Developing world economies today turned on rich nations at the World Trade Organisation talks in Hong Kong over their reluctance to open up farming markets.The talks - now in their third day - were intended to conclude the Doha round on meeting the needs of poorer countries. However, they have become deadlocked amid squabbling between the EU and the US.Developing economies say the EU, US and other rich nations must cut subsidies to their farmers and tariffs blocking imports as part of a global free trade deal. The Chilean foreign minister, Ignacio Walker, criticised the EU farm subsidies, which amount to $2 (£1) a day for each cow. "So many poor people wish they would be at least as well off as an EU cow," he said.... http://www.guardian.co.uk censor News |
Editor - 09:51:00 12-15-05 |
Icy Weather Leaves 300,000 People From Atlanta to Charolotte, N.C., Without Power |
Freezing rain and ice jolted the South on Thursday, closing schools, snarling traffic and knocking out power to about 300,000 customers from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C. The outages were caused by ice up to half an inch thick that formed on tree limbs and fell onto power lines. About 190,000 were reported without power in western North Carolina and South Carolina's upstate, 57,000 in the Atlanta area and nearly 50,000 across parts of northeast Georgia. Ten school systems were closed in Georgia and more than a dozen closed in North Carolina, where mountain communities in the western part of the state were told to expect 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet.... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1409117&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
full News |
Editor - 09:44:00 12-15-05 |
New Mexico lands space business |
US taxpayers will foot the bill for a planned $225m (£127m) spaceport that Virgin Galactic will use to launch its space tourism business, under a plan unveiled on Wednesday. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said he will ask state legislators for $100m (£56.4m) over three years to build the commercial base in Upham. The rest of the money would come from local towns and the federal government. The towns can expect to be richly rewarded for their investments. According to a study released Wednesday by aerospace industry consultant Futron Corporation, the Southwest Regional Spaceport could generate as much as $750m (£423.3) per year by 2020. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4531018.stm
full News |
Editor - 09:30:00 12-15-05 |
Wikipedia survives research test |
The free online resource Wikipedia is about as accurate on science as the Encyclopedia Britannica, a study shows. The British journal Nature examined a range of scientific entries on both works of reference and found few differences in accuracy. Wikipedia is produced by volunteers, who add entries and edit any page. But it has been criticised for the correctness of entries, most recently over the biography of prominent US journalist John Seigenthaler. Wikipedia was founded in 2001 and has since grown to more than 1.8 million articles in 200 languages. Some 800,000 entries are in English. It is based on wikis, open-source software which lets anyone fiddle with a webpage, anyone reading a subject entry can disagree, edit, add, delete, or replace the entry. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4530930.stm
full News |
Editor - 09:19:00 12-15-05 |
Nepalese soldier shoots many dead |
A Nepalese soldier has opened fire on a crowd near Kathmandu, killing at least 11 civilians, police say. Another 19 were wounded in the carnage during a religious festival at a temple in Nagarkot late on Wednesday. The army said the soldier, in civilian dress, also died, but it is not clear how. Witnesses said he sprayed locals with bullets after arguing with them. "Bloodstains littered the entire temple," a local journalist told Reuters. "The villagers are terrified." Both the army and the government have announced investigations. State-run radio said the government would give $2,000 in compensation to the families of the dead and pay for hospital treatment for those injured. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4530456.stm
full News |
Editor - 09:15:00 12-15-05 |
GI Killed In Afghan Gunfight |
A U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded in a firefight with insurgents Thursday in southern Afghanistan, the military said. Afghan and U.S. troops were on a patrol when they came under small arms fire from enemy forces northeast of Kandahar, the military said in a statement. It said U.S. and Afghan soldiers returned fire, and aircraft and helicopters attacked the enemy positions. A U.S. soldier and one Afghan National Army soldier were also wounded in the firefight, but were in stable condition at a nearby U.S. medical facility. One insurgent was killed, it said. "This is a sad day for us all here in Afghanistan," said Brig. Gen. Jack Sterling Jr., deputy commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-76. ... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/15/world/main1128237.shtml?CMP=OTC-RSSFeed&source=RSS&attr=World_1128237
full News |
Editor - 09:12:00 12-15-05 |
|
post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
|