| Dying to Live
While the numbers remain murky, it is thought that at least 22 Egyptian economic migrants who drowned in two separate incidents off the Italian coast near the Sicilian town of Siracuse. One of the boats left from Libya and the other from near Alexandria. For the government, the recent fatalities merely serve as a reminder of an ongoing problem illegal migration. Each year, thousands of unemployed Egyptians gamble with their lives trying to cross the 1,500 kilometer gap that separates poverty from the potentialriches awaiting them in Italy. An independent study conducted for the Egyptian government by Dr. Ayman Zohy showed that 61 percent of Egyptians who intend to emigrate to Europe, whether legally or illegally, have chosen Italy as their destination. Ahmed was a great kid, Nemr says.
Global Demand for Power Lawn & Garden Equipment to Reach $18.7 Billion ...
These and other trends, including company profiles and market share, are presented in "World Power Lawn & Garden Equipment," a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm. The US accounted for the majority of demand in 2006, with 56 percent of the total. On a regional basis, North America and Western Europe will continue to be the dominant markets, with nearly 90 percent of demand in 2011. Consumers in these developed nations have high per-capita income levels. These areas are also home to the vast majority of the world's golf courses, which are major consumers of power lawn and garden equipment. Unlike in many consumer durables industries, Asia represents only about five percent of world demand. Even the prosperous nation of Japan is a relatively small market.
Todays Lettters: Ex-Safety Harbor official speaks out
I spent my energies trying to make my community a better place, and I choose to let the record of progress made by Safety Harbor during my tenure define whether my efforts were worthy of the trust my fellow citizens placed in me. Allegations of wrongdoing by elected officials are not uncommon, and the history of Safety Harbor politics certainly bears that out. When serious charges are raised, investigation by the proper authority is warranted. This process is supposed to be confidential until the facts have been verified and formal action taken so that politics does not interfere with the course of justice. In the investigation of possible violation of election laws by City Commissioner Kathleen Earle, that process was followed and would have remained confidential if she had not chosen to reveal it from the dais last week.
Mixed performance for Asian stocks
Markets in Asia put in a mixed performance in a volatile session on Thursday, with investors doing some bargain-hunting but also still jittery with more bank earnings to come in the US. Tokyo snapped a four-day losing streak while Hang Seng reversed a 2 per cent fall in the morning to close with its the biggest rise since late November. Korea's Kospi gained over 1 per cent but Australia fell for the seventh straight session and Shanghai lost nearly 3 per cent. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 1 per cent. “We're now seeing markets trying to find some sort of sensible value-type level, so that's why you're seeing the prices bounce around," said Hugh Young, head of Aberdeen Asset Management Asia. “It's a bit like dropping a ball and watching the bounces die down until you get equilibrium." Japanese stocks rebounded from a 26-month low as investors snapped up shares of exporters such as Honda, after the yen weakened against the dollar, and as real estate companies clawed back significant losses.
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