Category: Other

BRUSSELS, May 9, 2008 (AFP) – Microsoft on Friday lodged an appeal at a European court against a record 899 million euro (1.39 billion dollar) fine imposed on it by the EU Commission for defying a landmark anti-trust ruling.“Microsoft today filed with the Court of First Instance an application to annul the Commission decision of […]

FREETOWN, May 9, 2008 (AFP) – Health authorities in Sierra Leone on Friday seized a container filled with banned toothpaste from China, which contained high levels of a toxic substance that could cause kidney and liver failure.Last year health authorities in several countries including the United States and Hong Kong warned against brands of Chinese […]

NEW DELHI, May 8, 2008 (AFP) – India’s government on Thursday halted trading in futures contracts for key staple foods and for rubber as it battled to avoid an election drubbing due to high inflation.The government suspended futures trade in basic foods such as chickpeas, soybean oil and potatoes for four months, saying the move […]

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2008 (AFP) – A surge in food and energy prices is being driven by fundamental market conditions, rather than an investment bubble, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of economists published Thursday.Fifty-one percent of the respondents said demand from China and India was the prime factor in soaring energy prices, and […]

MANILA, May 9, 2008 (AFP) – Asia’s response to tightening global grain supplies has aggravated food price inflation and uncertainty, according to an Asian Development Bank report released here Friday.Export bans and price floors imposed by grain exporters including China, Pakistan, Vietnam and India “have increased price volatility and uncertainty in the international rice markets,” […]

NEW DELHI, May 9, 2008 (AFP) – India’s annual inflation rate rose marginally to a near four-year high at 7.61 percent on the back of rising food prices, official data released Friday showed.The government immediately announced prices were stabilising and would soon come down after weeks of steady increases. Inflation moved up for the week […]

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2008 (AFP) – Inhabitants of Brazil and India have the world’s most environmentally-sustainable lifestyle and Americans have the least, according to a new study tracking global attitudes towards consumption and the environment. The survey by the National Geographic Society establishes a “Greendex” — an index measuring the economic impact of consumer lifestyle […]

KATHMANDU, May 8, 2008 (AFP) – Scores of climbers waiting on the southern Nepalese approach to Mount Everest will be allowed to proceed after the Chinese Olympic torch team made it to the roof of the world, officials said Thursday. “Mountaineers will be allowed to move towards the summit from Friday,” said Prem Rai, Nepal’s […]

MUMBAI, May 7, 2008 (AFP) – India offers one of most rewarding opportunities for growth in spite of recessionary conditions in the United States, wealth management group Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain said Wednesday.“I do not believe in the ‘decoupling’ theory but India, led by strong local demand, will be relatively less affected by […]

BANGKOK, May 8, 2008 (AFP) – Thailand said Thursday it would provide 500,000 tonnes of rice to Malaysia in an emergency purchase as the latter’s national stockpile had enough supplies to last only 15 days.Government spokesman Wichainchot Sukchotrat said Malaysian agriculture minister Mustafa Mohamed met with Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Thursday to discuss […]