Crude oil rose above $73 a barrel in New York after an Energy Department report showed an unexpected decline in U.S. gasoline inventories. ``We are back in the bullish mode,'' said Tom Bentz, an oil broker with BNP Paribas Commodity Futures Inc. in New York. ``Gasoline demand is very good, which is pulling everything higher. There was talk that demand was being hurt by high prices, but the last few inventory reports have put an end to that.'' Gasoline stockpiles fell 1.1 million barrels last week, the first decline in nine weeks, the report showed. Demand for the fuel rose 1.2 percent to 9.54 million barrels a day, the highest since August. U.S. gasoline use peaks during the summer months as vacationers take to the highways. The Independence Day holiday on July 4 is the busiest driving period during the summer. ... http://www.bloomberg.com censor News |
Editor - 09:40:00 06-29-06 |
AU to discuss democracy charter |
African Union foreign ministers meeting in the Gambian capital, Banjul, are to discuss proposals for a charter on democracy and governance. The charter would aim to make it easier for power to change hands through the ballot box, but a BBC correspondent says some clauses are contentious. Several leaders have tried to overturn constitutional bans on presidents serving more than two terms in office. The AU is already supposed to suspend governments which take power by arms. A final version is expected to be put to African heads of state at their annual summit meeting this weekend. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5127830.stm
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Editor - 09:33:00 06-29-06 |
G8 wants Iran to reply next week to nuclear offer |
The Group of Eight industrialized nations told Iran on Thursday to give a "clear and substantive response" next week to an offer by major powers over its nuclear plans, but Tehran said that was unlikely. Expressing disappointment that Iran had not replied to a June 6 offer of incentives to stop enriching uranium, G8 foreign ministers meeting in Moscow set a deadline of July 5 for Tehran to respond, but did not say where a negative reply would lead.That is when Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, is scheduled to meet European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana somewhere in Europe, possibly Brussels.But in Tehran, two Iranian officials said it was unlikely to happen. Iran has previously said it will answer by August 22.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060629/ts_nm/group_ministers_dc
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Editor - 09:09:00 06-29-06 |
US, Iraqi forces clash with Shi'ite militia |
Iraqi and U.S. troops battled Shi'ite militiamen in a village northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, and witnesses and police said U.S. helicopters bombed orchards to flush out gunmen hiding in the palm groves.Iraqi security officials said Iranian fighters had been captured in the fighting, in which the commander of an Iraqi quick reaction force and two soldiers were shot dead by a sniper. They did not say how the Iranians had been identified. The U.S. military had no immediate comment. Police said the fighting was still going on at 6 p.m. (1400 GMT) in the predominantly Shi'ite village of Khairnabat, 3 km (two miles) north of Baquba, capital of Diyala province. Local residents reported hearing shooting and explosions. ... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2134005
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Editor - 09:07:00 06-29-06 |
Pakistan rejects Rice poll advice. Told politely to mind our own business. |
Pakistan does not need "outside" advice on holding democratic and free elections, its foreign ministry says. The statement followed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent talks with President Musharraf in Pakistan. "There has to be, the world expects there to be democratic, free and fair elections in Pakistan in 2007," Ms Rice told reporters en route to Islamabad. She said she would raise the issue with General Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999. The foreign ministry statement said Ms Rice and Gen Musharraf did not discuss elections during their talks. "On the democratic processes in Pakistan, we do not require advice from outside... these matters essentially concern the people of Pakistan," the statement said. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5127898.stm
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Editor - 08:59:00 06-29-06 |
Somali Islamist condemns Ethiopia |
One of the leaders of the Islamist group that has taken control much of southern Somalia has accused Ethiopia of "occupying" Somali territory. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys called for talks on Ethiopia's Ogaden region, inhabited by ethnic Somalis. His accusation comes after Ethiopia tightened security along the Somali border, following the advance of the Supreme Islamic Courts' Council. Mr Aweys fought in the two countries' war for the region in the 1970s. Ethiopia also played a key role in defeating his Islamist militia al-Itihaad al-Islamiya in the 1990s. Mr Aweys is on a US list of people allegedly linked to terrorist groups and both the United States and Ethiopia have been alarmed by the Islamic courts capture of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and other towns. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5129168.stm
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Editor - 08:39:00 06-29-06 |
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