Category: World

SYDNEY, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) – Australia’s central bank Wednesday left interest rates on hold for another month despite building price pressures, but analysts said another rise by year-end remained on the cards.The government’s handling of the booming economy is seen as one of its top vote-winners, but high interest rates are likely to hit […]

SYDNEY, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) – When Chinese President Hu Jintao sits down to smoked chicken, prawns and lamb at a formal state banquet in Australia, it will be in stark contrast to the Taiwanese delegation’s APEC dinner.The Taiwanese held their dinner at a famous dim sum restaurant in Sydney’s Chinatown on Tuesday night and […]

VILINGILI ISLAND, Maldives, Sept 4, 2007 (AFP) – The Maldives, known as a holiday haven for the rich and famous, is grappling with a growing drug abuse problem among its young people including pre-teens.Around 20 percent of the island nation’s residents under the age of 15 are using banned substances, according to the National Narcotics […]

MADRID, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) – EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia on Monday called on EU states to respect the independence of the European Central Bank (ECB) over monetary policy and setting interest rates.Also Monday, Almunia said he believed the current crisis in the US subprime mortgage market would not have a […]

CHICAGO, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) – The face of dating may have changed down the years, but the laws of attraction have not changed since the days of the Neanderthals, a study released Monday suggests.The women’s movement and the sexual revolution aside, it seems that men still seek out the most attractive women and women […]

TOKYO, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) – Japan’s farm minister resigned Monday over a money scandal, a week after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe re-shuffled his cabinet in a bid to clean up the government’s image.Endo is the fifth person to leave Abe’s cabinet, besides those removed in the reshuffle, since Abe took the premier’s seat nearly […]

HONG KONG, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) – Shenzhen Airlines said Monday passengers will soon be able to use their mobile phones and connect to the Internet during flights. Airlines have previously provided onboard air-to-ground fixed telephones on some seats at a premium charge. But until now they have banned the use of mobiles.Swiss-based technology firm […]

FRANKFURT, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) – German bank IKB, badly hit by its exposure to bad housing loans in the United States, said on Monday it expected losses of between 600 and 700 million euros (818 million dollars and 955 million dollars) in its fiscal year 2007-2008. IKB, whose financial year runs from April to […]

HONG KONG, Sept 2, 2007 (AFP) – A Hong Kong woman who won 43 million dollars in a Macau casino may not get her money because the slot machine was not working properly, the territory’s gaming inspector said Sunday. The machine showed the woman had won the equivalent of 5.5 million US dollars after putting […]

KURUMATHI ISLANDS, Maldives(AFP) – Sabrina Chang decided this year to treat herself to a fancy vacation, opting to stay in a thatched bungalow over a lagoon in the Maldives where a swim with exotic fish is as common as taking a stroll. The Maldives is celebrating the 35th anniversary since its first two resorts opened […]

BEIJING, Aug 30, 2007 (AFP) – Starting off as a machine factory worker, Xie Xuren worked his way up through the ranks of China’s ruling Communist Party to on Thursday become the nation’s finance minister.According to the official biography, Xie also boasts engineering credentials from when he served as a worker, technician, machinist and deputy […]

TOKYO, Aug 31, 2007 (AFP) – The dollar was rangebound in cautious Asian trade Friday as investors waited for a speech by the US central bank chief after recent volatility over the housing sector, dealers said.The dollar inched up to 115.99 yen in Tokyo morning trade from 115.86 in New York late Thursday. The euro […]