Bank of Asheville, a subsidiary of Weststar Financial Services Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: WFSC), is proud to announce that it has once again earned a 5-Star rating according to BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation's leading independent bank rating firm, announced G. Gordon Greenwood, President & CEO.

Popular, Inc. announced today the completion of the previously announced sale by its Equity One subsidiary of a significant portion of its U.S. consumer-finance loan portfolio to American General Finance, Inc. for approximately $1.48 billion.

Further to Austral Pacific Energy Ltd.'s news releases of December 19, 2007 and February 11, 2008 announcing a US$15million placement, the Company now confirms that it has received the final tranche of $3.9 million and completed the placement. The financing involves the sale of 12,500,000 common (ordinary) shares with attached warrants, sold as units at $1.20 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant.

Capital Gold Group sponsored the "Tax-Strategies for the High Net Worth Individuals" conference hosted by AICPA. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) hosts the annual conference featuring a world renowned panel of experts and tax strategists. Wealth preservation and estate planning are the key topics of the tax-strategies conference.

By Darryl Kelley

Wind is not only the cleanest source of energy available to humanity, it is also the world’s fastest growing source of electrical power. But the United States has been slow to adopt. A Canadian company is changing that though – one wind farm at a time.

In this high-risk monetory environment, wouldn't it be great if you could hire a financial manager who takes care of all your needs so you have a little less to worry about? Unfortunately, most of us do not have such luxury!! Luckily though, there's a new online tool that can prove to be a one-stop portal for all your money-management needs, including loans, credit-cards, insurance and more!

BNP Resources Inc. is pleased to announce that it has successfully closed a previously announced private placement of Class A shares. Including the agent's option, a total of 3,333,334 Class A Shares were issued at a price of $1.35 per share, for total aggregate gross proceeds of $4,500,000.90. Acumen Capital Finance Partners Limited acted as the agent in respect of the Offering.

The Florida Lottery announced today that one lucky player matched all six winning numbers in the Wednesday, Feb. 20, FLORIDA LOTTO drawing and will win a guaranteed $37 million jackpot.

The federal government is failing to meet the financial reporting needs of taxpayers, falling short of expectations and creating a problem with trust, according to survey findings released today by the Association of Government Accountants (AGA).

Echo Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ECTE), a specialty pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company, announced today that it had completed an approximately $2.3 million private financing with Montaur Capital through Platinum Long Term Growth VII, LLC and certain other select institutional and strategic investors of senior unsecured convertible notes and warrants.

By James West

The market has been unkind to junior resource stocks for the last several months, but it has reserved special treatment for uranium juniors, whose management are sounding increasingly depressed and suicidal. The reason is plain to see – the price of uranium is heading south in a hurry, and that has many investors asking, “What exactly is the condition of uranium fundamentals now?”

France has received fierce criticism during a meeting of finance ministers from the fifteen countries which use the euro as their currency. The ministers urged France to do more to work away its budget deficit.