Washington - The flow of undocumented immigrants into the United States slowed down over the past year, according to a study released by the Pew Hispanic Centre on Thursday.
The research shows a fall in the total number of illegal immigrants, to 11.9 million in 2008 from 12.4 million in 2007. However, the centre would not formally say the number had in fact declined because of the study's margin of error.
"We cannot say with confidence that there was a decrease, but with full certainty there was a halt," said senior demographer Jeffrey Passel.
Washington - An influential international banking lobby group on Thursday called for urgent and bold actions globally, particularly from European nations, to stabilise troubled financial markets.
A systemic, internationally coordinated response in the US and Europe was essential at this point, even requiring large - if temporary use - of government funds, said the Institute of International Finance's (IIF) director Charles Dallara.
San Francisco - In a bid to close the ever-widening gap with Google on Internet searches, Microsoft has started offering consumers redeemable points for using its search service.
The program was launched as new web traffic figures Thursday showed that Google had extended its lead to 63 per cent of the US search market in August. Yahoo came in with a 19.6 per cent share, followed by Microsoft with an 8.3 per cent share.
New York - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday formally announced he would seek a revision of a term limits law so he can run for a third term and continue the work on keeping Wall Street and the city a world financial hub.
Bloomberg, a successful financier and billionaire, brushed off criticism that the move was undemocratic to try to change the local law limiting New York City's mayors to two four-year terms.
Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will head to India this week to put the final stamp on a historic accord the allows the United States to sell nuclear technology to India, the State Department said Thursday.
Rice departs Friday for New Delhi after the Senate overwhelmingly approved the agreement Wednesday evening in the final legislative move required before it goes for President George W Bush's signature.
Washington/Boulder, Colorado - Arctic sea ice melted to its second-lowest level since measurements began in 1979, the Colorado- based National Snow and Ice Data Center said Thursday.
The ice coverage of 4.67 million square kilometres had only recovered slightly from the 2007 record low of 4.28 million square kilometres, the centre said.
The most recent satellite measurement, taken on September 14, the annual lowest point in the cycle of melt and growth, reinforced the 30-year downward trend in Arctic ice cover, the center said.
When compared to the long-term average from 1979 to 2000, the 2008 figure was 34 per cent lower than that average.
Washington - The flow of undocumented immigrants into the United States slowed down over the past year, according to a study released by the Pew Hispanic Centre on Thursday.
San Francisco - In a bid to close the ever-widening gap with Google on Internet searches, Microsoft has started offering consumers redeemable points for using its search service.
New York - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday formally announced he would seek a revision of a term limits law so he can run for a third term and continue the work on keeping Wall Street and the city a world financial hub.
Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will head to India this week to put the final stamp on a historic accord the allows the United States to sell nuclear technology to India, the State Department said Thursday.
