每有歷史建築物或古老大宅擬重新發展,迷你倉均受社會關注;由私人業主持有的山頂盧吉道27 號擬翻新為文物酒店的申請也不例外,先後收到158份意見。城規會今天將進行審議,規劃署和相關部門在技術層面等不予反對,掃除項目其中一項主要的不明朗因素。用地現有大宅已落成近百年,屬一座4層高的大屋,古物諮詢委員會建議評定為二級歷史建築。項目佔地近2.5 萬方呎,大綱圖中劃為「住宅(丙類)2」用途,申請人建議把大宅翻新為酒店,提供13 座客房,大宅外則加建2 座3 層高洋房,以設4 個酒店客房。整個項目合共提供17 個客房,每個面積介乎248至807方呎不等。規劃署文件指出,用自存倉所在的位置對酒店發展並非有利,但認為申請人提出把大宅改裝為精品酒店,可以保育歷史建築之餘及活化項目,申請人並主動提出保育計劃及向公眾提供免費的導賞團等,獲相關部門支持,並可令本港的古蹟旅遊更添多元化,其他部門在景觀和環境等也沒有負面意見,故規劃署不反對申請。此外,規劃署就旺角洗衣街和旺角東站一帶政府用地重建規劃及設計的可行性研究,邀請顧問提交意向書,本月18 日截標。文件指出,研究範圍包括前述兩個地盤,總佔地約3.9 公頃,整個研究為期約一年,中標者將需要進行一系列的技術研究,並就用地的發展提出不少於兩個發展方案,再根據相關方案收到的意見,訂出一個推薦方案。迷你倉新蒲崗
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 15:09
盧吉道大宅發展文物酒店 規劃署不反對
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 14:54
外遊消費 撳機更有預算 提款日計算匯價
過去一個月不少亞洲貨幣大跌,儲存旅遊吸引力大增,如旅途中匯價再度急跌,且跌幅大於海外簽帳手續費,以信用卡於海外簽帳較付現鈔更�數,但若旅途中當地貨幣持續波動,選擇有提款卡則較有預算。近月市場憂慮美國將提早於9月中退市,熱錢相繼流出亞洲各地,引發區內匯價下跌,年初至今坡元跌逾4%、泰銖跌逾5%、馬幣跌逾6%、菲律賓披索跌7%、印尼盾跌14%,印度盧比更跌逾18%,跌幅為亞洲區最大。市場普遍預期,倘美國展開退市行動,亞洲區有機會再出現走資潮,區內貨幣有機會進一步下跌。碌卡結算日難以預計 由於信用卡於海外簽帳的主要成本為匯價及手續費,若外遊途中,外幣匯價持續向下,且匯價跌幅大於海外簽帳手續費,碌卡會較比現鈔�數。如用銀聯信用卡有機會慳得更多,基於本港大部分銀聯信用卡,可提供豁免海外簽帳手續費優惠,即使外幣匯價跌幅不算太大,用銀聯信用卡於海外簽帳亦有賺。 海外簽卡的匯率,是按發卡機構如VISA、Master或銀聯所釐定的匯率折算回港元,發卡機構的兌換率天天不同,一般會較銀行牌價稍高,要知悉每天匯價,可主動向發卡機構查詢。以本周三的澳元匯價為例,當日�生(011)現鈔賣出牌價,為1澳元兌7.1530港元;VISA網站的匯率為1澳元兌7.038415港元,若加入1%銀行手續費後,匯率達7.108799港元,若加入2%銀行手續費後,匯率達7.175664港元。 當然,若於海外簽帳結算日,當地貨幣匯價急升,消費者回港後便要以較出新蒲崗迷你倉前高的匯價找數。要留意的是,消費者較難知悉簽帳折算匯價的日期,因計算海外簽帳的匯率,是按結算日而並非簽帳日,即按有關商戶將帳單交予發卡機構系統處理當日的匯率計算,由於各商戶處理交易速度不同,消費者很多時要收到月結單時才會知悉簽帳於那一日結算。所以,只有於匯率有明顯下跌趨勢,或預期匯率可持續數日維持於低位的情況下,即使不知道結算日的實際匯價,以信用卡於海外簽帳亦有�數。部分銀行免提款收費 不過,若外遊時當地貨幣匯價持續大幅波動,選用提款卡於海外提款較容易掌握匯價,基於提款一般會按提款當日的匯價計算。假如提款當日匯價大跌,以提款卡提出較大額的款項,即使計入手續費,亦有機會較離港前兌換更抵。 以提款卡於海外提款一般為定額按次收費,由15港元至30港元不等,視乎選用的自動櫃員機網絡及地區,以�生提款卡為例,於世界各地的Plus自動櫃員機網絡提款每次手續費為30港元,於亞洲、加拿大、英國及美國通過「�豐」櫃員機提款每次手續費為20港元。另外,亦有部分銀行如花旗等,可豁免海外自動櫃員機提款手續費。海外簽帳手續費概覽信用卡 手續費�生信用卡 1.20%、1.75%或1.95%#中銀信用卡 1.95%DBS信用卡 1.95%大新信用卡 1.95%資料來源:以上各銀行網站及宣傳小冊子註:資料僅供參考,按各銀行公布為準。#視乎選用的信用卡種類而定海外簽帳四個注意留意信用卡簽帳手續費旅程期間外幣匯率簽帳以哪種貨幣結算簽帳能否獲額外優惠mini storage
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 13:10
'Riddick' review: Vin Diesel's lastest foray into murder, mayhem and muscles is pretty stupid, but it sure is entertaining
Source: Pioneer Press, St.迷你倉出租 Paul, Minn.Sept. 05--"Riddick" is so jam-packed with biceppy tough guys that it's surprising not to find Danny Trejo in it. And if you know who Trejo is, I'd say that increases your chances of enjoying "Riddick" about 80 percent.Vin Diesel plays the title character in the third (or, if you count an animated one that didn't open in theaters, fourth) movie in a series about an anti-hero who spends most of his time either killing people who are coming at him or convincing the survivors he's not such a bad guy."Riddick" is divided into three chunks: a thrilling and almost wordless opening, in which Riddick takes on inventively designed creatures; a too-long middle section dominated by a tense standoff with 11 bounty hunters who would like to separate Riddick's head from his body; and a sharp finale in which the bounty hunters get picked off one by one by Riddick, each other or gooey alien thingamajigs.David Twohy's "Riddick" script has a wicked sense of humor and that includes a sense of humor about itself. I think the cheeseball stuff is deliberate. The effects, for instance, are not top of the line, but their sketchiness adds to the feeling that "Riddick" is as much video game as movie.And I'm not sure when in the future "Riddick" is supposed to take place, but whenever it is, the tough guys still talk like Miley Cyrus when she's trying to sound all street. "My besties here can ball with anyone," s迷你倉ys one bounty hunter, whose muscles are almost big enough to make you overlook the fact that he sounds like a complete tool.The slack midsection drags "Riddick" down, but the rest of the movie is a lean, mean violent machine.Diesel's dry delivery keeps getting odder and sparer. He delivers his most menacing lines almost as if he's trying to seduce the goons about to behead him.Jordi Molla is wickedly funny as a villain who is disloyal, dirty, perverted, homophobic and a racist, just to make sure we know how much we're supposed to hope he gets gutted.And Twohy doles out the action scenes expertly, each revealing a new dimension of Riddick's cunning until, by the end, he's so all-powerful you may suspect he somehow hypnotized you into coming to his movie in the first place.Chris Hewitt can be reached at chewitt@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5552. Follow him on twitter.com/ChrisHMovie."RIDDICK"Directed by: David TwohyStarring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Molla, Katee SackhoffRated: R, for gory violence, strong language and partial nudityShould you go? It's pretty fun, and it doesn't really matter if you don't recall what happened in the previous "Riddick" films. All you need to know is Riddick kills people and gets stubble on his chin but somehow, not on his head. **-1/2Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Visit the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) at .twincities.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 13:06
Information anything but propaganda
I refer to the letter by P.文件倉 C. Law (“Time to cut out the inane propaganda”, September 2).The Information Services Department’s main task is to serve the public by disseminating government information. This is achieved indirectly via the mass media and directly by broadcasting information on our own media platforms.The department conveys news to the mass media through press releases, press conferences, briefings and by arranging public functions, radio phone-ins and televised public affairs programmes.Another important task is to co-ordinate the dissemination of information during emergency situations such as typhoons and other significant events.We also serve the public directly by broadcasting the content of government press conferences, speeches, briefings and other items on the government website gov.hk and by providing an archive for public reference.The dedicated government news bulletin news.gov.hk ens存倉res effective information dispersal in a convenient multimedia format.The public can also subscribe to RSS feeds for the latest information available from the government and related organisations.The department has also set up accounts with social media on YouTube, Twitter and Weibo to further boost communication with the public, while our “e-bulletin” caters for people accessing the internet via mobile phone and other portable electronic devices.The government treasures public views expressed in the South China Morning Post’s Letters to the Editor columns and other platforms. Such views are duly noted in related policy deliberations and in the enhancement of government work.The government will continue to maintain close communication with the media and members of the public to support and strengthen its links with all quarters of the community.Pauline Ling, assistant director, Information Services Department迷你倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 13:01
AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, manufacturing and industry briefs
Source: AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesSept.迷你倉 05--ALMARAI PICKS LENDERS FOR $453M SUKUK SALE: Saudi dairy producer Almarai Co has said it has mandated four banks to arrange the sale of a SR1.7bn ($453.3m) Islamic hybrid bond, Reuters has reported. The offering, part of a SR15.7bn, five-year capital funding programme, will be sold to sophisticated investors residing in the kingdom, said Almarai. The investment banking arm of Banque Saudi Fransi, BNP Paribas, HSBC's Saudi unit and Standard Chartered were mandated to hold investor meetings during the next two weeks, it added.ASEC CEMENT LAUNCHES NEW MINYA FACTORY: Egypt's ASEC Minya Cement, an affiliate of ASEC Cement, has announced the commencement of the new factory's production in Minya governorate to produce grey cement, Daily News Egypt has reported. The new plant, which was built with a total cost of around $360m, has a production capacity of up to two million tonnes annually.EGYPT BOOSTS BUDGET FOR INDUSTRIAL ZONES: Egyptian foreign trade and industry minister, Mounir Fakhry Abdel-Nour has said the cabinet has decided to increase the EGP400m allocated for 2013/14 to develop infrastructure in industrial zones in the country to EGP3bn ($428m), Ahram has reported. The decision will benefit 36 under-developed industrial zones, scattered across the country's 27 governorates, the minister said. Abdel-Nour said around 3000 new factories will be built in these industrial cities.QATAR'S MUNTAJAT TO SET UP BASE IN THE HAGUE: Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Co (Muntajat) has selected The Hague, Holland, as the location from where it will run the operations of Muntajat-Besloten Vennoot (Muntajat BV), the international marketing company, the Peninsula has reported. The Doha-headquartered company, which was launched in the second half of 2012, holds exclusive rights to purchase, market, distribute and sell Qatar's 10 million tonnes of chemical and petrochemical regulated products to the global market. Muntajat BV, a Netherlands corporation, provides marketing services to Muntajat, the gateway to Qatar's chemical, polymer and fertiliser exports.ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC REPORTS 51 percent JUMP IN Q2 PROFITS: Elsewedy Electric Egypt has announced its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first six months of this year, excluding the provision related to the firm's Syrian operations, jumped 26 percent to EGP796m from EGP634m in the same period a year earlier. EBITDA in the second quarter increased by 51 percent to EGP502m, compared with EGP332m in the corresponding quarter in 2012. The company said it incurred a provision of EGP95m during the quarter, related to all of its assets in Syria (cables, transformers and plastics.)SADARA, SOLVAY JV TO SET UP WORLD'S LARGEST HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PLANT: Saudi Hydrogen Peroxide Co, a newly-formed joint venture between Sadara Chemical Co (Sadara) and the Solvay Group (Solvay), has announced launched the construction of one of the world's largest hydrogen peroxide (HP) plants in the kingdom, Arab News has reported. With a capacity exceeding 300,000 tonnes per year (MT/yr) and a planned start-up in 2015, the mega plant is being built at Sadara's chemical complex in Jubail Industrial City II.3M LAUNCHES NEW MINING, OIL AND GAS DIVISION IN SAUDI ARABIA: US-based 3M Company has said it has set up a new mining, oil and gas solutions division in Saudi Arabia to strengthen and diversify operations in the kingdom, Saudi Gazette has reported. The 3M Mining, O&G Solutions Division will enable 3M to increase its penetration in the country's mining, oil and gas industry and introduce its innovative and advanced solutions tailored for upstream, mid-stream and downstream operations, the firm said.OR25.4BN REPORTED IN INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENTS IN OMAN IN H1 2013: Oman's economy and commerce ministry has said a total of 109 new industries have been registered in the first half of 2013, Times of Oman has reported. The number of industrial facilities reached 2,539 by the end of August 2013, with investments totaling OR25.47bn, said the ministry.SAUDI LABOUR MINISTRY TO OFFER FEMALE FACTORY WORKERS FREE TRANSPORTATION: The Saudi labour ministry has said it is considering a proposal to provide transportation for Saudi women working in factories, Arab News has reported. The ministry, which will bear the costs of transportation, said it is studying the mechanisms of implementing this proposal, which has been presented by the Industrial committee in the Eastern Province Chambers. Financial support will be offered by the ministry to factories and its female workers through its human resource funds, it said.IRAN'S ILAM PETCHEM COMPLEX TO BE INAUGURATED SOON: Iran has said the first phase of Ilam petrochemical complex, the largest petrochemical industry investment in Western Iran, is set to be inaugurated "in the near future." Fars news has reported. The complex is part of a plan to producing strategic petrochemical products including 460,000 tonnes of ethylene, 120,000 tonnes of propylene, 140,000 tonnes of pyrolysis gasoline, 85 tonnes of four carbon cuts and 33,000 tonnes of fuel oil.SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES PHASE II OF MADINAH INDUSTRIAL CITY: The governor of Madinah, Prince Faisal bin Salman, has inaugurated the SR36m second phase of the Madinah Industrial City, Arab News has reported. The second phase, which targets to establish 110 factories, already has completed the construction of 32 factories. The industrial city sprawls over an area of 10 million sq m with a capacity to establish 210 factorie儲存倉.ARAMCO IN TALKS TO ACQUIRE 30 percent SHARE IN INDIAN PETCHEM PROJECT: Saudi Aramco is in advanced talks to acquire up to 30 percent stake with a key management role in a petrochemicals project in India, the Economic Times has reported, citing a source close to the deal. Aramco is negotiating with ONGC Petro additions Ltd (OPaL) for the stake that can pave the way for the state-owned oil producer's entry into the Indian oil and gas sector. "Saudi Aramco is likely to pick up a significant minority stake between 20 percent and 30 percent in OPaL and will become a strategic investor in the company," the person said. The Gujarat project, likely to be completed by 2014, is being funded with a debt-equity ratio of 60:40.OMAN FLOUR MILLS TO BOOST INVESTMENT THROUGH ATYAB: Oman Flour Mills has decided to transform Atyab Investment Co into a holding company with an estimated new investment of OR70m, following a study conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) about positioning Atyab and the group's investment strategy, Times of Oman has reported. Atyab Investment, which is now the investment arm of the Oman Flour Mills, will increase investment in flour milling and other related activities, poultry and related activities and logistics services for food industry, after restructuring.QAFAC SAYS $80 CDR PLANT SET FOR COMMISSIONING BY 2014-END: Qatar Fuel Additives (Qafac), a subsidiary of Industries Qatar, has announced its QR291m ($80m) carbon dioxide recovery (CDR) plant is more than 50 percent complete and set for late 2014 commissioning, Gulf Times has reported. The plant at Mesaieed will meet a two-pronged Qafac objective of reducing emissions and stepping up methanol production, said Qafac general manager, Nasser Jeham al-Kuwari. Once operational, the plant will recover 500 tonnes per day of carbon dioxide from its methanol reformer stack and will inject it back into its existing process to enhance the production capacity of methanol. "We are looking at an additional production of 100,000 tpy of methanol," al-Kuwari said.AMIRA NATURE FOODS POSTS 124.5 percent SURGE IN Q1 NET INCOME: Dubai-based provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, Amira Nature Foods has announced its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) jumped 42.4 percent in the first quarter ended June 30, 2013, to $14.5m, compared with $10.2m. Profit after tax during the quarter surged 124.5 percent to $7.3m, compared with $3.3m a year earlier. Revenue increased 37.6 percent to $110.3m from $80.2m in the first quarter of fiscal 2013.ELECTROLUX RESUMES PRODUCTION IN EGYPT: The world's second-biggest home appliances maker, Electrolux has said it had restarted full production in Egypt, almost two weeks after it suspended its operations due to violence in the country, Reuters has reported. The Swedish company, which has about 10 production facilities on the outskirts of Cairo, said although the security situation in the capital was now more stable, it would reassess developments continuously.JORDAN'S JPMC SEEKING NEW CUSTOMERS TO INCREASE EXPORTS: Jordan Phosphate Mines Co (JPMC), the second largest exporter of phosphate and fifth-largest producer globally, has announced it has won a $100m contract to export Diammonium phosphate (DAP) to Ethiopia, despite "strong competition from many countries," Jordan Times has reported. The company sold phosphate to Ethiopia at "slightly below cost price" in order to re-enter the Ethiopian market lost in a tender last year due to high competition from neighbouring countries, JPMC chief executive, Emad Madadha said. The company is eyeing new customers to increase its exports and will soon sign memoranda of understanding to open more factories, according to JPMC chairman, Amer Majali. "We eye new markets such as Australia, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia and others because we do not want to be largely dependent on the Indian market only," Majali said.FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN JUBAIL, YANBU INDUSTRIAL CITIES AT 37 percent: The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY) has said the value of the implemented and under-construction projects in Jubail and Yanbu industrial cities has reached SR327bn, Arab News has reported. The value of domestic and foreign investments in the cities reached SR766bn, with foreign investment accounting for SR269bn, or 37 percent of overall investment, the report said.TWO PLANTS IN JEDDAH FINED, SHUT DOWN OVER TAINTED CEMENT: Inspectors from the municipality of Jeddah have destroyed around five tonnes of tainted cement and a large quantity of cement blocks and bricks ready for sale during a raid on two sites in Al-Hamdaniyah district in the eastern part of the Jeddah governorate, Saudi Gazette has reported. The plants, which mixed cement with soil to increase quantity, were fined SR300,000, said the civic body.SAUDIS ACCOUNT FOR 22 percent OF WORKERS IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR: According to data by the Saudi Central Department of Statistics and Information, 78 percent of the 3.19 million workers in the secondary manufacturing sector are expatriates, Arab News has reported. Non-Saudis numbered 2.5 million against 696,000 Saudis, representing 22 percent of the sector's manpower and working in agriculture and construction industry, the figures showed. Workers in the country's service and manufacturing sectors numbered 10.6 million at the end of 2012, with Saudis accounting for 44 percent, the report said.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Visit AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) at .ameinfo.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉價錢
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 12:53
Suspect accused of sending ex-wife's nude photographs to people she knew
Source: Standard-Examiner, Ogden, UtahSept.迷你倉 05--FARMINGTON -- Davis County Attorney's Office is prosecuting a case that nationally would be called "revenge porn."Shon C. Handrahan, 30, is charged with five counts of distribution of pornographic materials, third-degree felonies; and four counts of electronic communication harassment, class B misdemeanors. He appeared in 2nd District Court on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing and bail hearing.His attorney, Edward Brass, waived the preliminary hearing and a felony arraignment hearing was set for Tuesday.Handrahan is accused by Layton police of sending nude and obscene photographs of his then-estranged wife on Oct. 5, 2012, to people she knew, according to court documents. He is also accused of sending her more than 100 text messages, many containing threats, according to the document.The couple's divorce was finalized Nov. 16, 2012, according to the court website.Charges were filed against Handrahan on Dec. 18, 2012, along with a warrant for his arrest. He was booked in Davis County Jail on Aug. 15, where he is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail."This is the first time I've seen a case where a husband sent out pornographic photos of his ex-wife," said Deputy Davis County Attorney Nathan Lyon.Across the country, prosecutors and law enforcement are getting more complaints, generally from ex-wives and ex-girlfriends, about "revenge porn."Their private photos they once shared in an intimate relationship are now being used against them, according to news stories. Some states, such as California, Texas, Wisconsin and Georgia are considering laws儲存to curtail revenge porn.In Florida a proposed revenge porn law failed because of concerns of free speech, but legislators there are planning to try again next spring.Kathy Allen is a victim advocate with Safe Harbor Crisis Center, a nonprofit agency that provides shelter, support services and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Davis County.She helps domestic violence victims with their protective orders.Allen is hearing more from women that they are worried how their ex-boyfriend or ex-husband will use any photographs they once shared."Judges will put in protective orders that they can't send photos out or put photos online," Allen said, but that it is done on a case-by-case basis.Allen said she would like to see Utah legislators consider a bill that could possibly enhance any current law if an ex uses photographs or videos as revenge.She said that, currently, a woman who is not in a violent domestic relationship cannot get a protective order to stop an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend from posting photos online or texting them.Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said if legislators would propose a bill that could protect against revenge porn, he "would seriously consider supporting it. But you need to be able to show (the texting and posting) was truly retaliatory and vindictive toward the victim."Contact reporter Loretta Park at 801-625-4252, lpark@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @LorettaParkSE.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Standard-Examiner (Ogden, Utah) Visit the Standard-Examiner (Ogden, Utah) at .standard.net Distributed by MCT Information Services新蒲崗迷你倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 12:45
Moonlighting for bucks
One must learn to exercise enormous tolerance, while squeezed out of enough room even to stand on any of the trains or buses heading for the mainland on a weekend, in the run-up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 19 this year.迷你倉The commuter is likely to be overwhelmed by huge stacks of mooncakes and other traditional foodstuffs associated with the annual festival.The goods belong to the so-called “mooncake peddlers” from the mainland, who have taken over what Hong Kong people would normally do this time of the year 10 or 20 years ago — shopping across the border back in the days when the Hong Kong dollar was at its pinnacle against the yuan.The reverse is now the order of the day. And the financial rewards for the peddlers are hard to resist.One mainlander, who has a full-time job in Dongguan, admitted to China Daily that what he earns from the resale of mooncakes for the month prior to the Mid-Autumn Festival is nearly 10 times what he can earn from his job as a sales儲存an at a hotel in Dongguan.The mathematics tell the story: The price of a tin of name brand Hong Kong-made mooncakes (HK$210) can easily change hands for 300 yuan in mainland cities.The bigger the brand name, the bigger the market will be.“The demand is there, and mainland people don’t mind forking out big sums just to make their families and business associates happy at each major festival of the year,” the trader says.“I’m just making hay while the sun shines, and I’m not quitting my full-time job back home yet. As a salesman, I can easily afford the time to do what I’m doing now — moonlighting for extra pocket money,” he says.An employee of a traditional big-name mooncake shop in Yuen Long, which has seen its business jump by 30 percent in the past month, says the effect of the mooncake rush on Hong Kong residents will not be as severe as that of baby milk formula because mooncakes are “something we can do without.”“Hong Kong people are not prepared to fight over mooncakes,” he says.新蒲崗迷你倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 12:23
AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, banking briefs
Source: AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesSept.儲存倉 05--FGB TO FOCUS ON INVESTMENT BUSINESS: Abu Dhabi-based First Gulf Bank (FGB), which this week recruited former Standard Chartered banker Steve Perry, is planning further high-level hires as it focuses on winning more investment-banking business, Bloomberg has reported. "We are moving into being something that looks and feels a little bit more like an investment bank," said head of FGB's wholesale banking, Simon Penney. "We're focusing a lot more on originating from our client base, which we haven't done as much as we should have in the past."OMAN'S AL MADINA INSURANCE TO FLOAT IPO BY NOVEMBER: Oman-based Al Madina Insurance Co has announced plans to float an initial public offering (IPO) in November, as the firm seeks to change its status to an Islamic takaful company, Times of Oman has reported. "The size of the issue is around OR6.5-7m and it is going to be a premium issue," Abdul Rahman Awadh Barham, CEO of Al Madina Real Estate and a board member of Shaza Muscat Co, told the daily. The promoters of the Omani insurer will divest 40 percent of their holding in the company in favour of investing public through the IPO, he said.LEBANESE LENDERS OVERCAME REGIONAL TURMOIL: CENTRAL BANK: Governor of the Lebanese central bank has said banks in the country have successfully overcome the negative effects of the Syrian conflict and managed to boost reserves and provisions, The Daily Star has reported. "The Lebanese banks have overcome the effects of the crisis in Syria, Egypt and Cyprus and are currently operating in the same pattern before these problems started," Riad Salameh told participants in a banking conference in Beirut. "These banks have amassed the required reserves and provisions so they can remain immune from the conflicts that surround them," he said.BARCLAYS TO OFFLOAD UAE RETAIL BANKING OPERATIONS: British lender Barclays has said has decided to sell its retail banking operations in the UAE after conducting a review of the business, Reuters has reported. The bank, however, will keep its Dubai branches to service corporate banking clients. "Following a strategic review, Barclays has decided to re-focus its efforts in the UAE on its key strengths in corporate and investment banking and wealth and investment management," the bank said, declining to provide any additional details.HSBC TO STOP WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN LEBANON, JORDAN, BAHRAIN: HSBC Holdings has announced its wealth management products will no longer be available in Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon, as the British lender continues to exit small or insufficiently profitable operations globally as part of a strategic review, Reuters has reported. "After a detailed review of our Mena business, we will discontinue sales of any new wealth investment or wealth insurance products in Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain from October 7, 2013," the bank said. Existing customers will continue to receive basic services and their wealth management-related investments will be maintained until maturity, the lender said, adding the decision has not prompted job losses.SAUDI LENDERS START IMPLEMENTING SAMA'S NEW RULES: Banks operating in Saudi Arabia have started implementing 12 legal clauses imposed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), following a grace period of three months, Arab News has reported. These involve protecting clients from illegal practices during banking transactions and services. "Saudi banks have updated services and programs provided to customers to keep apace of the new rules imposed by SAMA," a banker told the daily.SAUDI CREDIT BANK TO WRITE OFF SR2.5BN IN LOAN DEFAULTS: The Saudi Credit and Savings Bank has said it has been instructed by King Abdullah to exempt 141,000 defaulters from payment of 24 instalments of their combined debt of SR2.5bn, Saudi Gazette has reported. The defaulters were on the waiting list of the social loans programme since 2011, when a royal order was issued exempting them from repaying the loans, the state-owned lender said.SYRIA MOVES TO CURB FOREIGN CURRENCY FLIGHT: The Syrian central bank has said foreign currency traffickers could face up to 15 years in jail without trial, as the pound seemed to recover slightly on the black market, but was still much weaker than before Western powers weighed military options, The Daily Star has reported. "Penalties will include temporary detention of up to 15 years for those who move foreign currencies outside the country, whether through authorised money transfer companies or through border crossings," said central bank governor, Adib Mayaleh. "[Penalties will also include] a fine equivalent to three times the amount of the transfer and not below 15m Syrian pounds," Mayaleh added.WARBA BANK TO LIST ON KSE TOMORROW: Kuwaiti Islamic lender Warba Bank is set to be listed on Gulf the country's stock exchange on September 3, after a restriction on public trading of the stock ended, Reuters has reported, citing an industry source familiar with the matter. A majority of the shares in the lender, set up with a capital of KD100m ($351m), were gifted to Kuwaiti nationals as part of the state's wealth sharing, with each citizen receiving 684 shares. The remaining 24 percent of Warba Bank is owned by the sovereign wealth fund Kuwait Investment Authority. The listing does not include sale of any new shares in the bank.LEBANESE BANK DEPOSITS UP 5 percent IN H1 2013: The Association of Banks in Lebanon has announced that total deposits at Lebanese banks r迷你倉價錢se 5 percent in the first half of the year, The Daily Star has reported. Lending to resident and non-residents grew 3.2 percent despite deteriorating economic conditions in country and the region, said head of the association, Francois Bassil. Lending to the public sector increased 5.3 percent in the first half of the year, totalling $32.8bn. Assets grew by more than 4 percent to almost $158bn, Bassil added.KUWAITI LENDERS SEEN TO POST 7 percent IN CREDIT GROWTH THIS YEAR: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has said bank credit in the country is expected to register a growth of 7 percent or more in 2013, the strongest since 2009, Kuna has reported. "Total bank credit rose by KD189m in June to KD28bn, with year-on-year (y/y) credit growth slipping slightly from last month to 6.2 percent," said the NBK report. "Total credit was up KD1.17bn so far this year, compared with an increase of only KD749m during the first half in 2012. Annualised growth in the first six months of this year reached 8.9 percent, up from 5.9 percent a year ago," the lender said.FAISAL ISLAMIC BANK OF EGYPT POSTS 68 percent JUMP IN H1 PROFITS: Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt has announced its net profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2013, jumped around 68 percent to EGP413.2m. The Shari'ah-compliant lender reported net profits of EGP281m for the corresponding period a year earlier.ITHMAAR BANK SAYS CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO RETIRE: Bahrain's Ithmaar Bank has announced its chief executive Mohammed Bucheerei is to retire at the end of August and be replaced by Ahmed Abdul Rahim, currently general manager, as acting head, Reuters has reported. Bucheerei led the bank's transition from an Islamic investment bank to a retail Islamic lender offering a range of Shari'ah-compliant products, the bank said.VCBANK POSTS $21.1M IN NET INCOME: Bahrain-based Islamic investment bank, Venture Capital Bank (VCBank) has posted a net profit of $21.1m from total revenue of $43.9m for the 18 months ended June 30, compared with a loss of $58.7m and total revenue of $6.7m for the calendar year 2011, Gulf Daily News has reported. Net profit and total revenue for the quarter ended June 30 rose to $1m and $4.3m, respectively, from a net loss of $4.5m and total revenue of $2.8m for the same quarter ended June 30, 2011.BANK AUDI EGYPT POSTS EGP212M IN H1 NET PROFITS: Bank Audi (Egypt), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lebanon-based Bank Audi, has said its net profits for the six months to the end of June jumped to EGP212.25m, compared with EGP102.9m in the same period a year ago. Net interest income rose to EGP360.84 from EGP282.16 a year earlier, the lender said.LLOYD'S PROBING INSURERS OVER POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL SANCTION BREACHES: Lloyd's is probing whether market insurers are breaching international sanctions by trading with countries such as Iran and North Korea, the Sunday Times has reported. The review is not targeting any individual firm but the market as a whole, the report said. Lloyd's launched the probe two months ago and a report is due out next year, it said.$21M CLAIM AGAINST UBS DISMISSED BY DUBAI COURT: A $21.4m by a member of Kuwait's ruling family against UBS AG has been dismissed by a Dubai court, Reuters has reported. According to the lawsuit by Sheikh Meshal, the Swiss bank failed to pay him for helping it become lead arranger on a $9bn asset sale by Kuwaiti telecoms operator Zain. Justice Sir David Steel described Sheikh Meshal in the written verdict as a witness, in whose evidence it was "difficult to have confidence ... his evidence in some respects did not just appear evasive but was demonstrably unreliable." "There was no motive for the bank to seek help in its engagement as financial advisor to Zain let alone at substantial financial cost," Justice Steel wrote.US COURT DISMISSES 90 percent OF CLAIMS AGAINST ARAB BANK: Jordan-headquartered Arab Bank has announced that a New York federal court has dismissed over 90 percent of the claims in a long-running lawsuit accusing the lender of providing banking services to charities and individuals allegedly affiliated with Palestinian militants, The Daily Star has reported. Judge Brian Cogan of the Court of the Eastern District of New York ordered the dismissal of the claims filed by over 6,000 of the plaintiffs under the US' Alien Tort Statute, the bank said. A trial is scheduled to take place in January 2014, marking the first time a bank has been tried in the US for terrorism financing under the act.SAUDI CREDIT AND SAVINGS TO FINANCE OVER 415 SME PROJECTS: The Saudi Credit and Saving Bank (SCSB) has approved the financing of 415 small and new enterprises with SR87m, Arab News has reported. The financing aims to help young aspiring Saudi entrepreneurs to start their own business by lending them capital with a maximum amount of SR300,000, said the spokesperson for the state-owned bank, Ahmed Al-Jibreen.IDB TO BOOST SUKUK PROGRAMME BY 50 percent: Saudi-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is planning to boost its sukuk programme by more than 50 percent by the end of this year, as demand for financing from member countries, including Turkey and Morocco, grows, Saudi Gazette has reported. IDB aims to raise its medium-term note programme to $10bn from $6.5bn, so that it is ready to tap the market at any time, said vice-president of finance at IDB, Abdul Aziz Al Hinai.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Visit AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) at .ameinfo.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 02:12
Uranium Energy Corp Aligns Operations to Market Conditions with Optimization Strategy
NYSE MKT Equities Exchange Symbol - UEC-- To maintain a strong balance sheet in a post-Fukushima uranium market in which the spot uranium price is off by 50% and currently stands at a 7-year low, management is taking measures to optimize operations.存倉 Long-term uranium market fundamentals remain bullish, and the Company is adjusting the priorities among its South Texas ISR projects to adapt to current low prices while advancing the assets toward greater production when the sector recovers;-- The fully permitted Goliad ISR Project continues to advance with previously ordered processing equipment scheduled to arrive in late November 2013. The project is on budget, and production is set to be available to come online in the current fiscal year;-- Further capital expenditures for Palangana production wellfields are being deferred. Production Areas 1, 2 and 3 will operate at a slower pace to maintain readiness and to cover operating costs including core personnel and contractors;-- Permitting advances continue at Palangana Production Areas 4 and 5 and the newly developed PA-6. PA-4 is targeted to be fully permitted and production to be available to come online in the current fiscal year;-- The Company's South Texas pipeline of projects will continue to progress. In particular, its Burke Hollow ISR Project which is a high-priority development asset with near-term resource delineation and extension drilling planned and production permit submissions targeted for early next year;-- The Company is well positioned to act upon opportunities emerging from the challenging market conditions. Portfolio optimization could include possible acquisitions and monetization of non-core assets.CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, Sept. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - Uranium Energy Corp announces that as a consequence of the current uranium market the Company will be prioritizing capital expenditures to advance the Company's two larger near-term production projects in South Texas, the Goliad and Burke Hollow ISR Projects, and is slowing the pace of capital expenditures and mining operations at its smaller Palangana ISR uranium mine while maintaining core personnel and contractors.Amir Adnani, President and CEO, stated, "UEC has made a significant investment in our South Texas hub-and-spoke production infrastructure, and our focus now is to improve the overall cost structures at Palangana and to ramp-up the project's Production Areas 4, 5 and 6 once the uranium price recovers.? In the meanwhile, we are completing key advances toward increasing low-cost ISR production at Goliad and Burke Hollow.? These projects, with the largest resource base within our hub-and-spoke project pipeline, merit the highest priority."Mr. Adnani continued, "As part of the optimization and cost-cutting process, we are assessing the planned exploration expenditures on the Company's entire pipeline of uranium projects - in Texas, Paraguay, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.? As a result of these measures we will be in a stronger financial position to look for opportunities in the current market downturn to enhance our production profile. ?With the unprecedented level of construction of nuclear plants that's occurring globally, we are preparing for major long-term, low-cost growth, while maintaining near-term financial flexibility through the commodity cycle."Palangana Mine UpdateAs a consequence of the current uranium market, the Company is slowing the pace of mining operations at its Palangana ISR uranium mine so that the majority of operating costs of the project are covered, core personnel and contractors are maintained and the mine remains in a state of operational readiness to ramp-up output when prices recover. Permitting of Production Areas 4, 5 and newly developed PA-6 is continuing on schedule, with PA-4 targeted to be fully permitted and available to come online this fiscal year.Since initiating production at the Palangana Mine in November 2010 through to April 30, 2013, the Company has produced 477,000 pounds U3O8 from three production areas (PA-1, PA-2 and PA-3).? The current Palangana resource estimate was presented in an NI 43-101 Technical Report (the "Report") prepared by SRK Consulting.? The Report, with an effective date of January 15, 2010, reported a total Measured and Indicated Resource in PA-1 and PA-2 of 1,057,000 pounds at 0.135% U3O8.? The Report also estimated an Inferred Resource totaling 1,154,000 pounds at 0.176% U3O8 across six exploration trends.The Company has drilled a total of 794 holes at the project, 412 were cased and used as production or monitor wells and 382 were exploration and delineation holes. Based upon this drilling, and as part of the current Palangana optimization process, the Company intends to update the resource statement following technical evaluation.Goliad and Burke Hollow ISR Projects UpdateSubsequent to the July 2013 closing of the $20 million credit facility, the Company is well-funded to continue to advance its Goliad ISR project while having greater financial flexibility to make progress at its Burke Hollow ISR project despite challenging market conditions.The Goliad site has been cleared and all necessary permits are in hand and the major ion exchange vessels have been ordered for delivery in late November 2013. The disposal drilling site has been installed and the electrical sub-station is in place for distribution to the entire project. The Company has also begun work design on Production 迷你倉rea 2 at Goliad.? The project is on budget and production is set to be available to come online in the current fiscal year.Burke Hollow is the Company's highest priority pre-construction project in South Texas. The team is compiling the information to submit the mine permit and radioactive material license applications to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality by early 2014.Only 30% of the Burke Hollow land package has been explored to date and the Company is planning an 80-hole delineation and extension drill program.? Coring, bottle roll tests and metallurgical analysis will follow with an updated NI 43-101 report for Burke Hollow.About Uranium Energy CorpUranium Energy Corp is a U.S.-based uranium production, development and exploration company.? The Company's fully licensed and permitted Hobson processing facility is central to all of its projects in South Texas, including the Palangana in-situ recovery project and the Goliad in-situ recovery project which is now fully permitted and under construction.? The Company's operations are managed by professionals with a recognized profile for excellence in their industry, a profile based on many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development and mining.Safe Harbor StatementCertain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws.? Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates", "intends" or "believes", or that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved".Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of UEC to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.? Many of these factors are beyond UEC's ability to control or predict.? Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact UEC and the statements contained in this news release can be found in UEC's filings with the SEC.? Such risks and other factors include, among others, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineralization, the availability of financing on acceptable terms, accidents, labor disputes, acts of God and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, risk of liability under environmental protection legislation, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or permits, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage.? UEC believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements included in this news release are reasonable; however, no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon.For forward-looking statements in this news release, UEC claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.? UEC assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.?Notice to U.S. InvestorsThe mineral resources referred to herein have been estimated in accordance with the definition standards on mineral resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum referred to in NI 43-101 and are not compliant with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") Industry Guide 7 guidelines.? In addition, measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources and inferred mineral resources, while recognized and required by Canadian regulations, are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC.? Accordingly, we have not reported them in the United States. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral resources in these categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves.? These terms have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility.? In particular, it should be noted that mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.? It cannot be assumed that all or any part of measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources or inferred mineral resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category.? In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies.? Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of the reported measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources or inferred mineral resources referred to in this news release are economically or legally mineable.Contact Uranium Energy Corp Investor Relations at:? Toll Free:?(866) 748-1030 Fax:?(361) 888-5041 E-mail:?info@uraniumenergy.comStock Exchange Information: NYSE MKT:?UEC Frankfurt Stock Exchange Symbol:?U6Z WKN:?A?JDRR ISN:?US916896103Uranium Energy CorpCONTACT: Contact Uranium Energy Corp Investor Relations at: Toll Free: (866) 748-1030Fax: (361) 888-5041E-mail: info@uraniumenergy.comStock Exchange Information:NYSE MKT: UECFrankfurt Stock Exchange Symbol: U6ZWKN: A??JDRRISN: US916896103自存倉
- Sep 06 Fri 2013 02:12
Daily Mail, London, Alex Brummer column
Source: Daily Mail, LondonSept.self storage 04--The Co-operative bank has sought to shelter itself from the most disastrous deal in its history, the 2009 merger with the Britannia, by leaving its internally appointed adjudicator Sir Christopher Kelly to pass judgement on what went wrong.Unfortunately for the bondholders and all those members being asked to make sacrifices, they must wait until next year for his findings.It some ways this is speedy. The rewriting of history takes a long time. It is now five years since the much bigger marriage of Lloyds Bank with HBOS and the official account of events, ordered by the defunct Financial Services Authority, has yet to see the light of day.Thank goodness then for Andrew Tyrie and the Treasury Select Committee which does not like to leave the stones unturned. Today it is planning to take evidence from Neville Richardson, the former boss of Britannia, who rose to become chief executive of the combined Co-op-Britannia group, before waltzing off with a large cheque.A good place for Tyrie and his colleagues to start might be the press release of January 21, 2009. It boasted that the merger of the group would 'create a super-mutual as an ethical alternative to shareholder-owned banks'. The merged enterprise would 'offer a unique opportunity to create a new force in British financial services ? strongly capitalised and with the scale to offer customers a full range of services'.Even given the tendency of advisers promoting mergers to engage in hyperbole this particular document looks to have been a masterly piece of dissembling. We know from the Co-operative Bank's latest results that the Britannia merger was an abomination with the combined bank having to write-down pounds sterling 496m of its assets. Far from being well capitalised the new City monitor, the Prudential Regulation Authority, has determined that the bank needs pounds sterling 1.5bn of new capital.This has required the Co-op group to discard its insurance assets, renege on its commitment to mutuality and abandon plans to lend to small businesses.Claims to be an ethical bank also have been shattered by the disclosure of until recently hidden losses, sweetheart housing and pay deals with executives and the decision to provide the Labour Party and Celtic Football Club the kind of cheap loans terms that most of us could only dream of.Even as Richardson makes his appearance there must be serious doubts as to w迷你倉ether the new Co-op management, headed by Euan Sutherland, can pull off the bank rescue. US 'hedge funds', who have grabbed a stack of the bonds, are accusing the ethical bank of being 'irresponsible' for failing to engage with them on bond restructuring. There must be more sympathy for up to 15,000 private bondholders who have a gun aimed at their heads. Agree to what is on offer, or we will place the bank in resolution and you will get nothing.'Ethical, mutual and co-operative' ? as the press release promised. Poppycock.Richardson and his cohorts must be held accountable.AFTER the sheer scale of the spin-off of Verizon Wireless by Vodafone the pounds sterling 4.6bn Microsoft swoop on Nokia's mobile phones looks a mere bagatelle. It certainly is for Microsoft that has untold billions of cash parked overseas out of the reach of the US tax authorities.Most significantly, the deal gives Microsoft access to Nokia's patents and a chance to nip around the heels of smartphone market leaders Apple and Samsung. It is hard to believe that Nokia, which built a market capitalisation of pounds sterling 179bn in 2001 on the back of neat mobiles, is now worth a relatively derisory figure.Also remarkable is that the man responsible for managing Nokia's decline, Canadian chief executive Stephen Elop, is returning to Microsoft and is talked of as a potential successor to Steve Ballmer.Nokia investors must be wondering how it is that Elop rejected the development of an Android smartphone under his stewardship and will embrace the smartphone idea under Microsoft. Very curious.ECONOMIC forecasting is meant to be a science based on complex data inputs into computer models, with a few subjective tilts on the tiller. When it comes to the British economy in 2013 the official forecasters have been way off beam.The Office for Budget Responsibility said in the Budget that UK growth would be a measly 0.6pc. The IMF said in April that it would be 0.7pc and in May the Paris-based OECD predicted 0.8pc.Now the latter has come round to the idea of a 1.5pc recovery.That is still behind private sector forecasters at Goldman Sachs and Henderson who have dared to whisper 2pc, based on their analysis.The flat-lining gestures of Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls are looking obsolete.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Daily Mail (London, ) Visit the Daily Mail (London, ) at .dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html Distributed by MCT Information Services文件倉