Obama plane’s photo-op triggers New York panic
April 28, 2009
New Yorkers evacuated offices in panic on Monday when an unexpected overflight by one of President Barack Obama’s Boeing 747s triggered fears of a new 9/11.
The jumbo, escorted by low-flying fighter jets, roared over southern Manhattan and the Hudson River for about 30 minutes on what officials later described as a photo-op.
9/11 plane scare over New York
Claim couple used crew area to join *mile-high club*
April 20, 2009
Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific says it is investigating claims a couple travelling first class from Toronto used the crew rest area in a Boeing 777 to join the “mile-high club”.
A purser allegedly invited the couple to use the off-limits area to have sex when he saw them getting intimate in their seats that fold out into beds in the new-style first class cabin.
Israel recalls envoy over welcome to Iranian President
April 20, 2009
Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland last night in protest over a meeting between the Swiss President, Hans-Rudolph Merz, and Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr Ahmadinejad was greeted by the Swiss President after landing in Geneva on Sunday where he was due to address a United Nations conference on racism today.
Fat causes a billion tonnes of greenhouse gas
April 20, 2009
High rates of obesity in richer countries cause up to a billion extra tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year, compared with countries with leaner populations, according to a study that assesses the additional food and fuel needs of the overweight.
Clinton vows to freeze pirate assets
April 15, 2009
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has unveiled a four-point plan to fight piracy that calls for prosecution and freezing pirates’ assets.
The United States seeks to work with the international community to “explore ways to track and freeze pirate assets”, Clinton told reporters, adding Washington was determined to make sure “states take responsibility for prosecuting and imprisoning captured pirates.
Obama Eases Restrictions On Travel To Cuba
April 13, 2009
President Barack Obama directed his administration Monday to allow unlimited travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba, and to take other steps to ease U.S. restrictions on the island.
Hitchens Debate With Blackwell Over Religion in America Gets Heated (Video)
April 8, 2009
Christopher Hitchens was a guest on Hardball tonight along with Kenneth Blackwell, from the Family Research Council, to discuss Newsweek’s recent cover story titled “The End of Christian America.” The story highlighted a poll showing that while 62 percent of Americans considered the U.S. a Christian nation, a staggering 68 percent say religion is losing its influence on American life.
Hugs and smiles for Obama on Iraq troop visit
April 8, 2009
Barack Obama drew praise from troops and veterans groups for his surprise visit this week to Baghdad, another step in his concerted effort to win the support of the military, despite having opposed the war in Iraq and never having served in uniform.
“I’m honoured and grateful to be with all of you. And I’m not going to talk long because I want to shake as many hands as I can,” the President said, to loud applause and shouts. The troops, he said, had performed “brilliantly” and he pledged to do “everything we can” for military families and combat veterans.
Obama adviser declares millions
April 6, 2009
Lawrence Summers, the top economic adviser to the US President, Barack Obama, earned millions over the past year as managing director of the hedge fund D. E. Shaw Group and through speaking fees, some from financial institutions now at the centre of the Government’s rescue program.
Property developers make a big profit in Afghanistan
April 6, 2009
The global financial crisis has created an unlikely property boom in Kabul, where four-bedroom houses now cost up to $500,000.
As prices across the world collapse, parts of the Afghan capital, Kabul has seen values rise by 75 per cent in the past year, according to estate agents.
A plummeting Dubai property market has forced the wealthy Afghan elite to pull their investments out of the Gulf and plough the money back into Kabul.
Prices have been further buoyed by demand for city center property and land from aid agencies, international contractors and new embassies. Because the economy is largely reliant on aid or donations and the tiny formal banking system is reluctant to lend, Afghanistan has so far been largely untouched by the credit crisis and ensuing downturn, according to ministers and business leaders.
Those Afghans who have amassed large sums from reconstruction contracts, corruption or the opium trade have invested in Dubai’s booming markets in the past five years. But Dubai property is estimated to have fallen 25 per cent in value since its September peak and billions of dollars of development there is on hold or canceled.
“Most Afghans who have invested in Dubai are now turning their faith back to Kabul,” said Torialai Bahadery, director of Property Consulting Afghanistan.
“We have been hearing that people are losing millions of dollars in Dubai.”
“In addition there’s very easy money for selected people. They make good money out of contracts and they prefer to invest it here rather than Dubai.”
“Drug dealers want to make their money clean by investing in property. It used to be when they had money they had ways of taking it out, but because of the global crisis, they don’t want to take it out.”
