Current events of April 30, 2008 (2008-04-30) (Wednesday) edit history watch

Brazil's long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating is raised to BBB− by Standard & Poor's, marking the first time the country's foreign currency debt receives an investment grade rating. (The International Herald Tribune) War on Terrorism The United States Department of State's annual report on terrorism states that al-Qaeda "has reconstituted some of its pre-9/11 operational capabilities" in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. (USA Today) The report also states that there has been a 16% increase in terrorist attacks in Afghanistan due to resurgent activity by al-Qaeda and the Taliban. (Fox News) Economy of the United States The Bush administration brings back the one year Treasury bill in order to cope with rising budget deficits. (AP via Google News) The economy of the United States expands by an annualized rate of 0.6 percent due largely to a growth in exports. (The New York Times) The Federal Reserve System cuts interest rates in the United States by a quarter percentage to 2 per cent. (The Telegraph) Two Taliban militants, a woman, and her child are killed after a siege by Afghan security forces in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters) HP Labs announces the creation of the memristor, at times described as the fourth basic electronic element. The memristor was first predicted in 1971 by Leon Chua. The discovery may have a tremendous impact on computing and electronics, joining the other basic electronic elements the resistor, capacitor, and inductor. (Nature)