Pentagon braces for budget cuts
Washington, Feb 11 : The US Defence Department is bracing for budget cuts set to be announced next week, Xinhua reported. Read Full Story

US stocks fall amid Greece uncertainties
New York, Feb 11 : US stocks closed lower Friday as uncertainties about the Greek debt crisis and poor economic data weighed the market. Read Full Story

US okays two new nuclear power reactors for first time since 1978
Washington, Feb 10: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has permitted construction and operating license for two new nuclear power reactors for the first time since 1978 at a site in eastern Georgia. Read Full Story

Michelle Obama dances with 14000 kids during birthday tour of 'Lets Move'
London, Feb 10 : Michelle Obama got a crowd of 14,000 to dance with her to mark the second anniversary of her campaign to fight childhood obesity in the US on Thursday. Read Full Story

Over 4 in 10 Americans say bomb Iran to halt its nuke program
Washington, Feb.10 : A new You-Gov poll finds 44 percent of Americans favor, and 35 percent opposed to a bomb strike against Iran to stop its nuclear program. Read Full Story

American Indian tribe suing brewers for alcohol woes
Washington, Feb 10 : An American Indian tribe in the US state of South Dakota has filed a lawsuit against some of the world's biggest beer makers over severe alcohol-related problems in their community. Read Full Story

Every meeting stops at 6:30 for family dinner, says Michelle Obama
Washington, Feb 10 : Michelle Obama has revealed that every night when her husband is in town, the family has dinner together. Read Full Story

Brandon Jacobs calls Bundchen 'cute' as he apologises to her
New York, Feb 10 : Brandon Jacobs has apologised to Gisele Bundchen for telling her to "shut up," when she slammed the Patriots team for their defeat in the Super Bowl. Read Full Story

US allows women to serve closer to battlefield
Washington, Feb 10 : US Defence Department Thursday announced it will open up over 14,000 positions to women, including those in direct ground combat units. Read Full Story

US stocks edge higher amid Greek hope
New York, Feb 10: US stocks edged higher Thursday amid Greek's long-awaited austerity deal and better-than-expected jobless claims. Read Full Story

US stocks little changed after Greece deal
New York, Feb 10: US stocks traded in a very narrow range around the breakeven line Thursday as investors felt little thrilled after Greek political leaders had agreed on austerity cuts after a dangerous deadlock. Read Full Story

Report: U.S. reviewing military options in Syria to end conflict
WASHINGTON, D.C. : The U.S. government has begun a preliminary internal review of U.S. military capabilities in Syria in the event U.S. President Barack Obama calls for them, senior administration officials told CNN on late Tuesday. Read Full Story

Webcam spying case: US may upgrade one charge against ex Indian-origin Rutgers case
Washington, Feb 8: American authorities want to upgrade one of the charges against a former Indian-origin Rutgers student Dharun Ravi, who has been accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate's intimate encounter with another man. Read Full Story

Gisele Bundchen slammed by Bostonians over Super Bowl comment
Washington, Feb 8 : People of Boston are infuriated with Gisele Bundchen for slamming the New England Patriots team for their defeat at the hands of New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Read Full Story

Parents' council sends out petition against NBC for Super Bowl 'obscenity'
Washington, Feb 8 : An advocacy group, which is concerned about what kids see on TV, has launched an on-line petition against NBC for showing M.I.A.'s apparent curse word and middle finger flipping vulgar gesture during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. Read Full Story

US appeal court rules California same sex marriage ban unconstitutional
New York, Feb 8: An American federal appeals court has rejected California's same-sex marriage ban, setting the stage for a U.S. Supreme Court showdown as early as next year. Read Full Story

US job openings increased in December 2011
Washington, Feb 8: US job openings increased in December 2011, a positive sign of improving job market, the Labor Department reported. Read Full Story

US immigration agency creates ombudsman's post
Washington, Feb 8 : US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Tuesday designated Andrew Lorenzen-Strait to be the agency's first public advocate as part of "ongoing detention reform and other enforcement-related initiatives". Read Full Story

Obama touts plan for better math and science instruction
Washington, Feb 8 : President Barack Obama announced Tuesday an USD 80 million plan to improve mathematics and science instruction in US public schools as one of his initiatives to revive the economy. Read Full Story

Study: Shark attack deaths worldwide highest since 1993
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA : Sharks killed at least a dozen people worldwide last year, the highest number in nearly two decades, according to statistics released by the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida on Tuesday. Read Full Story

Virgin Active's muted response to racism provokes outrage on social network
Johannesburg, Feb 7: A muted response by a gym group Virgin Active to a racist incident at its Morningside branch has provoked an outcry on social networks. Read Full Story

Anne Hathaway throws engagement party in NYC
Washington, Feb 7: Anne Hathaway celebrated her engagement to fiance Adam Shulman on Saturday night. Read Full Story

U.S. closes embassy in Syria due to unrest
WASHINGTON, D.C. : The U.S. government on Monday closed its embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus due to concerns that its staff is not sufficiently protected from armed attacks, U.S. officials said. Read Full Story

'Obama Girl' stuck with tag from 2008
Washington, Feb 7 : The 29-year-old New Yorker, who became famous as the Obama Girl in 2008 when her YouTube videos supporting Obama's presidential campaign went viral, says that her act back then "doesn't necessarily mean" she'll have to be the 'Obama Girl' forever. Read Full Story

Nick Cannon wants more kids
Washington, Feb 7: Nick Cannon has revealed that he wants more kids with wife Mariah Carey but says the singer isn't so keen. Read Full Story

'No decision yet on granting US citizenship to Pak doc who aided CIA to track Osama'
Washington, Feb 7 : US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland has said that the decision over granting US citizenship to Dr Shakil Afridi, the man who allegedly helped the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) track down former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Abbottabad hideout, was still pending. Read Full Story

Obama would win re-election by 51-45 pc over Romney if polls held now
Washington, Feb 7: US President Barack Obama is leading over his nearest Republican rival Mitt Romney by six percentage points, a new poll has shown. Read Full Story

U.S. toughens sanctions on Iran by freezing country's and Central Bank's properties
Washington, Feb 7: The U.S. has imposed a fresh set of sanctions on the Iranian government to pressure the latter to halt its nuclear program. Read Full Story

Obama leads Romney in poll
Washington, Feb 7 : President Barack Obama is preferred by 52 percent of Americans compared with 43 percent who favour Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, a Washington Post-ABC News poll published Monday revealed. Read Full Story

Child abuse hospitalised 4,500 US kids in one year
Washington, Feb 7: In one year alone, over 4,500 children in the US were hospitalised due to child abuse, and 300 of them died of their injuries, a new study has said. Read Full Story

Obama orders freeze on Iranian property
Washington, Feb 7 : US President Barack Obama has ordered the freezing of Iran's property under American jurisdiction, including that of the country's central bank, the White House said. Read Full Story

US closes embassy in Syria
Washington, Feb 7 : The US Monday closed its embassy in Syria and pulled out its staff, including ambassador Robert Ford, over security concerns, the State Department said. Read Full Story

Twitter users post more than 12,000 tweets per second during Super Bowl
SAN FRANCISCO : Users of the social networking website Twitter posted more than 12,000 tweets per second during the last moments of the Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, the company said on Monday. It is one of the highest ever number of tweets per second. Read Full Story

Mysore-born Indian to groom Muslims for public service
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 6 : A Mysore-born Indian public affairs specialist has been charged with revitalising the Muslim Public Service Network (MPSN) that grooms young American Muslims for public service and to take on civic leadership positions. Read Full Story

Alarming number of US kids abused, hospitalised
Washington, Feb 6 : An "alarming" 4,500-plus children subjected to abuse in the US ended up in hospitals and 300 of them died of injuries in a single year, a study reveals. Read Full Story

US economy improving, stronger jobs growth: Expert
Washington, Feb.6 : Charles Schwab Chief Investment Strategist Liz Ann Sonders believes that the American economy is improving, and the potential for giving jobs to the unemployed is getting stronger. Read Full Story

Indian American to groom US Muslims for public service
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 6: A Mysore-born Indian American public affairs specialist has been charged with revitalising the Muslim Public Service Network that grooms young American Muslims for public service and to take on civic leadership positions. Read Full Story

Man, two sons die in blast at US home
Washington, Feb 6 : Three people, including two boys, were killed Sunday in an explosion at a home in the north-western US state of Washington. Read Full Story

US plans to keep special forces in Afghanistan after NATO mission ends in 2014
Washington, Feb 5 : The United States has planned to keep its Special Operations forces, which hunt insurgent leaders and train local troops in Afghanistan, despite its decision to end the NATO mission in the war-torn nation in late 2014. Read Full Story

US woman blames 'big breasts' for failing drunken driving test
Melbourne, Feb 5 : A woman from Florida, who is facing driving under the influence (DUI) charges, told the arresting officers that her "big breasts" were responsible for her failing a sobriety test. Read Full Story

Over 6,000 apply for NASA Astronaut Corps
Houston, Feb 5 : Over 6,000 individuals have applied for joining NASA's Astronaut Corps, twice as many as the US space agency usually receives, NASA said Sunday. Read Full Story

Building the next generation of South Asian American leaders
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 5 : Sam Arora is a Maryland state Delegate, Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji served on President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) and Hari Kondabalu is a rising comedy star just back from an India tour to spread religious harmony. Read Full Story

U.S. unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent, lowest in almost 3 years
WASHINGTON, D.C. : The United States unemployment rate for the month of January dropped to 8.3 percent, the lowest number in nearly three years, the U.S. Labor Department (DoL) announced. Read Full Story

Obama urges Syrian president to stop killings
Washington, Feb 5: US President Barack Obama has called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stop the killings in the country and step aside for a democratic transition in the Middle East nation. Read Full Story

US' declining January unemployment rate may favour Obama's re-election chances
Washington, Feb 4: The latest job report, which pegs US unemployment at 8.3 percent may be a turning point for President Barack Obama ahead of the 2012 White House race. Read Full Story

Khloe Kardashian and hubby Lamar Odom take Line Dancing lessons
Washington, Feb 4 : Khloe Kardashian and basketball player husband Lamar Odom have started taking line dancing classes in their new hometown of Dallas, Texas. Read Full Story

Republicans 'have better sex than Democrats'
New York, Feb 4 : Republicans are more likely than Democrats to achieve orgasm during sex, a new survey has revealed. Read Full Story

Taliban leader Mullah Omar 'sent letter to Obama indicating interest in peace talks'
Washington, Feb 4 : Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, has reportedly sent US President Barack Obama a letter, indicating an interest to initiate peace talks. Read Full Story

Oil rises on positive US jobs data
New York, Feb 4 : Crude oil prices rose as the US jobs data for January came in better than expected, Xinhua reported. Read Full Story

US changing visa rules to attract the highly-skilled
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 4 : To make America more attractive to highly-skilled foreign students and workers, the United States has announced a series of reforms, including changes in the F-1 and H-1B visa rules, that may benefit professionals from India. Read Full Story

India and US sign pact on labour and employment
New Delhi, Feb 3 : India and United States have signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington DC to cooperate on future labour and employment issues. Read Full Story

Obama to host Cameron at White House in March
Washington, Feb 4: US President Barack Obama will host British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House during an official visit in March, the White House said. Read Full Story

US tourists kidnapped, released in Egypt
Cairo, Feb 4 : Two American tourists and their Egyptian guide were kidnapped by local tribesmen in Egypt on their way back from a local monastery, but were later released unharmed, media reports said. Read Full Story

US economic recovery speeds up: Obama
Washington, Feb 3 : US economic recovery was speeding up with the labor market improving, but the nation needed to take more steps to bolster the faltering recovery, President Barack Obama said Friday. Read Full Story

US unemployment rate edges down to 8.3 percent
Washington, Feb 3 : The US unemployment rate edged down to 8.3 percent in January from 8.5 percent in December 2011, the Labour Department said Friday. Read Full Story

Butterfly's aerial antics could inspire bug-sized flying robots
Washington, Feb 3 : Engineers, including one of Indian-origin, have been aiming high-speed video cameras at butterflies to figure out how they flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility so that it may help small airborne robots mimic their manoeuvres. Read Full Story

US fears 'Iran may have provided material aid to Al-Qaeda'
Washington, Feb 3 : American officials have expressed concern over Iran's connection with Al-Qaeda, saying say they believe that Tehran recently gave new freedoms to some of top Al-Qaeda operatives, and may have provided some material aid to the terrorist group. Read Full Story

Obama's old car listed at USD 1mn draws no auction bids
Washington, Feb 3 : Barack Obama's 7-year-old gray Chrysler, which was once driven by him before he became the President, failed to find any buyers in an auction. Read Full Story

Obama not hosting annual Super Bowl party this year
Washington, Feb 3 : Barack Obama will not be having a big Super Bowl get together this year, and will be watching the game with his family only, the White House said Thursday. Read Full Story

Trump endorses Romney, saying 'he wont let bad things continue to happen'
Washington, Feb 3 : American business tycoon Donald Trump has endorsed Mitt Romney, saying the Republican presidential front-runnner "won't allow bad things to continue to happen to us." Read Full Story

US issues travel advisory to Americans over safety risk in Pakistan
Washington, Feb 3 : The US has issued a travel advisory, warning its citizens about the risks while traveling to Pakistan amid recent developments and tension in US-Pak ties in the aftermath of the NATO raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Read Full Story

Obama establishes lead over 2012 GOP White House contestants in Ohio: Poll
Washington, Feb 2: US President Barack Obama leads all four potential 2012 Republican White House contenders in Ohio, a new survey has revealed. Read Full Story

Michelle Obama wins push-ups challenge on Ellen's show
Washington, Feb 2 : Michelle Obama completed 25 push-ups on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Wednesday after she accepted a challenge from the TV talk show host. Read Full Story

ScarJo and ex hubby Ryan Reynolds list LA house for USD 3.65m
New York, Feb 2 : Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds, who split in late 2010, have decided to divide their marital assets by putting their Los Angeles mid-century modern home on sale for 3.65 million dollars. Read Full Story

US deeply concerned over ISI's links with extremist organizations
Washington, Feb 2 : The US has expressed its deep concerns over links between Pakistan's premier spy agency the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and some extremist organizations. Read Full Story

Indian-American student triggers Harvard probe
Washington, Feb 3 : A complaint from an Indian-American student who was near the top of his high school class but was rejected by both Harvard and Princeton universities has triggered an investigation by the US Education Department. Read Full Story

US fiscal trajectory unsustainable, says US official
Washington, Feb 3: The growth of government debt relative to US gross domestic product is "clearly unsustainable", Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said here Thursday in congressional testimony. Read Full Story

Obama's plan to help 3.5 mn homeowners
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 2: In the midst of a heating election campaign, President Barack Obama plans to help with good credit about 3.5 million Americans who are unable to refinance at historically low rates because their homes are worth less than their mortgages. Read Full Story

American Airlines may cut 13,000 jobs
Houston, Feb 2 : US carrier American Airlines said Wednesday that it wants to eliminate 13,000 jobs as it seeks to cut labour costs by 20 percent. Read Full Story

Sikh group hires lobbyist to educate US media
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 2 : A US Sikh community group has hired a lobbying firm to educate the American media about the true identity, image and message of Sikhism in the wake of TV show host Jay Leno's controversial comments about the Golden Temple. Read Full Story

Indian-American father-son duo quits Obama Administration
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 1: An Indian-American father-son duo, possibly the only one serving in senior positions in the Obama Administration, is leaving their positions for private sector jobs. Read Full Story

Indian-American father-son duo quits Obama Administration
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 1: An Indian-American father-son duo, possibly the only one serving in senior positions in the Obama Administration, is leaving their positions for private sector jobs. Read Full Story

Diplomat: U.S. government open to dialogue with North Korea
WASHINGTON D.C. : The U.S. government is open to diplomacy with North Korea under the new leadership of Kim Jong-un, a senior U.S. diplomat told reporters on Wednesday. Read Full Story

Former LA teacher charged with molesting 23 children
LOS ANGELES : U.S. prosecutors have arrested and charged a former Los Angeles teacher with allegedly molesting at least 23 young children over a two-year period, officials said on Tuesday. The allegations have shocked the local community. Read Full Story

Michelle Obama talks re-election and apples with Jay Leno
Washington, Feb 1 : Michelle Obama made an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" where she talked about subjects varying from President Obama's re-election to the importance of healthy eating. Read Full Story

New York top cop bans police force from sporting NYPD merchandise
New York, Feb 1 : New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has passed an order banning policemen from wearing unauthorised NYPD merchandise. Read Full Story

New York top cop bans police force from sporting NYPD merchandise
New York, Feb 1 : New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has passed an order banning policemen from wearing unauthorised NYPD merchandise. Read Full Story

Obama's approval rating in swing states declined in 2011
Washington, February 1: A new Gallup survey of the US President Barack Obama's average approval rating in each state during 2011 has established that he had sustained year-over-year decline in his average overall approval ratings, with an average of just 44 percent. Read Full Story

Clinton urges UN to back Arab League plan demanding Assad to step down
Washington, Feb 1 : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged the United Nations Security Council to support an Arab League-backed plan that demands Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. Read Full Story

Five US urban counties lead terror hot spots list: Maryland Varsity research
Maryland (US), Feb.1 : Researchers at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) have warned that rural areas of America will continue to be the bases for launching of terror strikes due to the involvement of domestic actors. Read Full Story

New Air Force One tapes give insight on Kennedy death
Washington, Feb.1 : The US National Archives has released long-lost recordings of the Air Force One flight back to Washington on the day of John F Kennedy's assassination. Read Full Story

US presidential candidates trying to influence Twitter users
Washington, February 1: Several US presidential candidates are taking help of the Twitter to reach out to millions of users during this year's presidential race. Read Full Story

Mitt Romney wins Florida GOP primary
Washington, Feb 1 : US presidential contender Mitt Romney has won a decisive victory in the Republican primary election in Florida. Read Full Story

US housing prices still falling
New York, Feb 1 : Prices of single-family homes in the 20 largest US metropolitan areas fell 1.3 percent in November from the previous month and 3.7 percent compared with November 2010, according to the latest S and P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices from Standard and Poor's. Read Full Story

Obama publicly confirms existence of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, for the first time during his presidency, publicly acknowledged that U.S. drones regularly strike suspected militants along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Read Full Story

U.S. FDA approves new skin cancer medicine
WASHINGTON, D.C. : The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday announced the approval of a drug to treat one of most common types of skin cancer. Read Full Story

Barack Obama leads Ron Paul in merchandise sales
Washington, Jan 31 : Barack Obama has beaten Ron Paul in merchandise sales at the merchandise website CafePress, for the first time this election cycle. Read Full Story

Michelle Obama reveals favourite snacks for 'low-key' Super Bowl
Washington, Jan 31 : Michelle Obama has said that her family is planning to have a low-key Super Bowl this Sunday. Read Full Story

NASA's Mars rover feels wrath of massive solar storm
Washington, Jan 31 : It was not only Earth, which was impacted by radiations from the recent solar storm, but also NASA's Mars-Bound rover 'Curiosity', researchers say. Read Full Story