Allied forces lose 10 soldiers in separate Afghanistan incidents
Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
Kabul, Afghanistan (AHN) – Allied forces suffered a day of heavy losses in Afghanistan Thursday in a helicopter crash that killed six U.S. Marines, and an attack Friday that killed four French service members, raising the possibility of France withdrawing its troops early. The Marines were killed after their CH 53 helicopter crashed in Helmand province, according to military officials. The NATO-lead forces reported no enemy activity in the areas, but the Taliban claimed credit for bringing the copter down. In a separate incident, an Afghan soldier killed four French service members and injured 15 others in eastern Afghanistan, French officials reported. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he was suspending French training [...] Continue Reading…
Debt crisis makes Mafia Italy’s biggest bank
Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
Rome, Italy (AHN) – Italy’s banking system has a new “boss.” Thanks to the country’s ballooning debt crisis, the Mafia is Italy’s biggest “bank,” according to a study by Confesercenti. The country’s four mafia groups have expanded from their storied strongholds in the sun-baked “Mezzogiomo” south of Rome, and have spread their tentacles across the entire country, taking advantage of the economic crisis to purchase ailing businesses, “juice” others and charge large “vigs” to most. Organized crime in Italy has generated an annual turnover of about $178.89 billion in profits and more than $100 billion euro in profits, making it the head “Capo” or biggest bank in Italy, the study found. [...] Continue Reading…
Verizon Wireless announces $2 fee on some monthly bill payments
Linda Young – AHN News Writer
New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Verizon Wireless has announced plans to charge many customers a $2 convenience fee every time they pay their monthly bill. The charge applies to any customer who pays their bill for that month by phone or online using a one-time payment on a debit or credit card. However, customers who agree to have an automatic recurring charge to their debit or credit card every month will not pay a fee. In addition, customers can avoid the fee by paying at a Verizon store; mailing a check or by paying online or over the phone with an electronic check, or Verizon gift or rebate card. [...] Continue Reading…
Mayweather gets jail time after guilty plea; could impact clash vs. Pacquiao
Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor
Las Vegas, NV, United States (AHN Sports) – Floyd Mayweather Jr. avoided trial on felony allegations stemming from a domestic disputed with his former girlfriend and their two children last year after striking a plea deal. On Wednesday, Mayweather was sentenced to 90 days in a Las Vegas jail after pleading guilty to a reduced battery domestic violence charge and no contest to two harassment charges. Mayweather also was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and pay a $2,500 fine. Mayweather was facing an evidence hearing Wednesday regarding charges of domestic violence brought by his ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, who claimed that the 34-year-old undefeated American boxer hit her and [...] Continue Reading…
Stocks open lower on eurozone deal doubts
Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Wall Street stocks fell on the open Monday as doubts continued to linger that a deal over economic integration in Europe will not be enough to keep the region’s two-year sovereign debt crisis from spreading farther. Last week’s summit in Brussels did not produce decisive initiatives, leaving the eurozone, and the rest of the world, prone to more shocks to already shaky financial systems. Last week, Standard & Poor’s put 15 eurozone countries on a credit watch for a potential downgrade. The European Union had agreed to set stricter budget rules for the eurozone area and to provide up to €200 billion in bilateral loans [...] Continue Reading…
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac spark holiday eviction moratorium by banks
Linda Young – AHN News Writer
Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Some struggling homeowners who are in foreclosure proceedings are getting a gift from an unlikely source: no eviction over the holidays. Fannie Mae (FNMA, Fortune 500), Freddie Mac (FMCC, Fortune 500) say they will not evict anyone from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2. Joining in the moratorium are Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) Mortgage and Wells Fargo (WFC, Fortune 500), which will suspend evictions from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2. Wells Fargo says that while it will suspend evictions on properties for which it wrote mortgages, it might not do so on mortgages from other banks that it services. Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) did [...] Continue Reading…
Democratic fundraier Rezko sentenced to 10 years in prison
Matthew Borghese – AHN News Contributor
Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a former fundraiser and adviser to ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after a lengthy extortion trial in Chicago. Rezko, who also helped raise money for President Barack Obama, was convicted of extorting millions of dollars from state businesses in a “pay to play” scheme predicated on his close ties to the governor’s mansion. Tuesday, Rezko was apologetic saying, “there are no words to describe the pain and regret” he feels. “I come to ask for God’s forgiveness and the court’s mercy,” Rezko begged. U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve nonetheless sentenced him [...] Continue Reading…
Senate passes jobs bill to help veterans
Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – As Americans all over the country participate in ceremonies to honor service members on Friday, Veterans Day, the Senate unanimously passed a bill on Thursday to help unemployed veterans seeking jobs. The Senate voted 95-to-0 to pass the first, and so far the only piece, of President Obama’s job package to get out of the chamber. The House is expected to take up the bill and pass it next week. Lawmakers praised the bill as a bipartisan job creator that is fully paid for and would even reduce federal deficits by $2 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill [...] Continue Reading…
As Chinese manufacturing slows, copper consumption projected to drop in 2012
Jupiter Kalambakal – AHN News Reporter
Beijing, China (AHN) – Analysts said on Wednesday that China is going towards a major slowdown in its manufacturing activities, attested by the performance of its official Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for October. The slowdown and this could further create an impact to its copper imports in 2012. The weakening demand in the construction of new houses, low auto sales and dipping railroad investments will pull down copper imports. According to Beijing Antaike Information Development Co., refined copper consumption will grow only 6.4 per cent to 7.85 million metric tons next year, compared with the 8.5 per cent growth this year to 7.38 million tons. “We expect the slowdown to accelerate in [...] Continue Reading…
S.F. Days: Niners quarterback Alex Smith excited over team’s 5-1 start
John Raffel – AHN Sports Correspondent
Detroit, MI, United States (AHN Sports) – Alex Smith has arrived. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback didn’t have the best of statistics Sunday when his team handed the Detroit Lions their first loss of the season 25-19. But he still got the job done, throwing a 6-yard scoring pass on fourth down to Delanie Walker with 1:51 left in the game to put the 49ers ahead for good. For the game, Smith was 17-of-32 for 125 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was well below the 293 yards thrown by his counterpart from Detroit, Matthew Stafford, who was 28-of-50 for 293 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. But [...] Continue Reading…
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