Search results for

The mammoth oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, sparked by the explosion and sinking of a deep-water oil rig, now surrounds the river delta, all but shutting down fisheries. But the oil industry still has many friends there. As Louisianans fight the crude invading their coast, many also want to repel efforts to limit offshore drilling.

Republicans want to see rates cut to about 4 percent for 30-year fixed-rate home loans for borrowers with decent credit. The move could help to prop up the housing market, and it could save millions of homeowners a lot of money if they refinanced.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the Fed is committed to keeping the U.S. economy out of a recession. He did not indicate a specific percentage-point cut to interest rates to prevent housing and credit problems from dragging down the economy.

A "Flaming Maniac" over Health Care Reform

Eds. note: The wait time in Canada for Pap smear results can take up to six months in some cases, but patients are not "forced to wait over six months" as…

Finding himself unable to pay debts he had accrued as a student, a young man declared bankruptcy through the courts. Years later, the lender said that the debt had not been forgiven altogether. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the man.

During his 34 years on the Supreme Court, Justice John Paul Stevens became a brilliant tactician, forging unexpected majorities that established new legal rules on issues ranging from the death penalty to national security. Although the retiring justice dislikes the description, he is considered the leader of the court's liberal faction.

Unlike almost every other country in the West, Norway remains relatively unscathed by the worst financial crisis in decades. While most nations spent during boom years, Norway saved. Today, housing prices are rising, interest rates are low, and frugal management of income from Norway's huge oil and natural gas reserves have helped the country build one of the world's biggest investment funds.

The British government promises savers at one of the country's biggest banks that their money is safe. The Northern Rock bank was forced to ask for emergency funding from the Bank of England, prompting thousands of people to line up in an effort to withdraw their deposits.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hailed the progress her country has made since it emerged from civil war in 2003 as she visited the United States this week. She is in the U.S. to consolidate support for her West African nation as it attempts to rebuild.