Thai Red Shirt protest leader climbs down hotel facade with rope to flee police raid

Thai protester climbs out hotel to evade capture

BANGKOK – Thailand’s political crisis took a surreal twist Friday when an anti-government protest leader climbed down a hotel facade with a rope to evade arrest and drove off with two police officers taken hostage by his supporters.
Arisman Pongruangrong’s escapade was the latest embarrassment for the government, which …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Thai Red Shirt protest leader climbs down hotel facade with rope to flee police raid.

India, China to corner 30 percent each of diamond business

SURAT – India and China are expected to share almost 30 percent of the world’s diamond and gems business each by 2020, says Roger Lorie, chief executive of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) Worldwide.

The world’s diamond business would shift from the West to the East in the next 10 years or even earlier. “I … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : India, China to corner 30 percent each of diamond business.

Finance ministers seek to stem debt crisis as Greece calls for more work on potential bailout

Eurozone ministers seek ways to stem debt crisis

MADRID – Eurozone finance ministers gathered Friday to seek ways to halt a government debt crisis as Greece asks the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to step up work on a potential multibillion bailout.
The Greek government said Thursday it would hold “systematic negotiations” on the standby … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Finance ministers seek to stem debt crisis as Greece calls for more work on potential bailout.

Include India, Brazil in UN security council: BRIC nations

BRASILIA – Calling for reform of the UN and the global financial architecture, BRIC countries have underlined the centrality of G20 as the premier economic forum and pitched for including India and Brazil in an expanded UN Security Council.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian … Read more : Include India, Brazil in UN security council: BRIC nations.

Some vulnerable patients may be shut out of lower-cost health premiums available this year

Low-cost coverage in Obama health plan not for all
WASHINGTON – It’s an eagerly awaited early benefit of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul: affordable coverage for Americans with medical problems who can’t get a private insurer to even take a look.
Starting in July, a special high-risk pool will offer … Read more >>>.

Poor swath of conservative, anti-stimulus SC didn’t want the money, but it’s working

In anti-stimulus SC, money is making a difference
AIKEN, S.C. – Most people in South Carolina didn’t vote for Barack Obama and didn’t want any part of his stimulus cash, and folks in a particularly poor, hard-hit swath near the Georgia line were no exception. Until the money showed up.
About $1.6 billion …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Poor swath of conservative, anti-stimulus SC didn’t want the money, but it’s working.

Thai Red Shirt protest leader scales hotel facade with rope to flee police raid

Thai protester scales hotel wall to evade capture

BANGKOK – Thailand’s political crisis took a surreal twist Friday when an anti-government protest leader scaled down a hotel facade with a rope to evade arrest and drove off with two police officers taken hostage by his supporters.
Arisman Pongruangrong’s escapade was the latest embarrassment for the government, which …. Source article  : Thai Red Shirt protest leader scales hotel facade with rope to flee police raid.

Flights to London, Europe cancelled due to volcano ash

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – Many international airlines, including Indian carriers, have either cancelled or rescheduled their flights to north European destinations following volcanic ash clouding the flight path, a top Air India official said Friday.

“As of now, many of the flights are not going to operate to north European destinations,” said a spokesperson for India’s flagship [..] Read the original article: here.

Farmworkers try to persuade Fla.-based supermarket chain Publix to pay penny more for tomatoes

Pickers want Fla. chain to pay more for tomatoes

TAMPA, Fla. – After persuading McDonald’s, Whole Foods and Subway that they should pay an extra penny per pound for tomatoes, a farmworkers group is taking on supermarket giant Publix.
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers will kick off a three-day march Friday to try to persuade the Florida-based … Read : Farmworkers try to persuade Fla.-based supermarket chain Publix to pay penny more for tomatoes.

Asian stock markets as investors mull strong GDP growth, monetary tightening

Asian stocks fall on inflation, rate hike concerns

SINGAPORE – Asian stock markets fell Friday as investors mulled whether the region’s strong economic growth so far this year could trigger inflation and higher interest rates.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average led decliners, dropping 171.61 points, or 1.5 percent, to 11,102.18. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell [..] Read the original article: here.

Thai Red Shirt protest leader stages dramatic escape from hotel surrounded by police

Thai protester in dramatic escape to avoid police

BANGKOK – Thailand’s political crisis took a surreal twist Friday when an anti-government protest leader scaled down a hotel facade with a rope to evade arrest and drove off with two police officers taken hostage by his supporters.
Arisman Pongruangrong’s escapade was the latest embarrassment for the government, which [..] Read the original article: here.

Sensex starts weak, selling pressure on realty, energy

MUMBAI – It was another weak opening for a benchmark index of Indian equities Friday, which was ruling 66 points lower than its previous close, almost an hour into trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,645.91 points, was ruling at 17,572.45 points, 66.81 points or 0.38 percent …. Source article  : Sensex starts weak, selling pressure on realty, energy.

Rolling Stone putting full issues and its 43-year archive online _ for paying customers only

Rolling Stone’s archive going online – for a price

NEW YORK – For the first time Rolling Stone is inviting its readers on the long, strange trip though the magazine’s 43-year archive, putting complete digital replicas online along with the latest edition. But you’ll have to pay to see it all.
With a new site launching Monday, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Rolling Stone putting full issues and its 43-year archive online _ for paying customers only.

Oil drops below $85 in Asia as stock markets slide, led by Japan, China

Oil drops below $85 as Asian stocks slump
SINGAPORE – Oil prices fell below $85 a barrel Friday as crude traders eyed a sharp drop in Asian stocks.

Benchmark crude for May delivery was down 77 cents to $84.74 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract … Read more : Oil drops below $85 in Asia as stock markets slide, led by Japan, China.

New volume of Haruki Murakami’s top-selling novel “1Q84??? goes on sale in Japan

New volume of Murakami novel goes on sale in Japan

TOKYO – Eager fans waited in drizzling rain Friday to buy the third volume of Haruki Murakami’s best-selling, multi-part novel “1Q84″ and learn if its main characters – long-ago schoolmates now searching for each other – would be reunited.
Publisher Shinchosha said 500,000 copies would hit bookstores … Read more : New volume of Haruki Murakami’s top-selling novel “1Q84″ goes on sale in Japan.

Obama signs $18 billion jobless benefits bill despite deficit worries

Obama signs $18 billion jobless benefits bill
WASHINGTON – Just hours after Congress passed an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, President Barack Obama made it the law of the land.
The measure comes as welcome relief to hundreds of thousands of people who lost out … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Obama signs $18 billion jobless benefits bill despite deficit worries.

Money Market Operations as on April 15, 2010

…. Original article  : Money Market Operations as on April 15, 2010.

Obama signs bill for unemployment benefits through June 2, full Medicaid payments restored

Obama signs bill extending unemployment benefits
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has signed a bill extending unemployment benefits through June 2 and restoring full Medicaid payments to doctors.
The bill cleared both houses of Congress on Thursday night. The House passed the bill 289-112 just two hours after it emerged from the Senate on a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Obama signs bill for unemployment benefits through June 2, full Medicaid payments restored.

Panel sets quota but restores brief commercial salmon seasons for California

Panel sets fishing seasons for West Coast salmon

PORTLAND, Ore. – For the first time since 2007, commercial and recreational fishermen will be able to cast their lines for ocean salmon from the Canadian border to Mexico.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council approved seasons and quotas for chinook and coho salmon off the coasts of Washington, Oregon …. Source  : Panel sets quota but restores brief commercial salmon seasons for California.

Survey: Bankers in Midwest, Plains see signs of promise in failing ag industry

Survey: Bankers see promise in ag industry

OMAHA, Neb. – A survey of rural bankers in 10 Midwest and Plains states released Thursday showed signs of promise amid prolonged financial weakness in the agriculture industry.
The overall index for the Rural Mainstreet economic report fell to 44.2 in April from 47.4 in March. The April 2009 index …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Survey: Bankers in Midwest, Plains see signs of promise in failing ag industry.