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Print - 2007-05-19
Peshawarites keep alive tradition of story-telling

Peshawarites keep alive tradition of story-telling

Sitting on the roadside and taking sips of hot green tea, Peshawarites have kept alive the old tradition of story telling by chatting with one another in the historic Qissa Khawni Bazaar, the street of story tellers.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Nepra offers to buy electricity from 'captive power'

Nepra offers to buy electricity from 'captive power'

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has offered the industrial sector to generate electricity from their 'captive power' capable to generate 300-400MW in to the national grid.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
The future of Muslims in multi-cultural Britain

The future of Muslims in multi-cultural Britain

A new Report called "Time for Change: Report on the Future of the Study of Islam and Muslims in Universities and Colleges in Multicultural Britain" was launched recently in the Dinsdale Young Room of Central Hall Westminster, London.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Nepra offers to buy electricity from 'captive power'

Nepra offers to buy electricity from 'captive power'

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has offered the industrial sector to generate electricity from their 'captive power' capable to generate 300-400MW in to the national grid.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
South African maize ticks higher

South African maize ticks higher

South African maize prices ticked higher on Friday in step with the US market and a weaker rand but the overall tone still appeared bearish, traders said. July white maize futures closed 1.33 percent up at 1,680 rand a tonne after bouncing back and forth
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Indian soyaoil futures up, sugar down

Indian soyaoil futures up, sugar down

A firm global market pushed Indian soyaoil futures up on Friday, while sugar was mixed as mills face a market glut. May soyaoil futures on the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) were up marginal 0.85 rupees to 482.25 rupees per 10 kg, whi
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Singapore bunker fuel prices up

Singapore bunker fuel prices up

Singapore bunker prices rebounded on Friday, but its differential to fuel oil cargo values stayed in deep discounts for a third straight week on continued prompt weakness.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Activity at Karachi and Qasim ports

Activity at Karachi and Qasim ports

The Karachi Port handled 82,863 tonnes cargo including 61,135 tonnes import, 21,728 tonnes export cargo and 3,073 containers (TEUs) during last 24 hours ending at 0700 hours on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Brazil's sugar cane yields lower than expected

Brazil's sugar cane yields lower than expected

The sugar cane mills in northern Sao Paulo, Brazil's top cane producing state, are reporting lower-than-expected yields with early harvest well underway, the region's milling association, Biocana, said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Corn futures down

Corn futures down

Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade fell on Thursday amid active seedings of the US 2007 corn crop, traders said. "Right now, the farmer is going hell-for-leather trying to get it in the ground. You can't even contact them, they are so busy," said
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Ukraine spring sowings exceed forecast

Ukraine spring sowings exceed forecast

Ukraine has exceeded its 2007 spring grain area forecast, sowing 8.034 million hectares compared with an expected 7.949 million, a local agriculture agency said on Friday. APK-Inform quoted official data as showing Ukraine had sown 2.046 million hectares
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US Plains HRW wheat bids steady

US Plains HRW wheat bids steady

US Plains hard red winter wheat basis bids were holding steady on Friday, with the market still quiet as harvest began rolling in southern areas. Mills were making inquiries about new-crop coverage but little business was being done yet, country sources s
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US Midwest bids for corn and soyabean steady

US Midwest bids for corn and soyabean steady

Spot basis bids for corn and soyabeans held steady around the US Midwest on Thursday but some elevators and processors were still short of supplies, grain dealers said. Slow country movement in recent weeks has left dealers searching for both soyabeans an
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
WCE canola futures mainly higher

WCE canola futures mainly higher

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange canola futures were mainly higher on Thursday, supported by talk of export business to China and by stronger soybean and crude oil markets, traders said. Canola ended 90 cents per tonne higher to 10 cents lower, with July up 90
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Ivory Coast cocoa arrivals fall

Ivory Coast cocoa arrivals fall

Cocoa arrivals at ports in Ivory Coast from October 1 to May 13, 2007 reached 1,016,861 tonnes, compared with 1,102,771 in the same period last year, exporters said on Friday. The figures showed 17,555 tonnes arrived at ports from May 7-13, down from 28,3
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
KCBT wheat futures lower

KCBT wheat futures lower

Hard red winter wheat futures at the Kansas City Board of Trade ended lower on Thursday amid a mix of market factors, including news that Egypt favoured US competitors in its latest wheat purchase. New-crop July wheat ended down 6-3/4 cents at $4.78-1/2,
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
CBOT wheat futures sharply lower

CBOT wheat futures sharply lower

Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed sharply lower on Thursday, shedding 2 percent of their value on seasonal pressure ahead of the US winter wheat harvest, traders said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Oil cake market rates

Oil cake market rates

The May vaida showed no change while the July vaida was higher on the forward cottonseed oilcake market on Friday as many buyers were on the sidelines on anticipation that prices may come down further in the coming days, dealers said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
KCA spot rate lower by Rs 25 at Rs 2650

KCA spot rate lower by Rs 25 at Rs 2650

Subdued business was witnessed on the cotton market on Friday as spot rate fell modestly, dealers said. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) official spot rate was down by Rs 25 to Rs 2650, without upcountry expenses. The deals finalised between Rs 2300-2
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Grain market rates stay put

Grain market rates stay put

No change was seen on the grain market on Friday as most of the commodity items maintained their overnight levels in process of trading, dealers said. They said that during the trading rice prices depicted some variations but at close prices came back at
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Kirana items mixed on Jodia Bazar

Kirana items mixed on Jodia Bazar

The trading on Kirana items showed mixed trend on Jodia Bazar here on Friday. The following variations were observed.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
EBRD signals eastern shift at annual assembly

EBRD signals eastern shift at annual assembly

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will highlight a shift in its attention from central Europe towards the east, when it meets this weekend in Russia.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US food cost up $47 per person due to ethanol

US food cost up $47 per person due to ethanol

Booming ethanol production may help lessen US dependence on foreign oil, but it has already increased the grocery bill for the average American by $47 since July, according to a study from Iowa State University.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
New York cocoa falls mildly

New York cocoa falls mildly

US cocoa futures closed quietly lower on Thursday, trading sideways for the third straight day amid a general lack of buying interest, dealers said. "The market's kind of lacking any driving force right now," said David Hightower, a trader with The Highto
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
MGE wheat lower on crop prospects

MGE wheat lower on crop prospects

Spring wheat futures at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange closed lower on Thursday as favourable US spring wheat crop prospects continued to weigh on the market, traders said. However, trade remained thin, continuing this week's trend.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
New York coffee futures end at one-month high

New York coffee futures end at one-month high

US arabica coffee futures jumped to close at a one-month high on Thursday on follow-through buying interest from Wednesday's firm trade, though origin selling capped gains, traders said. "We were seeing fund short-covering with spec and trade buying. We d
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US copper sharply lower

US copper sharply lower

US copper futures closed on Thursday at their lowest level since April amid speculative liquidation sparked by concerns of a possible oversupply situation in China, the world's top consumer of the industrial metal, analysts said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Gold rebounds in Asian markets

Gold rebounds in Asian markets

Gold rose on Friday on bargain hunting but was within sight of its lowest level in nearly two months hit the previous day, while Tokyo futures extended losses. Spot gold gained to $658.70/659.40 an ounce from $657.30/658.80 late in New York on Thursday, w
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US gold down

US gold down

Selling from liquidation in bullion exchange-traded funds and chart-based sales sent US gold futures to a lower finish for a second straight day on Thursday, as slumping copper prices helped keep the precious metal below $660 an ounce.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Tokyo gold slips

Tokyo gold slips

Tokyo gold futures ended lower on Friday as an extended fall in the cash price below $660 an ounce triggered technical selling, but platinum futures were dealt less of a blow as wage talks began at top mines in South Africa.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Shanghai copper futures down

Shanghai copper futures down

Shanghai copper futures fell by their 5 percent limit on Friday, after London futures shed nearly 5 percent in the previous session and investors fretted about oversupply and rising stocks. Shanghai August copper touched 61,360 yuan ($8,002) a tonne durin
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Oil treads water after surge on gasoline anxiety

Oil treads water after surge on gasoline anxiety

Brent crude hovered above $70 a barrel on Friday after surging to an eight-month high on fears that more US refinery outages will constrict gasoline supplies already at unusually low pre-summer levels.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
CBOT rice closes weaker

CBOT rice closes weaker

Rough rice futures at the Chicago Board of Trade closed lower on Thursday, pressured by disappointing weekly export data and follow-through sales, traders said. "Export sales and shipments were not constructive for the bull side of the market," said one r
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Indonesia palm oil market quiet

Indonesia palm oil market quiet

The Indonesian palm oil market was quiet on Friday as some palm oil producers were closed for a four-day holiday, but traders expect prices to be higher next week in line with a bullish Malaysian market. Concerns about a possible increase in palm oil expo
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
New York sugar ends mixed

New York sugar ends mixed

Raw sugar prices finished mixed on Thursday as the market consolidated further after tumbling to a two-year earlier this week, analysts said. New York Board of Trade's key July raw sugar contract settled flat at 8.68 cents per lb. after trading 8.66 to 8.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Soyabeans close unchanged

Soyabeans close unchanged

The Chicago Board of Trade soyabeans market closed steady on Thursday, recovering from a weak open as it turned up when soyaoil rallied to contract highs in the nearby months, traders said. But soyabeans faded into the close as the market was overbought a
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Malaysian tin falls

Malaysian tin falls

Malaysian tin fell 0.7 percent on Friday tracking lower prices on the London Metal Exchange but losses were limited by Japanese buying, one dealer said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Tocom rubber may rise 3.6 percent

Tocom rubber may rise 3.6 percent

Tokyo rubber futures may jump more than 3 percent by end-May on demand from China and tight supplies in Southeast Asia, but a failure to crack a resistance level continues to dog investors, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil up

Malaysian palm oil up

Malaysian crude palm futures ended 1.6 percent higher on Friday, lifted by strong prices of soyaoil and expectations of a steady increase in exports this month. Traders said concerns over dwindling palm oil reserves, which are likely to dip further this m
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
New French economy chief fixes firm focus on jobs

New French economy chief fixes firm focus on jobs

France's new economy minister, Jean-Louis Borloo, took over the helm of the euro zone's second biggest economy on Friday with his mind firmly focused on slashing unemployment rather than trimming debt.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
British Airways admits price-fixing breaches

British Airways admits price-fixing breaches

British Airways admitted breaking price-fixing laws and set aside a surprise 350 million pounds ($692 million) to pay potential fines. BA shares fell 3.7 percent by 1157 GMT as the provision - more than half the year's profit - accompanied a 13 percent de
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US welcomes Beijing move

US welcomes Beijing move

China's decision to widen its currency's trading band is a "useful step" but Beijing must still move more quickly to having the market set the currency's value, a US Treasury Department official said on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
China widens yuan band, raises interest rates

China widens yuan band, raises interest rates

China's central bank announced on Friday it would let the yuan trade more freely and delivered twin monetary tightening moves just days ahead of a key meeting with the United States to discuss trade.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Saudi company in lead to buy GE Plastics

Saudi company in lead to buy GE Plastics

Riyadh-based chemicals company Saudi Basic Industries Corp is in the lead to buy General Electric Co's plastics business, a source familiar with the situation said on Friday. The Wall Street Journal said bidding for the business was approaching $11 billio
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
EU farm subsidies in climate change spotlight

EU farm subsidies in climate change spotlight

The European Union must adapt now to global warming by targeting subsidies for affected farmers and preparing to relocate some ports and coastal settlements, a draft EU report says.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Japan lawmaker pours cold water on BoJ policy

Japan lawmaker pours cold water on BoJ policy

A powerful member of Japan's ruling party poured cold water on the Bank of Japan's campaign for raising interest rates, saying normalising rates is not the sole purpose of the monetary policy.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Trade powers call WTO talks 'productive'

Trade powers call WTO talks 'productive'

Four world trade powers said on Friday they had held "productive" talks on how to reach a long-delayed global free trade deal and Brazil said a breakthrough could come next month when they meet again.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Microsoft to buy aQuantive for $6 billion

Microsoft to buy aQuantive for $6 billion

Microsoft Corp said on Friday it would buy aQuantive Inc for $6 billion, paying an 85 percent premium to snap up one of the last large independent companies in a consolidating Web advertising market.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
China detects illegal capital inflows

China detects illegal capital inflows

China's foreign exchange regulator said on Friday it had detected some irregularities in the make-up of the country's capital inflows and that it would do more to clamp down on illegal transfers.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Seoul shares slide from record close

Seoul shares slide from record close

Seoul shares fell 0.2 percent on Friday, retreating from a record close, after chip makers such as Hynix Semiconductor slumped on worries about DRAM chip prices, while a surge in oil prices hit fuel-dependent stocks.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Thai stocks higher

Thai stocks higher

Thai share prices closed 0.61 percent higher on Friday amid mixed regional signals as investors continued to buy energy stocks in line with a steady rise in global oil prices, dealers said. They said sentiment was upbeat amid hopes that the military-backe
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Hong Kong shares decline

Hong Kong shares decline

Hong Kong blue chips fell one percent on Friday, tracking weaker Shanghai-listed stocks, as the prospect of further monetary tightening by China sent most stocks lower, with commodity plays especially hard hit.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Indexes dip as rate-cut hope fades

Indexes dip as rate-cut hope fades

US stocks edged lower on Thursday as an upbeat report on business conditions in the mid-Atlantic region, coupled with data suggesting strength in the job market, signalled a reduced chance of interest-rate cuts. Shares of interest-rate sensitive plays, in
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Australian stocks slip

Australian stocks slip

Australian shares fell 0.8 percent on Friday, losing steam after a record close in the previous session, with the top miners leading declines following a slide in base metal prices. Losses in logistics group Toll Holdings Ltd and telecomm firm Telstra Cor
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Philippines shares higher to new record

Philippines shares higher to new record

Philippines share prices closed 0.92 percent higher on Friday, lifting the main index to a record level as investors ignored Wall Street's retreat and focussed on the domestic economy, dealers said.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US Treasury debt prices fall sharply

US Treasury debt prices fall sharply

US Treasury debt prices fell sharply on Thursday after data showing a drop in jobless claims and stronger regional manufacturing suggested the Federal Reserve can leave interest rates alone.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US Treasury debt prices fall sharply

US Treasury debt prices fall sharply

US Treasury debt prices fell sharply on Thursday after data showing a drop in jobless claims and stronger regional manufacturing suggested the Federal Reserve can leave interest rates alone.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Taiwan stocks end flat

Taiwan stocks end flat

Taiwan stocks ended down 0.05 percent on Friday, but top contract chip maker TSMC led technology shares higher after it sold US $2.56 billion worth of shares on behalf of Philips in US trading at a premium. Bucking the gain, Chinatrust and other banking s
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Chinese shares slide

Chinese shares slide

China's main stock index slipped 0.45 percent on Friday as investors saw chances rising for an interest rate hike after comments from the central bank governor that the government may move to rein in the fast-growing economy.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Nikkei down 0.6 percent

Nikkei down 0.6 percent

The Nikkei average shed 0.57 percent on Friday as investors hit by a slump in small-cap stocks booked profits in recent gainers in the index, including steel shares such as Nippon Steel Corp.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Malaysian shares lower

Malaysian shares lower

Malaysian share prices closed 0.19 percent lower on Friday in line with regional markets, triggered by renewed concerns over the US economy, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index was down 2.53 points at 1,356.84, off a low of 1,351.03 on volume o
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Swiss franc eyes lows

Swiss franc eyes lows

The Swiss franc eyed fresh lows against the euro on Friday as recent warnings from Swiss central bankers against risk of a sudden re-appreciation failed to support the Swiss currency.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Yuan hits post-reval high

Yuan hits post-reval high

China's yuan hit a post-revaluation high against the dollar on Friday and closed near its peak on expectations of a short-term spike in the currency, as US pressure mounts for yuan appreciation ahead of Sino-US talks next week.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Dollar matches three-month high

Dollar matches three-month high

The dollar matched the previous session's three-month high against the yen on Friday after data showed a strong rise in regional US business activity, backing a view that US interest rates will stay on hold for some time.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Dollar near three-month high

Dollar near three-month high

The dollar held near a three-month high against the yen on Thursday after a regional survey showed an unexpectedly large rise in US business activity, backing a view that interest rates will stay on hold for some time.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Hong Kong dollar stays weak

Hong Kong dollar stays weak

The Hong Kong dollar extended losses on Friday, weighed down by sustained arbitrage buying of the US dollar and a fall in the local stock market. The domestic currency had weakened as far as 7.8228 against the US dollar before recovering slightly to stand
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Won leads Asian currencies down

Won leads Asian currencies down

Suspected heavy intervention by South Korean authorities for the second straight day pushed the won down to a six-week low on Friday, leading most Asian currencies lower against a broadly stronger dollar.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Indian rupee sights nine-year peak

Indian rupee sights nine-year peak

The Indian rupee surged towards a recent 9-year peak on Friday after China's central bank said it would widen the yuan's trading band against the dollar, and local traders bet the Reserve Bank of India would let the rupee rise.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Australian dollar lower

Australian dollar lower

A vulnerable Australian dollar held tentatively on Friday above a two-week low against a broadly resurgent US currency, which was buoyed by more surprisingly strong economic data in the world's biggest economy.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
G14 join lawsuit against FIFA over youth tournament

G14 join lawsuit against FIFA over youth tournament

G14 and FIFA face another day in court after the group representing 18 of Europe's most powerful soccer clubs joined a lawsuit taken by the promoter of a major youth tournament against the world governing body.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
India reach 295 after early wicket loss

India reach 295 after early wicket loss

Half centuries from four batsmen put India in command at 295 for three at the close of the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh on Friday. Sachin Tendulkar (80) and Saurav Ganguly (82) were not out at the close after useful knocks from opener
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Collingwood makes West Indies pay

Collingwood makes West Indies pay

Paul Collingwood made West Indies pay for dropping him twice by scoring 111 as England advanced to 372 for five at tea on the second day of the first Test against West Indies at Lord's here Friday. Collingwood, missed in the 30s and lucky to survive an lb
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Schnyder sends Serena crashing out in Rome

Schnyder sends Serena crashing out in Rome

Former world number one Serena Williams slid out of the Italian Open following a 6-3 2-6 7-6 defeat by Patty Schnyder in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Younis Khan committed to Yorkshire till September end

Younis Khan committed to Yorkshire till September end

Pakistan's senior batsman, Younis Khan, is to play for English country Yorkshire until the end of September. Younis said on Friday he was committed to Yorkshire until September 23 and was unlikely to represent his country in this period.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Federer beats Ferrer

Federer beats Ferrer

Roger Federer came through a worrying second-set slump to beat Spain's David Ferrer 6-3 4-6 6-3 and reach the semi-finals of the Hamburg Masters on Friday. The world number one was in dazzling form at the start of the quarter-final as he broke the Spanish
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Inzamam slams panel findings

Inzamam slams panel findings

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has hit back at accusations that his "autocratic" leadership was responsible for his team's poor performance at the World Cup in the Caribbean. On Thursday, Inzamam was described as a poor leader and unfit to play on
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
AU patrols to resume in troubled Darfur village

AU patrols to resume in troubled Darfur village

African Union peacekeepers in Sudan will resume patrols in a Darfur village where five Senegalese soldiers were killed last month in the deadliest single attack on the force since its 2004 deployment, AU officials said on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Frustration over crime dominates Bulgaria euro vote

Frustration over crime dominates Bulgaria euro vote

Bulgarians vote in their first elections to the European Parliament on Sunday, frustrated that months after EU entry the Socialist-led government has little to show in the fight against rampant corruption and poverty.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
France's 'Terror Advocate' looks back on film

France's 'Terror Advocate' looks back on film

A new documentary on the enigmatic French lawyer Jacques Verges takes a neutral tone on a 50-year career that went from fighting colonialism to the "exhilaration" of defending Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Expect new style, same policy in Nigeria: Obasanjo

Expect new style, same policy in Nigeria: Obasanjo

Outgoing Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo told members of his party on Friday to expect a new leadership style under President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua but a continuation of reform policies.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
US envoy sees terror imprint in Somalia AU attack

US envoy sees terror imprint in Somalia AU attack

An attack that killed four Ugandan peacekeepers in Mogadishu this week bore the hallmarks of terrorist groups such as al Qaeda, Washington's new special envoy to Somalia, John Yates, said on Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Security alert after Sikh clashes in India

Security alert after Sikh clashes in India

India's prime minister called for calm Friday and security forces were on high alert in two northern states as violent protests between rival Sikh groups left at least one person dead.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Malaysia urges UN to intervene in Gaza

Malaysia urges UN to intervene in Gaza

Malaysia, the chair of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Friday urged immediate United Nations intervention to end the deadly violence in Gaza. Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the international community led by the United Nation
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Kazakh leader gets right to rule indefinitely

Kazakh leader gets right to rule indefinitely

Kazakhstan's veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev was in effect declared president-for-life on Friday in a move condemned by the nation's opposition as undemocratic. The Central Asian state's parliament voted overwhelmingly to allow Nazarbayev, in power si
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
19-year-old scales Everest

19-year-old scales Everest

A 19-year-old American woman has made it to the summit of Everest, becoming the youngest foreign woman to scale the world's highest peak, Nepali officials said Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Israel hits Hamas targets, threatens more action

Israel hits Hamas targets, threatens more action

Israel struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday and threatened more strong action to stop rocket attacks while Palestinian rival factions fought each other in turmoil verging on civil war.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Sarkozy names streamline cabinet, cross-party government

Sarkozy names streamline cabinet, cross-party government

French President Nicolas Sarkozy unveiled a streamlined cabinet on Friday and broke new ground by naming a popular leftist as foreign minister, reshaping the finance ministry and handing women almost half the posts.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Two Iraqi journalists working for ABC killed

Two Iraqi journalists working for ABC killed

Two Iraqi journalists working for the US network ABC were ambushed and killed as they returned home from work at their Baghdad office, their employer announced Friday.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Iran tells US to admit 'failure' in Iraq

Iran tells US to admit 'failure' in Iraq

Iran said on Friday the United States should admit to the "failure" of its Iraq policies at the upcoming Tehran-Washington meeting on Iraqi security if it wants the talks to make progress.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Seven killed in attacks across Iraq

Seven killed in attacks across Iraq

Ambushes on Iraq's deadly roadways killed seven people on Friday, as insurgents continued to launch attacks outside Baghdad, where US-led troops are pressing a three-month-old security plan.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Russia and EU clash over democracy at frosty summit

Russia and EU clash over democracy at frosty summit

Russia and the European Union clashed over democracy on Friday as German Chancellor Angela Merkel took Russia to task for stopping opposition figures reaching a rally near an EU-Russia summit.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Oxford press apologises to Indians for dictionary errors

Oxford press apologises to Indians for dictionary errors

The Oxford University Press (OUP) apologised Friday for offending the people of Bangalore, India, with errors in one of its dictionaries, saying it was freezing warehouse sales and making corrections.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Thailand launches media crackdown

Thailand launches media crackdown

Thailand's military-backed government launched a nation-wide radio crackdown on Friday, after closing three broadcasters which aired comments from ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Seven killed in Indian mosque blast

Seven killed in Indian mosque blast

A bomb exploded during Friday prayers at a historic mosque in the Indian city of Hyderabad, killing at least seven people, police said. More than 50 people were injured, including several boys, at Mecca Masjid, the main mosque in Hyderabad, the capital of
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Canada dollar hits near 30-year high

Canada dollar hits near 30-year high

The Canadian dollar reached its highest level in nearly three decades versus the US currency on Friday as a strong reading on domestic retail sales data further stoked expectations of a future interest rate hike. Domestic bond prices, still reeling from a
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Sterling falls on weak UK retail sales

Sterling falls on weak UK retail sales

Sterling hit a one-month low against the dollar on Friday as surprisingly weak retail sales hinted that the UK consumer might be running out of steam, which could slow growth and limit the need for more interest rate increases.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Yen jumps across-the-board

Yen jumps across-the-board

The yen jumped across-the-board on Friday after China's central bank said it would widen the yuan's trading band against the dollar and raise interest rates and reserve requirements to cool red-hot economic growth.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Rise in US confidence pushes bond indices tighter

Rise in US confidence pushes bond indices tighter

European credit markets got a boost late on Friday after US consumer confidence unexpectedly rose in May, dampening concern over a slowdown in the world's largest economy.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Rise in US confidence pushes bond indices tighter

Rise in US confidence pushes bond indices tighter

European credit markets got a boost late on Friday after US consumer confidence unexpectedly rose in May, dampening concern over a slowdown in the world's largest economy.
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
Singapore shares lower

Singapore shares lower

Singapore share prices closed 0.37 percent lower Friday on profit-taking following Wall Street's decline, dealers said. The Straits Times Index closed down 13.11 points at 3,512.40, after Thursday's record finish at 3,525.51. Volume traded was 2.48 billio
Published 19 May, 2007 12:00am
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