Oil exports beat IMF’s expectations: Iraqi oil ministry

August 19th, 2009 Wave of Baghdad blasts kill at least 58 peopleBAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say that a series of explosions have struck Baghdad, killing at least 58 people and wounding nearly 300 others. The attacks in the Iraqi capital started shortly after 10 a.m.

August 19th, 2009 Series of blasts in Baghdad kill at least 12BAGHDAD — A series of explosions struck the Iraqi capital Wednesday, targeting primarily government and commercial buildings, killing at least a dozen people and wounding more than 100 others, Iraqi officials said. The blasts follow a string of attacks in Iraq this month that have claimed more than 200 lives and left hundreds more wounded, raising concerns about the abilities of Iraqi security forces to keep the lid on violence in advance of the American withdrawal.

August 19th, 2009 Wave of explosions in Baghdad kill at least 58BAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say that a series of explosions have struck Baghdad, killing at least 58 people and wounding nearly 300 others. The attacks in the Iraqi capital started shortly after 10 a.m.

August 19th, 2009 Wave of explosions in Baghdad kill at least 60BAGHDAD — A series of explosions targeting government and commercial buildings struck Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 300, Iraqi police and medical officials said. The blasts in the capital followed a string of attacks in Iraq this month that have claimed hundreds of lives and raised concerns about the ability of Iraqi security forces to keep the lid on violence in advance of an American withdrawal.

August 19th, 2009 Blasts hit Iraqi capital, kill 11 peopleBAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say at least four explosions have struck Baghdad, including one near the parliament building in the Green Zone, killing at least 11 people. The attacks hit the Iraqi capital shortly after 10 a.m.

August 19th, 2009 Blasts hit Iraqi capital, kill at least 12 peopleBAGHDAD — A series of explosions struck the Iraqi capital Wednesday, targeting primarily government and commercial buildings, killing at least a dozen people and wounding more than 100 others, Iraqi officials said. The blasts follow a string of attacks in Iraq this month that have claimed more than 200 lives and left hundreds more wounded, raising concerns about the abilities of Iraqi security forces to keep the lid on violence in advance of the American withdrawal.

April 22nd, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's trade balance for fiscal 2008 marked the first deficit in 28 years due to rise in commodity prices and slower exports to the US and other major economies, the finance ministry said Wednesday. The nation's trade deficit logged 725.32 billion yen ($7.38 billion) in fiscal 2008 that ended in March, the ministry said.

April 13th, 2009 BAGHDAD - Baghdad is not seeking to buy advanced Russian weapons systems, an Iraqi government spokesman said Monday, denying earlier reports. 'Iraq does not want to buy heavy, advanced weapons from Russia,' spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Baghdad's al-Iraqia television.

April 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's merchandise exports dipped 21.7 percent in February to Rs.58,685 crore ($11.91 billion), as compared to Rs.60,476 crore ($15.22 billion) in the corresponding month last year, according to government data released Wednesday. Exports figures have been contracting since last October, forcing the commerce ministry to revise the target for 2008-09 to $175 billion from $200 billion following fall in overseas demand.

March 25th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's exports dropped by 49.4 percent in February, the biggest plunge on record, as global demand for cars and electronics declined, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday. Exports dropped to 3.5 trillion yen ($35.7 billion) year-on-year in February, the fifth consecutive monthly drop and the biggest since the beginning of records in 1980.

February 25th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan logged the largest trade deficit on record in January as the global recession slowed exports, the finance ministry said Wednesday. The nation's trade deficit totalled 952.6 billion yen ($9.97 billion) in January.

February 14th, 2009 BAGHDAD - The Iraqi government would spend more than $5 billion to buy military equipment, supplies and training from the US through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, the US military said Saturday. The deal came after five-day talks this week between representatives from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Army Security Assistance Command and Navy International Program Office, and the Iraqi Defense and Interior ministries, a financial management review of the Iraqi FMS program.

February 5th, 2009 BAGHDAD - Iraq’s Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani has said that the Iran-Iraq talks on joint oilfields were going ahead well and an oil deal was expected to be signed by March 20, IRNA reported. The agreement is to be inked in line with Iraq’ efforts to develop its oilfields and increase oil and gas exports, Shahristani said.

February 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's merchandise exports will fall again in January - by as much as 22 percent - after three successive months of decline since October, because of the global economic meltdown, Commerce Secretary G.K. Pillai said Tuesday.

January 19th, 2009 BAGHDAD - An Iraqi high-ranking official escaped unhurt in a bomb explosion Tuesday, an interior ministry source said. Ammar Aziz Muhammad Ali, undersecretary of Higher Education Ministry, escaped unhurt when a roadside bomb went off near his convoy in the Nidhal Street in Baghdad central district of Karrada, the source said, requesting anonymity.