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Print - 2011-03-30
Ford wants to raise its game in ASEAN

Ford wants to raise its game in ASEAN

Ford Motor Co said on Wednesday it planned to introduce eight new vehicles into Southeast Asia over the next five years as part of its effort to win market share in the fast-growing region. The second-largest US automaker has had a "favourable" year so fa
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Belarus must soon devalue or take more Russian cash

Belarus must soon devalue or take more Russian cash

Belarus is likely to announce either a cash injection from Russia or a devaluation of its rouble in the coming weeks as it plans to restart limited foreign exchange trading, analysts say. The former Soviet republic is running out of foreign currency reser
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Volkswagen recalls about 71,000 Jettas for wiring issue

Volkswagen recalls about 71,000 Jettas for wiring issue

Volkswagen AG's US unit recalled more than 71,000 Jetta sedans due to a defect in the wiring system controlling the car horn that can cause the car to stall, a company spokeswoman said on Monday. The wiring layout that controls the horn also controls the
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
German election may hurt power users, help utilities

German election may hurt power users, help utilities

The German election in Baden-Wuerttemberg is likely to lead to an early closure of nuclear reactors, and the resulting increase in power prices could hurt users while utilities stand to gain, analysts said. Following elections in the German state of Baden
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
UK pension scheme eyes low risk for young members

UK pension scheme eyes low risk for young members

A new scheme starting next year and aimed at making sure most British workers save for a pension will make low-risk investments for its youngest members to keep them onboard in rocky markets. The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) aims to cater for
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Berlusconi attends Milan courthouse in tax case

Berlusconi attends Milan courthouse in tax case

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi made a rare court appearance Monday, greetings throngs of supporters gathered outside the courthouse following a closed-door hearing in a tax fraud case he has dismissed as groundless. Berlusconi waved to reporters from i
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Two hunger-striking prisoners die in Kyrgyzstan

Two hunger-striking prisoners die in Kyrgyzstan

Two of several hundred inmates who last week launched a hunger strike in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan in protest of dire prison conditions died Monday of tuberculosis, officials said. The deaths come after inmates of three jails declared a hunge
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Japan fails to divert LNG away from Europe

Japan fails to divert LNG away from Europe

Fears that Japan's nuclear crisis might quickly cut Europe's liquefied natural gas supply seem unfounded, with twice as many LNG tankers heading for Europe as for Japan, shipping data has shown. British gas prices surged last week on the worry that supply
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Indonesian government hopes for land acquisition bill by mid-2011

Indonesian government hopes for land acquisition bill by mid-2011

Indonesia's draft land acquisition bill, seen as crucial to improving the country's infrastructure, has got the go ahead from most political parties and could be approved by parliament by the middle of the year, a government official said on Thursday.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Judge says aims to restore Egypt's dignity

Judge says aims to restore Egypt's dignity

An Egyptian judge who exposed corruption in Hosni Mubarak's era says he will work to create jobs and restore Egypt's dignity if elected in the first competitive presidential election. Hisham al-Bastawisy, 59, says he faced retribution from the Mubarak adm
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Former Khmer Rouge prison chief appeals sentence

Former Khmer Rouge prison chief appeals sentence

The man who admitted to overseeing the torture and killing of 16,000 people as the Khmer Rouge's chief prison warden returned to the courtroom Monday in Cambodia to appeal his 19-year prison sentence for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Fewer sought refuge in West in 2010: UN

Fewer sought refuge in West in 2010: UN

Fewer people fleeing turmoil or repression in their nations sought asylum in the West in 2010 than they did during the previous two years, the UN refugee agency said Monday. The latest figures released by the Geneva-based agency show that 358,800 people a
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Mexico holds high-flying prospects for German firms

Mexico holds high-flying prospects for German firms

Mexico's aeronautics sector holds bright growth potential for German industry, sections of which are working at "full tilt" in Latin America's second-biggest economy, a leading business association said. Johannes Hauser, managing director of the German-Me
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
BoE's Posen stakes future on monetary easing call

BoE's Posen stakes future on monetary easing call

Bank of England policymaker Adam Posen will not seek a second term on the Monetary Policy Committee if his persistent lone call for more quantitative easing proves to have been a mistake. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper published on Monday, Po
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Indian tycoons to appear before parliamentary panel

Indian tycoons to appear before parliamentary panel

Indian tycoons Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani will appear before a parliamentary committee that is probing a multi-billion-dollar telecoms licensing scandal, their companies said in separate statements on Monday. The parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PA
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Saudi pleads not guilty in Texas terror plot

Saudi pleads not guilty in Texas terror plot

A Saudi national pleaded not guilty Monday to plotting attacks against possible US targets, including the Texas home of former president George W. Bush. Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, 20, shuffled into a Texas courtroom with his hand and feet shackled before ple
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Germany should speed up nuclear exit: minister

Germany should speed up nuclear exit: minister

Germany should shut its nuclear power plants faster than planned, Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said on Monday after the ruling Christian Democrats (CDU) suffered an election defeat. A close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, Roettgen said the loss
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US small banks wooed in fight over Dodd-Frank

US small banks wooed in fight over Dodd-Frank

The fight over the new US financial reform law has increasingly become a battle to win the hearts and minds of small bankers. At hearings, congressional Republicans have portrayed the Dodd-Frank law as a crippling weight on small banks. But US regulators
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Australia's Sundance eyes China mills for Cameroon

Australia's Sundance eyes China mills for Cameroon

Sundance Resources is seeking Chinese investors to help fund a $4 billion iron ore project in the Cameroon, west Africa, the latest company seeking to challenge the dominance of Vale, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton in the overseas market for steelmaking's bas
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Swedish FSA to introduce capital rules by 2013

Swedish FSA to introduce capital rules by 2013

Sweden's financial watchdog said on Thursday capital rules for Swedish banks should be fully enforced by 2013 rather than phased in and that lenders should brace for tough countercyclical buffers.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
AT&T vision of wireless competition is tough sell

AT&T vision of wireless competition is tough sell

AT&T faces a tough pitch convincing regulators that its $39 billion deal to buy Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile will not create a duopoly in the cell phone market. The massive telecom company was clearly honing its pitch even as it came out of the gate.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
For sleuths of Mexico monetary policy, new clues

For sleuths of Mexico monetary policy, new clues

Mexico's reclusive central bankers have begun to leave fingerprints on monetary policy decisions - clues on hawkish or dovish views that markets and analysts hold dear in predicting the path of rates. The policymaking tussles are now being given a public
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Middle East markets: Egypt's bourse up for third day

Middle East markets: Egypt's bourse up for third day

Egypt's bourse rose for a third day after renewed foreign interest on Tuesday as Gulf markets were mixed, with investors awaiting first-quarter results. Egypt's main index rose 3 percent on heavy appetite from local investors and renewed interest from for
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Nikkei average falls

Nikkei average falls

The Nikkei share average fell slightly on Tuesday, bouncing from steep early losses as investors bought futures in the afternoon when other Asian bourses rose, offsetting the impact of mounting worries about Japan's crippled nuclear plant and the damage t
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Tuesday's afternoon trade: technology, retail gains lift Wall Street

Tuesday's afternoon trade: technology, retail gains lift Wall Street

US stocks advanced on Tuesday, boosted by strength in retail and tech stocks, but volume remained light as investors awaited a clearer picture of corporate earnings and the labour market. The S&P 500 index has risen 4.7 percent in the first quarter. The b
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Wall Street rally fizzles in lowest volume of 2011

Wall Street rally fizzles in lowest volume of 2011

US stocks fell on Monday as the corporate outlook was clouded ahead of earnings and uncertainty continued to creep from abroad, while volume hit its lowest level of the year. A warning from hotel operator Marriott International hurt hotel and other consum
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Indian shares rise

Indian shares rise

Indian shares rose for the sixth straight session on Tuesday, their longest winning streak in more than six months, closing 0.9 percent higher as attractive valuations propelled buying, especially in large cap stocks, but dealers said there was not much s
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Two-year notes risk higher yields

Two-year notes risk higher yields

Two-year notes may be among the Treasuries most at risk of a sell-off if employment data this week beats expectations. A $35 billion auction of two-year notes priced with a one basis point tail on Monday, though traders said this may have been due to inve
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Two-year notes risk higher yields

Two-year notes risk higher yields

Two-year notes may be among the Treasuries most at risk of a sell-off if employment data this week beats expectations. A $35 billion auction of two-year notes priced with a one basis point tail on Monday, though traders said this may have been due to inve
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Most Southeast Asian markets dip

Most Southeast Asian markets dip

Most Southeast Asian stock markets dipped on Tuesday having gained most of early lost ground, as Japan's nuclear crisis fuelled selling in airline firms but helped lift possible beneficiaries of the post-quake recovery effort. Sharemarkets were largely in
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Hong Kong, China shares down

Hong Kong, China shares down

Hong Kong stocks on Tuesday ended flat in low volume, with gains in energy shares offset by losses in the financial sector in choppy trading. "Energy and commodities are safer bets in this directionless market," said Jackson Wong, vice president of Tanric
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Seoul shares up

Seoul shares up

Seoul shares ended 0.8 percent higher on Tuesday lifted by rallies in automakers and refiners such as Hyundai Motors and S-Oil, and as foreign investor demand continued for a 10th straight session. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index ended up 0.77 perce
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
European shares flat

European shares flat

European shares closed flat on Tuesday, with Italian lender UBI Banca leading banks lower after a capital hike, but with miners higher as aluminium prices hit their highest since 2008 on Middle East unrest. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed u
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
UK's top share index climbs

UK's top share index climbs

The FTSE 100 rose moderately in light trade on Tuesday with support from miners and upbeat results from Wolseley outpacing falls in banks on European debt worries.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Overnight rate seen lower

Overnight rate seen lower

Overnight eurozone interbank rates are set to drift lower as banks are expected to bid strongly for three-month ECB cash on Wednesday, despite rising rate hike bets, thus keeping liquidity conditions comfortable. The European Central Bank is expected to o
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Sterling dips versus euro

Sterling dips versus euro

Sterling fell to a five-month low versus the euro on Tuesday, on expectations UK interest rate rises would lag those in the euro zone, and hovered close to two-month lows versus a firmer dollar. Data showing the UK economy shrank slightly less than first
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Euro rises in Asia

Euro rises in Asia

The euro rose against the dollar on Tuesday after comments by the head of the European Central Bank the previous day reinforced expectations for higher interest rates, while the yen held steady with the focus on Japan's nuclear crisis. ECB President Jean-
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Euro struggles in London

Euro struggles in London

The euro struggled to hold gains against the dollar on Tuesday, as expectations for a eurozone interest rate rise were offset by a Federal Reserve warning about keeping US monetary policy loose for too long. The euro rose to around $1.4150 before retreati
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Early trade in New York: Yen at post-intervention low

Early trade in New York: Yen at post-intervention low

The yen slid to post-intervention lows on Tuesday and analysts anticipate more losses if the spread between US and Japanese yields continues to widen and if repatriation flows into Japan fail to emerge. The dollar rose to 82.48 yen while the euro was last
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Dollar rise versus yen in New York

Dollar rise versus yen in New York

The dollar gained on the yen on Monday as the gap between US and Japanese yields widened in the greenback's favour, but the US currency may face more selling if forthcoming US economic data disappoints. The two-year US Treasury yield rose to 0.77 percent,
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Bangladesh's interbank forex, interest rates

Bangladesh's interbank forex, interest rates

Interbank buy/sell rates for the taka against the dollar on Tuesday. 72.71/72.75 (previous 72.70/72.72). Call Money Rates: 3.00-6.00 percent (previous 5.00-10.00 percent).
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Swiss franc up

Swiss franc up

The Swiss franc firmed against the dollar and was flat against the euro on Tuesday as continued fighting in Libya and concerns over a damaged nuclear plant in Japan held equities in check and buoyed the safe haven franc. German inflation data due later in
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Australian dollar consolidates

Australian dollar consolidates

The Australian dollar took a breather on Tuesday after striking a fresh 29-year high overnight, as its recent rapid run left it overbought in the short term and facing strong chart resistance against the yen. The Australian dollar consolidated at around $
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Indian rupee up

Indian rupee up

The Indian rupee closed stronger on Tuesday on local share gains and dollar inflows from corporate borrowings ahead of the fiscal year end on Thursday, but oil import payments capped the uptick. The partially convertible rupee ended at 44.78/79 per dollar
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Won hits seven-week high

Won hits seven-week high

The South Korean won hit a seven-week high and the Indian rupee rose on Tuesday, leading overall gains in Asian currencies, helped by persistent equity inflows. Foreign investors have been net buyers of Korean stocks for 10 consecutive days - the longest
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Yuan rises

Yuan rises

The yuan closed a touch higher against the dollar on Tuesday after the People's Bank of China fixed its daily mid-point marginally weaker, in a move traders said signalled that the central bank wants a temporary pause in the yuan's recent strength.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Ouattara forces push south in Ivory Coast

Ouattara forces push south in Ivory Coast

Forces loyal to Ivory Coast presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara advanced on Tuesday to within 200 km (120 miles) of the two main coastal cities in an intensifying offensive against incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. The United Nations said forces loyal to Gbag
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
World's highest hotel opens in Hong Kong

World's highest hotel opens in Hong Kong

The world's highest hotel opened its doors in Hong Kong on Tuesday, housed in the city's tallest skyscraper and offering unrivalled panoramic views of the world famous Victoria Harbour. Towering some 490 metres (1,600 feet) above the bustling, chaotic str
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Yemenis blame Saleh as security deteriorates

Yemenis blame Saleh as security deteriorates

Yemeni protesters demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule said on Tuesday they would insist he leave power soon, blaming him for violence that has raised US fears of chaos that could benefit militants. Explosions at an arms factory on Mond
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Qadhafi forces push rebels back to Bin Jawad

Qadhafi forces push rebels back to Bin Jawad

Libyan rebel fighters appealed for Western air strikes on Tuesday after a hail of machinegun and rocket fire sent them into a chaotic retreat from Muammar Qadhafi's forces east of his home town of Sirte. Rebels waiting on the open desert road leaped behin
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
France and US to help Japan in nuclear crisis

France and US to help Japan in nuclear crisis

France and the United States are to help Japan in its battle to contain radiation from a crippled nuclear complex where plutonium finds have raised public alarm over the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl in 1986. The high-stakes operation at the
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
58 dead in Tikrit attack

58 dead in Tikrit attack

Security forces stormed the provincial council building in former dictator Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit on Tuesday after an hours-long shootout with gunmen that left 58 dead and 97 wounded, a police official said. "The latest toll is 58 dead and 97
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Castro blasts Nato's 'fascist war' in Libya

Castro blasts Nato's 'fascist war' in Libya

Cuban leader Fidel Castro branded international military action in Libya a "fascist war" on Tuesday, and urged strongman Muammar Qadhafi to fight back to "his last breath." "If Qadhafi honours his people's traditions and decides to fight to the last breat
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Taliban overrun district; three Nato soldiers killed

Taliban overrun district; three Nato soldiers killed

Taliban militants overran a district in the north-eastern Afghan province of Nuristan after overpowering local forces, while three Nato soldiers died in other attacks in the same region, officials said Tuesday. Over 300 heavily armed Taliban insurgents at
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Gap widening between poorest countries and others: UN

Gap widening between poorest countries and others: UN

The wealth gap between the least developed and other countries has widened in recent decades and will go on doing so unless their basic weaknesses are tackled, a report for the United Nations said on Tuesday. "In short, the 'least developed' condition has
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Turkey's Erdogan in first visit to Iraq Kurd region

Turkey's Erdogan in first visit to Iraq Kurd region

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed on Tuesday as the first Turkish leader to visit Iraq's Kurdish region, on a trip laden with significance born of Turkey's own history of conflict with its Kurdish minority. Turkish flags were hung from flagpoles
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Australian Prime Minister's computer hacked

Australian Prime Minister's computer hacked

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's parliamentary computer and the foreign and defence ministers' machines are all suspected of being hacked, with China under suspicion, reports said Tuesday. Sydney's Daily Telegraph said American intelligence offic
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US deals blow to global trade deal hopes

US deals blow to global trade deal hopes

The United States dealt a heavy blow to struggling global trade talks on Tuesday, saying the race to produce a working deal text by Easter could do "more harm than good". The negotiations are aimed at opening up world trade for the benefit of all nations,
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
New York cotton settles lower

New York cotton settles lower

US cotton futures ended lower Tuesday on investor sales as the market dropped for the third straight session, with most players waiting for release of a key government plantings report this week, analysts said. The key May cotton contract on ICE Futures U
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US copper tumbles

US copper tumbles

Copper suffered its biggest one-day loss in about three weeks on Monday, as concerns about sustained softness in Chinese buying and rising inventory levels continued to hold investment demand back. Since hitting record highs at $10,190 per tonne in London
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Shanghai copper rises

Shanghai copper rises

Copper prices were steady in London and Shanghai on Tuesday, underpinned by a firmer euro, but both markets faced pressure from nagging worries about the timing of restocking by Chinese consumers. Shanghai's most-active copper futures contract, June, rose
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Copper recovers losses

Copper recovers losses

Copper recovered losses on Tuesday from a one-week low, mirroring a rise in equities on improved risk appetite, but small gains were capped by demand concerns, while aluminium hit a 2-1/2 year high. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange closed a
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Crude, Brent rise

Crude, Brent rise

Crude oil prices rose on Tuesday in technical, thin trading and lifted by stronger equities and lowered expectations about a quick return of Libya's oil exporting capabilities. Strong US heating oil and gasoline futures helped lift crude prices early as p
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US soyabeans lower

US soyabeans lower

Chicago Board of Trade soyabean futures closed lower on Monday, with moderate gains fading in a late round of profit taking, traders said. The upcoming US Department of Agriculture plantings report, set for release on Thursday, kept grains in check throug
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil falls

Malaysian palm oil falls

Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell on Tuesday as traders expect soyoil supplies to swell on the incoming South American soy harvest. Palm oil, which competes with soyoil for use in food and fuel, could breach the 3,200 ringgit level although traders sa
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Liffe cocoa slips

Liffe cocoa slips

Cocoa futures on ICE fell to the lowest levels in more than two months on Tuesday as technically driven selling overwhelmed support provided by the deepening conflict in top grower Ivory Coast. Arabica coffee futures also retreated further from a 34-year
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
New York sugar declines

New York sugar declines

Sugar futures closed lower on Monday, as top producer Brazil began its harvest, while cocoa finished firm as violent conflict mounted in Ivory Coast. Coffee prices were lower, with selling largely driven by bearish technical indicators, even as many sat o
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US gold falls

US gold falls

Gold fell on Monday as the dollar rose against the euro, and the precious metal stayed lower even as the euro recovered in later trade because traders said the European unit's strength seemed shaky. Spot gold, which reflects trading in bullion, was bid at
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Gold steadies in Asia

Gold steadies in Asia

Spot gold held steady on Tuesday as a violent unrest in the Middle East and a nuclear crisis in Japan supported prices, but implications of a possible end to easy monetary policy in advanced economies weighed on sentiment. Spot gold was little changed at
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Gold steadies in Europe

Gold steadies in Europe

Gold steadied near $1,420 an ounce on Tuesday as violence in the Middle East boosted the metal's safe-haven appeal, but investors remain cautious towards the metal amid expectations monetary policy is set to tighten. Spot gold was bid at $1,418.22 an ounc
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US MIDDAY: cocoa sinks

US MIDDAY: cocoa sinks

US cocoa futures sank Tuesday to a 2-month low on technical sales and news that rebels in top grower Ivory Coast have taken control of an area that grows about half the country's cocoa crop. Volume in US cocoa futures soared to more than 31,500 lots, a 7-
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US MIDDAY: soya rises

US MIDDAY: soya rises

Soyabean futures were up 0.5 percent on Tuesday on concerns that more profitable corn and cotton could pull acreage away from beans when US farmers plant their crops this spring. Chicago Board of Trade May soyabean futures rose 7 cents, or 0.5 percent, to
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US MIDDAY: copper eases

US MIDDAY: copper eases

Copper bounced from a one-week low to end up on Tuesday, as supportive technicals and a rise in equities helped the red metal snap a three-day losing streak, albeit in ongoing thin trading. Aluminium rose to a 2-1/2-year high as further turmoil in the Mid
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
US MIDDAY: gold drops

US MIDDAY: gold drops

Gold was set to fall for a fourth consecutive session on Tuesday as signs of monetary tightening by central banks prompted selling, but the metal was underpinned by credit downgrades in Portugal and Greece and disappointing US consumer confidence.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Over 40 arrested: doctors stage sit-in

Over 40 arrested: doctors stage sit-in

Police arrested over 40 doctors during their demonstration in front of Punjab Assembly to press the government to announce raise in their salaries. After the arrests of protesting doctors, they were shifted to different police stations. Doctors also had a
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
'SECP to become facilitator for bourses, corporate sector'

'SECP to become facilitator for bourses, corporate sector'

Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Chairman Muhammad Ali has said that market development, investors' confidence and international standards are the roadmap for future growth of Pakistan's capital market in the years to come. He said this
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Punjab government launches children enrolment drive in schools

Punjab government launches children enrolment drive in schools

The Punjab government launched enrolment drive of all the five-year old children in the schools. It started throughout the province from March 23 in the first phase, while the second phase would be launched on August 14. This was stated by Chairman Punjab
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Pakistan and Uganda to cooperate in agriculture field

Pakistan and Uganda to cooperate in agriculture field

Pakistan and Uganda will work together and cooperate in the field of agriculture with the exchange of researchers. This was stated by Uganda Envoy Muhammad Ahmad in a meeting with University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahm
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Sizing industry's shutter-down strike continues

Sizing industry's shutter-down strike continues

The sizing industry continued shutter-down strike on 10th consecutive day to protest against the imposition of 17 percent sales tax, here on Tuesday. Around 100,000 powerlooms remained closed due to shortage of raw material because sizing factories are no
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
13 more consumer protection councils to be set up in Punjab

13 more consumer protection councils to be set up in Punjab

Parliamentary Secretary of Industry & Commerce, Rana Tajamal revealed that there were 23 Consumer Protection Councils in Punjab and 13 more were being established. He was speaking at Punjab Assembly's 23rd session, here on Tuesday.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
RCPE holds 'Palliative Care Symposium'

RCPE holds 'Palliative Care Symposium'

The Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh (RCPE) organised a Palliative Care Symposium through tele-conference. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) was the only institution in Pakistan to have this facility.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Chief Minister Punjab approves Aashiyana Housing Schemes

Chief Minister Punjab approves Aashiyana Housing Schemes

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has granted approval to the launching of Aashiyana Housing Schemes for low-income people in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Jehlum and Sahiwal, and directed to start work on these schemes as early as possible.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
SNGPL extends gas holiday for textile industry

SNGPL extends gas holiday for textile industry

Chairman, All Pakistan Bedsheet & Upholstry Manufacturers Association (APBUMA), Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi has said the management of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has reportedly extended gas holiday for the industry in Punjab by one-and-a-half
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
A contest of hearts and brains

A contest of hearts and brains

Doing the heart and brain analysis pertaining to the outcome of the World Cup Semi-final between Pakistan and India at Mohali, India is a logical, interesting and realistic proposition indeed. We, Pakistanis, naturally wish and pray our hearts out for a c
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
The health of the nation

The health of the nation

In 2008, in response to very low salary and long duty hours and poor working conditions the doctors of Lahore started a very big movement which was organised by the newly formed Young Doctors Association Pakistan (YDAP). At that time the pay of a HO was e
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Hong Kong's city slickers wage war on human trafficking

Hong Kong's city slickers wage war on human trafficking

By day, they work in shimmering skyscrapers, wage boardroom battles and command stratospheric salaries from Hong Kong's leading legal, financial and telecommunications companies. Outside office hours, they are secret agents in the war on human trafficking
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Twelve warning signs of US hyperinflation

Twelve warning signs of US hyperinflation

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at the National Inflation Association (NIA) is what warning signs will there be when hyperinflation is imminent. In our opinion, the majority of the warning signs that hyperinflation is imminent are al
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Rising oil prices

Rising oil prices

The Arab uprising - especially the Libyan conundrum, has led to substantial changes in oil pricing. Consequently, brent crude has crossed the US $118 mark. This unprecedented price hike is sure to be debilitating for everyone and more so for the developin
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Cricket, economy and Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan

Cricket, economy and Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan

Federal Information Minister Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming meeting between the prime ministers of Pakistan and India on the sidelines of "titans' clash" at Mohali. Dr Awan thinks the meeting has the right potential to t
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Energy conservation plan: same old remedy

Energy conservation plan: same old remedy

The federal government is reportedly revisiting its two-pronged energy conservations policy it had abandoned through a notification with November 27, 2010 the date of effectivity: a two-day weekly holiday and resetting the clocks. At the time a spokesman
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
Samsung launches GALAXY smart-phones

Samsung launches GALAXY smart-phones

Samsung Electro-nics Co, Ltd, announced to launch the Samsung GALAXY Ace, the Samsung GALAXY S and the Samsung GALAXY mini. All offer a unique take on the smart-phone experience, expanding the Android(tm)-powered Samsung GALAXY smart-phone line-up.
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
HBFCL announces profit

HBFCL announces profit

The House Building Finance Corporation Limited (HBFCL) has achieved an operating profit for the first time in four years. An announcement to this effect was made at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday. HBFCL, the country's leading housing fin
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
HBFCL announces profit

HBFCL announces profit

The House Building Finance Corporation Limited (HBFCL) has achieved an operating profit for the first time in four years. An announcement to this effect was made at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday. HBFCL, the country's leading housing fin
Published 30 Mar, 2011 12:00am
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