United States

Singapore urges banks to update investors on Lehman Brothers losses

Singapore urges banks to update investors on Lehman Brothers losses Singapore - Banks in Singapore that sold structured products linked to the collapsed US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc have been asked to update investors on how much money they would get back, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said Wednesday.

The request was made after it was learned that investors who bought HSBC Holdings PLC's Lehman-linked Minibond Series and DBS Group Holdings Ltd's High Notes 
5 could end up losing all their capital.

Senate panel approves nuclear deal with India

Senate panel approves nuclear deal with IndiaWashington - A US Senate committee on Tuesday approved the White House's plan for selling nuclear technology and material to India, bringing the agreement one step closer to passage.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 19-2 to approve the nuclear cooperation agreement, but the deal still faces challenges in the House of Representatives and is confronting a closing window of opportunity for passage as Congress nears recess ahead of the November 4 general elections.

Bush, Zardari put tensions aside to discuss democracy

George Bush, Asif Ali ZardariNew York  - US President George W Bush Tuesday met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari as the two countries seek to defuse tension over US military strikes in Pakistan.

"Pakistan is an ally, and I look forward to deepening our relationship," Bush said. "Your words have been very strong about Pakistan's sovereign right and sovereign duty to protect your country, and the United States wants to help."

T-Mobile launches Google phone in US

T-Mobile launches Google phone in USSan Francisco  - Hoping to challenge the popular iPhone and carve out a dominant position in the transition of the internet to mobile networks, Google launched its first mobile phone Tuesday in the United States in conjunction with the German-owned carrier T- Mobile.

The new device, called the T-Mobile G1, functions on 3G networks and is specially designed to access popular Google services such as search, Gmail, maps with directions, and YouTube at high speed.

It also features a touch screen and a slide out keyboard - a feature that could give it an advantage over the iPhone.

Sarkozy urges enlarging of UN Security Council and G-8

NFrench President Nicolas Sarkozyew York - French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Tuesday a quicker pace in reforming the UN Security Council and the world's group of eight leading industrialized nations (G-8) in order to meet the demands of emerging countries.

Sarkozy said the world is still governed by 20th-century institutions in a 21st century world.

"Let today's major powers and the powers of tomorrow unite to shoulder together the responsibilities their influence gives them in world affairs," Sarkozy said in an address to the UN General Assembly.

Brazil's Lula slams "boundless greed" in financial system

Rio de JaneiroNew York - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday called for advanced economies to get a hold of the global financial crisis and criticized market speculators for putting global growth at risk.

Lula warned that the turmoil brought on by the "boundless greed" of investors could not be allowed to spread to the entire world, in an address before the United Nations General Assembly.

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