Category: World

BEIJING, March 5, 2008 (AFP) – China has set an inflation target of around 4.8 percent for 2008, according to the text of a speech Premier Wen Jiabao is to deliver to the national legislature later Wednesday. Wen will deliver the speech when parliament opens around 9:00 am (0100 GMT). The speech was given to […]

SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – A comScore study released Tuesday shows US mobile Internet use is rising exponentially as people increasingly opt to be online while on the move.The comScore study indicates more than half the US mobile broadband use is done from work computers and that more than 75 percent of the […]

NEW YORK, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – The dollar slipped against the euro Tuesday in the face of fresh inflation fears in the eurozone and a call by the US Federal Reserve chief for tough action to stem US mortgage foreclosures.The single European currency was at 1.5210 dollars around 2200 GMT, up from 1.5203 late […]

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – Democrat Hillary Clinton vowed to fight all the way to the White House after she checked rival Barack Obama’s momentum in Ohio, while Senator John McCain captured the Republican mantle Tuesday. US networks projected the former first lady would take the economically scarred state of Ohio, but said […]

REIMS, France, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – As champagne sales pop all-time record highs and demand outstrips supply, France’s wine-making czars are to issue an historic ruling to extend the champagne-growing area, a move that will pour new wealth into 40 small rural villages. Like other French wines, Champagne-labelled bottles are produced only from grapes […]

TOKYO, March 3, 2008 (AFP) – Japanese share prices tumbled 4.0 percent in morning trade on Monday, battered by a stronger yen and mounting worries about the health of the US economy, dealers said.The benchmark Nikkei-225 index was down 545.93 points or 4.01 percent at 13,057.09 by lunch, while the broader Topix index of all […]

FRANKFURT, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – The European Central Bank will make a cut of sorts this week — but with eurozone inflation stubbornly high the cut will be to its growth forecasts, not interest rates. “The ECB council will cut on Thursday its forecasts for growth in the euro zone, but not its main […]

NEW DELHI, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – A populist budget unveiled by India’s ruling Congress party forgiving loans for poor farmers and cutting income taxes is unlikely to help its re-election chances in looming polls, analysts say.“People say Uttar Pradesh is just a glimpse of what’s going to unfold at the national level,” declared Mayawati […]

MONTEREY, California, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) – A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel.“We are a ways away from designing people. Our goal is just to make sure they survive long enough […]

NEW YORK, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) – The dollar plunged to a fresh record low against the euro Thursday amid more glum US economic news and downbeat comments on the outlook from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.In late New York trade, the dollar stood at 105.30 yen from 106.45 Wednesday and 1.0512 Swiss francs after […]

SINGAPORE, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) – World oil prices continued higher Friday, trading around fresh record levels as speculators piled into the market on the back of a sharp decline in the US dollar after a weak report on US economic growth, dealers said.In morning trade, New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery […]

HANOI, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) – Vietnamese consumer prices rose more than 15 percent year-on-year in February, according to official figures released Thursday, heightening inflation concerns especially for the poor. The General Statistics Office (GSO) said the consumer price index (CPI) for February rose 15.67 percent compared to the same period last year. The figure […]