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Print - 2006-05-12
Ivorian cocoa arrivals seen up

Ivorian cocoa arrivals seen up

Cocoa arrivals at ports in Ivory Coast reached 1,066,196 tonnes between October 1 and May 7, according to an estimate by major exporters on Thursday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Haqqie made IPO chairman

Haqqie made IPO chairman

Waseem Haqqie, Chairman, Engineering Development Board, Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Ministry, has been appointed as Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan (IPO) Chairman, in addition to his own duties with immediate effect and u
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Indonesian cocoa prices up

Indonesian cocoa prices up

Cocoa bean prices in Indonesia's cocoa-growing belt of Sulawesi island rose from last week supported by rising international prices despite the rupiah's extended gains against the US dollar, traders said on Thursday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
MQM white paper seeks ban on Islami Jamiat Talaba

MQM white paper seeks ban on Islami Jamiat Talaba

Describing the law and order situation by and large satisfactory in Karachi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Thursday called for banning Jamaat-i-Islami's off-shoot Islami Jamiat Talaba to pre-empt its ploy to trigger unrest in the mega city.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US Midwest corn firmer; soyabean and wheat flat

US Midwest corn firmer; soyabean and wheat flat

Cash basis bids for corn were steady to firmer around the US Midwest Thursday due to the slow pace of farmer selling in recent weeks, while soyabean and wheat bids held mostly unchanged, grain dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

The World Bank (WB) feared that Pakistan might fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth due to inadequate infrastructure services and power generation along with a wide gap between public and private sectors share in infrastructure investment.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
HRW wheat bids flat

HRW wheat bids flat

Spot basis bids for hard red winter wheat in the US Plains were unchanged on Thursday with crop concerns persisting and movement mostly lacklustre, merchants said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

The World Bank (WB) feared that Pakistan might fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth due to inadequate infrastructure services and power generation along with a wide gap between public and private sectors share in infrastructure investment.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Gram prices up on grain market

Gram prices up on grain market

Grams prices were sharply higher on the local commodity market on Thursday amid tight supply position, dealers said. On the grams side, gram garda gained Rs 50-100 to Rs 3000-3100, gram dal garda followed suit and picked up Rs 100-150 to Rs 3700-3800 in p
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

Pakistan may fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth: World Bank

The World Bank (WB) feared that Pakistan might fail to sustain 6-8 percent growth due to inadequate infrastructure services and power generation along with a wide gap between public and private sectors share in infrastructure investment.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
CBOT wheat futures lower on profit-taking

CBOT wheat futures lower on profit-taking

Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed mostly lower on Wednesday, retreating from early advances as investors took profits toward the close, traders said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Oil cake market rates

Oil cake market rates

The May vaida was unchanged and the July vaida was higher on the forward cottonseed oilcake market on Thursday in process of trading, dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Cotton prices firm on tight supply

Cotton prices firm on tight supply

Modest business was seen in the cotton market on Thursday as prices maintained a firm trend due to tight supply position, dealers said. The official spot rate was unchanged at Rs 2425, without upcountry expenses.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Plastic mouldings higher on Jodia Bazar

Plastic mouldings higher on Jodia Bazar

The trading on plastic mouldings closed up on Jodia Bazar on Thursday. The following variations were seen in the HDPE film Saudia 952 up 50 paisa to Rs 40.25, Mobil up Re 1 to Rs 40.25.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan''s foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan''s foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan''s liquid foreign exchange reserves registered an increase of $38.3 million at $13,054.3 million on May 6, State Bank of Pakistan announced here on Thursday. Of $13,054.3 million liquid foreign reserves, the central bank held $10,655 million wher
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Cotton prices tighten again

Cotton prices tighten again

After a transitory dip of about Rs 25 per maund (37.32 kgs) on last Monday, lint prices have rebounded and gained by Rs 25 to Rs 50 per maund. Fears of draught in Pakistan this summer and depleting ready stocks in the market have hardened cotton prices, p
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan's liquid foreign exchange reserves registered an increase of $38.3 million at $13,054.3 million on May 6, State Bank of Pakistan announced here on Thursday. Of $13,054.3 million liquid foreign reserves, the central bank held $10,655 million where
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Cotton prices tighten again

Cotton prices tighten again

After a transitory dip of about Rs 25 per maund (37.32 kgs) on last Monday, lint prices have rebounded and gained by Rs 25 to Rs 50 per maund. Fears of draught in Pakistan this summer and depleting ready stocks in the market have hardened cotton prices, p
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves up by $38.3 million

Pakistan's liquid foreign exchange reserves registered an increase of $38.3 million at $13,054.3 million on May 6, State Bank of Pakistan announced here on Thursday. Of $13,054.3 million liquid foreign reserves, the central bank held $10,655 million where
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US sugar import quota 200,000 tons

US sugar import quota 200,000 tons

The US sugar import quota should be raised by an additional 200,000 short tons for this marketing year, a food industry trade group said on Tuesday, foreseeing tight supplies in the new marketing year as well.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Musharraf orders closure of illegal universities

Musharraf orders closure of illegal universities

President General Pervez Musharraf taking strong exception of illegal higher education institution operating in the country has directed the provinces to shut down fake universities in three months time.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
New York cocoa futures dip on origin sales

New York cocoa futures dip on origin sales

US cocoa futures ended in negative territory on Wednesday, with producer selling and speculative profit-taking knocking the benchmark contract down from a 3-month peak, traders said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Musharraf orders closure of illegal universities

Musharraf orders closure of illegal universities

President General Pervez Musharraf taking strong exception of illegal higher education institution operating in the country has directed the provinces to shut down fake universities in three months time.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
New York coffee futures end mixed

New York coffee futures end mixed

Arabica coffee futures finished mixed on Wednesday, though the benchmark contract moved inside the previous day's trading range amid a dearth of directional signals, traders and brokers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
MGE wheat settles mostly flat

MGE wheat settles mostly flat

Spring wheat futures at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange closed mostly unchanged on Wednesday as the market awaited key production estimates from the US Department of Agriculture on Friday, traders said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
New York copper soars to record high

New York copper soars to record high

US copper futures charged to record levels on Wednesday as speculative money continued to flow into the market amid a bullish backdrop of supply constraints and robust global demand that showed no signs of easing, sources said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
New York gold ends at 25-year high

New York gold ends at 25-year high

US gold futures settled at a fresh 25-year high on Wednesday as investors who are bullish on the metal's prospects added positions due to dollar weakness before the US Federal Reserve raised rates, analysts said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Tokyo gold at new 20-year high

Tokyo gold at new 20-year high

Tokyo gold futures rallied more than 1 percent to a fresh 20-year high on Thursday, buoyed by the yen's falls on the dollar and jitters over Iran's nuclear programme following comments by the Iranian president.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Gold hits quarter-century high

Gold hits quarter-century high

Gold rose around 1.6 percent to hit a quarter-century peak on Thursday before retreating, and platinum reached an all-time high of $1,275 on persistent speculative buying.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Malaysian tin ends flat

Malaysian tin ends flat

Malaysian tin ended on Thursday unchanged despite a rise in the London price of the metal as traders offered more lots for sale ahead of a holiday-lengthened weekend, dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Oil extends rise above $72 on US gasoline concerns

Oil extends rise above $72 on US gasoline concerns

Oil climbed further above $72 on Thursday as worries over gasoline supply due to outages at two US refineries as the summer driving season looms, outweighed swelling inventories that rose above expectations.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Copper sparkles above $8,200 on funds

Copper sparkles above $8,200 on funds

Copper raced to a new high above $8,200 a tonne on Thursday as speculative money kept piling into the metals complex on supply constraints and robust global demand, pushing prices in Shanghai and New York higher.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Big Australian wheat crop seen in 2006-07

Big Australian wheat crop seen in 2006-07

Australia's wheat crop for the 2006/07 year would amount to 24.4 million tonnes, roughly the same as last year, private group Australian Crop Forecasters said on Thursday, in its first full forecast for the season.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
New York sugar futures drift lower

New York sugar futures drift lower

Raw sugar futures ended easier on modest speculative sales with many players out ahead of the Sugar Club industry dinner later on Wednesday, brokers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Soyabeans end firm but off highs as meal dips

Soyabeans end firm but off highs as meal dips

The Chicago Board of Trade soyabean market ended firm on Wednesday on follow-through technical buying from Tuesday, but slipped near the close as soyameal dipped, traders said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
CBOT rice closes firm

CBOT rice closes firm

Chicago Board of Trade rough rice futures closed firm on Wednesday after a series of technical moves that pushed the market into buy stops and the day's highs, traders said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Tokyo rubber futures hit 22-year high

Tokyo rubber futures hit 22-year high

Tokyo rubber futures rallied on Thursday, with the most active contract surging to a 22-year high as gains in other commodities, tight supplies in major producing countries and a weaker yen triggered heavy fund buying.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil down

Malaysian palm oil down

Malaysian crude palm oil futures surrendered gains to end on Thursday's session slightly lower, as weaker exports kept a lid on prices.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Fiat and Peugeot extend cooperation pact

Fiat and Peugeot extend cooperation pact

French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen and Italy's Fiat Spa deepened their industrial co-operation on Thursday and signed an agreement to produce gearboxes in Argentina.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Italy's growth rebounds in first quarter

Italy's growth rebounds in first quarter

Italy's economy grew solidly by 0.6 percent in the first quarter, preliminary data showed on Thursday, offering good news for incoming prime minister Romano Prodi who is due to take office next week.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
British GM workers walk out over job cut comments

British GM workers walk out over job cut comments

Workers at General Motors Europe's Ellesmere Port plant in Britain walked off the job on Thursday after the company proposed cutting nearly 1,000 jobs at the factory, unions said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Siemens wins London hospitals deal

Siemens wins London hospitals deal

German conglomerate Siemens has won a deal worth more than 300 million pounds over 35 years ($560 million) to supply medical equipment to two London hospitals as part of a billion-pound redevelopment plan.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Opec to stick to production ceiling: Iran

Opec to stick to production ceiling: Iran

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, due to meet on June 1, will stick to its existing output ceiling, Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh said on state television on Thursday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Kuwait revalues dinar

Kuwait revalues dinar

Kuwait revalued the dinar for the first time in 17 months on Thursday, sparking a rally in regional currencies and intense market speculation that Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, would follow.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Eurozone GDP speeds up

Eurozone GDP speeds up

Economic growth accelerated in the eurozone in the first three months of this year but icy weather limited the rebound in Germany, and questions remained about the pace of recovery and the case for interest rate increases.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
German growth fails to meet forecasts

German growth fails to meet forecasts

The German economy grew by a slower-than-expected 0.4 percent in the first three months of 2006, puncturing hopes for a strong rebound in Europe's largest economy.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Trade talks on track: WTO official

Trade talks on track: WTO official

Top trade powers are still fighting hard for a global free trade deal this year, with the latest missed deadline seen as a major blow but not a disaster, a senior World Trade Organisation official said on Thursday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Ukraine sacks Naftogaz head

Ukraine sacks Naftogaz head

Ukraine's government on Thursday dismissed Oleksiy Ivchenko, who negotiated an unpopular gas price increase with Russia, from his post as head of the state oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy, a spokesman said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Set yuan free right away, US tells China

Set yuan free right away, US tells China

The United States sees no practical reason why China should delay adopting a more flexible exchange rate, a senior US Treasury official said on Thursday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
IMF urges low-inflation target for China

IMF urges low-inflation target for China

China should set an explicit goal of low inflation to provide an anchor for monetary policy as it gradually adopts a more flexible exchange rate, according to a new International Monetary Fund Working Paper.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
FDA approves Pfizer drug to help smokers

FDA approves Pfizer drug to help smokers

The US Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it approved Pfizer's Chantix tablet to help cigarette smokers stop smoking. The active ingredient in Chantix, varenicline tartrate, acts at sites in the brain affected by nicotine, the FDA said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
British factory output jumps

British factory output jumps

British manufacturing output rose by its biggest amount in nearly a year in March, official data showed on Thursday, supporting the growing market view that the next move in UK interest rates will be up.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US retail sales weaken

US retail sales weaken

April retail sales were weaker than expected as high gasoline prices discouraged shoppers, government data showed on Thursday, supporting views the Federal Reserve may pause its campaign to raise interest rates in June.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Saudi shares pull Gulf stocks to free fall

Saudi shares pull Gulf stocks to free fall

The Saudi stock market, the largest in the Arab world, dived sharply to a 14-month low in the week ending on Thursday, pulling along other Gulf stocks as investor confidence hit rock bottom.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Indian shares sag

Indian shares sag

Indian share prices fell 1.4 percent, snapping an eight-day run of record highs on Thursday as markets tumbled on weak overseas trends and mutual fund redemptions, dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Hong Kong shares up on bargain-hunting

Hong Kong shares up on bargain-hunting

Hong Kong stocks ended up 0.35 percent on Thursday, defying analysts' expectations of a continued retracement, as investors scooped up recent decliners such as New World Development Co Ltd.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US tech stocks dip, Dow at six-year high despite Fed

US tech stocks dip, Dow at six-year high despite Fed

US technology stocks fell on Wednesday after a disappointing forecast from Cisco Systems Inc, but blue chips hit a six-year high despite the Federal Reserve leaving the door open to further interest-rate hikes and an unexpected jump in crude oil prices.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US Treasury prices slightly changed

US Treasury prices slightly changed

US Treasuries were little changed late on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, as expected, but did not rule out further monetary tightening.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US Treasury prices slightly changed

US Treasury prices slightly changed

US Treasuries were little changed late on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, as expected, but did not rule out further monetary tightening.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Philippines shares jump

Philippines shares jump

Philippines share prices closed 0.84 percent higher on Thursday on strong interest in mining stocks after metals rose to fresh records in US trade overnight, dealers said. A fresh wave of buying in blue chips also lifted the market as foreign funds contin
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Singapore shares plunge

Singapore shares plunge

Singapore share prices closed 0.84 percent lower on Thursday as investors took profits ahead of the long weekend, dealers said. The Straits Times Index fell 22.31 points to 2,620.58.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Thai share prices decline

Thai share prices decline

Thai share prices closed 0.23 percent lower on Thursday, pressured by political uncertainty after a Thai court declared last month's snap polls invalid and ordered a new election, dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Nikkei closes at six-week low

Nikkei closes at six-week low

The Nikkei average booked its lowest close in six weeks on Thursday, declining 0.53 percent as concerns about the impact of a stronger yen continued to weigh on shares of exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp Shares of Alps Electric Co Ltd tumbled more than
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Taiwan shares advance

Taiwan shares advance

Taiwan shares ended up on Thursday, reversing earlier losses, with technology stocks like microchip packager ASE supporting the broader index.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Jakarta shares finish firmer

Jakarta shares finish firmer

Jakarta share prices closed 0.89 percent higher on Thursday, hitting a fresh record on hopes that the economy will get a boost following an interest rate cut by Bank Indonesia this week, dealers said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Chinese shares tumble

Chinese shares tumble

Chinese stocks erased earlier gains to close slightly lower on Thursday as investors cashed out of banking stocks, whose strong gains had helped the key index to hit its highest level in nearly two years repeatedly this week.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Swiss franc off, eyes on data

Swiss franc off, eyes on data

The Swiss franc was little changed against the euro but fell from recent highs against the dollar on Thursday ahead of Swiss consumer sentiment data later in the session. A median of economists in a Reuters poll sees the index rising to +9 points in April
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Yuan poised for gains after US concession

Yuan poised for gains after US concession

China's yuan eased against the US dollar on Thursday, although dealers believed the yuan was set to breach the key 8.0000 level in coming weeks after the United States fell short of naming China as a currency manipulator.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Dollar bounces back from one-year low

Dollar bounces back from one-year low

The dollar jumped on Thursday, recovering further from a one-year low against the euro and an eight-month trough versus the yen, after the US Treasury stopped short of calling China a currency manipulator in a much-anticipated report.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Dollar cuts losses in choppy trading

Dollar cuts losses in choppy trading

The dollar trimmed losses on Wednesday in choppy trading, after a much anticipated US Treasury report on currency practices said China was not a currency manipulator.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Hong Kong dollar eases

Hong Kong dollar eases

The Hong Kong dollar fell to a one-week low on Thursday afternoon on import-related demand for US dollars, tracking losses in other regional currencies.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
No fairytale farewell for McClaren

No fairytale farewell for McClaren

There was no storybook ending to Steve McClaren's reign as Middlesbrough coach as his side were thrashed 4-0 by Sevilla in the UEFA Cup final here on Wednesday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
West Indies trounce Zimbabwe

West Indies trounce Zimbabwe

Undefeated half-centuries from opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon propelled West Indies to an overwhelming 10-wicket triumph in the fifth one-day International against Zimbabwe on Wednesday under lights at the Beausejour Stadium.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Trescothick anchors England

Trescothick anchors England

Marcus Trescothick eased himself back into international cricket with an unbeaten 95 as England coasted through the second session of the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's here on Thursday without losing a wicket.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Faulty Federer shakes off Starace in Rome

Faulty Federer shakes off Starace in Rome

Top seed Roger Federer failed to find his true rhythm in his sluggish second round victory over wildcard Potito Starace at the Rome Masters on Wednesday.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Hingis in contention for elusive Grand Slam

Hingis in contention for elusive Grand Slam

Martina Hingis announced herself as a contender for the only Grand Slam title she has never won with an impressive revenge victory which carried her to the quarter-finals of the German Open. Hingis' 6-3, 6-2 win over Elena Dementieva, the world number fiv
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Prodi prepares government after presidential win

Prodi prepares government after presidential win

Boosted by the election of his candidate for state president, incoming Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Thursday turned his attention to preparing a government to tackle Italy's economic woes and heal political divisions.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Pope condemns gay marriage, some politicians upset

Pope condemns gay marriage, some politicians upset

Pope Benedict, speaking out on a topic that Italy's incoming centre-left government will likely have to confront, on Thursday condemned gay marriage and legal recognition of unwed couples.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
In desperation, Palestinians seek prison in Israel

In desperation, Palestinians seek prison in Israel

A growing number of desperate young Palestinian men are deliberately getting themselves arrested at Israeli checkpoints so that they will be sent to Israeli-run prisons, Israeli and Palestinian officials say.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
California man pleads guilty to Xbox tampering

California man pleads guilty to Xbox tampering

A co-owner of a Hollywood video game store that caters to celebrity clients on Wednesday pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to violate federal copyright laws by selling Xbox video game consoles modified to play pirated games.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
'Da Vinci Craze' thrives thanks to cardinal, judge

'Da Vinci Craze' thrives thanks to cardinal, judge

Forthcoming blockbuster "The Da Vinci Code" has received the kind of publicity money can't buy thanks to a real-life cast including a cardinal, an archbishop, a judge, and countless art historians and religious scholars.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Libya adjourns foreign medics' HIV retrial

Libya adjourns foreign medics' HIV retrial

Libya on Thursday abruptly adjourned the retrial of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting hundreds of children at a Libyan hospital with the virus that causes AIDS.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
US priest jailed

US priest jailed

A US jury on Thursday found a priest guilty of the Satanic-rite-style murder of a 71-year-old nun which went unsolved for more than 25 years.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Indian communists take lead

Indian communists take lead

Indian communists swept to power in two of five state assembly elections on Thursday, while the chief of the ruling Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, easily won a parliamentary by-election.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Israeli firm to resume Palestinian fuel supply

Israeli firm to resume Palestinian fuel supply

Israel's Dor Alon energy company plans to resume providing petroleum to the Palestinians on Friday after halting supplies over unpaid bills, the head of the Palestinian Petroleum Agency said.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Ahmadinejad ramps up anti-Western rhetoric

Ahmadinejad ramps up anti-Western rhetoric

Iran's hard-line president ramped up his rhetoric against the West on Thursday, labelling Israel a "cancer" that will "one day vanish" as he shrugged off the threat of war and sanctions over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Merkel defends US links

Merkel defends US links

German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the need for security co-operation with the United States as members of parliament launched a sensitive inquiry on Thursday into the role of German spies in the Iraq war.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Australia will not sell uranium to India: Howard

Australia will not sell uranium to India: Howard

Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday Australia would stick to its policy of banning uranium sales to India but he would seek more details on a US-India nuclear deal when he visits Washington this week.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
ElBaradei urges compromise over Iran row

ElBaradei urges compromise over Iran row

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog welcomed on Thursday moves to avert possible UN sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme and appealed for compromise as Iran's president said he was ready to talk.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Fighting spreads in Somalia, over 120 killed

Fighting spreads in Somalia, over 120 killed

The death toll in Somalia's worst fighting for a decade rose to more than 120 on Thursday, as militias battled for control of the capital with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Sri Lanka army bombs Tigers territory

Sri Lanka army bombs Tigers territory

Sri Lanka bombed Tamil Tiger territory near their northern headquarters on Thursday after rebels attacked a naval transporter with hundreds of servicemen aboard and sank another naval vessel, killing 17.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Egyptian police, pro-reform protestors clash

Egyptian police, pro-reform protestors clash

Violent clashes broke out Thursday between Egyptian riot police and demonstrators supporting two pro-reform judges who accused the judiciary of helping to rig last year's parliamentary elections.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Khaleda vows to eliminate militants

Khaleda vows to eliminate militants

Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Thursday reaffirmed her government's determination to crack down on militants who have killed at least 28 people in the past year.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Turkish secularist newspaper bombed

Turkish secularist newspaper bombed

Unknown assailants, shouting "God is greatest", lobbed a percussion bomb at the office of Turkey's most staunchly secularist newspaper on Thursday, the third attack on the paper in just a week. The device exploded but nobody was hurt, though some glass wa
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am
Tensions flare ahead of Europe-Latam summit

Tensions flare ahead of Europe-Latam summit

Tensions between Latin America's leaders flared ahead of a summit with Europe on Thursday as Bolivia's new leader raged against colonial "pillaging" and Mexico told left-wingers to talk more trade and less ideology.
Published 12 May, 2006 12:00am