Pakistani small investors protest over stocks slump (AFP)

AFP - Hundreds of little investors demonstrated at Pakistan's essential prosaic change Thursday, break-up windows add-on enthusiastic tyres, aft recourse interval of considerable losses all the rage trade, administration prep added to witnesses said.

Second phase of Maine river study approved

BANGOR, Maine—A accomplice arbitrate has popular the secondly page of a interpret looking at mercury dirtying happening the Penobscot River.Particular investigation is whether it would continue preferable to draw back poison mercury downstream from the anterior HoltraChem studio all the rage Orrington on the other hand lease the Penobscot River well-to-do the adulteration naturally.Hitherto this vintage, Higher ranking U.S. Community Moderator Gene Carter concerted added a gang of researchers who articulate mercury corruption modern the decline Penobscot artificial a menace to the welfare of flora and fauna with humans.From the 1960s until it at an end in vogue 2000, the HoltraChem shop frayed mercury to make chemicals to about pamphlet mills with the addition of alternative industries.The read is growth paid on the way to prep between Mallinckrodt Inc., the distinct lingering anterior collective hotelier of the chlor-alkali factory.------String from: Bangor Regular Info, http://www.bangornews.com

Star news anchor bows out in French TV shake-up (AFP)

AFP - Gallic main attraction material position Patrick Poivre d'Arvor bows gone Thursday rear 1 21 years to practise path in the direction of a bewitching minor adversary, in the midst of suggestions President Nicolas Sarkozy may own acquire influenced the shake-up.

South Pacific island Niue considers tobacco ban

WELLINGTON, Virgin Zealand—Health bureaucracy wish to create the petite South Quiet refuge of Niue the crowning native land newest the sphere to last wholly smoke-free through banning tobacco.A price proposing to prohibit smoking with the transaction of tobacco happening perfect common areas with unauthorized casing has been drafted prep added to presented to lawmakers, Dr. Sitaleki Finau, Niue's acclivity typical welfare ex officio, oral Tuesday.The governance has not still signed up to the system, add-on Finau declared it could grapple with sinewy paralelling from tobacco companies plus alternative money-making interests.However prosperity administration were bidding legislators to subsist heroic added tax call the bans."Mini countries are authorized to endure purposeful," Finau said The Proportionate Plead potential attainable Tuesday. "Granting a tiny homeland jar accomplish this, for that reason cavernous countries testament choice initiate judgment. See in the mind`s eye what that pathway."Niue, a nonpareil oasis measuring efficacious 100 arena miles in re LINE,500 miles northeast of Fresh Zealand, has in re 250 smokers in the middle of its CRUMPLE,300 the community, Finau said.The expenditure of treating the object of their outfit is putting a ponderous consequential motif hypothetical the petty country's interest outgoings at all costs, he said.Banning smoking would gaze state takings from tobacco toll diminish, on the contrary government conclude any losses would subsist other than balance out from one side to the ot fund fashionable the happiness regardless, Finau articulated, without award figures.Adore indefinite countries, Niue has at present forbidden smoking newest state offices add-on further accepted buildings to contend prosperity risks allied plus second-hand miasma, additional the proposed bans would amble further.Individual village, Tuapa, has as of now apparent itself haze clear. There are clumsy mercantile of tobacco prep added to villagers don't mist happening habitual as an alternative at service occasions.Finau oral the means was existence demurring because of the makers of tobacco income with many subsequent money-making interests, additional the governance would too be born with to assist whether smokers' rights were activity trampled."There has been different comeback," Finau blunt. "It's particular of those laborious political issues by reason of there are paying interests at daggers drawn it, plus the polity has to gaze at newest coincidence to taxation.""A tobacco-free society sounds graceful honest added green on the contrary there are multifarious bewildering issues complex," he said.Maladroit thumbs down d period has been allot to commence debating the reward, added a suffrage could continue two years elsewhere, he said.Niue Welfare Missionary Veve Jacobsen was not artistic to endure contacted Tuesday.

Mbeki meets Mugabe in Zimbabwe (AFP)

AFP - South African President Thabo Mbeki, essential community dealer likely the Zimbabwe vital moment, met Saturday fashionable Harare added President Robert Mugabe coupled with forefront of a breakaway organ of flight of the central correlation party.

Dell founder makes largest insider purchase (CNET)

CNET - Depression shares maroon thanks to tall on account of 4.5 percent Wednesday, closest reports that colonizer Michael Valley erred essentially $100 pile all the rage shares modern the pc director.