Britain braces itself for floods as forecasters warn of heavy rain Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1254033/Britain-braces-floods-f

Britain should brace itself for floods as heavy rain is set to fall across most of the country this weekend, the Environment Agency and the Met Office warned today.

February looks further set to end on a wintry note with snow and gale force winds blowing across England and Wales on Sunday.

Forecasters say heavy and persistent rain falling on already sodden ground in England on Sunday, particularly in the south, could lead to river flooding.

Parts of Essex were already submerged under water last night as heavy rainfall caused localised flooding.

Britain braces itself for floods as forecasters warn of heavy rain Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1254033/Britain-braces-floods-f

Interest subsidy on home, crop loans to continue

New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday extended by a year the one per cent interest subvention scheme for housing sector and provided Rs 700 crore for it in the budget for 2010-11.

"I proposes to extend the interest subvention scheme for housing sector to March 2011," he said, unveiling the budget proposal in the Lok Sabha.

Under the scheme, introduced last year, home buyers get one per cent interest subsidy for banking loans up to Rs 10 lakh provided the cost of house does not exceed Rs 20 lakh............ read more>>

Interest subsidy on home, crop loans to continue

Libya's Gaddafi urges 'holy war' against Switzerland

Libya's Muammar Gaddafi has called for a jihad, or holy war, against Switzerland, as an ongoing diplomatic row between the two nations heats up.

He criticised a recent Swiss vote against the building of minarets and said Muslims must boycott the country.

There have been tensions between the nations since 2008, when one of Mr Gaddafi's sons was arrested in Geneva, accused of assaulting two servants.

A Swiss foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment on the jihad call.

The Libyan leader made his comments while speaking at a meeting to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. .......... read more>>

Libya's Gaddafi urges 'holy war' against Switzerland

Boralex Announces its 2009 Results

MONTREAL, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Boralex Inc. ("Boralex" or the "Corporation") ended fiscal 2009 with a solid performance despite a difficult economic context.

(in millions of dollars, except per share data) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three-month Twelve-month periods ended periods ended ---------------------------------------------------- December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31, 2009 2008 2009 2008 ---------------------------------------------------- Revenues from energy sales 46.1 54.3 184.8 197.2 EBITDA 12.0 15.6 57.3 68.8 Net earnings 14.7 4.4 24.4 20.4 per share (basic and diluted) $0.39 $0.12 $0.65 $0.54 Cash flows from operations 11.3 11.1 47.4 55.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boralex ended fiscal 2009 with total revenues from energy sales of $184.8 million, down 6.3% compared to $197.2 million in 2008. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to $57.3 million versus $68.8 million a year........... read more>>

Boralex Announces its 2009 Results

Suicide bombing hits Afghan capital

KABUL – (UPDATE 3) A suicide bomber killed 10 people near an upmarket shopping and hotel complex in the heart of Kabul on Friday, and police shot dead two other would-be attackers, officials said.

Witnesses reported at least two smaller blasts around the Safi Landmark complex as police cordoned off the area, ambulances rushed to the scene and sporadic gunfire was heard.

People in pyjamas were seen being led from a guesthouse in the area and taken away in ambulances.

A military official said that 10 people were killed and 11 others wounded........ read more>>

Suicide bombing hits Afghan capital

Obama summit raises stakes in healthcare wrangle

Rarely have so many members of Congress talked for so long, with such restraint, before so many TV cameras, to so little obvious effect.

After more than seven hours of back and forth in the refined surroundings of Blair House, Republicans and Democrats went their separate ways - each side convinced that they were still right.

No-one had really expected anything else.

President Obama had hoped Congress would sign off on health reform last summer, but the issue goes to the heart of the ideological differences between the two parties, and even between liberal and moderate Democrats.

Politicians on the left want more government involvement to ensure that healthcare is available to all. Those on the right say keep the government and the lawyers out, and let the market decide........ read more>>

Obama summit raises stakes in healthcare wrangle