| At 40, ASEAN still struggles for credibility, clout
Standard Chartered economist Alvin Liew said that despite progress in reducing tariffs, profound differences between the region's economies remained a fundamental stumbling block. "The state of a lot of the countries -- the financial sectors and the speed of development -- is still fairly different, and when you talk about financial integration a lot more has to be in place," Liew said. While it may be a talking shop, analysts say, these neighboring nations -- with their history of wars, animosities and confrontation even up until recent times -- are at least still talking. "ASEAN seems to fulfill a particular need and identity for the members of this region," said Ramasamy. "And as long as this need is there, it will continue." .
Brief: Commission approves construction of cancer center garage
The Smilow Cancer Center at Yale-New Haven Hospital moved one more step towards reality on Wednesday, when the City Plan Commission unanimously approved the site plan for the garage on the Lot E site. The 845-parking garage was at the center of negotiations completed last fall. Arbitration ended in early October as the hospital agreed to include 24 units of market-priced housing. The housing will be offered to patients undergoing treatment who do not need hospitalization and their families, as well as staff members on a temporary basis. Although more expensive for the hospital, the housing was important for city officials who wanted to avoid having the center isolated from the rest of the community. Retail shops will also surround the mixed-use garage.
Why Do Minorities Receive More Subprime Mortgages? Can You Say ...
A new Center for Responsible Lending study shoots holes in industry rationale that bad credit histories of African-Americans and Latinos account for disproportionate subprime mortgages. SocialFunds.com -- In September 2005, the Fed released year 2004 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data revealing significant disparities between what white borrowers and what African-American and Latino borrowers pay for subprime mortgages. The subprime lending industry dismissed charges of racism, suggesting that African-Americans' and Latinos' shakier credit histories and lower down payments (among other potential explanations) justified the higher rates charged. A recent study by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), an anti-predatory lending research nonprofit affiliated with community development financial institution (CDFI) Self-Help, controls for these variables and still finds significant disparities, lending credence to charges of racism.
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