Category: World

LONDON, Oct 2, 2006 (AFP) – Weapons merchants are profiting from the lack of an international judicial framework to supply arms to individuals with few human rights scruples and to states under embargo, a new report said Monday.The globalization of the weapons industry has shed light on the shortcomings of existing legislation to control it, […]

Sept 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s candidate has pulled out of the race to succeed Kofi Annan as UN secretary general and the country has thrown its backing behind South Korea’s Ban Ki-Moon, officials here said Saturday.Jayantha Dhanapala announced his withdrawal after finishing last in three informal polls among members of the UN Security […]

NEW DELHI, Sept 29, 2006 (AFP) – India, the world’s second-fastest growing major economy after China, beat most forecasts Friday by reporting 8.9 percent growth in the first quarter to June, official data showed. The robust performance, driven by strong manufacturing, services and construction numbers, came as the ruling Congress-led coalition marked the midway point […]

SINGAPORE, Sept 28, 2006 (AFP) – They curled their fingers, raised their arms, and tapped their heads while their throats went dry from hours of shouting.In front of the pictures, a mannequin wears a red jacket and a chunky identity tag. His hand is sideways, making one last offer in the pit. – by Ian […]

MUMBAI, Sept 27, 2006 (AFP) – Indian first quarter gross domestic product data this week is expected to confirm widespread forecasts for Asia’s third largest economy to grow at least eight percent in the year ending March, analysts say. India’s Central Statistical Office will on Friday report economic growth for the quarter ended June, the […]

NEW DELHI, Sept 27, 2006 (AFP) – India’s outsourcing industry will be able to process up to 30 per cent of US bank transactions by 2010, more than triple the current figure, the industry’s main lobby group was quoted as saying Wednesday. “Currently, eight per cent of US banking transactions are processed by Indian BPOs […]

COLOMBO, Sept 22 (AFP) – The Maldivian government freed a top political dissident from house arrest Friday, opening the door for talks with the opposition on democratic reforms, both sides said.At the same time, the government warned that the released leader Mohamed Nasheed, better known as Anni, would continue to face terrorism charges unless he […]

JAKARTA, Sept 22, 2006 (AFP) – Asia must dramatically boost investment in infrastructure in the next decade or risk losing its global competitive edge, the president of the Asian Development Bank warned Friday. According to a copy of a draft speech, Haruhiko Kuroda told an emerging markets forum in Jakarta that Asia would need to […]

BEIJING, Sept 21 (AFP) – Chinese police have busted a “cult-like” pyramid sales scam involving up to 500,000 people that amassed two billion yuan (250 million dollars), state press reported Thursday.The scheme, which began by selling women’s make-up, was masterminded by a 30-year-old post-doctoral student who ran operations largely through the Internet, the People’s Daily […]

BANGKOK, Sept 22 (AFP) – Thailand may seize the assets of ousted billionaire prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the new military junta said on Friday. “It’s under consideration on how we will proceed” with Thaksin’s vast assets, said Air Chief Marshall Chalit Pukbhasuk, the head of the air force and one of the military commanders who […]

SINGAPORE, Sept 21, (LBO) – The Singapore government is trying to come up with a single brand identity for the city state, but authorities may find the task a bit challenging to put a myriad of perceptions into one bag. Some of Singapore’s familiar icons now include Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, Raffles Hotel and Minister […]

SHANGHAI, Sept 21, 2006 (AFP) – Financial regulators in China are mulling loosening regulations for foreign banks after criticism that proposed lending rules were far too strict, a state newspaper said Thursday. China, which is gearing up to open its financial services in line with commitments made to the World Trade Organization when Beijing joined […]