UNITED STATES

U.S. consumer confidence took an unexpectedly steep slide in June, figures released on Tuesday showed, suggesting the 18-month-long recession had yet to loosen its grip on the economy.

Very accommodative Federal Reserve monetary policy will stay for an extended period and a premature exit from this strategy could thwart U.S. economic recovery, a top Fed official said on Tuesday.

China will delay the mandatory installation of the controversial Green Dam-Youth Escort filtering software on new computers, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Tuesday.

Misguided government policies have already dealt vicious body blows to our economy, but that hasn't stopped politicians this week from launching two new kicks to the groin: a national health insurance plan and a carbon emissions regulation system called cap and trade?

Billionaire investor George Soros on Tuesday predicted a stop-go economy for the United States, saying fears of inflation will drive up interest rates and choke off growth.

U.S. combat troops mostly left Iraq's cities and towns by midnight on Tuesday and redeployed to rural areas until the end of 2011, six years after invading the country and eventaully overthrowing the previous government under its now executed president Saddam Hussein.

The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday sent Congress proposed legislation to create a new regulatory agency with sweeping powers to write and enforce tough new consumer protection rules for banks and other financial institutions.

When stolen goods are recovered from the criminals when the arrest takes place and then no owner comes along and claims the property, what becomes of that property?

A U.S. bankruptcy court judge opened a hearing on Tuesday morning on government-backed plans by General Motors Corp to seek approval to sell its main assets to a New GM.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday after U.S. consumer confidence data showed a surprise drop, raising doubts about the speed of an economic recovery, and falling oil prices sank energy shares.

Zimbabwe has secured $950 million in credit from China to help rebuild its economy, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Tuesday, the biggest offer from a single country since the unity government was formed.

The total output of China's forestry industry rose 13% in 2008 to 1.33 trillion yuan ($194.7 billion), a senior forestry official said in a conference ended on Sunday.

Oil prices fell more than 3 percent to $69 a barrel on Tuesday, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar and as weak consumer confidence data hit equities.

Iraq takes a major step toward reasserting its sovereignty on Tuesday when U.S. combat troops hand urban areas over to its relatively untested police and soldiers.

Tengzhong's plan to buy Hummer was still being examined by concerned departments and there had been no definitive result toward approval, authorities in Sichuan Province confirmed on Monday.

U.S. troops pulled out of Baghdad on Monday, triggering jubilation among Iraqis hopeful that foreign military occupation is ending six years after the invasion to depose Saddam Hussein.

Iraq regained full control of its towns and cities on Tuesday, declaring the day a national holiday for Iraqis to celebrate the withdrawal of U.S. troops, six years after invading to topple Saddam Hussein.

At least 16 people were killed and 50 injured overnight in Italy when a freight train hauling liquefied petroleum gas derailed and exploded as it passed their homes, officials said Tuesday.

A General Motors Corp bankruptcy court hearing in which the company is seeking to sell its main assets to a New GM began on Tuesday but moved to a recess almost immediately as the judge dealt with communication issues.

Stocks fell on Tuesday after U.S. consumer confidence data showed a surprise drop in June, raising doubts about the speed on an economic recovery.

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, India's top software services firm by sales, sees flat business growth in its fiscal first quarter that ended on Tuesday as economic downturn crimped outsourcing, its chairman said.