Canada's unemployment rate drops
14 March 2010 - Canada's unemployment rate dropped in February as the economy gained 21,000 jobs. Economists had been expecting a gain of 15,000. Statistics Canada said full-time jobs rose by 60,000 in February while part-time jobs decreased. (more)

Emerging Markets: Russia's rouble rise; Ukraine ratings upped
14 March 2010 - Russia's rouble rose to its strongest levels in nearly 15 months on Friday, buoyed by firmer commodity prices, and Ukrainian risk premiums fell further after a credit ratings upgrade on its improving political outlook. Turkish markets edged up after a successful sovereign bond sale; Romanian shares hit 18-month highs while Hungarian shares rose to reach 22-month peaks. Czech shares firmed to their best levels in five weeks while Polish shares edged up to seven-week highs. (more)

India says open to new round of talks with Pakistan
14 March 2010 - India signalled on Friday it was open to a new round of talks with Pakistan, raising fresh hopes of a thaw in relations after last month's official dialogue between the nuclear-armed rivals produced no breakthrough. (more)

Private equity firm Citadel invests $183 million in river ports - Egypt
14 March 2010 - Egyptian private equity firm Citadel Capital has invested 1 billion Egyptian pounds in three Nile river ports and wants to invest in two more in the country, the daily al-Mal reported on Sunday. The firm is also eyeing investments in Sudanese river ports. Egypt's transport minister was quoted as saying Egypt hopes to boost cargo transported via the Nile to 40 million tonnes within the next five years from 2.5 million tonnes currently. (more)

Russia's Alrosa eyes $1 billion diamond sales to India
14 March 2010 - Russian state diamond monopoly Alrosa plans to supply about $1 billion worth of unpolished stones to India this year, an Alrosa spokesman said on 11 March. Alrosa hopes to sign long-term supply deals with three Indian jewellery firms during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to India this week. Russia aims to more than double trade with India to $20 billion by 2015. India processes about seven in every 10 of the world's diamonds. Alrosa, which produces about a quarter of the world's rough diamonds, expects to bring in revenues of $3.3 billion this year. (more)

Sleepy India town wakes up to tourists, business
14 March 2010 - For tourists seeking a more peaceful vacation the perfect holiday lies in the sleepy beach town of Gokarna, some 125 kms (78 miles) from Goa, India's beach capital. Gokarna, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, has four famous beaches, and it would appear that these low-profile beaches on the India's western coast are stealing a number of tourists from its more famous neighbour Goa, as more and more foreigners look for the antithesis of their often busy city lives. While the town of holds religious significance for Hindus, the beaches draw people from all over the world. (more)

The good news report from Canada, 24-26 February 2010
14 March 2010 - Canada's benchmark equity index, the TSX Composite Index, rose 4.8 per cent in February, making it the best performing index among the world's 20 biggest stock markets by market capitalization. Also, Canadian companies posted widespread gains in operating profits in the fourth quarter of 2009, rising by 7.9 per cent, or C$4.4 billion, from the previous quarter. And the Canadian housing market keeps humming along. For details on these and other Canada news stories including the Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver: (more)

US President Obama promise: Brighter education futures for children
14 March 2010 - President Barack Obama turned his attention to education in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, promising parents and their children that with his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools. (more)

US President Obama, Russian President Medvedev happy on arms pact, signing seen near
14 March 2010 - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama are satisfied with the 'high level of consensus' on a new pact to cut nuclear arms and it is now possible to talk of a firm date for signing a treaty, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Russia and the United States have been negotiating for nearly a year a new treaty to reduce their arsenals of nuclear weapons. The pact is a cornerstone of Washington's efforts to improve relations with Moscow. (more)