One of my US shares, Illumina, a maker of genetic sequencing arrays and devices, is becoming a big player in Doha, where the Qatari government is building the Sidra Medical and Research Center which will use high-throughput genomics to find genetic links to diseases.

To pay for the overnight Hong Kong incorporated Chinese oilfield services company, in which Schlumberger Ltd owns 20%, I halved my holdings in Yandex, the Black Sea internet services provider, and in Singapore-based Indian REIT Ascendas India Trust. Plus more from Africa, Britain, Cuba, Finland, The Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, and Israel.

Currencies matter a lot, especially when investing (as we do) globally. Today's developments include a climb-down by the Westpac Bank's chief currency strategist Down Under, Billy Evans. He withdrew his forecast that the Reserve Bank of Australia (their central bank or CB) would cut interest rates. With employment rising in Oz, he now thinks a yield cut "faces a high hurdle."

Russia is offering Ukraine a $15 bn loan plus reduced prices for Gazprom gas; gold producers are cutting their output, Germany's Tobin Tax; and more...

Coalition with Angela Markel, Alan Dershowitz to retire, the Dow and Nasdaq are up, and more news from the Cayman Islands, Ireland, China, Jordan, Israel, Britain, India Australia, Indonesia, Colombia, Singapore, Spain, Germany, Canada, and Holland.

The latest on Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund (FAX), PT Semen Indonesia (PSGTY), Africa Opportunity Fund Ltd (ALOFF), and IAM GOLD (IAG)