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Print - 2006-08-18
18 killed in Iraq car bomb attack

18 killed in Iraq car bomb attack

At least 18 people were killed around Iraq Thursday, including seven by a car bomb in Baghdad's most populous Shiite district of Sadr City, security officials said. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the car bomb killed "seven people when an Opel car was
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Siemens to set up W-CDMA network in Kabul

Siemens to set up W-CDMA network in Kabul

Siemens Communications Group has been awarded a contract by Telephone Systems International Ltd (TSI), New York to set up a W-CDMA network in Kabul for Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC).
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Sindh Assembly session opens today

Sindh Assembly session opens today

The Sindh Assembly session, which begins here on Friday, will make the relationship of the MQM and other member of the coalition Cabinet with Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim clear.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
'Jazz Ladies First' launched

'Jazz Ladies First' launched

Mobilink, one of the country's cellular companies, on Thursday launched a special package designed for the women of Pakistan. The new brand extension called Jazz Ladies First has been designed to recognise and cater to Pakistani women through special offe
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Dilapidated roads further devastated by rains

Dilapidated roads further devastated by rains

The city transporters said that the dug up and dilapidated roads further devastated by the heavy rains have caused manifold increase in waste of fuel and 50 percent decline in the mobility of public transport.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
NWFP to extend virtual teaching project to remote areas

NWFP to extend virtual teaching project to remote areas

NWFP Minister for Science & Information Technology Hussain Ahmad Kanju has directed the authorities concerned of his department to take steps for extension of Virtual Teaching Pilot Project to the far-flung areas of the entire province and prepare CDs of
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Japanese film festival on August 22

Japanese film festival on August 22

Japanese film festival will be held on August 22. The festival is being organised jointly by Japan-Pakistan Friendship Fest 2006, Pakistan-Japan Culture Association (PJCA), Monbukagakusho Alumni Association of Pakistan (Maap) and the Embassy of Japan.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Balochistan development a major priority: Shaukat

Balochistan development a major priority: Shaukat

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that rapid development of Balochistan and the welfare of its people is a major priority for which all resources are being employed by the federal government.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Hydel power generation increases

Hydel power generation increases

Chairman Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Tariq Hamid has said that hydel power generation recorded 6,530 megawatt (MW) on Wednesday against an installed capacity of 6,450 MW due to sufficient availability of water in the reservoirs
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Towel removed from woman's abdomen

Towel removed from woman's abdomen

Dr Abdul Aleem Chaudhry, a surgeon of private hospital in Multan, has removed a towel from the abdomen of a woman Sana Bibi after seven months. She suffered a lot due to the negligence of a female surgeon, who left towel in the abdomen during caesarean de
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
New building of PGMI planned

New building of PGMI planned

The new building of Post-Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) would be constructed at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) at a cost of Rs 1,027.861 million PGMI LGH Principal Dr Sajjad Hussain, while giving details of the project at a meeting here on Wednesday, sa
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Mirwaiz for intense, true parleys for Kashmir solution

Mirwaiz for intense, true parleys for Kashmir solution

Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said he favoured intense but transparent negotiations with both India and Pakistan to find an amicable solution to the Kashmir problem.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
LHC calls report

LHC calls report

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has called for a report in a petition filed by TMO Okara challenging his transfer. The petitioner contended that his leg was fractured in a mishap and now he was unable to move easily.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Normal life reviving in quake-hit areas: Erra

Normal life reviving in quake-hit areas: Erra

Normal life in the last October's earthquake-affected areas of NWFP and Azad Kashmir has started reviving following the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction measures taken by Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra).
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
7,244 citizen community boards registered in Punjab

7,244 citizen community boards registered in Punjab

As many as 7244 citizen community boards (CCB) have been registered in Punjab to undertake developmental projects at local levels and funds amounting to Rs 15 billion have been allocated for the projects. Punjab Minister for Local Government, Law and Publ
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Notice issued to ABL

Notice issued to ABL

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued notice to respondents for August 23 in a petition filed by Khalid Siraj against Allied Bank Limited with prayer to the court to restrain the respondent bank from selling out the machinery of Ittefaq Textile Mills.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Industry status to the hotel sector demanded

Industry status to the hotel sector demanded

Keeping in view of the economic turnaround witnessed in the recent years due to the reforms initiated by the present regime, there is a dire need for according the industry status to the hotel sector.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Drug abuse: Ulema urged to use mosques to raise awareness

Drug abuse: Ulema urged to use mosques to raise awareness

Religious leaders and Ulema should use the mosque to raise awareness against drug abuse in the light of Islamic teachings. Punjab Auqaf Minister Syed Saeedul Hassan said this while talking to delegations of Ulema and NGOs at his office here on Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Wapda officers hostel

Wapda officers hostel

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Tariq Hameed will inaugurate Officers Hostel on August 18 here at Kot Lakhpat. After the construction of the hostel, residential problems of the officers would be solved.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Strengthening SMEs

Strengthening SMEs

As a press report points out, it was after a long process of consultations with different stakeholders that the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) had prepared a new SMEs policy, and presented it for Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's a
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Suspension of train traffic

Suspension of train traffic

Serious structural damage sustained by a newly constructed railway bridge at Runpathani near Dhabeji railway station has resulted in the suspension of train traffic between Karachi and the upcountry towns.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Pakistan Steel: lessons not learnt

Pakistan Steel: lessons not learnt

June 23, 2006 was a historic day in the history of Pakistan when the Supreme Court of Pakistan with a nine-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, declared the letter of acceptance issued to the Arif Habib consortium by the Priva
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Business counts the costs of airline terror plot

Business counts the costs of airline terror plot

As British airports struggled to return to normal after last week's dramatic terror alert, the travel and airline industries have begun counting the cost of the delays and cancellations that followed the allegations of a plot to blow up trans-Atlantic jet
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Ahmad Faraz's return of medal

Ahmad Faraz's return of medal

I was watching GEO programme, "Pachas minute", in which Ahmad Faraz along with the government and opposition members were invited. Opposition members exploited Ahmad Faraz's return of medal to the government on the plea of undemocratic government.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Wedding meals

Wedding meals

We understand the Bill has been presenting for wedding meals (one dish) in the National Assembly. Good. You are well aware that Rs 20 billion losses in poultry industry, Shadi halls industry.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
(2)

(2)

Everybody is happy for the Bill which has been presented in the National Assembly to allow one dish at wedding ceremonies. It is a good sign and will create employment and business for hotels, poultry industry which suffered heavy losses. Lakhs of un-empl
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
'We won,' say Lebanese while burying their dead

'We won,' say Lebanese while burying their dead

Stoic and unflinching, clutching a yellow and green Hezbollah flag, Yehya Mouanis stood by his brother and sister's sides until the last smattering of soil filled their grave. "We won," he said, after the burial, steeling himself to his loss.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Nigerian HC for increasing trade with Pakistan

Nigerian HC for increasing trade with Pakistan

High Commissioner of Federal Republic of Nigeria to Pakistan, Umar-El-Gash Maina has said that all means and modes were being mobilised for increasing bilateral trade volume with Pakistan.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Rs 250 million worth milk plant being set up near Sialkot

Rs 250 million worth milk plant being set up near Sialkot

The Punjab government has approved a grand project of establishing an international standard milk plant near Sambrial here with a total cost of Rs 250 million in an active collaboration with the local private sector for catering the milk and dairy needs o
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Coca-Cola retains position

Coca-Cola retains position

The Coca-Cola company with a brand value of 67 billion dollars retained its number one position in the annual Inter-brand/Business week ranking of the global brands for 2006. According to a press release issued here on Thursday, this is the sixth consecut
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
'Prolongation of army rule may lead to internal crisis'

'Prolongation of army rule may lead to internal crisis'

PPP and PML-N lawmakers have hailed the letter sent to President General Pervez Musharraf by eminent civil society leaders and said that uniform in politics was neither in the interest of the country nor the military.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
70,000 bales of clean cotton to be produced

70,000 bales of clean cotton to be produced

As many as 70,000 bales of clean cotton would be produced in 7 districts of Punjab province under the contamination free cotton project. The districts are Multan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, D.G.Khan, Rajanpur, Vehari and Bahawalnagar, said provincial Agricul
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Saeed Karmani joins PML-N

Saeed Karmani joins PML-N

Dr Asif Saeed Karmani, son of veteran politician and jurist Ahmed Saeed Karmani, has joined the PML-N on Thursday along with his companions. During a press conference, PML-N president Punjab Sardar Zulifqar Ahmed Khosa said that Dr Asif Saeed Karmani's en
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Customs auction

Customs auction

Faisalabad Customs Department has announced to auction various confiscated items here on August 24. According to the Deputy Collector, Dry Port, vehicles and other items are available for auction and can be examined at the port a day before the auction.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Scattered rains likely in upper catchment areas

Scattered rains likely in upper catchment areas

River Indus at Sukkur is in high flood while at Guddu it is in medium flood and falling. Similarly, at Kotri it is in low flood and its level is rising. According to meteorological report received here on Thursday morning, yesterday's monsoon low over sou
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: gold three-week low

US MIDDAY: gold three-week low

Gold futures in New York fell to a three-week low on Thursday, clobbered by speculative selling due to weak technicals and declining oil prices.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: soyabeans weaker

US MIDDAY: soyabeans weaker

Soyabean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade slightly lower on Thursday, within one cent of Wednesday's close as prices consolidated, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: copper lower

US MIDDAY: copper lower

Copper futures in New York slipped to a 4-week low at the open on Thursday as speculative liquidation pressured the market through a key technical support level, sources said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: wheat higher

US MIDDAY: wheat higher

Wheat futures at the Chicago Board of Trade were higher early on Thursday on a rebound from a late technical sell-off on Wednesday, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: corn mixed

US MIDDAY: corn mixed

Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade were mixed with a firm undertone early on Thursday amid support from the government's export sales report, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: sugar down

US MIDDAY: sugar down

Benchmark raw sugar futures finished down more than 3 percent at 8-1/2-month lows Thursday, depressed by speculative and fund selling amid flagging physical demand, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: coffee up

US MIDDAY: coffee up

Arabica coffee futures were called to open up 1.0 to 1.50 cents Thursday on the back of buoyant prices in foreign coffee markets amid lingering tightness in Asian robusta supply, floor sources said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US MIDDAY: cocoa slips

US MIDDAY: cocoa slips

US cocoa futures slipped on Thursday, with contract switching and speculative selling weighing on the market a day before the first notice for September delivery, market sources said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Gold falls, palladium hits 10-week high

Gold falls, palladium hits 10-week high

Gold followed oil prices lower on Thursday as the market gave back early gains and selling intensified in late US trade. Palladium, meanwhile, surged to a 10-week high on technical buying and strong demand from the jewellery sector, analysts said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
LME nickel ends 5 percent below peak

LME nickel ends 5 percent below peak

Nickel futures closed below record highs and copper also ended over five percent lower as technical selling hit the base metal complex on the London Metal Exchange (LME) on Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
London sugar ends above seven-month low

London sugar ends above seven-month low

London benchmark white sugar futures closed above a seven-month low after a session dominated by speculative selling amid strong global supplies on Thursday, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
New York cotton ends down

New York cotton ends down

Cotton futures fell a second straight day on Thursday on light speculative activity, with traders saying they were awaiting leads.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
WCE canola ends lower

WCE canola ends lower

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange canola futures closed lower on Thursday on fund and speculative selling amid a weak technical market before the harvest heads into full swing, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Oil falls to $70 on ample US fuel supplies

Oil falls to $70 on ample US fuel supplies

Oil fell more than 2 percent on Thursday to its lowest price in nearly two months as ample fuel supplies in the world's top fuel consumer eased fears of supply shortages at the end of the US summer driving season.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
No escape from high nickel prices for users

No escape from high nickel prices for users

Hedge funds which play the commodities markets may be profiting from this month's record nickel prices, but firms that use nickel-bearing stainless steels are facing soaring costs.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
European physical coffee trade stalls on high prices

European physical coffee trade stalls on high prices

European physical coffee trade ground to a halt this week as London robusta futures sped to 6-1/2-year highs, fuelled by fears of tight supplies ahead, traders and analysts said on Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
FTSE edges to higher close

FTSE edges to higher close

UK stocks finished marginally higher on Thursday as mining stocks once again featured among top gainers and with travel-related stocks such as Carnival rushing higher, although broker downgrades hit pest-control group Rentokil and brewer SABMiller.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Seoul shares hit new 11-week high

Seoul shares hit new 11-week high

South Korean shares ended at their highest in more than 11 weeks on Thursday, as exporters such as Samsung Electronics rallied on expectations US interest rates will remain on hold following tame inflation data.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US Stocks: Thursday's unofficial close

US Stocks: Thursday's unofficial close

US stocks rose on Thursday, after a sharp drop in oil prices and a jump in shares of computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co that helped lift blue chips and other tech company stocks.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
NTL volatile on take-over talk; Valeo widens

NTL volatile on take-over talk; Valeo widens

M&A risk broke the summer calm in the credit market on Thursday, with cable operator NTL volatile on a potential private equity bid and car parts maker Valeo moving sharply wider on a possible bid for Visteon.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
NTL volatile on take-over talk; Valeo widens

NTL volatile on take-over talk; Valeo widens

M&A risk broke the summer calm in the credit market on Thursday, with cable operator NTL volatile on a potential private equity bid and car parts maker Valeo moving sharply wider on a possible bid for Visteon.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Dollar losses persist

Dollar losses persist

The dollar hit one-week lows against the euro and yen on Thursday, having fallen sharply the previous day when tame US inflation data boosted expectations the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates on hold.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Sterling hit two week low versus euro

Sterling hit two week low versus euro

Sterling hit a 2-week low against the euro on Thursday after weak British retail sales increased speculation the Bank of England's recent surprise rate rise may not be repeated anytime soon.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Indian rupee higher

Indian rupee higher

The Indian rupee ended at a one-week high on Thursday, helped by dollar weakness overseas and by foreign banks reversing positions in the offshore non-deliverable forward (NDF) market. The rupee ended 0.3 percent higher at 46.43/44 per dollar, from Wednes
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Mistaken bombing kills up to 12 Afghan cops

Mistaken bombing kills up to 12 Afghan cops

Up to 12 policemen were killed in Afghanistan Thursday when a US-led coalition plane mistakenly bombed them, officials said, while two suicide blasts wounded eight more police and a US soldier.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Nearly 100 rebels killed in fresh Sri Lanka fighting

Nearly 100 rebels killed in fresh Sri Lanka fighting

Sri Lankan troops Thursday beat back a fresh attempt by Tamil Tigers to overrun the main defences of the northern peninsula of Jaffna and killed at least 98 guerrillas, media minister Anura Yapa said. More than 100 rebels were wounded in the close-quarter
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Indian police hunt temple killers

Indian police hunt temple killers

Four foreigners hurt in a grenade blast which killed four devotees at a Hindu temple in Indias Manipur state were to be flown out Thursday, an official said, as police hunted for the attackers.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Iran to stand by atomic work: Ahmadinejad

Iran to stand by atomic work: Ahmadinejad

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday Iran could not abandon its nuclear programme while the United States was developing new atomic bombs every year, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Israeli general cautions over Iran's Lebanon aid

Israeli general cautions over Iran's Lebanon aid

An Israeli general urged the international community on Thursday not to allow Iran the opportunity to boost Hizbollah's standing by funding the bulk of reconstruction in shattered areas of Lebanon.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
US judge orders halt to NSA wiretap programme

US judge orders halt to NSA wiretap programme

A federal judge in Detroit on Thursday ordered the Bush administration to halt the National Security Agency's programme of domestic eavesdropping, saying it violated the US Constitution. The ruling was a setback for the Bush administration, which has defe
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Former CIA contractor guilty of assault on Afghan

Former CIA contractor guilty of assault on Afghan

A former CIA contractor was found guilty on Thursday of beating an Afghan detainee who later died of his injuries. David Passaro, 40, was found guilty in federal court in North Carolina of beating an Afghan man, Abdul Wali, at a US military base in Afghan
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
UK denies its foreign policy is anti-Islamic

UK denies its foreign policy is anti-Islamic

Britain denied on Thursday that its foreign policy was "anti-Islamic" following accusations that its stance had heightened the threat from terrorism.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Lebanese army moves south, Hizbollah lies low

Lebanese army moves south, Hizbollah lies low

Lebanese troops deployed in south Lebanon on Thursday, linking up with UN peacekeepers to take control of Hizbollah strongholds as Israeli forces pulled back after their 34-day war with the guerrillas.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
India warns US against changes in nuclear pact

India warns US against changes in nuclear pact

India said on Thursday it would not accept changes to an agreement with the US for use of fuel and equipment in its nuclear programmes. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected charges by lawmakers that his coalition was succumbing to US pressure to cap ato
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Floods overwhelm Ethiopia, hundreds dead

Floods overwhelm Ethiopia, hundreds dead

Rescuers in helicopters tossed ropes and emergency aid to stranded Ethiopians on Thursday after many scrambled onto rooftops and trees to escape floods that have killed 900 and marooned tens of thousands.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Taslima hopes to become Indian citizen

Taslima hopes to become Indian citizen

Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen said Thursday she had received permission to live in India for another six months but that she would like now to become an Indian citizen. Nasreen's residency permit expired on Wednesday but the writer said she ha
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Anger as Bali bomb convict freed for Indonesian holiday

Anger as Bali bomb convict freed for Indonesian holiday

An Islamic militant convicted over the 2002 Bali bombings walked free Thursday after his sentence was cut for Indonesia's Independence Day, sparking anger among grieving relatives in Australia.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Bangladesh police kill 11 robbers in shoot-out

Bangladesh police kill 11 robbers in shoot-out

At least 11 robbers were killed and one injured critically Thursday in a gun battle with police in western Bangladesh, police said. Police surrounded a village in Pabna district early on Thursday following a tip-off that a criminal group was planning raid
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Record year for poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

Record year for poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

The area of Afghanistan planted with poppies increased by more than 40 percent this year compared to last, suggesting there will be a strong rise in opium production, a Western source said Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
'Fake' painting of Mary, Queen of Scots is rare original

'Fake' painting of Mary, Queen of Scots is rare original

A rare portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots, thought to have been painted in her lifetime, has gone on display at London's National Portrait Gallery - but the oval miniature nearly did not see the light of day.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Congo heads for runoff as Kinshasa votes drip in

Congo heads for runoff as Kinshasa votes drip in

Democratic Republic of Congo looked set for a presidential runoff vote as early poll results from the capital on Thursday dragged President Joseph Kabila's tally below the 50 percent needed for a first-round win.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
South Africa mercenary ban spurs security fears

South Africa mercenary ban spurs security fears

South Africa is pressing ahead with a law to ban mercenaries, clouding the prospects of thousands of South Africans now fighting for foreign armies or working for security companies in Iraq.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Arafat widow denies reports she remarried

Arafat widow denies reports she remarried

The widow of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday denied Arab press reports that she had married a brother-in-law of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Accused JonBenet killer says death was accident

Accused JonBenet killer says death was accident

An American school teacher accused of the grisly Christmas murder of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in 1996 said Thursday he was with the child beauty queen at the time of her death, which he called an accident.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil down

Malaysian palm oil down

Malaysian crude palm oil futures closed sharply lower for the fourth straight day on Thursday due to technical selling and a decline in the prices of crude oil. "Fundamentals are all very good, but the market is now moving on technical grounds," said one
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Singh wants more links

Singh wants more links

India wants to increase transport links between the Indian and Pakistani zones of divided Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament on Thursday. "Our government is for expanding flows" between the two sides, Singh told the Indian parli
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
LME copper stable in Asia

LME copper stable in Asia

London Metal Exchange copper futures were little changed in Asian trade on Thursday as markets awaited an outcome to talks in Chile over a strike at the world's largest copper mine.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Singh wants more links

Singh wants more links

India wants to increase transport links between the Indian and Pakistani zones of divided Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament on Thursday. "Our government is for expanding flows" between the two sides, Singh told the Indian parli
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
New York sugar falters

New York sugar falters

Raw sugar prices buckled from late commodity fund sales to finish on Wednesday near session lows and the market may just consolidate near levels representing an 8-1/2 month low, brokers said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Australian sugar hit by poor crop

Australian sugar hit by poor crop

Australia's A$2 billion ($1.5 billion) raw sugar export industry is reeling from a double whammy of a shrinking harvest caused by torrential rain and a government refusal to finance a fight against smut disease.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Soyabeans weaker

Soyabeans weaker

Soyabean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed weak on Wednesday, near the lows of the day, amid easing worries about this year's US soya crop as Midwest weather was favourable for pod filling, traders said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
CBOT rice ends near unchanged

CBOT rice ends near unchanged

Chicago Board of Trade rough rice futures closed nearly unchanged on Wednesday as traders took profits after the market made contracts highs for the sixth straight session on speculative buying, brokers said.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Tokyo rubber loses ground

Tokyo rubber loses ground

Tokyo rubber futures fell for the second day in a row on Thursday, breaching a closely watched technical level, as easing concerns over supply tightness in producing countries induced additional speculative selling.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Floods cripple India's diamond exports

Floods cripple India's diamond exports

Massive floods that engulfed India's diamond-producing hub of Surat have badly hit exports of the precious stones, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Opec president sees no oil output cuts for 2006

Opec president sees no oil output cuts for 2006

Opec will not cut production or formally return to its quota system for at least the rest of 2006 as it works to stabilise oil prices, the group's president Edmund Daukoru said Thursday.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
Russia threatens to end US meat import preferences

Russia threatens to end US meat import preferences

Moscow threatened on Thursday to cut trade preferences on US meat imports if a deal with Washington to let Russia join the World Trade Organisation was not struck by October.
Published 18 Aug, 2006 12:00am
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