2015 Event Los Angeles County, U.S., votes to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour from $9/hour; the new pay rate will be valid for county workers and employees working in unincorporated areas of the county 2015 Event Aducanumab, a new drug developed by Biogen to treat Alzheimer's, is showing success in reducing toxic brain plaque and decreasing the rate of mental impairment in trials; if successful in further testing, the drug may be available by 2020 2014 Event Swiss voters decide against a proposal to limit annual immigration to 0.2% of the population, or to approximately 16,000 people; the current immigration rate is about 80,000 people per year 2014 Event The World Health Organization reports that the rate of Ebola infection is slowing in Liberia, with hospitals now at less than full capacity; the slowdown is attributed to a campaign to educate citizens on safe burial practices 2014 Event Iran is strengthening gender segregation policies, forbidding women to work in public areas of restaurants and seeking separation from men in office settings; the move will increase the 18.9% female jobless rate 2014 Event Labor unions of workers in the public sector went on strike across the U.K. to protest wage increases below the rate of inflation; unions claim that over one million workers participated 2014 Event Spain will increase spending in an $8.2 billion program aimed to stimulate economic growth; the country has been working to overcome an unemployment rate of 25%, but recent reports have shown an encouraging decline in jobless claims 2014 Event Voters in Switzerland reject a proposal to raise the minimum wage to about $25 per hour; if passed, the rate would have been the highest minimum wage in Europe 2014 Event China updates its environmental laws, providing more legal framework for addressing violations; the laws were last changed in 1989, prior to the nation's accelerated growth and rate of environmental degradation 2014 Event Greece returns to the bond market today with 5-year bonds at a coupon rate of 4.75 percent; international sales of 3 billion euros exceeded the nation's expectations 2014 Event New Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announces plans to cut government spending and use the funds to decrease taxes on individuals and regional businesses; Italy's unemployment rate increased 0.2 percent in January to 12.9 percent 2014 Event The 2011 abortion rate reportedly is at its lowest in 30 years; the rate of 16.9 abortions per thousand women of childbearing age was 19.4 per thousand in 2008, and 29.3 per thousand in 1981 2014 Event The U.S. Postal Service will soon implement a rate hike in postage, approved last December the price of first-class postage stamps to 49 cents from 46 cents 2013 Event An $800 million lawsuit is filed by Fannie Mae against nine banks for manipulating the Libor benchmark interest rate; the banks involved include Bank of America and Citigroup 2013 Event Researchers in Vietnam completed a two-year project to use nanotechnology to produce Nano Curcumin, a substance that can help treat cancer; the substance Curcumin has a low absorption rate and does not dissolve well in water 2013 Event The Eurozone moves out of 18 months of recession in the June quarter after it records a growth rate of .03% 2013 Event The Reserve Bank of Australia reduces its benchmark interest rate to 2.75% from 3.00% 2013 Event In China, Premier Wen Jiabao addresses the National People's Congress announcing the country's 2013 goal of a 7.5% growth rate in GDP 2012 Event The Constitutional Council of France strikes down a plan to impose a 75 percent marginal income tax rate on the wealthy, calling the 'supertax' unconstitutional and unfair 2012 Event UBS becomes the second bank after Barclays, to be fined for attempting to manipulate the Libor interbank lending rate; the company is fined $1.5 billion 2012 Event The People's Republic of China economic growth rate experiences to its lowest level in three years, 7.6 per cent 2012 Event U.S. researchers report that preventable infections are the leading cause of the world's child mortality rate, where out of 7.6 million children who died before the age of 5 in 21010, 60% died of infections like pneumonia 2012 Event Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne reveals the 2012 British budget which cuts the top rate of income tax 2012 Event Britain has 2.67 million people unemployed, its highest unemployment rate since 1995 2012 Event The U.S. unemployment rate drops to 8.3%, the lowest in three years after employers added 240,000 jobs in January 2011 Event The exchange rate of the Japanese yen with the U.S. dollar is reduced by the Government of Japan after the yen reached record highs 2011 Event Australia's unemployment rate for August 2011 has risen to 5.3% 2011 Event South Korea's Central Bank raises its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, to 3.25 percent 2011 Event The United Kingdom raises its value-added tax to 20% from 17.5%, its highest rate ever 2010 Event China's inflation rate reaches 5.1%, a 28-month high 2010 Event The U.S. unemployment rate for August 2010 rises to 9.6% 2010 Event Iceland lowers its interest rate to 7 percent 2010 Event The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded off the coast of Louisiana two days ago, sinks; the wreck is leading crude oil and diesel at an alarming rate 1998 Event AOL raises monthly flat rate internet access from $19.95 to $21.95 1862 Event Internal Revenue Law imposes 1st federal taxes on inheritance, tobacco and on incomes over $600 (progressive rate)
