BEIJING, July 31, 2008 (AFP) - China accused Thursday US lawmakers of trying to politicise the Beijing Olympic Games and urged Washington to curb the 'odious conduct' of anti-Chinese legislators.

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - US lawmakers agreed to ban the use of a group of chemicals in toys and other children's products that consumer groups say cause serious health effects, newspapers reported Tuesday.

Congressional negotiators agreed Monday on the wording of a ban after months of wrangling, according to The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2008 (AFP) - The US Senate on Saturday approved an elaborate housing rescue plan designed to help thousands of homeowners avert foreclosure and bolster mortgage finance giants that have struggled amid a volatile housing market.

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - The US Senate on Saturday approved an elaborate housing rescue plan designed to help thousands of homeowners avert foreclosure and bolster mortgage finance giants that have struggled amid a volatile housing market.

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2008 (AFP) - The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a wide-ranging housing rescue plan aimed at helping thousands of homeowners avoid foreclosure and supporting mortgage finance giants that have faltered in a turbulent housing market.

The House passed the bill by 272 votes to 152.

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2008 (AFP) - A rescue plan for mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would cost an estimated 25 billion dollars over the 2009-2010 fiscal period, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2008 (AFP) - UBS bank vowed Thursday to stop offering offshore banking services in the US after legislators accused it and other banks of helping wealthy Americans hide about 1.5 trillion dollars in overseas tax havens.

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2008 (AFP) - An official of the Swiss bank UBS announced Thursday that it was halting its offshore banking services for US citizens after it came under scathing criticism for facilitating massive tax evasion.

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2008 (AFP) - US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday called President George W. Bush 'a total failure' who 'has no ideas,' in an interview with CNN.

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2008 (AFP) - Wealthy Americans are hiding about 1.5 trillion dollars in overseas tax havens in a 'deceptive' partnership with top foreign banks such as UBS, resulting in 100 billion dollars in lost US tax revenue, a congressional probe was told Thursday.