Category: Other
Indian tea tourism helps spread Darjeeling aroma
KURSEONG, August 19, 2008 (AFP) – Touring tea gardens in India’s famous Darjeeling hills and tasting several varieties of the gold-coloured brew has got Audrey Dreyer thinking about a career in the trade.Dreyer, from France, is among a growing number of tourists wanting to experience life on the estates in the famous tea-growing region to […]
Southern African countries launch free trade zone
JOHANNESBURG, August 17, 2008 (AFP) – Southern African countries launched a regional trade zone at a summit on Sunday that aims to eliminate import tariffs, with plans for a common currency by 2018. Eleven of the 14 countries that are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will participate in the free trade area, […]
‘s Musharraf announces resignation
ISLAMABAD, August 18, 2008 (AFP) – Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced in a televised address to the nation Monday that he had decided to resign after nine years in power to avoid the threat of impeachment.The former army chief, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, was under huge pressure from the governing […]
Sri Lankan tea exporters ask banks to shed lending fears
Aug 18, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea exporters say banks should be less fearful in lending for shipments to key markets in the volatile Middle East and Russia and adopt new lending methods that use brands as collateral. Exporters say they are being restrained by high borrowing costs and a marked reluctance by banks […]
‘s economy as gloomy data piles up
NEW DELHI, August 17, 2008 (AFP) – Until a few months ago, the most popular buzz phrase for India was “economic miracle”, with the nation appearing impervious to the financial turmoil engulfing the developed world. “No other issue is likely to dominate the political scene” as much in the coming months, he said. The government […]
Australia announces Pacific guest worker scheme
SYDNEY, August 17, 2008 (AFP) – Thousands of Pacific Islanders will be allowed to live and work in Australia under a new guest worker plan announced Sunday by the government.Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said the scheme would allow up to 2,500 people from Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea to work here for […]
Philippine outsourcing industry needs extra 420,000 workers by 2010
MANILA, August 16, 2008 (AFP) – The Philippine outsourcing industry will need an extra 420,000 workers within the next two years as it bids to become one of the world’s leading outsourcing centres, business leaders said Friday. The industry is targetting annual revenues of 12-13 billion dollars by 2010, Business Processing Association of the Philippines […]
Shapeways lets Internet users manufacture goods
SAN FRANCISCO, August 16, 2008 (AFP) – In a step toward the type of future pictured in the hit film “Iron Man,” a firm in the Netherlands is letting people fabricate items designed in three-dimensions on the Internet.Shapeways chief executive Peter Weijmarshausen depicts the “rapid manufacture” service launched online this week as a natural extension […]
Former Siemens management lax on anti-corruption: report
BERLIN, August 16, 2008 (AFP) – German engineering giant Siemens ignored its own anti-corruption procedures in a slush fund scandal that has brought down a number of former group executives, Spiegel magazine said.“Netzwerk-compliance,” a network comprising more than 400 businesses created to secure good company governance, identified “considerable structural shortcomings” in Siemens’ anti-corruption rules, according […]
Saudi intelligence chief in Pakistan amid Musharraf crisis
ISLAMABAD, August 16, 2008 (AFP) – Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief dashed to Pakistan for talks with the government over its plans to impeach President Pervez Musharraf, a senior official in Islamabad said Saturday.“If the president resigns, the coalition government will look into the (amnesty) subject,” he told AFP. The visit of Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz […]
Oil prices extend losses; OPEC says demand growth will slow
LONDON, August 15, 2008 (AFP) – Crude prices fell further on Friday as OPEC lowered its forecast for oil demand growth, citing the weak global economy. London’s Brent North Sea crude for October delivery dropped 1.21 dollars to 112.47 dollars a barrel. The September contract had expired at 112.64 dollars on Thursday. New York’s main […]
Sri Lanka tea exporters bank on variety, health benefits
Aug 15, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea exporters expect to earn about 1.8 billion dollars this year with the wide variety of teas offered and growing awareness of tea’s health benefits expected to keep the market strong. “Sri Lanka has the widest variety of grades and the widest variety of tastes,” said Perera. “Kenya […]