| Japan Exports Rise but Trade Gap Biggest in Two Years
But the trade balance notched its biggest deficit in two years as higher crude oil and natural gas prices drove import bills up, data from the Ministry of Finance showed. Financial markets showed a muted reaction to the data as it did little to alter speculation that the Bank of Japan's next move could be to cut rates in the face of a deepening credit crisis. The trade deficit of 79.3 billion yen ($734 million) contrasted with economists' median forecast for a surplus of 35 billion yen. The trade gap was the biggest since a deficit of 394.4 billion yen registered in January 2006 and followed two consecutive months of year-on-year falls in the surplus. "Although Japan's exports were underpinned by shipments to Europe and Asia, the slowdown in U.S.-bound exports will gradually affect overall Japanese shipments abroad," said Tatsushi Shikano, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.
Warming to Athens in winter
On Sundays the city's famous flea market spreads this far, where it becomes less of a tourist hotspot and more of a local affair. There are some genuine bargains among the junk and bric-à-brac, but the main appeal is the ambience, with ancient men flogging everything from antiques to knocked-off Rolexes in an atmosphere not unlike an eastern bazaar. In winter the two-mile pedestrianised ancient promenade that links all of the city's principal archaeological sites becomes an exercise circuit for Athenians, filled with families, dog-walkers, joggers and hand-holding couples. The ancient sites themselves are blissfully free of crowds. Wandering around an Acropolis devoid of noisy visitors, or through the somnolent peace of the ancient cemetery of Keramikos by yourself, is an absolute joy.
Looking for solutions to the carbon conundrum
Also, at least in inter we can put on more clothing to reduce heating costs. In winter, there is not much further we can go than to strip down to our swim suits.
With regards to crops, remember that earth is a closed system, and what nutrient resources, ie: fertilizer, we have are limited. Also, the amount of viable farming soil is fast depleting due to unsustainable farming practices. Monoculture farming is also a problem because the farming system is linear. You extract nutrients to feed the crops, harvest what you want and the rest is garbage. Personally I'd like to see a greater shift to crop cycling.
If farming shifted northwards, remember that those living near the equator will start depending on us for food instead. This would simply be a shift of who is exporting and who is importing, and although economically profitable for us, remember that this is merely a shift, and in all likelihood, only the extremely wealthy will benefit thus the disparity between the rich and the poor will only increase.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Javy slimmed down, upbeat: There was another, more familiar face atop a slimmer physique at FanFest, as Javy Lopez began a second tour with the Braves that he hopes will include a backup catcher spot on the major league roster. The Braves signed the veteran catcher to a minor league deal in December, and Lopez said he's got a different mindset than he had before being cut by the Rockies during last spring training (he ended up not playing at all in 2007). He said wasn't ready mentally to be a backup then, but is now. Lopez doesn't have the absolutely shredded, miniscule-body-fat, muscular physique he had in 2003, when he hit .328 with career-highs of 43 homers and 109 RBIs for the Braves and parlayed it into a rich free-agent contract with Baltimore.
Sensex rises 864 points after US Fed rate cut
Mumbai, Jan 23 Stock market benchmark Sensex ended a seven-day losing streak today, gaining 864 points after the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates in an emergency move to prevent the world's biggest economy from slipping into a recession.
The 3-share index rose 864.13 points to 17,594.07, led by index-heaviest Reliance Industries Ltd, which rose by Rs 196.80 to settle at Rs 2,554.85. The Sensex rose to a high of 17,997.11 and fell to a low of 16,951.03 points in volatile intra-day trading.
The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty surged by 404.10 points at 5203.40, after touching the day's high of 5328.05 and a low of 4891.60 points.
The US central bank cut short-term benchmark rate by a steep 75 basis points yesterday, in a surprise move that is aimed at checking the nation's economy from slowing down and soothing the investor community.
Service Index's Dive Might Be Final Nail For U.S. Expansion
The service sector shrank sharply in January, a key report said Tuesday, inflaming recession fears and triggering a heavy market sell-off. The Institute for Supply Management's nonmanufacturing business activity index dived to 41.9 from 54.4 in December. Readings below 50 signal contraction. It's the lowest since October 2001 in the midst of recession and just after 9/11. Wall Street expected 53. It was the largest monthly drop since records began in 1997. The dismal report shows weakness is spreading beyond housing to retailers, banks and other areas of the service sector, which accounts for more than 80% of the economy. Fourteen of the 17 industries surveyed contracted. .
Gordon Brown's Black Wednesday
I thought at first that Mr Brown, with the help of the Bank of England, might defy the odds and pass the test this time. But yesterday's statement made clear that I was wrong. Like Major before him, Mr Brown is not being swept out of power by the tidal wave of events but by his own inability to take timely, sensible decisions in response to them. There was, in principle, no great difficulty in resolving the Northern Rock crisis. Mr Brown could have offered a modest Treasury guarantee back in August to facilitate a takeover by Lloyds TSB. Or he could have told the Treasury to put Northern Rock into administration, buy all the assets and liabilities immediately for £1 from the receiver and then run the bank down in an orderly way. But Mr Brown was too slow and indecisive to take the first option and too timid to face the job losses and temporary opprobrium resulting from the second.
Aramex records best ever annual results as profits climb 28%
(DFM: ARMX) today released financial results for 2007, reflecting what is considered to be the company's best year yet.
For the year ending December 31, 2007, Aramex revenues rose from AED 1,364 million to AED 1,784 million, increasing by 31% over 2006, while net profits rose by 28% over the same period, from AED 95.2 million to AED 121.6 million.
Net profits for the fourth quarter went up by 20% to AED 32.1 million, from AED 26.8 million for the same period last year. Revenues for the period were further ahead at AED 495 million, 23% up on the AED 403 million for the same period in 2006.
"We can confidently say that 2007 was Aramex's best year ever. We grew in size, reach, capability, and reputation. And we did it in a thoughtful, measured, and sustainable manner that will enable us to continue leveraging our strengths as we move boldly into 2008," said Fadi Ghandour, founder and CEO of Aramex.
Kickapoo, Glendale mourning students
The two principals said that they had not contacted students' families yet and wanted to respect their time to grieve. Specific school memorials hadn't been planned as of Sunday night, though Prouty said he'd spoken to the student council president about giving the students an opportunity to write their thoughts on a roll of paper. "It is certainly a lesson to all of us that the lives we have are fragile," Schmitz said.
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