WHITE HOUSE

The United States lost its top-tier AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor's, drawing a blast of criticism on Saturday from its biggest creditor China and deepening investors' alarm over the euro zone's debt crisis.

The path to a debt deal took too long and was too divisive, and lawmakers must now work together to strengthen the country's fiscal position and spur growth, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Saturday.

China's commentary which came after credit rating agency Standard & Poor downgraded U.S credit rating from a top-notch AAA to AA+, harshly criticized U.S for its "debt-addiction" and short-sightedness of politicians.

The United States wouldn't enjoy "risk-free" top AAA credit rating any longer. Standard & Poor's decision, being questioned by many including the White House, to downgrade AAA rating to AA+ was based on an analysis which blew up U.S. deficits by $2 trillion.

President Barack Obama on proposed $120 million in new tax credits for businesses that hire U.S. veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at a time of high unemployment at home.

Slight improvement in jobs report is not enough, GOP hopefuls say.

Amidst union stalemates and subsidy negotiations, Congress passed a temporary bi-partisan reauthorization bill on Thursday that would allow the Federal Aviation Administration to collect taxes and return thousands of employees back to work after the shutdown.

America's unemployment rate improved slightly in July, but the high figure is weighing heavily against President Barack Obama in his re-election bid.

Army officer Donna Bachler has not had a regular paycheck since she left active duty four years ago, even though she boasts the kind of skills employers vie for.

President Barack Obama has asked Timothy Geithner to stay on as Treasury secretary and a decision is expected soon, officials said on Thursday.

President Barack Obama turned 50 on Thursday. But the celebration was muted by a big decline on Wall Street. Some economists are suggesting the U.S. is just "one shock" away from another recession, and questions are being peppered to Obama about his plans for turning around the U.S. economy.

Emboldened by concessions wrung from their own leadership and President Barack Obama during the debt limit fight, Tea Party-affiliated lawmakers will likely remain a driving force in the Republican Party -- and possibly induce gridlock until the 2012 elections.

Security experts have discovered an unprecedented series of cyber attacks on the networks of 72 organizations globally, including the United Nations, governments and corporations, over a five-year period.

The number of Americans newly infected with HIV remained stable between 2006 and 2009, but infections rose nearly 50 percent among young black gay and bisexual men, U.S. experts said on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama celebrates the big 5-0.

Thousands of civilians were fleeing the city, a bastion of protest surrounded by a ring of steel of troops with tanks and heavy weapons

In the largest one-day hike in history, U.S. Government debt shot up to $239 billion.

The U.S. Debt Deal crisis has claimed another casualty: the U.S. air transportation system -- Congress has left town without funding a key Federal Aviation Administration budget: as a result, 70,000 construction and related workers have been idled, and 4,000 furloughed, work on projects valued at $11 billion has been delayed.

Faced with the prospect of a U.S. debt deal that could substantially shrink the military budget, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta posted a letter to Pentagon employees warning against 'misguided' cuts that could imperil the nation's security.

President Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to end the 12 day long FAA shutdown, as they recessed for the summer. The President remarked that members need not even return to town to resolve the dispute, and that it could be done through a procedural agreement when the debate resumes in September. He stated, "This is a lose, lose, lose situation that can be easily solved...."

Two top Republican leaders have apologized to President Obama for using racially charged language while criticizing the White House policies.