Category: Other
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
”’ flow slowing: report
BEIJING, August 15, 2008 (AFP) – Foreign exchange deposits into Chinese banks in July dropped to 5.6 billion dollars, down by nearly half from June, state media reported, indicating the flow of “hot money” into China is slowing. The level of new foreign exchange deposits was lower than last month’s 8.3 billion dollars in direct […]
Sri Lankan low grown tea prices on the decline
Aug 15, 2008 (LBO) – Prices of Sri Lankan low grown teas, which make up more than half the crop, fell for the third week running at this week’s Colombo auctions, brokers said. However, high grown teas produced by the listed plantations companies, stayed firm as erratic weather created fears of tight supply. The brokers […]
Sri Lanka fighting endangering civilians: Amnesty
August 15, 2008 (AFP) – Fighting between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in the north is endangering the lives of tens of thousands of displaced people, rights group Amnesty International said Friday. Government bombardments and artillery shelling since May have forced thousands to flee their homes, primarily in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts, the […]
Contractors reap 85 bln dlrs from Iraq war: US report
WASHINGTON, August 15, 2008 (AFP) – The US government paid out 85 billion dollars in four years to contractors providing services to various government agencies in support of the Iraq war and reconstruction, a survey showed.The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report said the administration of US President George W.Bush awarded 85-billion-dollars in contracts between 2003 […]
Gold price slumps under 800 dollars
LONDON, August 15, 2008 (AFP) – Gold prices tumbled underneath 800 dollars per ounce on Friday, hitting a ten-month low point as the precious metal was hampered by the strong US currency and weak oil prices, analysts said. On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold slid to 772.98 dollars per ounce. That was […]
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 […]