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Policy News

Coping with a flailing market Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 10:20AMThis fall, many political observers were surprised to see staunchly conservative Rep. John Campbell not only support but take a leading role in the passage of what was called the “economic bailout” bill.
County OKs funds for Phelps truck Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 10:19AMThe Walker County Commissioners Court approved a request Monday morning for Title III funds for the New Waverly Volunteer Fire Department to help pay for a booster apparatus for the new fire station being constructed in the Phelps area.
Europe’s Lack of Clout Highlighted in Gaza, Russia Gas Dispute Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 10:19AMJan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union’s failure to mediate a Middle East truce and its reluctance to seek a compromise in the energy dispute between Russia and Ukraine highlight the bloc’s inability to gain clout in world affairs.
Straus heir apparent for Texas speaker Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 10:19AMAUSTIN — Rep. Joe Straus all but laid claim to the powerful office of House speaker Monday, holding a triumphant news conference in the state capitol and laying out his vision for a new era of bipartisan leadership in the Texas House.
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-06 15:56 DIARY - Czech Republic - to February 28 Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 10:16AMNew or amended items marked *
Euro Falls to Three-Week Low on Speculation ECB Will Cut Rates Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:41AMJan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- The euro fell to a three-week low against the dollar and declined versus the yen before data that will probably show slowing regional inflation, giving the European Central Bank more room to lower interest rates.
South Korea to Spend 50 Trillion Won on Environment (Update1) Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:41AMThe “Green New Deal” plan will produce 956,000 jobs on projects ranging from building dams and developing hybrid cars to cleaning parks and recycling wastes, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in Gwacheon today.
Ramadoss to seek increase in anti-tobacco campaign budget Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:40AMUnion Health Minster Anbumani Ramadoss today said his ministry will seek an increase in budgetary allocation for the anti-tobacco campaign and plans to use part of cess collected from tobacco sales for the purpose.
Landis ready to fight rail corridor expansion Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:40AMBy Shavonne Potts spotts@salisburypost.com LANDIS — The Board of Aldermen wholeheartedly backed a resolution opposing the expansion of the rail corrid ...
Saakashvili on Russia’s OSCE Veto Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:38AMRussia’s veto to extend OSCE mission’s mandate in Georgia’s demonstrated its “unconstructive policy,” President Saakashvili said on December 23.
Nigeria: LG Polls to Hold in Four Councils Soon Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:38AMYola — Council elections into the remaining four local government areas in Adamawa State will soon be conducted.
Alasania Resigns with Politics in Mind Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:38AMIrakli Alasania , Georgia’s former ambassador to the UN, said he had filed for resignation on December 4 and would announce about his future plans after he arrives in Tbilisi “in nearest future.”
Portable health covers to have limited benefits Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:38AMGeneral insurers may be touting portability of health covers as the next big consumer-centric reform, but the benefits will be limited to only those individuals who decide to lower their coverage to Rs 1 lakh.
Nigeria: Fashola Signs N405 Billion Appropriation Bill Into Law Tuesday, January 6, 2009 @ 2:38AMLagos — The Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday, signed the Lagos State 2009 appropriation bill into law ,saying hope of accelerated infrastructural development as enshrined in the budget could be marred if Lagosians refused to pay their taxes promptly and resolve industrial matter through dialogue.
Loan logic Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:46PMThe year that went by was unmistakably the one for savers with banks increasing their peak interest rate on deposits to 10.50 per cent — a level not seen since the beginning of the New Millennium.
Banks told to step up credit flow to SMEs Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:46PMDespite lower inflation and a slew of measures announced by the Centre to arrest the economic slowdown and boost growth in various sectors, the revival of the economy is unlikely to happen before 2009-end.
CDMA gets portability boost Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:46PMNew Delhi, Jan. 4: The department of telecom (DoT) will assess the validity of letting CDMA players with GSM licences start number portability.
We give highest priority to civilian safety: Rajapaksa Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:46PM‘Our armed forces are making rapid progress’
Most Japan firms ‘see worsening this year’ Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:45PMTOKYO: Most leading Japanese companies expect the country’s economy to worsen in 2009 amid uncertainty over the state of US economy and deteriorating domestic demand, a survey by the Mainichi newspaper showed yesterday.
Pakistan’s civil society urges government to come out of denial Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:45PMCalls upon New Delhi, Islamabad not to take peace for granted
Obama rapped Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:44PMAFP. BEIRUT. — Barack Obama’s silence on the conflict in Gaza is drawing criticism among Arabs, who have grown sceptical about hopes that the US president-elect will break with the Mid-East policies of the Bush era.
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-04 21:29 Papademos: ECB will not permit deflation Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:43PMSAN FRANCISCO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos said on Sunday that cutting interest rates to very low levels demanded great care, but this would not prevent policy-makers taking action to prevent deflation. "We will do what is necessary, in terms of the timing and in terms of the size (of interest rate policy action) to ensure that price stability is ...
Coaches reject Bob proposal Sunday, January 4, 2009 @ 3:43PMNew Delhi: Leading I-League coaches categorically told Bob Houghton on Sunday that they were not in a position to rest the top players in the local league matches for the sake of the national team.
79% people prefer life insurance products: Survey Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:50PMUncertainty in the stock market and sliding fixed deposit rates have made life insurance the most preferred tax-saving instrument for the salaried class, a study said.
Governors seek $1 trillion federal bailout Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:50PMFive Democratic governors are asking the federal government for a $1 trillion boost, including $250 billion for education and $150 billion in middle class tax cuts.
The deregulation of interest rates paid for external commercial borrowings (ECBs) may not bring much cheer to ... Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:47PMThe Reserve Bank of India today said that it would lift the cost ceiling on ECBs till June 2009, when the policy will be reviewed.
Three die in missile attack by US drone in Waziristan Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:47PMPESHAWAR, Pakistan: A suspected US missile strike yesterday killed at least three foreign militants in the northwest Pakistan stronghold of a local Taliban commander, a senior security official said.
Mumbai suspects to be tried at home: US Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:47PMISLAMABAD: The US in a change of policy is now urging Pakistan to ensure that those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks are punished inside the country instead of being extradited to India, news reports claimed here yesterday.
Digital TV subsidy program running out of money Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:47PMThe Feb. 17 transition from analog to digital television broadcasts looms and as many as 8 million households are still unprepared, but the government program that subsidizes crucial TV converter boxes is about to run out of money.
Once-a-year meteor shower visible tonight Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 4:46PMSaturday morning, you have the chance to see an atmospheric event that only comes around once a year. A meteor shower will light up the night sky before dawn.
Israeli airstrike on camp kills military and political figure Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 5:47AMIsraeli airstrike on camp kills military and political figure An Israeli missile strike in the Gaza Strip killed a top Hamas political and military leader yesterday, along with several relatives, as the militant group continued to launch its rockets deep into Israeli territory.
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-02 11:24 UPDATE 1-S.Africa fuel price falls, eases inflation pressure Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 5:45AMJOHANNESBURG, Jan 2 (Reuters) - South African petrol pump prices will fall by about 18 percent next week to the lowest since March 2007 due to a drop in the international oil price, helping to ease inflation. A statement from the minerals and energy department on Friday said the most widely used 95 octane petrol would drop by 1.34 rand a litre on Jan. 7 to 6.01 rand ($0.638) in the main ...
Measures to boost supply needed, says NCAER Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 5:45AMThe government should pay attention to the supply side in the same measure as it has been focusing on raising demand as part of its fiscal policy, economic think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has said.
Many illegal immigrants live in public housing Friday, January 2, 2009 @ 5:45AMUntold thousands of illegal immigrants live in public housing at a time when hundreds of thousands of citizens and legal residents are stuck waiting years for a spot.
India, Pak exchange lists of nuclear installations Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:03AMIndia and Pakistan exchanged lists of their nuclear installations in spite of prevailing tension in aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.
Bangkok fire kills 60 New Year clubbers Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:03AMAt least 60 people killed, including many foreigners, and more than 200 injured when a fierce fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Bangkok.
Report: Toyota developing solar powered green car Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:02AMTOKYO (AP)—Toyota Motor Corp. is secretly developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy in an effort to turn around its struggling business with a futuristic ecological car, a top business daily reported Thursday….
Budget for it Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:02AMGiven that the economy is unlikely to recover momentum in the short run, the pressure on the government to come out with more stimulus packages is certain to increase — a second stimulus package is expected any day now.
Arvind Singhal: Getting back to work Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:02AMAs we enter another new year today, many may wish to forget the one that has just gone by. Perhaps no other year in recent memory would have started with so much optimism as 2008 did, and perhaps no other year in recent memory would have finished with so much anxiety as 2008 did.
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-01 07:29 Indian inflation at 10-mth lows, rate cuts seen Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:00AMBy Rajkumar Ray
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-01 07:29 UPDATE 1-Indian inflation at 10-mth lows, rate cuts seen Thursday, January 1, 2009 @ 2:00AMBy Rajkumar Ray
CEOs eye government bailout Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:57PMA majority of Indian CEOs do not expect economic prospects to improve in 2009 and feel growth is constrained by the liquidity crunch, negative sentiment and demand recession in the economy.
Fiscal deficit till Nov 2008 crosses budget estimate Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:56PMIndia’s fiscal deficit has crossed the government’s initial estimate of 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the eight months up to November 2008. As a result, the market borrowing by the Centre also crossed the budget estimate of Rs 1,13,000 crore by nearly Rs 21,000 crore in the same period.
BSNL to start 3G services in Chennai Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:55PMState-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) today said it plans to start next generation (3G) mobile services in Chennai and other circles next month.
Daly suspended for 6 months by PGA Tour Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:53PMJohn Daly smashed one tee shot off the top of a beer can during a pro-am. At another tournament, he returned from a rain delay with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. And his most memorable photo this year came in an orange jail suit, eyes half-closed.
Oakland police rattled, demoralized by Chauncey Bailey slaying investigation Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:53PMn Chronic understaffing, continuing violent crime, inability to keep, make public accurate crime stats besiege department
Man calls in bomb threats, threatens mayor Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:53PMA homeless man is undergoing involuntary commitment proceedings after making bomb threats against City Hall last week and threatening the mayor this week.
Toddler found safe in snowy woods Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:53PMA 2-year-old boy who wandered away from his Cosnino Road home Tuesday afternoon was found safe.
UPDATE 1-Slovaks adopt euro, hope it will soften crisis Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:52PMBRATISLAVA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Slovakia joined the euro on Thursday, hoping that membership of the single currency will soften the blow of the global financial crisis and bring about greater economic convergence with richer European Union states.
Al-Qaeda quotes Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 7:52PMUK historian finds his work used for anti-Nato ends