Category: Other

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (AFP) – Malaysian motorists who read or send SMS text messages while behind the wheel face going to jail, authorities warned in a report Wednesday, saying texting is more dangerous than talking on the phone. Malaysia’s Road Transport Department last year nabbed 600 motorists for using text messaging services and is […]

PARIS, May 2 (AFP) – Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) is to mark international press freedom day Wednesday by naming five new “predators on the freedom of the press” to add to the 32 it has already identified.The names, made available Tuesday, are those of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, armed Tamil […]

BEIJING, May 2 (AFP) – Governments in Asia are considered among the world’s worst “enemies” of Internet freedom, as they increasingly censor websites and jail people who express views deemed dangerous online. Ahead of World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, experts say countries including China, Vietnam and Nepal are feeling more threatened by cyberspace than […]

LAVAL, France, May 2 (AFP) – From virtual water that you stir in a real bowl to little digital dwarves to play with, the latest trend from Japan is making technology both fun and thought-provoking.The works of art along the Japanese aisle at the International Conference on Virtual Reality in Laval, western France this weekend […]

SINGAPORE, May 2 (AFP) – Singapore-listed Asia Pacific Breweries, which makes Tiger beer, said Tuesday it has acquired 76 percent of Indian brewer Aurangabad Breweries for 18 million US dollars. The company is a joint venture between the Fraser and Neave Group of companies and Heineken of Holland. The deal includes a provision for Asia […]

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (AFP) – Low-cost carrier AirAsia Tuesday announced a big increase in passenger traffic in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2005.Figures released for AirAsia and its Asian associates showed 55.3 percent more passengers were carried from January to March 2006, the third quarter of […]

PARIS, May 2 (AFP) – Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) is to mark international press freedom day Wednesday by naming five new “predators on the freedom of the press” to add to the 32 it has already identified.The names, made available Tuesday, are those of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, armed Tamil […]

GUWAHATI, India, May 1 (AFP) – The first edition of Bhutan’s only privately-owned newspaper sold out within hours of hitting the stands amid ongoing constitutional moves towards democracy in the Himalayan kingdom. The weekly Bhutan Times went on sale Sunday and was snapped up rapidly, according to the website of the Kuensel newspaper, the official […]

NEW DELHI, May 1 (AFP) – The Indian Air Force Monday retired its four ageing spy planes and said military satellites will take over the role of the Soviet-era aircraft, local media reported.“The nature of warfare is changing with satellites taking over the act of spying,” Air Chief Marshall S.P. Tyagi said at a ceremony […]

NEW DELHI, Apr. 30 (AFP) – India has emerged as the most attractive global retail destination for a second straight year, ahead of rival China which trails in fifth place, says a new study by global consultancy AT Kearney.“India is at the peak of attractiveness for retailers right now with a 350-billion-dollar retail market expected […]

LONDON, April 30 (AFP) – Police in London said Sunday they were hunting a racist serial firebomber after three apparently motiveless petrol bomb attacks on south Asian business premises in which one man died.“In the absence of any other possible motive, I’m working on the basis that these are racially-motivated attacks,” said Detective Superintendent Dick […]