Sons And Daughters Of BBCMF Germany / Europe / Middle East Technology

[mick]

below is link for i.p.o. dates.
http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/market/ipomain.asp

[mick]

http://www.germany.info/relaunch/business/business.html?OVRAW=germany%20technology&OVKEY=germany....
middle east...link: http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2005/11/18/215069/24_hour_gold_trading_comes_to_Shanghai.htm
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article328163.ece
This Will Be Our New India Subject With International Comments By Midastouch017 , #msg-8050079

[mick]

i don't see midas much. does he still post?????

[mick]

i really fell behind on european messages. anyone got any updates?????

[mick]

Technology in Germany - Resource Site Browse our site to get useful insights, news and more. Your German information source is provided by the German Embassy, the German Information Center and the Consulates General in the US.
http://www.germany.info

[mick]

hi to all and a happy new year to all.

[mick]

good afternoon to all friends and readers.

[mick]

TO ALL, BBCMF,FRIENDS AND READERS. ONE OF FRIENDS HAS PASSED ON. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING FOR HER OR ABOUT HER GIVE THIS PALACE A CLOCK TO.

IN MEMORY FOR MARIE az2820


http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=2463

[mick]

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO OUR FRIENDS, READERS, MY ASSISTANTS, AND TO ALL THAT WORK HARD FOR SHARING AND CARING FOR EACH OTHER HERE AT THE IHUB.

[mick]

all wish andi a very happy birthday. happy birthday ANDI.

[mick]

The Automatic Millionaire

by David Bach
Bestselling author David Bach shares his no-budget, no-discipline, no-nonsense system to help people achieve their financial goals -- and then some. With motivational stories, easy-to-follow tips, and advice based on proven financial principles, "The Automatic Millionaire" is a must read for anyone who wants to make -- and save -- more money. "The Automatic Millionaire" appears every other Tuesday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

Reinventing Retirement
by Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D.
"Reinventing Retirement" is the ultimate guide for a new generation of maturing adults who aren't talking about winding down or moving to society's periphery. Aging expert Ken Dychtwald shares advice for making the years ahead the best of your life. Learn how to stay connected with your spouse, kids, and friends; how to maintain your physical -- and financial -- fitness; how to create a healthy balance between work and leisure; and how to leave a lasting legacy. "Reinventing Retirement" appears every other Thursday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

Why the Rich Get Richer
by Robert Kiyosaki
Tired of the same old financial advice? Want better returns on your money ... with less risk? Robert Kiyosaki, best selling author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad," explains why many commonly held truths about managing your money -- sacred cows like "get out of debt," "save money," and "invest for the long term" -- are obsolete. In their place, he offers concrete financial solutions anyone can follow. "Investing," he points out, "is not risky, but following bad investment advice is." "Why the Rich Get Richer" appears every other Tuesday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

The Best of Today's Business
by Harold Maass
"The Best of Today's Business" is a summary of each day's top financial news and opinion, produced jointly by the editors of The Week magazine and Yahoo! Finance. Columnist Harold Maass sifts through the flood of business reports in newspapers and on the Web, surfacing the news that can't wait. Each column sends you directly to the best articles, from the latest on Wall Street to the most helpful advice on personal finance. "The Best of Today's Business" appears every weekday morning, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

Money Matters
by Suze Orman
With her trademark style, Suze Orman delivers meaningful and relevant tips for managing your money. Whether it's debt management, retirement planning, or assessing the financial compatibility of your partner, "Money Matters" makes even the most complicated financial projects easy to understand -- and conquer. "Money Matters" appears every other Monday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

The Trend Desk
by Daniel Pink
Each month, journalist and bestselling author Daniel Pink scours an array of sources to give readers a first look at the financial, consumer, and workplace trends that are reshaping business. Pink's provocative and entertaining column is an early-warning system for the forces reconfiguring the business terrain -- a must-read for investors and entrepreneurs looking to stay one step ahead of the competition. "The Trend Desk" appears the third Wednesday of each month, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

Money & Happiness
by Laura Rowley
"Money & Happiness" is a humorous and thoughtful column featuring stories about money and life. Drawing from culture, psychology, philosophy, and everyday life experiences, the column looks at how money can facilitate or sabotage our happiness. With an upbeat, stylish delivery and a common sense approach, Laura Rowley offers observations and advice on achieving both wealth and happiness. "Money & Happiness" appears every other Friday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

The Future for Investors
by Jeremy Siegel, Ph.D.
In "The Future for Investors," Professor Jeremy Siegel provides straightforward, timely insights into matters affecting the financial markets and your wealth. How do you find the best stocks to buy for the long run? How important are dividends? Who will buy -- and at what price -- the trillions of dollars of stocks and bonds the baby boomers will sell to finance their retirement? Professor Siegel helps you see the big picture so that you can make the most of your investment dollars. "The Future for Investors" appears every other Monday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

How Not to Ruin Your Life
by Ben Stein
"How Not to Ruin Your Life" explains how the ordinary investor can protect and grow their net worth in an ever-changing world. Drawing on the fundamentals of finance and his trademark wit, Ben Stein offers easy-to-follow advice on index funds, mutual funds, annuities, real estate, and the secrets of a building a winning stock portfolio. "How Not to Ruin Your Life" appears every other Monday, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

The Naked Economist
by Charles Wheelan, Ph.D.
Professor Charles Wheelan continues his witty and accessible exploration of how economics impacts our everyday lives -- a journey he began with his groundbreaking book "Naked Economics." Using the basic tools of economics, Wheelan undresses the issues of the day, stripping away politics and jargon to explain how big headlines can affect your bottom line. "The Naked Economist" appears the first Wednesday of each month, exclusively on Yahoo! Finance. Read Full Biography

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[mick]

Israeli Stocks, Politics Don't Mix
Gregg Greenberg
Considering its diminutive size, Israel garners an inordinate share of global headlines. That's been even more evident in recent weeks, as the nuclear threat from Iran, a Palestinian election and the major illness of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have kept the country on the front page. Mutual fund manager Gadi Beer, however, wonders why the press doesn't often feature Israel in the business section as well.

[mick]

Hamas Says It Will Not Change


Email this Story

Jan 28, 2:27 PM (ET)

By STEVEN GUTKIN

(AP) Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal, pictured, whose group achieved a resounding victory in...
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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Following their resounding election victory, the Islamic militants of Hamas met the question of whether they will change their stripes with a loud "no": no recognition of Israel, no negotiations, no renunciation of terror.

But the world holds out hope that international pressure can make them more moderate. At stake is the future of Mideast peacemaking, billions of dollars in aid and the Palestinians' relationship with Israel, the United States and Europe.

Hamas' victory - winning 76 of 132 parliament seats in Wednesday's election - has created a dizzying power shift in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, overturning certitudes and highlighting the failure by Palestinian leaders, Israel and the international community to ease growing desperation in the Palestinian territories.

Weekend violence between Hamas and Palestinian policemen mostly allied with long-dominant Fatah, and angry demonstrations by disgruntled gunmen fearing the loss of jobs and income after the Hamas win, have raised the specter of widespread civil strife.

After a brutal five-year campaign by Israel to destroy Hamas and assassinate its top leaders, the organization emerged stronger than ever and is poised to take over the Palestinian Authority.

The U.S. has pushed for democracy in the Middle East, hoping to promote moderation and head off more 9/11-style attacks, but, as in recent votes in Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon, a clean and fair election has empowered Islamists in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel and the international community repeatedly have demanded that the Palestinian government disarm militias, but now that the main militia appears to have become the government, no one knows what will happen to its weapons.

The win by Hamas - which is responsible for dozens of suicide bombings on Israelis and has long called for the destruction of the Jewish state - caught everyone, including the organization itself, off guard.

Both Hamas and the international community face agonizing dilemmas. Hamas leaders say they won't renounce their violent ideology, but the consequences of failing to do so are likely to be catastrophic: loss of life-sustaining aid, international isolation and a profound setback to their statehood aspirations.

The United States and many European countries say they'll have nothing to do with a Hamas government, but a sharp cutoff in aid and an overly zealous stance could steer the Palestinians further away from moderation at an extremely delicate moment.

An interview with an up-and-coming young Hamas leader in a dusty Gaza Strip field revealed how the organization's slant could shift.

Mushir al-Masri said renouncing the "armed struggle" and negotiating with Israel are "not on Hamas' agenda" because a decade of talking won the Palestinians nothing.

"We cannot waste 10 more years when the last 10 years failed to realize even the minimum amount of Palestinian hopes," he said.

But when an aide tried to put a green Hamas sash over al-Masri's shoulder before a TV interview, the 29-year-old newly elected lawmaker shooed him away. "You should bring me the Palestinian flag," he said, reflecting his movement's stated desire to represent all Palestinians.

By all accounts, Palestinians didn't choose Hamas because they reject peace talks with Israel but rather because they were fed up with graft in the ruling Fatah Party. Hamas candidates ran on a platform of clean government, largely de-emphasizing their militant credentials.

Samih al-Hattab, a 32-year-old policeman in Gaza City, said he voted for Hamas because "everyone wants change," but said he expected the group to soften its stances once in power.

"A politician has to be seasoned and to adapt to the situation he's under," he said, standing outside a mosque where a cleric had just finished a sermon urging Hamas not to follow the corrupt ways of Fatah.

Hamas leaders are aware of their dilemma. Since the election, they have struggled to persuade Fatah to join them in a coalition - hoping to avoid having to deal with Israel and the West. But Fatah has so far rejected the offer.

Hamas victory celebrations have been decidedly muted, another indication the group seeks to handle the situation delicately.

Despite that, tensions are boiling on the streets. Clashes in Gaza between Hamas gunmen and Palestinian police on Friday and Saturday wounded four officers and one Hamas militant.

Also Saturday, thousands of angry Fatah activists, led by masked gunmen firing in the air, marched through several West Bank cities demanding the resignation of party leaders following their defeat.

The growing unrest, combined with the complexities of running a government and world pressure for it to change its ways, pose daunting challenges to Hamas, which has little experience in governance.

If Hamas forms the next government, as is likely, and fails to renounce its call for the destruction of Israel, the U.S. and most European countries are almost certain to cut off the financial aid that keeps the already bankrupt Palestinian Authority running.

Israel, which has urged the international community not to deal with a Hamas government, has substantial leverage in the situation but for now appears intent on holding off on severe measures such as closing border crossings with Gaza or cutting off the monthly flow of tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinians have a mixed system of government, part presidential and part parliamentary. That means Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate president of the Palestinian Authority, should be able to remain in office.

Still unknown, however, is whether Hamas will seize its right to form the new government, taking over the premiership and a new Palestinian Cabinet, and what sort of powers that would give them. The previous Fatah-dominated legislature for the most part fell in line with Abbas.

[mick]

next one...this isn't good for world rest or for ongoing peace in the world.

[mick]

Swiss Bank UBS Halts Iran, Syria Business



Sunday January 22, 3:36 PM EST


ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — Swiss banking giant UBS AG said Sunday it has stopped doing business with Iran because of the company's economic and risk analysis of the situation in the country.

UBS will no longer deal with individuals, companies or state institutions such as Iran's central bank, company spokesman Serge Steiner said. A similar policy is also being implemented in the case of Syria, he said.

All existing business with customers in Iran will be canceled, but Iranians in exile are not affected by the decision, Steiner said, confirming an article in Swiss weekly SonntagsZeitung.

"It is a carefully prepared measure that has been under consideration since last fall," Steiner said.

Iran is under increasing international pressure over its nuclear program and mindful of the freezing of its U.S. assets after the 1979 seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran. The nation has an estimated $50 billion in European banks and Iran's Central Bank governor said over the weekend that it will move its reserves quickly if it deems it necessary to do so.

Steiner declined to specify the volume of business affected by the bank's decision.

[mick]

Some Deadly Attacks in Israel, 2001-06


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Jan 19, 11:14 AM (ET)


During more than four years of Palestinian-Israeli violence, at least 510 people have been killed in 120 Palestinian suicide bombings. Some of the deadliest attacks:

- Dec. 5, 2005: A bomber blows himself up at a shopping mall in the coastal town of Netanya, killing five.

- Oct. 26, 2005: A bomber blows himself up in Hadera at a falafel stand, killing five.

- July 12, 2005: A bomber blows himself up outside a shopping mall in Netanya, killing five.

- Feb. 25, 2005: In the first attack after a truce, a bomber blows himself up in crowd near Tel Aviv nightclub, killing four.

- August 31, 2004: Two bombers blow themselves up in buses in Beersheba, killing 16.

- March 14, 2004: Two bombers blow themselves up at Ashdod port, killing 10.

- Jan. 29, 2004: Suicide bombing on a bus on Jerusalem's Gaza Street kills 11.

- Oct. 4, 2003: Suicide bombing at a seaside restaurant in Haifa kills at least 19.

- Aug. 19, 2003: Suicide bombing on a bus in Jerusalem kills 23.

- June 11, 2003: Suicide bombing on a bus on Jerusalem's central Jaffa Street kills 17.

- March 5, 2003: Suicide bombing on a bus in Haifa kills 17.

- Jan. 5, 2003: Two suicide bombers strike the Neve Shaanan pedestrian mall in Tel Aviv, killing 23.

- Nov. 21, 2002: Suicide bombing on a bus in Jerusalem kills 11.

- Oct. 21, 2002: Suicide bombing on a bus at the Karkur Junction in northern Israel kills 14.

- June 18, 2002: Suicide bombing at junction in southern Jerusalem kills 19.

- June 5, 2002: Suicide bombing on a bus near Megiddo Junction in northern Israel kills 17.

- May 7, 2002: Suicide bombing at a pool hall in the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon Letzion kills 15.

- March 31, 2002: Suicide bombing at a restaurant in Haifa kills 15.

- March 27, 2002: Suicide bombing at a hotel dining room during a ritual Seder meal at the start of Passover in the city of Netanya kills 29.

- March 9, 2002: Suicide bombing at Jerusalem's Moment Cafe kills 11.

- March 2, 2002: Suicide bombing at Jerusalem's Ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim neighborhood kills 11.

- Dec. 2, 2001: Suicide bombing on a bus in the coastal city of Haifa kills 15.

- Dec. 1, 2001: Two suicide bombers strike Jerusalem's Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, killing 11.

- Aug. 9, 2001: Suicide bombing at Sbarros pizzeria in Jerusalem kills 15.

- June 1, 2001: Suicide bombing at the Dolphinarium seaside disco in Tel Aviv kills 21, mostly teenagers.

[mick]

International Herald Tribune / AP ^ | Jan 8, 2006 | staff
TEHRAN, Iran Iran announced on Sunday that inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency were in the country and preparing to remove seals from nuclear research facilities no later than Monday, allowing Tehran to move forward with its vow to resume nuclear fuel research. "Iran is ready to resume the research activities after the inspectors remove the seals. It is our right as other members of the Nonproliferation Treaty. Iran should not be exempted," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said

[mick]

The Australian ^ | 9th January 2006 | Neil Brown
The newly declassified records of war cabinet meetings offer insights into how Churchill would fight the war on terror THERE'S no doubt about Winston Churchill. More than 60 years after the event, his words can still give us a short, sharp jolt into the world of reality. For there he was in the form of notes taken at a cabinet meeting on July 6, 1942, released last week by the National Archives in London. The cabinet scribe recorded in his notebook that Churchill had announced to the meeting: "If Hitler falls into our hands we shall certainly put him to...

[mick]

Doctors Wait to Assess Sharon's Condition
JERUSALEM (AP) - With Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recovering from emergency brain surgery early Saturday, his doctors said it was still too early to assess how much damage the Israeli leader has suffered from a massive stroke. Independent experts said the prognosis remained grim. An official...

[mick]

good evening friends and readers.

[mick]

India's outsourcing hub full of beans about name change 2005-12-12 10:30:01
Bangalore, India's high-tech capital, will change its name to reflect the local language and become "the town of boiled beans", officials say.
[Full Story....]
Pulsating possibilities in Bangalore are being choked by city's bad infrastructure

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSetId=623&fSectionId=1646

[mick]

good afternoon friends and readers.

[mick]

updating the ibox with our networking forums.

[mick]

Derivatives help lift BNP Paribas profit by 22%
BNP Paribas SA, France's largest bank by market value, said Thursday profit jumped 22% after a strong performance from its equity derivatives and international retail businesses.

[mick]

Europe closes lower on BNP Paribas results, Ifo survey
European shares fell Thursday, though ended off lows for the day, as German business confidence waned and investors assessed mixed news from BNP Paribas and Credit Suisse Group.

[mick]

Europe's Turn to Wrestle With Obesity [external]
Europe's food industry and consumer groups are to submit ideas to the European Union on Thursday on how to confront obesity.

[mick]

Oil Companies File Arbitration Against Yemen [external]
Two U.S. oil companies filed arbitration this week against Yemen for expropriating an oil-producing block with output worth more than $1 billion a year.

[mick]

A German Auto Supplier Delphi Might Envy [external]
Continental, a German auto parts maker, has avoided most of the jolts that have rattled its American counterparts - Delphi and General Motors.

[mick]

Euro dips on weak German Ifo report
The euro dipped against the dollar on Wednesday after a weaker than expected survey of German business sentiment caused jitters about the course of euro zone interest rates. The influential Ifo institute survey of German business...

[mick]

IMF to soften "shocks" for poor nations
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has set up a new facility to provide funds to poor countries in the case of natural disasters or balance-of-payments crises stemming from a surge in oil prices, Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on...

[mick]

Euro dips on weak German Ifo report
The euro dipped against the dollar on Wednesday after a weaker than expected survey of German business sentiment caused jitters about the course of euro zone interest rates. The influential Ifo institute survey of German business...

[mick]

CNN sells stake in Germany's NTV
RTL Group is buying out CNN's 50-percent share in German news channel n-tv, taking its stake to 100 percent, it said on Thursday. It declined to name a price for the transaction, which is subject to approval from cartel and media...

[mick]

Marathon to buy Refco London: Man Group
London-listed hedge-fund company Man Group Plc said on Thursday Marathon Asset Management had replaced it as purchaser of assets and accounts of London businesses of bankrupt U.S. brokerage Refco . Man has taken the decision because...

[mick]

Swisscom may partner for TDC bid: sources
Swisscom AG , which is mulling a bid for Denmark's TDC , is talking to buyout firms about divesting parts of TDC's business in the event of any takeover, sources close to the matter said. If Swisscom does proceed with a bid for the...

[mick]

Vivendi sees profit near $2.4 bln
French telecoms and media group Vivendi Universal SA expects to make an adjusted net profit of close to 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in 2005, its Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy said on Thursday. Levy also told French radio station

[mick]

Owner of Web Site to Cede Name to Merkel photo
BERLIN (AP) - The election of a woman as Germany's chancellor presented government techies with an immediate challenge. With gender-based spellings in German, the chancellor's Web site could no longer be bundeskanzler.de. Angela Merkel's official title is "Bundeskanzlerin," with the feminine...

[mick]

Fugitive murder suspect found - on TV
MOSCOW (Reuters) - An eagle-eyed investigator's wife ended a Russian manhunt by spotting a murder suspect's name in the credits of a television show, a newspaper said Tuesday.

[mick]

Sometimes you just have a really bad day..
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German man drank too much, wet his bed and set fire to his apartment while trying to dry his bedding, police in the western town of Muelheim said Monday.

[mick]

Germans prefer letters after name to love or money
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germans value letters attached to their name more than money, love or having children with nine out of ten rating a good qualification as their most important aim in life, a survey showed Wednesday.

[mick]

Bogus E-Mails Contain New 'Sober' Worm


Email this Story

Nov 23, 9:15 PM (ET)


VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Austria's equivalent of the FBI said Tuesday that it is investigating a flurry of bogus e-mails sent in its name to people in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

The Federal Criminal Investigations Office said the e-mails warn recipients that they are illegally in possession of pirated software, and that the messages contain the computer-crippling "Sober" worm.

The agency warned people who receive the e-mails not to open the attachments, and said it has nothing to do with their circulation.

An investigation is under way, the agency said.

[mick]

EU Ministers to OK Arms Industry Plan
Sunday November 20, 7:09 am ET
By Paul Ames, Associated Press Writer
EU Defense Ministers to Endorse Plan to Open euro30 Billion Armaments Market to Competition


BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- EU defense ministers are expected to agree on a plan Monday to open up their euro30 billion (US$35 billion) arms industry to increased cross-border competition.
While the new "code of conduct" will be voluntary and nonbinding, it marks a breakthrough for the EU after decades of trying to persuade nations to relax protection of their tightly guarded national defense markets.

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Governments have been able to protect their national defense industry champions because military contracts have been largely excluded from EU legislation that has ripped down barriers to trade within Europe in other sectors.

EU officials say more than half the euro30 billion (US$35 billion) annual spending on new military equipment in Europe lies outside EU free market rules.

By allowing companies to compete more in each others markets, the EU hopes to secure lower costs for Europe's tight defense budgets and encourage a restructuring of the continent's fractured industry so it becomes more competitive on world markets.

The code of conduct is due to come into force in July, if ministers agree. EU nations will have until April to decide if they want to take part. Denmark has already opted out and officials said Spain also has doubts, but the other 23 EU members are expected to sign up.

Under the system, nations will commit to posting defense contracts on an Internet bulletin board open to companies from all EU nations who could then compete for it.

Although the rules are not legally enforceable, officials said nations would face considerable peer pressure to allow free competition from other EU companies. The EU will monitor application of the system to ensure governments are sticking to the rules.

Experts say they expect a more open defense industry to encourage the development of pan-European companies that would pool research and compete with U.S. rivals.

However, analysts warn it could take time before Europe's defense ministries from the main arms producers, like Britain, France, Germany and Italy, move away from trusted national suppliers.

Seven of the world's 10 biggest defense companies are American.

The U.S. top four -- Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co. -- had a combined revenue from defense of US$105.4 billion (euro90.15 billion) last year. That is more than double that of the four biggest European defense companies -- BAE Systems PLC, European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., Thales SA and Finmeccanica SpA.





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[mick]

APEC Leaders Challenge Europe on Subsidies
Saturday November 19, 11:43 pm ET
By Rohan Sullivan, Associated Press Writer
APEC Leaders Challenge Europe to Drop Farm Subsidies to Advance Free Trade Talks


BUSAN, South Korea (AP) -- President Bush and other Pacific Rim leaders ended their annual economic summit Saturday with an indirect challenge to European countries to help revive global free-trade negotiations by cutting their hefty farm subsidies.
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The 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation also addressed the threat of a possible bird flu pandemic, pledging to be open about disclosing outbreaks, boost surveillance and build a register of experts that can advise countries on combating the disease.

But it was the trade issue that dominated the two-day APEC summit, just three weeks before a key World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong.

The leaders, who clearly blamed Europe for the deadlock in remarks on the sidelines of the summit, stopped short of naming the continent in their statement on trade. Officials said it was too politically sensitive.

"We urge all other WTO members, and especially those that have the largest stake in the global trading system and derive the biggest benefits therefrom, to show the flexibilities needed to move the negotiations forward," the leaders' statement said.

Unblocking disputes over agriculture is the key to progress, the statement said.

Australia and Canada wanted the statement to name Europe as the main obstacle in the WTO, but other leaders objected because they did not want to single out any country or region, officials said.

"You don't have to name names," Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo told The Associated Press, adding it was quite obvious who the statement was directed at.

In his weekly radio address Saturday, Bush called it a strong statement: "Asian Pacific leaders are working with us toward the goal of a freer and fairer global trading system, which will benefit America and other nations around the world."

About 1,000 anti-globalization protesters attempted to march to the meeting venue, a cupcake-shaped villa on the South Korean coast named "Nurimaru," or "Pinnacle of the world." Security forces blocked them, and the protesters dispersed peacefully after several hours. On Friday, police clashed with activists from a crowd of about 4,000 protesters who failed to disrupt the meeting.

Although trade dominated the conference, bird flu was also a major issue.

At least 67 people have died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu since 2003, most of them in Vietnam, according to the World Health Organization. Most human cases have been traced to contact with sick birds, but experts warn the virus could mutate into a form easily passed between people and spark a worldwide pandemic.

Amid concern poorer countries are badly prepared to deal with bird flu, Australia immediately pledged $73 million to regional and international initiatives to fight the disease, including a computer simulation exercise. Japan promised nearly $3 million.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, however, the leaders rejected a plan for wealthier countries to contribute to a fund that would pay compensation to farmers with infected poultry flocks, encouraging them not to hide outbreaks.

"If poor farmers know they will lose income they will be very reluctant to" report outbreaks, Abdullah told a news conference. "They will not be ready to cooperate. If they are to do it, (there) must be some means of compensation."

Counterterrorism, intellectual property, energy security and other issues were dealt with in a separate statement. The agreements were announced after the leaders posed for a photo in traditional South Korean silk overcoats called durumagi.

While it wasn't included in the two statements formally adopted by the leaders, summit host South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said the leaders had urged that further progress be made at international talks seeking to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs.

Roh said resolving the issue of North Korea's nuclear programs would spread peace and economic cooperation throughout the region.





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[mick]

EU: Hungary's Budget Stability Crucial
Saturday November 19, 11:56 am ET
EU's Barroso Says Hungary's Budget Stability Crucial for Full Membership in EU


BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Hungary's fiscal stability is crucial if it wants to fully join the European Union by adopting the euro, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Saturday.
Barroso made the comments after talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on the EU and Hungarian budget issues.

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"In EU circles we are convinced that it could be very negative to the general climate if Hungary didn't balance out its budget deficit," said Barroso, who is the president of the EU's executive office.

Last week, EU officials said Hungary could lose EU infrastructure funding if it failed to take steps to cut its increasing budget deficit, which is expected to exceed 6 percent of gross domestic product next year, more than double the 3 percent EU limit.

Gyurcsany said he wanted to preserve social benefits and continue infrastructure development as long as Hungary maintains its economic growth rate.

"We know that a number of adjustments need to be made to achieve a more modern and functioning state," he said. "Hungary is building and the country is investing in its future," Gyurcsany said.





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[mick]

i'm placing this because china mention doing business with germany.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2005/11/18/215069/24_hour_gold_trading_comes_to_Shanghai.htm


#msg-8569276

[mick]

i'm not sure but we may be the first to cover germany on the
IHUB.

[mick]

Battle for Web Control May Not Be Over
Friday November 18, 2:51 pm ET
By Matt Moore, Associated Press Writer
U.S. Claims Victory but the Battle for Web Control May Not Be Over


TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) -- The United States claimed victory this week in the contest to keep control of the computers crucial for directing Internet traffic. But approval Friday of a plan to leave Washington squarely in charge hasn't fully ended the debate: The European Union and a host of other countries are suggesting that a new multinational forum, which delegates to a U.N. technology summit also agreed to set up, simply delays the battle for another day.
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The forum, they say, still could ultimately leave several countries -- and not the United States alone -- with key decisions about domain names and the computers that direct the Internet's flow of information, commerce and dissent.

The computers under dispute, known as root servers, act as the Internet's master directories so Web browsers and e-mail programs can find other computers. Users around the world check those directories millions of times a day without ever knowing it.

Although Pakistan and other countries sought a takeover of the directories by an international body such as the United Nations, negotiators ultimately agreed late Tuesday, as time ran out, to a create an open-ended, nonbinding international forum for raising important Internet issues.

As the three-day U.N. World Summit on the Information Society ended Friday, delegates from 174 countries approved a five-page platform outlining the future of Internet governance along with prescriptions for expanding access worldwide and guarding the free flow of information, ideas and knowledge.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to convene the new Internet Governance Forum early next year. A precise location had not yet been selected, though Greece has offered to host.

Details of the forum's agenda were still being worked out, but organizers said it would bring together government, business and civil leaders and could cover spam, cybercrime and other issues beyond the addressing system.

Because negotiators had watered down language of the platform to reach agreement, many questions remain about how the forum might influence the United States and the quasi-independent agency to which it has delegated authority, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN.

"The real result of WSIS (World Summit) is that the debate over ICANN and Internet governance will be prolonged for another five years," said Milton Mueller, an Internet governance expert at Syracuse University. "The U.S. can claim a short-term victory but faces a long-term war of attrition that will gradually erode its position."

Annan was blunt in his assessment.

"The United States deserves our thanks for having developed the Internet and making it available to the world," the U.N. head told delegates. "But I think you also all acknowledge the need for more international participation in discussions of Internet governance issues."

But on the sidelines, other delegates acknowledged the deal was vague.

"We haven't resolved everything, but the principle is that all governments have an equal role in responsibility," said Yoshio Utsumi, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, the U.N. agency that organized the summit.

The 25-member EU bloc said the deal would, in the end, give more countries a voice on domain name policies, including the prickly situation of providing domain suffixes in languages other than English.

EU spokesman Martin Selmayr said the final "inclusive and global" deal was largely based on the EU's proposal, particularly the creation of the international forum and a declaration that no country should be involved in decisions affecting another country's country-code suffix, such as ".cn" for China.

Though the EU didn't get all it wanted, it got "a framework for a more international approach," Selmayr said. "That is, for us, the important development."

Even following the deal, some delegates continued to seek a greater U.N. role through the ITU.

"The Internet has become such an important global network and an important infrastructure, that it goes beyond the framework of one state," Russian Information Technologies Minister Leonid Reiman told Itar-Tass. "ITU has proved it is capable of doing the job."

David Gross, the U.S. State Department's top official on Internet policy, said simply that the deal preserved "the unique role of the United States government in assuring the reliability and stability of the Internet."

Negotiators on both sides said that the talks, which began in earnest on Sunday, were fierce before a final decision was reached the night before the summit's opening.

Pakistan's Sarbuland Khan, executive coordinator of the UN's task force on communications technologies, said the agreement would bring countries closer "to help continue the dialogue and slowly move to a more participatory and inclusive approach."

Ultimately, the agreement came after intense political scrutiny, something that had not really taken place in the 1990s.

"That's what happened here at WSIS, which was long overdue," said Hans Klein, a professor at Georgia Tech. "The political system came in and gave it a thorough review. The irony is even though Europe has been critical of ICANN, they have given their blessing to it. It's like the Europeans re-elected George Bush."

http://www.itu.int/wsis

http://www.icann.org





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[mick]

here is a link that is good to have for an expess to some israel
techs , etc.

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000020455&fid=1724

[mick]

good morning friends.

[mick]

i added the middle east today. i think this will be a good start for the international companies and the technology from these
countries.

enjoy the ride here.

[mick]

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