Category: World

VIENNA, Oct 4, 2007 (AFP) – Europe’s two biggest central banks kept interest rates on hold Thursday as they scoured financial and economic data for signs of damage in the wake of a global banking crisis.“This underpins our call for the ECB to be firmly on hold for now,” Bartsch said.The European Central Bank and […]

STOCKHOLM, Oct 5, 2007 (AFP) – The 2007 Nobel prize season opens Monday with the announcement of the medicine prize, as the fight against climate change is tipped for the Nobel Peace Prize and speculation is rife for the literature award. Laureates receive a gold medal, a diploma and 10 million Swedish kronor (1.53 million […]

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5, 2007 (AFP) – A Malaysian teenage girl desperately looking for a new heart has successfully undergone a transplant operation after being hooked up to a mechanical heart for over a year, reports said Friday. Tee Hui Yee, 14, received a heart in a 10-hour operation at the National Heart Institute late […]

VIENNA, Oct 4, 2007 (AFP) – The European Central Bank was set to hold interest rates steady Thursday amid concern that the euro’s strength and a slowing economy were stirring up stiff headwinds for the 13-nation eurozone.The Bank of England was expected to leave its main lending rate unchanged as well, at 5.75 percent after […]

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 1, 2007 (AFP) – The US interest rates cut has revived a fierce debate on whether the oil-rich Gulf Arab states should keep their currencies pegged to the dollar and bear the crunch of high inflation. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are experiencing high growth rates of between four to […]

FRANKFURT, Oct 3, 2007 (AFP) – Deutsche Bank, Germany’s biggest lender, said Wednesday it would take charges of roughly 2.2 billion euros (3.1 billion dollars) to cover losses connected with the US home-loan crisis.Many major banks have decided to make clear their losses from the global banking crisis as quickly as possible to try to […]

October 03, 2007 (LBO) — Maldives on Wednesday raised fuel prices to keep pace with galloping world crude prices, the State Trading Organisation said.Prices of diesel go up 0.35 cents to Maldive Rufiyaa 8.65 (0.68 US cents), while kerosene costs 0.25 cents more or Maldive Rufiyaa 9.30 (0.74 US cents), the statement said. In comparison […]

Oct 03, 2007 (Vimasuma.com) Former Sri Lanka captain and opener Marvan Attapattu would not be included in a forthcoming tour of Australia, chief selector Ashantha de Mel said. “We were informed at about 5.00 pm by fax that Marvan would not attend a meeting with cricket officials,” de Mel told Vimasuma.com “It is not possible […]

LONDON, Oct 1, 2007 (AFP) – Jewels that once previously belonged to Anita Delgado, a Spanish dancer who became the fifth wife of a wealthy Indian maharaja, are to be auctioned in London, auction house Christie’s said Monday. The eight pieces of jewellery, described by Christie’s as consisting predominantly of art deco pieces, will be […]

JAKARTA, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – Indonesia issued a tsunami warning to coastal areas along its west Sumatra island Tuesday after a 6.4-magnitude quake struck offshore, the meteorology office said. . .

FRANKFURT, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – The European Central Bank is keeping an eye on inflation but the chances it will raise its base lending rate Thursday are nil owing to the soaring euro and signs the eurozone economy is slowing down.In Britain, the Bank of England was also expected to hold rates steady, two […]

SYDNEY, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – The founders of Lonely Planet guidebooks said Tuesday that they decided to sell the “backpackers’ Bible” to BBC Worldwide because they wanted to “move on” and have more time for travel.Tony and Maureen Wheeler founded the hugely successful publishing business 34 years ago when they compiled a list of […]