Business News

BOSTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Massachusetts came close to achieving a 100 percent health insurance coverage rate in 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau said.

GROTON, Conn., Dec. 19 (UPI) -- General Dynamics Electric Boat was contracted to support the U.S. Navy's new USS North Carolina submarine during its post-shakedown availability.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Since airlift capability separates most nation states from the handful with effective rapid long-distance power projection, it is no surprise that so many countries are trying to get in on the act. But even giant China with its enormous basic industrial capacity is finding that task easier said than done.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Why have Russia's diplomats done a dramatic U-turn on their relations with the United States? Within the past week a Russian deputy foreign minister has signaled a willingness to negotiate seriously with Washington about creating a new treaty to replace the START I Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which runs out in December 2009.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The Swedish Ministry of Defense has contracted Saab for the continued development of defense technologies for the Swedish armed forces.

LONDON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said wild swings in crude oil prices add substantial cost to the global economy and called for more pricing transparency.

LONDON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The economic downturn is pushing a growing number of British businesses to close their doors for an extended holiday, a business trade group said.

ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Swiss defense authorities have contracted Kongsberg for the company's Protector Remote Weapon Station technology.

Markets head up Friday ... White Houes extends autos $17.4B ... Japan interest rate cut to 0.1 percent ... Japan predicts zero growth in 2009 ... News from United Press International.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The housing bubble behind the financial crisis and global economic downturn can be traced, in part, to a 1997 U.S. tax law, a recent study said.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush announced $17.4 billion in loans for U.S. automakers, saying he needed to protect citizens from further economic difficulties.

PARIS, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The French government is considering an economic stimulus package for 2009 to soften the effects of a recession, a top government official said.

NEW YORK, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Banks in Spain, Britain, France and Japan lent billions of asset-secured dollars to feeder funds that funneled money to a New York trader accused of fraud.

OTTAWA, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Inflation in Canada dipped to 2 percent in November, driven primarily by lower gasoline prices, Statistics Canada reported from Ottawa Friday.

TOKYO, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Japan's Panasonic Corp. Friday offered 131 yen a share, or about $6.3 billion, for the 70.5 percent stake held by three major holders in Sanyo Electric Co.