New branch added to European family tree
Boston MA (SPX) Sep 19, 2014 -
The setting: Europe, about 7,500 years ago. Agriculture was sweeping in from the Near East, bringing early farmers into contact with hunter-gatherers who had already been living in Europe for tens of thousands of years.
Genetic and archaeological research in the last 10 years has revealed that almost all present-day Europeans descend from the mixing of these two ancient populations. But it ...
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Weak yen fails to boost exports as Japan logs trade deficit
Tokyo (AFP) Sept 18, 2014 -
Japan on Thursday posted its 26th consecutive monthly trade deficit, as a sharply weaker yen failed to lift exports as the world's number three economy stalls.
Despite narrowing marginally from a year earlier, Japan's August trade shortfall underscored a mixed picture for exports to key markets including China and the United States, as well as slowing activity at home following April's sales ...
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Eni announces significant oil discovery in Ecuador
Milan, Italy (UPI) Sep 18, 2014 -
Italian energy company Eni said Thursday it made an oil discovery in Ecuador that could hold as much as 300 million barrels in place.
Eni announced the discovery at the Olgan-2 exploration well. Drilling encountered a 236-foot column of crude oil and initial production tests yielded a flow rate of 1,100 barrels of oil per day.
"Early estimates suggest that the Oglan discovery pot ...
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Automaker gets first permit in the Golden State
Herndon, Va. (UPI) Sep 16, 2014 -
On Tuesday, Audi got the first permit issued by California to test self-driving cars.
New state laws took effect today allowing automakers to do such testing on California roadways.
Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America said, "Audi is a driving force behind the research taking automated driving from science fiction to pre-production readiness."
California isn't the first ...
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More stimulus measures seen as China boosts economy
Shanghai (AFP) Sept 17, 2014 -
A reported $81 billion injection into China's major banks is probably the first of a series of fresh stimulus measures by Beijing to bolster its flagging economy, the world's second largest, analysts said Wednesday.
Online portal Sina late Tuesday quoted financial institutions as saying the People's Bank of China (PBoC), the central bank, would channel 500 billion yuan ($81 billion) into the ...
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Asia's billionaires see fastest wealth growth: report
Singapore (AFP) Sept 17, 2014 -
Asia's billionaires led by Chinese tycoons enjoyed the fastest increase in their wealth this year compared to their peers in the rest of the world, a report said Wednesday.
The combined wealth of Asia's billionaires grew 18.7 percent from last year to $1.41 trillion, said the report by Wealth-X, a research firm specialising in ultra-high net worth individuals, and Swiss bank UBS.
Asia ad ...
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Finnish Greens quit government in nuclear row
Helsinki (AFP) Sept 18, 2014 -
Finland's Green League party said Thursday it was leaving the ruling coalition over the approval by the government of a nuclear plant project to be built by Russia's Rosatom.
The Greens oppose the nuclear plant in Pyhaejoki, on the Finnish west coast, which will be operated by Finland's Fennovoima and has obtained a green light from the government.
"I feel heavy-hearted and I'm disappoin ...
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