AUATRALIA ...may escape recession

ANZ (Australia New Zealand bank) boss says Aust. may escape recession, shows new optimism"ANZ Banking Group Ltd boss Mike Smith says Australia may escape a technical recession and he has new optimism about the country's ability to ride through the global financial crisis....

U.S. Approves Plan to Help Citigroup Weather Losses

"Citigroup executives presented a plan to federal officials on Friday evening after a weeklong plunge in the company’s share price threatened to engulf other big banks. In tense, round-the-clock negotiations that stretched until almost midnight on Sunday, it became clear...

Congress Under Pressure for Weekend Deal

"     The U.S. Congress and the Bush administration were under intense pressure on Saturday to negotiate a $700 billion rescue for the financial industry to free up frozen credit before world markets reopen next week. "I'm convinced...

West Africa adopts plan to save the Niger River

"The Niger is the third longest river in Africa and it is dying as a result of climate change and pollution, exacerbated by 3% per annum population growth. The river runs through 9 countries, which are banding together to implement a 20 year program of desilting and...

A new ray of hope for Zimbabwe

With the end of President Robert Mugabe's rule so close, international investors are now beginning to show early interest in the country again, and its people are starting to hope for a bright future."After often violent seizures of white-owned farms and clearances of slums...

Glimmer of Hope Out of Kenya as Opposition Parties Talk

Sporadic violence is still flaring up around the country and many people are still unable to return to their homes and businesses after Kenyan's president announced the third party leader as his vice-president, enraging the opposition."Negotiators for President Mwai Kibaki...

Recession hits SA

"An ANZ Bank report shows South Australia is in technical recession.  The ANZ Australian Property Outlook report shows Gross State Product has been negative for the past two quarters.  The report says the rising Australian dollar is hurting manufacturers and the...

US Papers Thu: New Cautious Optimism on Iraq

"distrust of virtually anything the Administration says about Iraq, real military progress is taking place and the U.S. team in Baghdad is actively seeking matching political and economic progress"...."What is critical to understand, however, is that while the surge strategy...