Worldwide Business News

Bridges Announces Third Quarter Financial Results http://www.bridges.com 
T-Net British Columbia - Feb 14 7:54 AM
Vancouver, BC, February 14, 2006–(T-Net)–Bridges Transitions Inc. releases its financial results for the six months ending December 31, 2005. The following comments are excerpts from the Company’s Interim Report mailed to shareholders and available online at www.bridges.com on February 14, 2006.Save to My Web

ASPEN’S President and CEO Interviewed by Leading Online Financial Portal 
[Press Release] Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance - 2 hours, 37 minutes ago
Aspen Exploration Corporation announced that its President and CEO, Robert A. Cohan, was interviewed today by CEOcast.com, a leading online financial portal. The streaming audio of the CEOcast.com interview is available by going to www.ceocast.com. Register for free, log in, and search under Archives by Company Name or Stock Symbol.Save to My Web

No R&R for RNR 
The Motley Fool via Yahoo! News - 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
That would ordinarily be enough in its own right to create tough times for RenaissanceRe (NYSE: RNR - News), but wait — there’s more. Not only did the company have to absorb a nasty wallop from the storms, but there’s also been an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission that has cost the company some of its senior managers — including the now-former CEO.Save to My Web

Momenta Pharmaceuticals Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter of 2005 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - Feb 14 5:30 AM
Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a biotechnology company developing drugs based on its proprietary sugar sequencing technology, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2005.Save to My Web

Alliance Imaging Schedules Conference Call and Webcast to Review Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2005 Financial Results 
[Press Release] Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance - 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
ANAHEIM, Calif.—-Feb. 14, 2006–Alliance Imaging Inc. announced today that it will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, Feb. 24, 2006 at 1 p.m. Eastern time to discuss the company’s fourth quarter and full year 2005 financial results, which are scheduled to be released after the market closes on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006.Save to My Web

Bancroft Convertible Fund, Inc. Announces Dividend, Earnings and Financial Update 
[Press Release] Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance - Feb 13 4:45 PM
Bancroft Convertible Fund, Inc. today reported financial highlights and certain portfolio information for the three months ended January 31, 2006.Save to My Web

Fed Chief Plans Upbeat Assessment for D.C. Debut
FOX News - WASHINGTON New Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is expected to offer an upbeat assessment of the U.S.

Rosneft’s nine-month profit rises sixfold
Lexington Herald-Leader - MOSCOW - Russian state-owned oil group OAO Rosneft reported a sixfold increase in net profit over the first nine months of 2005 thanks to high world oil prices and its acquisition of the biggest production unit of the embattled Yukos oil company. In

Association
Business Travel Executive - The Transportation Security Administration s Jan. 20 report on developments in the Registered Traveler Program has drawn qualified support from Greeley Koch, president of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. The TSA announcement

U.S. farm income to fall $16.4 billion in 2006, says USDA
Iowa Farm Bureau - Net farm income is projected to fall $16.4 billion from 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says. Income is expected to fall to $56.2 billion, only slightly above the 10-year average of $55.7 billion. Income was a record $82.5 billion in

Oil spike lubricates Japan’s
Asia Times - TOKYO - The conventional wisdom is that spikes in crude-oil prices play havoc with heavily resource-poor Japan, which is the world’s third-largest oil guzzler after the United States and China and imports almost all its oil. To be sure, high oil

Energized for change
Vacaville Reporter - President George W. Bush’s sudden embrace of energy efficiency and renewable resources is certainly a welcome shift. Five years into his administration, the president’s State of the Union speech last week called for weaning the country off oil

Brownie’s Triumphant Return:
Slate - White House: Heal thyself. The White House is following a strategy of pre-emption in anticipation of a Wednesday House report on Hurricane Katrina that is likely to portray the administration in an unflattering light. On Monday, Homeland Security

Venture Friday: Volatile
Stockhouse Canada - Note: Conflicts and Disclosure Policy- StockHouse Editorial writers may own, buy, or sell shares in public companies mentioned in their articles. Please be advised that a conflict may exist and that any investment decisions you make are your own

Weekend Reading: Less Inflationary Heat
Street.Com - Good Sunday morning. As always, here are some articles and papers worth reading. First, however, a look back at the week that just finished, and a look forward at the week ahead. The markets continued their directionless dance. This week the major

Business
WBBM - NEW YORK (AP) After bemoaning the emergence of the iPod as children’s latest must-have toy, toy makers are now TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) The European Union and Central American officials will decide whether to launch free trade talks in

Clicked: Tracking what s hot online
MSNBC - OK, so that archive box was long and ugy and broke the page for some folks. Instead I put it on its own page . Note, if you were having problems with it using Firefox, I think you won’t now, but do check on your version. The newest is 1.5.0.1 and

Mike Cline column: We’ve got a good thing going here
Marion Chronicle-Tribune - NOTE: This is an edited transcript of a portion of the C-T Talks program that was broadcast Feb. 2 on radio station WBAT 1400-AM. This is the “state of” season. Gov. Mitch Daniels gave us his State of the State speech a couple of weeks ago. President

State
Aiken Standard - The state s $15 billion tourism industry, the largest in South Carolina, wants to draw more international travelers to a state offering everything from mountain vistas to sandy beaches and Charlest FLORENCE The aviation industry contributes

Chet Currier
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel - As Alan Greenspan headed into retirement this week, he left an item of unfinished business that is of special concern to investors. The subject in question is inflated prices in financial markets, which helped to earn the former Federal Reserve

Bad
Long Beach Press-Telegram - Study shows that little might be gained from schooling for 4-year-olds. In June, California voters will be asked to approve spending $2.4 billion a year on prekindergarten schooling for 4-year-olds in the hope it will improve their educational

Maoist Rebels Press Their Fight in Nepal
ABC News - PANAUTI, Nepal Feb 12, 2006 (AP) They came just after dinnertime, hundreds of communist rebels in green fatigues flowing in from each direction. One group stormed down the brick lanes of Panauti’s old town past the Hindu temples crowned with

China’s energy insecurity and the
Asia Times - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has gone on record stating that the fear of soaring energy prices should not deter the international community from imposing comprehensive sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. That is easier said than done

Business
WBZ-AM - MOSCOW (AP) Finance ministers from the world’s leading industrial countries said Saturday that they expect the world

Big challenges ahead for UPA
Central Chronicle - The coming State elections in States like Kerala, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and U.P are not likely to bring any comfort for the Congress party. While in Punjab the position is evenly balanced between them and the Akali Dal- BJP alliance against them

Financial file - Week of February 12
TheReporter.com, CA - 4 hours ago Entrepreneur Magazine named Brooke Franchise Corp. the No. 1 miscellaneous financial services franchise for the third straight year.

The US Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal
Black Enterprise, NY - 12 hours ago Questions of whether and, if so, how the US financial regulatory system-and particularly the federal bank regulatory system-should be restructured are hardly

Al Omaniya Financial does well; net rises 7pc
Middle East North Africa Financial Network, Jordan - 14 hours ago MUSCAT Al Omaniya Financial Services yesterday reported nearly seven per cent jump in its net profit for the year 2005. The

A little fun dealing that taught us hard lessons
Unison.ie, Ireland - 17 hours ago Because Dolmen is regulated by the Financial Regulator and because the Regulator wouldn’t sanction a situation where we at the Sunday Independent Business

Delphi Financial Announces Fourth Quarter 2005 Results
MSN Money - 22 hours ago WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Delphi Financial Group, Inc. DFG announced information. Delphi Financial Group, Inc. is

euro adhoc: Beta Systems Software AG / Financial Figures<wbr>
Vereinigte Wirtschaftsdienste, Germany - 10 hours ago Euro 95.6 million in the 2005 financial year (FY 2004: Euro 90.0 million). This opinion is subject to the examination by the Company’s auditors.

Front Page News 
Sun Advocate - 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
Construction workers use tampers to pound the soil hard where the foundation for Carbon Countys new ambulance garage will stand. The new structure will be located on Airport Road, and will replace the crumbling building the service is presently located in near the county courthouse.Save to My Web

The Bulletin Panama, commercial, shipping and transport news 
The Bulletin Panama - Feb 08 9:19 PM
What is the government doing for our economy? What is hidden behind the curtains?Save to My Web

2ND LD: BOJ looking at policy shift from March meeting: Fukui 
Kyodo via Yahoo! Asia News - Feb 09 1:39 AM
_ (EDS: UPDATING WITH FUKUI’S NEWS CONFERENCE, INCORPORATING STORY HEADLINED ‘CORE CPI LIKELY TO RISE BY WIDER MARGIN FROM JANUARY: BOJ’S FUKUI’)Save to My Web

INDUSTRY & ECONOMY 
The Hindu - 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
NBFCs seek tax sops on par with financial institutions, banks for NPAs NON-BANKING finance companies have sought tax sops similar to the ones extended to banks and financial institutions against provisioning done for non-performing assets (NPAs).Save to My Web

Indian economy to grow at 8.1 percent 
UPI - Feb 08 6:12 AM
NEW DELHI, Feb. 8 (UPI) — India’s economy is expected to grow 8.1 percent this year, New Delhi economists say.Save to My Web

The Citizens Voice - News - 02/09/2006 - Reaction 
Citizens Voice - Feb 09 12:11 AM
Im very pleased with the governors proposal. It certainly does need some brushing up, but in general its a very good budget I think. I feel its a budget we can work with, especially when you increase the level of funding that he has without a tax increase, that is very encouraging.Save to My Web

NSW the sick man of the national jobs market 
Sydney Morning Herald - Feb 09 5:15 AM
THE loss of 9000 jobs last month pushed the NSW jobless queue to almost 200,000, as experts say the ’sick’ state economy is unlikely to recover until late next year. -Save to My Web

[NEWS OPINION] Council of State Extends Scope of Prohibition to Street 
Zaman Online - Feb 09 8:44 AM
It seems difficult for the judicial system to change despite Turkey moves in the direction of democratization and opening to the world.Save to My Web

Indonesia Expects Overseas Investment to Increase 12% This Year 
Bloomberg.com - Feb 08 5:30 PM
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Indonesia’s government forecasts overseas investment will probably increase 12 percent this year and help spur growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.Save to My Web

Positive employment news bolsters stocks 
Baltimore Sun - Feb 09 9:08 AM
Dow gains 19 as Oracle announces consolidation plans Stocks headed higher for a second straight session today as a six-year low in unemployment claims and word of job cuts at Oracle Corp. encouraged investors to keep buying despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Save to My Web

Bank of Japan keeps rate policy unchanged 
BusinessWeek - Feb 09 4:09 AM
FEB. 9 5:23 A.M. ET Japan’s central bank kept its ultra-loose monetary policy unchanged Thursday, but suggested that the country is emerging from years of falling prices that have prolonged the slump of the world’s second-largest economy.Save to My Web

Business News 
Sharewatch - Feb 09 9:01 AM
WASHINGTON (AFX) - Global economic growth prospects appear to be in good shape heading into 2006, FedEx chief economist Gene Huang said Thursday. Global growth should be slightly above 3% this year, after growing at a 3.3% rate in 2005, Huang said.Save to My Web

Australian Jan. Employment Rises Less-Than-Expected (Update1) 
Bloomberg.com - Feb 08 5:05 PM
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Australian employment rose less than expected in January, pushing the jobless rate to the highest in more than a year and extending a slowdown in growth in the Asia-Pacific region’s fifth-largest economy.Save to My Web

Forgotten Reform 
Investor’s Business Daily via Yahoo! News - Feb 08 4:00 PM
Fiscal Policy: Forget tax reform, says Democratic Sen. Max Baucus. “The thing’s dead,” he told Treasury Secretary John Snow this week. “That’s dead, Mr. Secretary.” We hope not, for the economy’s sake.Save to My Web

News Release: EPA, States Promote Clean Energy 
The Auto Channel - Feb 08 12:12 AM
News for Release: Tuesday, February 7, 2006 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) *EPA, States Promote Clean Energy *Contact: Roxanne Smith, 202-564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov (Washington, D.C.-Feb. 7, 2006) A first-ever guide, released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lays out state-level policies that achieve clean, low cost energy.Save to My Web

Government: Indian economy to grow 
BusinessWeek - Feb 07 3:54 AM
FEB. 7 4:19 A.M. ET The Indian economy will expand 8.1 percent during the current fiscal year because of robust growth in the manufacturing and services industries, a new government estimate said Tuesday.Save to My Web

Fidel Castro’s Drive Against Reviled ‘New Rich’ Mainly Hits Average Cubans 
La Nueva Cuba - Feb 09 3:27 AM
By Vanessa Arrington The Associated Press ABC News Infosearch: Antonio Tang B ez Bureau Chief Canada Research Dept. La Nueva Cuba February 9, 2006Save to My Web

Bank of Japan Keeps Policy With a 7-2 Unchanged Vote (Update3) 
Bloomberg.com - Feb 08 11:47 PM
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — The Bank of Japan will keep pumping cash into the economy and hold interest rates at almost zero as policy makers gather more evidence that deflation has ended.Save to My Web

Consumers May Lift U.S. Growth to 4% This Quarter (Update1) 
Bloomberg.com - Feb 09 4:22 AM
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Consumers who flocked to auto dealers and shopping malls after the holidays helped the U.S. economy snap back from its worst quarterly performance in three years, a Bloomberg News monthly economist survey shows.Save to My Web

Company plans $4.7M South Point facility 
The Ironton Tribune - Feb 09 8:01 AM
SOUTH POINT Good news for Lawrence Countians on a job hunt: An Institute, W.Va.-based company will soon begin work on a new $4.725 million expansion in South Point. The company will look to hire a minimum of 25 to 45 employees.Save to My Web

Workforce, Economy Top Gov. Henry’s State Of The State Topics 
KOCO ChannelOklahoma.com via Yahoo! News - Feb 06 8:48 AM
The future of Oklahoma’s workforce as well as the state’s economy will be the focus of Gov. Brad Henry’s State of the State speech on Monday.Save to My Web

News In Brief: Emirs decrees on buildings 
The Peninsula - Feb 08 8:17 PM
Doha: The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday issued three decrees expropria-ting some buildings for the public interest. The decrees are to be applied form the date of their publication in the gazette.Save to My Web

Economy expands in December 
Miami Herald - Feb 07 12:16 AM
Chile’s economy grew 5.3 percent in December as companies stepped up hiring and prices for copper, the country’s biggest export, rose to a record. Growth in South America’s fifth-biggest economy slowed from 6.1 percent in November, the central bank reported on its website.Save to My Web

Budget hard on shipyard 
Daily Press - Feb 07 2:58 PM
The $439.3 billion military bill bears tough news for local economy. WASHINGTON — President Bush’s new defense budget triggered a fresh battle with Congress over aircraft carriers, with proposals that could shrink the Navy’s fleet and trigger layoffs at the Newport News shipyard.Save to My Web

Bank of Japan Keeps Policy With a 7-2 Unchanged Vote (Update3) 
Bloomberg.com - Feb 08 11:47 PM
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — The Bank of Japan will keep pumping cash into the economy and hold interest rates at almost zero as policy makers gather more evidence that deflation has ended.Save to My Web

Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 9.4% in 2005 
The Star Online - Feb 06 11:49 PM
ASTANA, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 9.4 percent in 2005 as the oil-rich Central Asian nation continued to benefit from high oil prices on the world market, the economy minister said Tuesday.Save to My Web

09-02-2006: World Bank plays down China economy risks 
The Edge Daily - Feb 09 12:56 AM
The World Bank on Feb 9 painted a rosy picture of China’s economic prospects, playing down fears that excess capacity could derail growth and voicing confidence that the politically troublesome trade surplus is cresting.Save to My Web

Plastics News - Business/Economy
Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006. News. End markets. Processes. Services. Business/Economy. FangXin sells beauty-care packaging unit to Rexam. SHANGHAI (January 27, 2006) FangXin Ltd. is selling its beauty-care packaging operations in China to Rexam plc. … More Business/Economy News | All News. (listed chronologically …