Qantas jet makes emergency landing in Sydney A QANTAS jet carrying nearly 200 passengers has made an emergency landing at Sydney Airport after its landing gear failed to retract following takeoff.The Airbus 330 jet bound for Shanghai departed about noon (AEDT) today from Sydney and was unable to retract its landing gear, a Qantas spokesman said.The plane, carrying 197 passengers and crew, Read...

Enjoy the flour fight in Greece GREEKS have put their economic woes behind them by getting rid of their frustrations with a mass flour fight.The bizarre tradition, known as the Flour War, involved thousands of people dressing up in plastic suits and goggles to do battle on the streets of a small fishing village.Villagers, joined by out-of-towners, were split into two Link: Enjoy the flour fight...

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) — State Treasurer Clint Zweifel has announced more than $36 million in low-interest loans to small businesses in northeast Missouri. Visit link: Zweiful announces low-interest loans (Jefferson City News Tribune)

MADRID, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Bad loans held by Spanish financial institutions rose to a new 13-year high in December as banks reined in new credit and borrowers struggled to repay debts as recession maintained its grip on the economy. Non-performing loans (NPL) as a percentage of total credit for Spain’s banks and financing cooperatives, but excluding retail credit cards, rose to 5.08 percent...

Batchewana First Nation is the first native band in Ontario to enter a partnership with the federal government for better access to housing loans. “This gives us a chance to be able to shop for some better interest rates,” said Batchewana’s chief administrative officer, Cathy Connor. Read the rest here: Batchewana enters loans deal with feds (The Sault Star)

WORCESTER – The city’s efforts to help homebuyers purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties were bolstered this week through a program offered by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, which will combine affordable mortgage loans with rehabilitation grants. More: Loans and grants help save housing (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)