Malaysia's trade minister denied on Tuesday her ministry handed out lucrative import licences to corporate cronies, bursting into tears and swearing on the Koran she had no reason to resign.
Pakistan and Switzerland on Tuesday signed a Convention for Avoidance of Double Taxation to promote trade and business activities between the two countries. Central Board of Revenue (CBR) Chairman M. Abdullah Yusuf signed the convention on behalf of the G
US information technology giant Hewlett-Packard announced a major reorganisation Tuesday that would slash its workforce by 10 percent, or 14,500 employees, by the end of next year. The move comes on the heels of a similar move by technology rival IBM, whi
Reduction in badla financing, the core problem hurting the sentiment of the market, further created havoc and Karachi Stock Exchange index, for the second consecutive session, suffered a decline of 1.6 percent on Tuesday. The KSE-100 index fell 117.78 poi
US computer giant IBM's job reductions under a major reorganisation announced this year are expected to total 14,500, a company official said Tuesday. The world's biggest computer and high-tech firm had previously said it was cutting 13,000 positions.
Reduction in badla financing, the core problem hurting the sentiment of the market, further created havoc and Karachi Stock Exchange index, for the second consecutive session, suffered a decline of 1.6 percent on Tuesday. The KSE-100 index fell 117.78 poi
A landmark merger of Royal Dutch/Shell's two holding companies was imminent after the green light was given by London's High Court, the energy giant said on Tuesday. "Shell Transport is pleased to announce that, at a hearing held today, the High Court san
Reduction in badla financing, the core problem hurting the sentiment of the market, further created havoc and Karachi Stock Exchange index, for the second consecutive session, suffered a decline of 1.6 percent on Tuesday. The KSE-100 index fell 117.78 poi
US housing starts were flat in June as a drop in groundbreaking on single-family homes was offset by higher multi-family housing construction, a Commerce Department report showed on Tuesday. A separate report showed retail sales at US chain stores rose in
Seven categories of cases have been covered under the amnesty scheme for availing exemption from fine and penalty on payment of principal amount of custom duty by the business community up to July 31, 2005.
German investor confidence surged to a 10-month high in July as robust global growth and a weaker euro offset surging oil prices, a survey by the ZEW institute showed on Tuesday. Analysts said the surprisingly strong report reduced the chances of a rate c
Seven categories of cases have been covered under the amnesty scheme for availing exemption from fine and penalty on payment of principal amount of custom duty by the business community up to July 31, 2005.
The prospect of British tax hikes next year receded somewhat on Tuesday after finance minister Gordon Brown said the current economic cycle started two years earlier than previously thought, giving him extra leeway to meet his fiscal rules.
Seven categories of cases have been covered under the amnesty scheme for availing exemption from fine and penalty on payment of principal amount of custom duty by the business community up to July 31, 2005.
China's economy is expected to show a moderate slowdown in the first half of the year, suggesting that macroeconomic controls have finally put the brakes on the torrid growth of the last three years, analysts say.
Seven categories of cases have been covered under the amnesty scheme for availing exemption from fine and penalty on payment of principal amount of custom duty by the business community up to July 31, 2005.
A group of major investment banks has entered informal talks to lend a record $7 billion to finance Russia's purchase of an additional stake in Gazprom, the world's largest gas company, banking sources said on Tuesday. Negotiating final terms of the loan,
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah and Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub discuss modalities and structure of Khushhal Pakistan Fund (KPF), being created under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, with the representatives of multilat
Old foes Iran and Iraq on Tuesday signed an oil deal they hope will pave the way to further diplomatic rapprochement between them. The signing was the keystone of a visit to Iran by an Iraqi ministerial delegation led by Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari,
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah and Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub discuss modalities and structure of Khushhal Pakistan Fund (KPF), being created under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, with the representatives of multilat
SABMiller Plc is to buy South America's No 2 brewer Bavaria SA for $4.8 billion to tap fast-growing beer markets and take on regional leader InBev. SABMiller said on Tuesday the stock and cash deal, which boosted its shares over 10 percent to a new high,
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah and Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub discuss modalities and structure of Khushhal Pakistan Fund (KPF), being created under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, with the representatives of multilat
SABMiller Plc is to buy South America's No 2 brewer Bavaria SA for $4.8 billion to tap fast-growing beer markets and take on regional leader InBev. SABMiller said on Tuesday the stock and cash deal, which boosted its shares over 10 percent to a new high,
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has revised levelised tariff for 225 MW Orient Power Company Limited (OPCL) and 130 MW Star Power Limited to 4.55 cent and 4.65 per unit, respectively, an official told Business Recorder.
Bangladesh's economy is expected to grow six percent next fiscal year despite the abolition of quotas for textile exports that was predicted to cause massive job losses, the International Monetary Fund said in a report posted Tuesday. The economy grew 5.5
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has revised levelised tariff for 225 MW Orient Power Company Limited (OPCL) and 130 MW Star Power Limited to 4.55 cent and 4.65 per unit, respectively, an official told Business Recorder.
Malaysia may issue more Islamic bank licences to foreigners, central bank chief Zeti Akhtar Aziz said on Tuesday. "We are not ruling out that option. But for the current environment it will remain at three," Zeti said when asked if the central bank would
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has revised levelised tariff for 225 MW Orient Power Company Limited (OPCL) and 130 MW Star Power Limited to 4.55 cent and 4.65 per unit, respectively, an official told Business Recorder.
Singapore share prices closed up 1.99 percent at a five-and-a-half-year high on Tuesday after the government said it would ease home mortgage rules to help the residential property market, dealers said. They said the news gave a sharp boost to property an
DHL, the world's leading express and logistics company, has received the Silver ABME Award in the "Best Marketing Campaign for Regional Brand Development" category at the 2005 Asian Brand Marketing Effectiveness (ABME) Awards, in recognition of its "No On
Hong Kong stocks were largely unchanged on Tuesday as investors paused for breath after a surge in property stocks and as they eyed some key US earnings reports. Shares in large cap property firms such as Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd sagged after recent he
Cosco's 'M V Yang Jiang He' made an inaugural call at Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) on July 18 to commence a new shipping service "Round Arabian Sea (RAS)" service. This new RAS service is jointly operated by China Ocean Shipping (Group)
US stocks fell on Monday, ending a seven-day rally, after Citigroup Inc, said its second-quarter profit missed analysts' forecasts, but a rise in quarterly operating income at International Business Machines Corp may renew investors' enthusiasm for equiti
Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) expressed strong reservation over the pace of watercourses lining in the province in a memorandum presented to Prime Minister during his visit on Sunday last.
Indonesian share prices closed 0.32 percent higher Tuesday on a technical rebound led by market heavyweights Bank Mandiri and Telkom, dealers said. The Jakarta Stock Exchange composite index closed up 3.577 points at 1,132.017 on volume of 1.74 billion sh
In the first of its kind of venture in Pakistan, Women Empowerment Literacy and Development Organisation (Weldo) will finance the airfare, accommodation, visa processing and business meetings of five Pakistani food sector related companies to the famous A
US Treasuries stumbled lower on Monday as negative technicals were exacerbated by expectations of optimistic testimony to Congress this week from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Benchmark yields hit two-month highs even as inklings of an upbeat F
NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman on Tuesday took serious notice of the line losses of Pesco and Tesco and frequent load shedding in FATA, particularly in Khyber Agency. He said that a joint meeting of stakeholders should be arranged within a fortnight to fi
US Treasuries stumbled lower on Monday as negative technicals were exacerbated by expectations of optimistic testimony to Congress this week from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Benchmark yields hit two-month highs even as inklings of an upbeat F
A special counter to handle applications for medical treatment visa has been opened by the Indian High Commission here from Monday. The Consular Section of the Indian High Commission has said that each patient would be allowed to take two attendants, such
Malaysian share prices closed 0.19 percent higher Tuesday, with investors largely staying on the sidelines, dealers said. They said a lack of positive leads and hesitation with the key index creeping towards resistance at the 920-point level kept investor
Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Excise & Taxation (E&T), M.A Jalil has embargoed the purchase of costly and luxurious vehicles for the department for which the funds were already earmarked in the budget 2005-06.
Taiwan stocks barely rose on Tuesday, defying back-pedalling by US stocks, as investors shifted their focus to small-cap tech shares such as Wintek while taking profit in bellwether electronics. The TAIEX share index ended up 5.75 points, or 0.09 percent,
The government on Tuesday admitted its inability in bringing back Pakistani children being used as camel jockeys and stranded in the Gulf states, but played down their number by putting the figure at only 1,000 as against 7,000 reported a few days ago.
China's shares edged up 0.2 percent on Tuesday, led by large caps, but traders said the gains would prove unsustainable due to lingering concerns over Beijing's state share reform plan. The Shanghai composite index closed at 1,014.355 points, after settin
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday to discuss ongoing efforts to combat Islamic militancy and extremism, said Information Minister Sheikh Rashid late in the evening.
Seoul stocks rose 1.2 percent on Tuesday to their best finish in over a decade, as lower oil prices lifted auto makers, while department store operators brushed record highs on hopes for a pickup in consumer demand.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday to discuss ongoing efforts to combat Islamic militancy and extremism, said Information Minister Sheikh Rashid late in the evening.
Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.05 percent on Tuesday to its highest finish since April 8, with optimism over company earnings propping up blue chips such as Canon Inc but Toyota Motor Corp retreated after a brokerage downgrade, while caution over how Wall
A faction of Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday held landmark maiden meeting as an exercise to initiate latter's return to Kashmir valley.
Philippines share prices closed 1.03 percent lower Tuesday on profit-taking took after a three-day run-up amid continued political concerns, dealers said.
A faction of Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday held landmark maiden meeting as an exercise to initiate latter's return to Kashmir valley.
The Hong Kong dollar weakened slightly late on Tuesday after China's central bank said that any reform of the mainland's exchange rate would be based on the country's own needs. The comments from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) reiterated Beijing's stan
The yuan on Tuesday ended unchanged at 8.2765 per US dollar, near the stronger end of its managed trading range. The one-year non-deliverable dollar forward discount versus the yuan inched higher to 4,800 points, implying a rate of 7.798 yuan per dollar i
The rupee ended steady on Tuesday, side-stepping a rally in the dollar against other majors, with the currency drawing support from robust foreign capital inflows into the booming Indian stock market. The inflows also helped limit concerns caused by a wid
The dollar marched higher on Tuesday, closing in on a 14-month high versus the yen on expectations Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan would paint a bright picture of the US economy. Greenspan's semi-annual testimony to Congress on Wednesday is expected
The dollar slipped across the board on Monday as a capital inflows report showed selling of US stocks by foreigners in May, suggesting uneven interest in dollar-denominated assets. In late New York trading, the euro was up 0.2 percent against the dollar a
Interbank buy/sell rates for the taka against the dollar on Tuesday. 64.02/64.50 (previous 63.96/64.42). Call Money Rates: 4.0-15.50 percent (previous 4.0-16.50 percent).
The Swiss franc eased against the dollar in early European trade on Tuesday as traders looked ahead to a testimony from the US Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan for hints about the timetable for monetary tightening. In his semi-annual testimony to Cong
The South Korean won fell more than half a percent to lead declines in Asian currencies on Tuesday after a central bank official warned that the won's recent rapid gain against the Japanese yen was undesirable. The dollar's surge to a 14-month high agains
Chelsea still hope to sign Lyon midfielder Michael Essien despite being told by the French champions they must pay 32 million pounds (46 million euros). The Blues wrapped up the signing of Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City on Monday for a 21 mill
An inaugural cricket competition between Asia and Africa will be held next month in South Africa, officials announced on Tuesday. The matches have been accorded official status by the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to Afro-Asian Cricket Co
US tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams are set to give the public a sneak peek into their private world as they become the latest celebrities to star in their own reality television show.
Wimbledon doubles winner Wesley Moodie reached the second round of the 600,000 Indianapolis ATP event, then revealed his sudden Grand Slam windfall has re-launched his tennis career.
Russia's Tatiana Panova beat Kveta Peschke 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) on Monday in the opening round of the 170,000 dollar WTA tournament, handing the eighth seeded Czech her fourth-consecutive loss. The 40th-ranked player in the world, Peschke dropped both of her Fe
Glenn McGrath insists Kevin Pietersen will find Test cricket a whole new ball game in more ways than one when he makes his debut in the five-day arena for England against Australia in Thursday's Ashes series opener at Lord's.
Spaniard Oscar Pereiro of the Phonak team won the 16th stage of the Tour de France here Tuesday held over 180.5km between Mourenx and Pau. American Lance Armstrong retained the yellow jersey after the final day of climbing in the high mountains despite co
Australians Stuart O'Grady and Robbie McEwen are among the riders who are more than happy the 's killer climbing stages are well and truly behind them. However while the fight for the race's yellow jersey is all but settled, with Lance Armstrong on the ve
Blythe Hartley grabbed some gold for host nation Canada on Monday, winning the women's 1m springboard diving title at the 11th World Swimming Championships. China's Wu Min Xia took the silver, ahead of Germany's Heike Fischer.
Is there anybody out there? And if there is, what will alien lifeforms make of bloggers signed up to a new service to beam their online rantings into outer space? "We are giving bloggers the opportunity to send a piece of their lives into space to potenti
General William Westmoreland, who commanded US military operations in the Vietnam War, died on Monday night at a retirement home in Charleston, South Carolina, said Linda Maines, night supervisor at the facility. Westmoreland, who lived at the Bishop Gads
Fire-fighters on Tuesday brought under control a massive fire in central Spain that killed 11 volunteer firemen and destroyed vast tracts of pine forest, officials said. Investigators meanwhile focused their probe on five youths from Madrid accused of spa
Ancient artefacts smuggled out of Egypt as part of a major antiquities scam were returned to Egyptian authorities on Tuesday after being discovered for sale on an Australian Internet auction site. The seven funeral objects, dated to about 664 BC, included
The Franco-German alliance must remain the engine that drives Europe, German opposition leader Angela Merkel told French leaders on Tuesday, despite her vow to reshape the two countries' relationship if she comes to power.
A former FBI agent who failed to tell his superiors about an affair with an informant later arrested as a double agent for China was sentenced on Monday to three months' home confinement.
A former Bosnian Croat soldier changed his plea on Tuesday to guilty on charges including murder, rape and torture of Muslims during the 1993 Muslim-Croat war in central Bosnia. "I'm guilty and I'm honestly sorry," Miroslav Bralo, also known as Cicko, tol
A court Tuesday rejected damages for Chinese victims of Japan's notorious World War II germ warfare unit, standing firm on Tokyo's refusal to compensate individuals amid a bilateral row over wartime memories.
More than a half million people were marooned in Bangladesh in a new wave of floods caused by monsoon rains over the past week, relief officials said on Tuesday. The rivers Teesta, Jamuna and the mighty Brahmaputra, which flows from India, were in spate d
The EU will present proposals to step-up the control of explosives and fertilisers, which can be used in bomb-making on Tuesday in an effort to boost the 25-nation bloc's fight against terrorism. EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini will p
Around 15 people were killed and another 20 injured on Tuesday when an armoured police carrier was blown up by rebels in Russia's Chechnya, officials said. Itar-Tass news agency quoted local Prime Minister Sergei Abramov as saying the dead included 11 pol
Twenty two people died and several more were injured on Tuesday when a bus travelling to the Kenyan coast collided with a truck, police said. The accident occurred before dawn at Maungu, west of Mombasa on Kenya's east coast. Police were investigating the
Britain's top intelligence and law enforcement officials concluded less than a month before the London bombings that there was no group with current intent and the capability to attack the UK, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing a confid
India upholds nuclear non-proliferation rules and will never spread sensitive technology, its prime minister said on Tuesday, a day after the United States promised to help the South Asian power develop its civilian atomic sector.
Interior ministers from Iraq and its neighbours said Tuesday they would hammer out a regional security co-operation deal and pledged to step up border controls to prevent the flow of insurgents to and from the war-torn country.
A Bangladeshi actress suffered burns when unidentified attackers threw acid at her as she left a shopping centre in the capital Dhaka, police said Tuesday.
Gunmen shot dead three Sunni Arab members of the team drafting Iraq's new constitution on Tuesday, striking a blow against the body seen as the best hope for providing a political end to the insurgency.
A fourth round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament will begin in Beijing on July 26, China said Tuesday, although analysts are sceptical significant progress will be made. Foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan made the announcement via
Hezbollah, regarded as a terrorist group by Washington, joined the Lebanese cabinet for the first time Tuesday as prime minister delegate Fuad Siniora finally unveiled a new government after weeks of wrangling.
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu on Tuesday said he had changed his mind about resigning and would work to prepare the country to join the European Union and to rebuild areas devastated by floods last week.
Millions of Indians may sleep easier after the Supreme Court banned loud music, firecrackers and the honking of vehicle horns at night. The court ban issued Monday and posted Tuesday prevents horns from being sounded between 10 pm and 6 am and also bans f
Police made a series of arrests Tuesday in a stand-off with tens of thousands of ultra-nationalist opponents of Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip who are blocked from marching on the territory. They sealed off all access to the car-park where protest o
British Muslim leaders and Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed ways to tackle radical Islamists on Tuesday after the London bombings, but face a tough task to win round disaffected young Muslims. Senior imams, Muslim politicians and representatives of the
Sterling fell against a broadly firmer dollar for a fifth day running on Tuesday after expectations grew of further interest rate rises in the United States and an imminent British rate cut. British housing prices fell in the three months to June although
The dollar hit a 14-month high against the yen and rallied against other currencies on Tuesday as comments by key Federal Reserve officials cemented expectations for steady rises in US interest rates.
A 19 percent drop in second-quarter earnings at Ford Motor Co and news France Telecom was considering an acquisition put pressure on both of the major borrowers' debt on Tuesday.
A 19 percent drop in second-quarter earnings at Ford Motor Co and news France Telecom was considering an acquisition put pressure on both of the major borrowers' debt on Tuesday.
Indian shares paused on Tuesday from a dizzying climb that took them to a new all-time high as investors sold software and consumer stocks that had rallied in recent sessions.
US stocks gained on Tuesday after the world's largest computer company, International Business Machines Corp, and the largest US brokerage, Merrill Lynch & Co Inc, reported better-than-expected earnings.
Shares in SABMiller charged 10.6 percent higher on Tuesday boosted by the brewer's prospects in Latin American markets after it bought a Colombian rival, although the overall blue chip market closed lower after a volatile session.