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India fires free trade salvo ahead of peace talks with Pakistan
NEW DELHI, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – India’s foreign minister Tuesday accused regional adversary Pakistan of placing hurdles in the way of a fledgling South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee warned that a regional free trade agreement reached in January 2004 and implemented earlier this year could collapse if Islamabad failed to […]
’ rights body concerned about renewed action against independant media in Maldives
The media rights body Reporters Without Borders (RSF) had voiced concern over a series of recent actions taken against journalists in the Indian Ocean coral islands of Maldives. Maldivian authorities have arrested an opposition cartoonist, expelled two foreign journalists including one working for the online newspaper Minivannews.com and backtracked on plans to end the state’s […]
Founder of Indian IT giant swipes at Bangalore name change
BANGALORE, India, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – The retired founder of software giant Infosys Tuesday took a swipe at officials of India’s southern Karnataka state over their bid to rename Bangalore as Bengaluru, or “the town of boiled beans.” “For me, changing the name is not important,” Infosys chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy told reporters. […]
India says rise in income tax collection could see rate cuts
NEW DELHI, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – The government may cut income tax rates as more people are declaring their income and paying taxes than ever before, India’s finance minister said Tuesday.P. Chidambaram told a conference of economic editors that the percentage of revenue raised from income tax has risen to 11.2 percent of GDP […]
China forex reserves set to keep growing past 1 trln dollars
BEIJING, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – Boosted by a huge and growing trade surplus, China’s forex reserves have shot past the one-trillion-dollar mark and nothing is likely to stop them rising even further, analysts said Tuesday.“They have grown by 200 billion dollars a year over the past three years …and they will continue to grow […]
Vietnamese give cautious welcome to do-or-die era of WTO
HANOI, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – Most Vietnamese appear to welcome their country joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) but many also fear they must step up the pace or fall behind as the country enters the fast lane of globalisation.A recent international Gallup poll found that the communist ruled and so far McDonalds-free country […]
‘s software giant Infosys aims for Nasdaq 100 index
BANGALORE, India, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – Shareholders of Indian software major Infosys Tuesday approved a plan for converting 30 million local shares into its US counterpart in a bid to list the firm on the Nasdaq index, officials said.N.R. Narayanamurthy, chief mentor of Nasdaq-listed Infosys technologies said the price of the American Depository Shares […]
How the Ashes were born
LONDON, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – As England get set for the defence of the Ashes in Australia later this month, it’s worth recalling that one of the oldest prizes in sport was actually born out of a satirical newspaper article.Cricket’s oldest rivals had been playing one another for five years before there was any […]
World Cup final ball sells for 2.4 million dollars
DOHA, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – The ball used in this year’s World Cup final between Italy and France has sold at auction for a staggering 2.4 million dollars. Signed by the Italian team which beat France on penalties, it was snapped up by Qatar’s emir-in-waiting Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani, who will display it […]
Five civilians hurt as Sri Lanka troops, rebels exchange mortar fire
Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – Five civilians were wounded after Tamil rebels and troops in eastern Sri Lanka traded mortar fire Tuesday, the defence ministry claimed and police found three bullet-riddled bodies in the region.Mortars fell near a temple, church and a railway station in the Morakotanchenai village and wounded at least five civilians, the […]