New York mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday ordered an unprecedented mass evacuation and the closure of the subway as millions of Americans along the east coast battened down for Hurricane Irene. And Washington's mayor also declared a state of emergency for the US capital ahead of the arrival of the storm, warnings have been issued all along the Atlantic coast. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from New York.
A video purportedly of Osama bin Laden has surfaced nearly six years after the September 11 attack on the US World Trade Centre. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports on the video which, if authentic, will be the frist time the al-Qaeda leader has been seen in vision in almost three years.
Muhammad Ali was the world heavyweight champion with an appeal that went beyond sport. The boxing star's dramatic life always grabbed media attention. The public has been witness to a life filled with drama, controversy and thrills including: his court battle to avoid jail for refusing to fight in Vietnam, his three world heavyweight championship wins, his conversion to Islam and his humanitarian work. Now, he is a national icon celebrating his 70th birthday. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
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A new biofuel made from old newspapers and plant waste is making headlines in the US. Butanol gives motorists the same mileage as petrol but pumps far fewer pollutants into the atmosphere. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports.
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Two men in the US have confessed to shooting five black people in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An affidavit filed on Monday said 19-year-old Jacob England confessed to shooting three people and that 32-year-old Alvin Watts confessed to shooting two. The Tulsa County Courthouse judge has set their bail at $9m each. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Tulsa.
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Five years ago today, a truck bomb in Baghdad forced the United Nations to leave Iraq. Twenty-two people were killed including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN secretary-general's special representative. The UN's mission is back, but not at full strength and many still argue it shouldn't be there at all. John Terrett reports.
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Thousands of atheists, secularists and humanists have turned out in the US capital to celebrate their rejection of the idea of God and to claim a bigger place in public life. Protesters in the "Reason Rally" on Saturday demonstrated against what they saw as the imposition of religion in American life and politics. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
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It was described as a miracle and the pilot was hailed as a hero. Pictures of last month's crash landing of a US Airways plane in a New York river were beamed across the world. Now, recordings of the pilot's conversation with air traffic controllers have been released, as Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports.
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It was going to be a historic deal to stop the US economy from collapsing into recession. But US Congress has voted against the proposed $700bn rescue package, a shock result which sent stock markets plummeting. Al Jazeera's John Terrett in New York looks at how events unfolded in the last few hours.
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A fish farm in Canada is bringing back a rare breed of Sturgeon, which is considered a delicacy especially for its caviar, that almost died out about a century ago. The farm's research team spent 15 years helping the Breviro Sturgeon, which has existed since the age of dinosaurs, flourish again in captivity. It is the only farm in the world licensed by CITES - the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - to sell caviar that comes from Breviro Sturgeon. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from the city of St John in the Canadian province New Brunswick.
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New York City expects to receive a direct hit from Irene on Sunday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered unprecedented evacuations for a quarter of a million people. And the city's three major airports will close to arriving flights from midday on Saturday. John Terrett reports.
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A company in the US state of Texas is giving homeless people mobile modems to help patrons of the South by Southwest music and film festival to connect online. The firm behind the idea says it is an opportunity for the homeless to earn money and meet people. But critics argue that it is degrading and takes advantage of people when they are down on their luck. John Terrett reports from Washington.
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he annual Cherry Blossom Festival is in full bloom in Washington DC. The pink blossoming of the trees has become symbolic of springtime and is a highlight sought out by tourists and locals. Gifted to the city as a token of friendship by Japan a century ago, the trees have become symbolic of the relationship between the two countries. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
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A woman has gone on trial in the US in a case that has provoked anger and concern from Islamabad to New York. Aafia Siddiqui is charged with trying to kill American troops in Afghanistan last month. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports.
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A clinic in the US state of Maine is using a novel way to support those who cannot afford costly health insurance. Low-income people earn time credits from the Hours Exchange Portland website, mostly by working a variety of odd jobs like raking leaves or driving the elderly, and exchange them for time with a doctor. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Falmouth, Maine.
The US government has launched an initiative to find more effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease, saying the deadly brain disorder is one of the most serious health challenges facing the nation. The strategy aims to develop better treatments for the disease by 2025, as well as provide much-needed help to families of patients suffering from the degenerative condition. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington, DC.
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Al Jazeera has been meeting families across the world as part of a series about how ordinary people have been affected by some of the biggest events of 2011. September marked the start of the grassroots Occupy Wall Street protests, which focused attention on the economic struggles facing most Americans. The movement is helping a family in Minnesota hold onto their home. Monique White fell behind on her mortgage payments and the bank foreclosed on her despite efforts to renegotiate the loan. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports on how activists are occupying her house, in a bid to prevent the foreclosure.
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Restrictions on travel and visa requirements has hampered the US tourism industry. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
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Some US airlines have begun testing enviromentally friendly fuel. And while the efforts may help the environment, unlike in the European Union, the US government does not force airliners to go green. The ecological benefits would be undeniable - just one year's avaiation traffic fuelled by bio fuel would equal removing 64000 cars off the road. But making the switch can be expensive and there are no long-term plans for companies to use alternative fuel on a regular basis. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
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Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, says the humanitarian situation in Darfur is improving. Now, members of the UN Security Council have been assessing the situation for themselves. A delegation made a fleeting visit to a refugee camp in western Darfur. Al Jazeera's John Terrett travelled with them and sent this report.
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Throughout this week, Al Jazeera has presented a series of reports showcasing older technologies that are still going strong. In the final instalment, five US children from today's high-tech generation attempt to identify older electronic devices that stopped being widely used before they were born. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
The US supreme court has issued a landmark ruling that will change the way US election campaigns are financed. By a 5 to 4 vote, the court lifted long-standing limits on corporate spending in political campaigns, opening the door for private entities to flood the political marketplace with corporate money. Al Jazeera's John Terrett explains why it is likely to have an immediate effect on the upcoming Congressional elections in November.
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Talks at the White House on how to tackle the growing US deficit have broken up without a deal. Obama says the congressional leaders will continue to meet until an agreement is reached. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.
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The world's first commercial hub for spacecraft has opened in the US state of New Mexico. Virgin Galactic, which is owned by UK businessman Richard Branson, plans to start offering commercial services within two years, with customers having to pay $200000 to fly outside the earth's atmosphere. Already more than 400 people are in the queue to witness a view of the Earth until now reserved only for professional astronauts. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from New Mexico.
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It is being called the Baghdad Bubble. That is new business opportunities in Iraq following the US-led invasion. One American company, L-3 Titan has won multi-million dollar contracts to provide translating services to troops. But a corporate watchdog claims many Titan employees have poor language skills, and are not properly trained for combat zones, potentially putting lives at risk. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports.
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A fire in a prison in Comayagua, a town in Honduras, has killed more than 350 inmates. Many of the victims were unable to escape the blaze because they were trapped in their cells. Families of inmates fought with the police outside the jail, which was holding more than 800 people. John Terrett wraps up the developments.
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