidnappers were Taliban insurgents.
Grain futures mixed Tuesday in Chicago
CHICAGO, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Grain futures closed mixed on the Chicago Board of Trade Tuesday as the dollar index surged 1.03 percent.
Corn keeps ahead of five-year average
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. corn harvest is under way, with 6 percent done after a hot summer put the crop's progress ahead of its historic averages, the government said.
Cameron aide to be questioned
LONDON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The former editor of News of the World, now British Prime Minister David Cameron's press secretary, faces police questioning, a top official said Tuesday.
Minor injuries in Ohio auto plant blast
TOLEDO, Ohio, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- An explosion at an automotive supplier plant for Chrysler in Ohio has injured nine people, none of them seriously, authorities said.
Barclays picks Diamond as next CEO
LONDON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- British banking giant Barclays Tuesday said Robert Diamond will replace Chief Executive Officer John Varley at the end of March.
Heavy death toll among Iraqi journalists
BAGHDAD, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- More reporters and journalists have been killed in Iraq since 2003 than in any conflict since World War II, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday.
Japan, China protest ship collisions
TOKYO, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Japan and China exchanged protests after collisions between vessels off the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands Tuesday, officials said.
Banks in Japan, Australia maintain rates
TOKYO, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The Bank of Japan said Tuesday it would keep its overnight bank-to-bank lending rate near zero, at 0.1 percent, during a mixed economic recovery.
Monday, September 6
N. Korea to free fishing boat, crew
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- North Korean officials said Monday they will free a South Korean squid fishing boat and its seven-member crew.
Gilad Shalit's father: 'Bring him back'
JERUSALEM, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The parents of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit said they were disappointed after meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to discuss their son's plight.
Sunday, September 5
U.S. guru moves into Dayton real estate
DAYTON, Ohio, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A self-styled Hindu guru says he bought a Dayton, Ohio, office building because of its good vibe and wants to see a bank and restaurant on the first floor.
U.K archbishop says BBC is 'biased'
LONDON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- The most senior Roman Catholic clergyman in Britain says the BBC is biased against "Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular."
Lashing ordered for woman condemned to die
TEHRAN, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- An Iranian woman sentenced to die for adultery faces a sentence of 99 lashes because of a case of mistaken identity, a human rights group says.
6 die in Barbados store holdup fire
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Two would-be robbers threw a Molotov cocktail into a clothing store in Bridgetown, Barbados, Saturday night, killing six women, police said.
Saturday, September 4
Chicago's Merchandise Mart up for sale
CHICAGO, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. is up for sale in the billion-dollar-plus range, Crain's Chicago Business reported Saturday.
Spiders infesting Florida parks
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 4 (UPI) -- A Florida bug expert says banana spiders up to 4 inches long, common in the state's parks and recreational areas, aren't dangerous, but are nutritious.
Craigslist censors adult services listings
ATLANTA, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Craigslist blocked its "adult services" section in the United States after attorneys general in 17 states complained the Internet site promoted prostitution.
Third drill effort to reach Chile miners
SANTIAGO, Chile, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said work on a third rescue tunnel would begin soon at the site where 33 miners have been trapped for more than a month.
China: Another monster traffic jam
BEIJING, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Poor traffic management and road design are responsible for a massive traffic jam involving more than 10,000 trucks in China, officials say.
U.N. predicts bigger swings in food supply
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- A U.N. agency says the 2010 global wheat harvest is one of the largest ever but experts say a less stable climate will mean bigger food supply fluctuations.
Friday, September 3
Orszag becomes New York Times columnist
NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Former Obama administration budget guru Peter Orszag will ply his talents for The New York Times as a contributing columnist, the newspaper said Friday.
Balloon Boy, family move to Florida
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The Colorado man who staged the "balloon boy" charade last year had his mug shot taken Friday in Florida after moving his family there, officials said.
Crude oil tops $75 per barrel
NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices wound up below $75 a barrel Friday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, unable to follow the stock markets higher.
Rep. seeks compliance docs on Mariner Energy
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A Democratic congressman Friday requested to see compliance documents for the Mariner Energy oil platform that caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico a day earlier.
Canadian mine faces Indian opposition
OTTAWA, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Canadian Indian leaders say they remain opposed to a proposed copper-gold mine in British Columbia and warned of violence if the project proceeds.
Chinese fishing boat struck by freighter
BEIJING, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A Chinese fishing boat carrying an unknown number of people sank after being hit by a South Korean ship off the west coast of South Korea, officials said.
Pakistan floods put banks in jeopardy
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Credit rating agency Moody's Investor Service said floods in Pakistan could undermine the nation's banks.
Unemployment rises to 9.6 percent
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. economy shed 54,000 jobs in August as the employment recovery eroded for the second consecutive month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.
Afghanistan says it will back Kabul Bank
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the government would guarantee deposits at stumbling Kabul Bank, which was rocked by a sudden government takeover.
Report: Workers pay more for healthcare
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Premiums paid by employees in the United States for their companies' health plans increased by 14 percent this year, a report released Thursday said.
Thursday, September 2
Suspect in Veronica Guerin killing busted
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- John Traynor, an Irish gangster suspected of conspiring in the killing of reporter Veronica Guerin, has been arrested in the Netherlands, officials said.
Fort Collins, Colo., drivers said safest
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Fort Collins, Colo., has America's safest drivers, says the Allstate Insurance Co. in its annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report."
Afghan banker warns of 'revolution'
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A major shareholder in a top Afghan bank says the government and the United States must help stabilize the bank to prevent "revolution in our financial system."
Russia takes long view on export ban
MOSCOW, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the moratorium on grain exports could be in place for another year.
Crude oil prices climb Thursday
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices rose Thursday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, closing in on $75 per barrel as equity prices were positive for the second consecutive day.
China: Imported U.S. baby formula unsafe
BEIJING, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- China, which had a tainted infant-formula scandal two years ago, says the safety of its baby formula has been threatened by U.S. and other foreign dairy goods.
Grains in Chicago close higher
CHICAGO, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Grains closed higher on the Chicago Board of Trade Thursday with the dollar index off 0.17 percent.
Russian airline sues Moscow for road jam
MOSCOW, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Aeroflot filed suit against the city of Moscow, alleging the government caused the Russian airline to lose millions during road repair traffic jams.
Worst typhoon in a decade strikes S. Korea
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Three people were killed when Typhoon Kompasu, the seventh typhoon this year, hit South Korea Thursday, Korea Meteorological Administration officials said.
Darling laments bonus pay tax
LONDON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said a tax on massive bank executive bonus checks had only a short-term effect.
Pending home sales rose in July
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Pending U.S. home sales rose modestly in July, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.
Mortgage interest rates set record lows
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Average interest rates for long-term mortgages set record lows in the week ending Sept. 2, the U.S. Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. said Thursday.
Schumer warns Fed of credit issuer dodge
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. credit card companies may be dodging a consumer protection law by sending solicitations for professional-class cards, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said.
Given uncertainty, ECB leaves rate alone
FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The European Central Bank said Thursday it would keep its lending rate unchanged at 1 percent.
Manufacturing shows growth in August
TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. manufacturing expanded for the 13th consecutive month in August, the Institute of Supply Management said.
Wednesday, September 1
Flurry of storms is typical for time of year, experts say
MIAMI -- In the last two weeks, it seems as though the tropics have exploded: Hurricane Earl, big, scary and steaming toward North Carolina and a string of states. Tropical Storm Fiona, nearing hurricane strength but heading into hostile conditions and out to sea.
Wheat prices gain with dollar down
CHICAGO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Grains were mixed on the Chicago Board of Trade Wednesday with wheat futures up sharply and soybean prices moderately lower.
Fuld: Government failed Lehman Bros.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Former Lehman Bros. Chief Executive Officer Richard Fuld Jr. told a Washington panel Wednesday that government error allowed the firm to fail.
Safety advocates seek hot car warnings
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. automobile safety regulators are considering a proposal to require the installation of warning systems to prevent children from being left in cars.
Deseret News to cut staff by 43 percent
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News said it would merge its editorial staff with KSL-TV and Radio in the fall, cutting 43 percent of its staff.
GM hands over keys to Akerson
DETROIT, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- General Motors Co. handed the keys to the car company to board member Daniel Akerson, who took over as chief executive officer Wednesday.
Chile miners clean up, settle in, wait
COPIAPO, Chile, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A video shows 33 miners doing their best to adapt to what is expected to be as many as four months stuck inside a Chilean copper mine.
Construction outlays dropped in July
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Construction spending in the United States dropped 1 percent in July compared to June, the U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday.
Settlers vow to break building freeze
JERUSALEM, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The settler council said it would break the building freeze in response to the slaying of four Israelis by terrorists near Hebron Tuesday night.
Tuesday, August 31
Grain futures lower Tuesday
CHICAGO, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Grain futures closed lower Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade with declines led by sharp drops in wheat and soybean prices.
Afghanistan takes control of Kabul Bank
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Officials in Afghanistan said regulators seized control of the county's largest private bank, where a collapse would be an economic and political nightmare.
NTSB: Faulty plane simulators cause deaths
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Flight simulator training flaws led to some of the worst airline accidents in the last decade, a U.S. newspaper's analysis showed.
Russia invites automakers with tariffs
MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said customs tariffs on automobiles would be raised, calling it encouragement for foreign companies to set up shop in Russia.
PBC launches online option
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- China's central bank launched an online banking system expected to save consumers money in the long run, a banking research program director said.
In China, a retailer's prison drama
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- An appeals court in China upheld the 14-year prison sentence of retail executive Huang Guangyu, who is struggling to maintain influence on his company.
Chinese lawyer talks trade, investment in Washington state
Aug. 31--Before he opened the first private law firm in China 18 years ago, Q.H. Charles Duan came to study in Seattle, where he graduated from the University of Washington Law School and became the first foreign-law consultant admitted by the Washington State Supreme Court.
Monday, August 30
Home values rose in second quarter
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. said Monday home values rose in all nine U.S. Census divisions in the second quarter compared with the first.
Some Bedroom Depot orders to be filled
WINDSOR, Ontario, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Canadian furniture retailer Bedroom Depot, which filed for bankruptcy protection last week, said it would honor some orders customers have already paid-for.
Grains futures mixed Monday
CHICAGO, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Grain futures closed mixed Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade, with the dollar index up 0.27 percent.
Washington State looks for China to invest
SEATTLE, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Washington State is increasing its pursuit of Chinese investments with a diplomatic envoy headed to Beijing in two weeks, The Seattle Times reported Monday.
Carbon monoxide eyed in Ariz. mine deaths
SHOW LOW, Ariz., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. mine safety officials headed to northern Arizona Monday to investigate the deaths of two workers apparently killed by carbon monoxide in a mine shaft.
Frank Lloyd Wright homes remain unsold
PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Pasadena, Calif., could be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere, says the real estate agent listing the property.
Trip goal: Border to border on 14 gallons
TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- An inventor says he will drive an ultralight car he built down the length of the U.S. West Coast on 14 gallons of gas.
Spending and incomes rose in July
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Commerce Department said consumer spending and incomes rose in July after months of virtually stagnant data.
Japan, China sign seven trade pacts
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Japanese and Chinese officials pledged to improve the countries' trade cooperation with seven new agreements.
Sunday, August 29
Trapped Chilean miners talk to families
SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Thirty-three Chilean miners trapped deep underground for 24 days got to talk with their families by telephone for the first time Sunday, officials said.
Katrina called a 'man-made' disaster
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- On the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu called the devastation caused by the deadly 2005 storm a "man-made disaster."
Oxford dictionary to be digital only
The next edition of Britain's venerable Oxford English Dictionary will not be printed due to the Internet's impact on declining book sales, its publisher says.
Donovan: Housing policy to move forward
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan said Sunday the federal government would start two new programs to help struggling homeowners.
Government to sell White House replica
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Federal regulators are selling a 13,000-square-foot replica of the White House in Lawrenceville, Ga., that includes a drive-through window.
Saturday, August 28
Start up bank, rare, but true
LAKE CHARLES, La., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The first and only new bank charter granted to a U.S. bank this year started in Lake Charles, La., with $13 million in capital, The New York Times reported.
Miners, rescuers prepare for long struggle
SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Efforts are under way to secure the health, including the mental health, of 33 miners trapped since Aug. 5 in a mine in Chile.
Nine dead in Chinese fire
SHENYANG, China, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A fire in a real estate project in northeast China's Liaoning Province has killed 9 people and injured 9 others, fire officials say.
Friday, August 27
Experts: N.C. emerald largest in U.S.
HIDDENITE, N.C., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Experts said a 64-carat emerald discovered by a gem miner in North Carolina is the largest cut emerald ever found in the United States.
Putin drives Russian car on Siberian trip
KHABAROVSK, Russia, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, on a road trip through the Far East, gave some tourists a surprise talk Friday on the merits of his modest Lada Kalina.
Crude oil prices jump Friday
NEW YORK, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices charged higher Friday as equities on Wall Street rallied on reassurances from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Corn, soybeans up Friday, oats close lower
CHICAGO, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Grain futures closed mixed Friday on the Chicago Board of Trade, despite a strong rally on Wall Street.
Harvard, Princeton are top 2 institutions
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Harvard University is one of five Ivy League schools among six schools at the top of the U.S.News and World Report's ranking of universities.
Japan to consider currency intervention
TOKYO, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday it was time Bank of Japan monetary policymakers considered a currency rate intervention.
Flyover blamed for mass chicken deaths
COTES-D'ARMOR, France, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A French farmer is demanding compensation for 4,800 chickens apparently killed by fright when two jet fighters flew overhead.
Detroit mayor changes mind on residence
DETROIT, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has changed his mind and will move into the Manoogian Mansion, but wants to have its name changed, his spokesman says.
Affluent got most help in Katrina disaster
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Affluent whites benefited more than poor blacks from programs meant to help Gulf Coast residents recover from Hurricane Katrina, an official says.
Trapped miners send video to families
COPIAPO, Chile, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Thirty-three men trapped in a mine in Chile since early August sent a video message to their families, expressing thanks for the work being done to free them.
Annual Fed gathering amid uncertainty
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- This year's annual Federal Reserve summer retreat in Wyoming occurs against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and slipping indicators, economists say.
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