Gwinnett Daily Online NewsBytes

GDO Report

TOURISTS ATTACKED

WINDHOEK, Namibia -- Two gunmen attacked a German couple photographing wildlife in a rare attack on tourists in this normally peaceful country. Johannes Fellinger, 56, was shot in the head and died instantly just hours after he arrived in the country. The attackers threw his body into his rental car and drove off with his wife. They were pursued by a farmer. During the chase, the car overturned and the attackers fled on foot, leaving Elke Fellinger behind.

IT'S CRIMINAL IN BRITAIN

LONDON -- Female genital mutilation, associated with parts of Africa and the Mideast, is a growing problem among first generation immigrants in Britain and police are offering a $40,000 reward for information leading to the first prosecution for the crime.

LIBYA SEES THE LIGHT  

TRIPOLI -- A settlement has been reached with families of HIV-infected children in the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor, a Libyan spokesman said yesterday, a day before a top court was to rule on an appeal. The workers were sentenced to death on charges of infecting 400 children with AIDS virus. Details will be announced today.

CHINA BOOTS CHRISTIANS

BEIJING -- China has kicked out more than 100 suspected missionaries to prevent proselytizing ahead of next year's Summer Olympics, a Texas-based monitoring group said yesterday. The foreigners, mostly from the U.S., Canada, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, and Israel, were expelled or deported between April and June.

CLINTON KEEPS ON GIVING

NEW YORK -- Former U.S. president Bill Clinton's book on citizen activism, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, will come out Sept. 4, with a first printing of 750,000, publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced yesterday.

INTEREST RATES LIKELY TO RISE

The Bank of Canada is expected to boost interest rates today for the first time in 14 months in a move to curb inflationary pressure building in the economy, say analysts.

Whether higher borrowing costs will slow down the economy won't be known immediately, but they will likely put pressure on the dollar, sending it higher against the U.S. greenback.

PENSION PLANS PROFITING

Canadian pension plans are in their best financial position in five years, helped by strong stock market returns, higher bond yields and large contributions by plan sponsors, according to a new report.
 

A study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide suggests for a typical pension plan, the ratio of assets to liabilities has increased to 102% at the end of the second quarter.

COKE SCOOPS TRACK RIGHTS

Coca-Cola will take over exclusive soft drink and water marketing and pouring rights at 10 racetracks served by rival Pepsi by 2012 under a multimillion dollar deal announced yesterday with International Speedway Corp.

The 10-year deal makes Coca-Cola's brands the official soft drink, sparkling beverage and water for 10 of 13 tracks owned or operated by ISC.

OIL SHORTAGE PREDICTED

Brent oil prices in London surpassed $76 a barrel yesterday, before retreating to $75.78, following a global energy warning of a looming oil and natural gas shortage.