News: North and South America

The importance of being Freddie and Fannie

Poor families in New York get cash for action

Gunmen in northern Mexico open fire on four cars, killing eight people, including a 12- year-old girl, officials say.

More than 100 insurgents breach a US outpost in north-eastern Afghanistan, killing nine US soldiers, military officials say.

Police in Sierra Leone arrest six people in connection with the seizure of a plane loaded with cocaine.

Chelsea job set to test Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari

Workers at Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras begin a strike, raising fears of further pressure on world prices.

An outspoken advocate for the freedom of hostages in Colombia is reunited with her son after five and a half years.

US brewer Anheuser-Busch agrees to be taken over by Belgium-based InBev, to create the world's largest beer maker.

Workers at Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras begin a strike, raising fears of further pressure on world prices.

Iraqi leaders face dilemma over future of US troop

Ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt, who was rescued from Colombian rebels this month, is awarded France's Legion of Honour.

Gay US bishop Gene Robinson is forced to halt a sermon to a London church after being heckled from the congregation.

Nine US soldiers are killed in clashes with Taleban militants in the north-east of the country, a US commander says.

Yahoo's board angrily rejects a joint offer from Microsoft and the investor Carl Icahn, describing it as "ludicrous".

The US government is reported to be considering pumping extra capital into Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

An openly gay bishop says the Archbishop of Canterbury's position is "almost untenable" as he tries to unite the Church.

The United States deployed more than 900 American military personnel members to Colombia earlier this year in efforts to locate 15 hostages, according to an official briefed on these efforts.

The openly-gay bishop whose ordination caused a split in the Anglican church is to preach to a congregation in London.

The authorities in Argentina say they have uncovered a multi-million dollar operation in forged Italian passports.