Category: Other
‘s Tata Tea buys 33 pct stake in South African tea firm
NEW DELHI, Oct 5, 2006 (AFP) – Tata Tea, the world’s second-biggest branded teamaker, said Thursday it has bought a 33 percent stake in leading South African tea firm, Joekels Tea Packers, as part of its global expansion drive.Tata Tea, part of India’s hotels-to-steel Tata conglomerate, has signed an agreement with Joekels Tea Packers, South […]
Zimbabwe crisis signals boom time for Zambian tourism
VICTORIA FALLS, Zambia, Oct 5, 2006 (AFP) – For years it was regarded as a backwater and the poor relation to its southern neighbour, but the spiralling crisis in Zimbabwe has led to a massive upsurge in Zambia’s tourism industry.A total of 650,000 foreign visitors travelled to Zambia last year, a rise of nearly half […]
‘s best friend
PARIS, Oct 4, 2006 (AFP) – A 603-carat stone found in Lesotho is the 15th biggest diamond ever found, the Gem Diamond Mining company and the government of the southern African state said on Wednesday.Some facts about famous diamonds: Carats measure the weight of a gemstone; the unit is defined as a fifth of a […]
London taxi cabs set for Chinese production
LONDON, Oct 4, 2006 (AFP) – The world-famous black London taxi cab will soon be seen on the streets of China after its maker announced a multi-million-pound deal Wednesday to build 20,000 vehicles per year in Shanghai.Specialist carmaker Manganese Bronze said it had agreed a 53-million-pound (78.6-million-euro, 99.7-million-dollar) joint-venture deal with Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely […]
‘s Tata Tea may uproot itself from Sri Lanka
October 3, 2006 (LBO) – Indian tea giant Tata Tea is in talks with a Sri Lankan firm to sell off its plantation venture here, officials said.Tata has invested in Sri Lanka through a controlling stake in Sunshine Holdings Ltd, which in turn owns 51 percent in Estate Management Services (Pvt) Ltd, who controls 58.75 percent […]
Iran seeks to fingerprint all US visitors
TEHRAN, Oct 3, 2006 (AFP) – Iran’s conservative-controlled parliament is to debate a bill that would make digital fingerprinting compulsory for all US citizens seeking to enter the country, lawmakers said on Tuesday. According to the bill, which is expected to be voted on in the next days, “all US citizens should be controlled and […]
‘s top media groups to launch new daily together
NEW DELHI, Oct 3, 2006 (AFP) – Two of India’s top rival media houses Tuesday signed an agreement to launch a new daily newspaper in the Indian capital amid a boom spurred by the economy’s rapid growth.The Times of India Group and Hindustan Times Media Limited said the new English newspaper to be sold in […]
‘s top textile firm to raise 102 mln dlrs for expansion
DHAKA, Oct 2, 2006 (AFP) – Bangladesh’s biggest textile manufacturer said Monday it would raise 102 million dollars abroad to finance expansion into high value-added textiles.The company would raise 51 million dollars by issuing global depository receipts (GDRs) in foreign capital markets and another 51 million dollars through overseas bonds and shares to sponsors, the […]
ADB official calls for Asia-wide FTA, but says common market far off
MANILA, Oct 2, 2006 (AFP) – Major obstacles block Asia’s prospects of becoming a common market, but a region-wide free-trade area is a realistic goal, an Asian Development Bank official said Monday.The Philippines-based lender said 183 free trade agreements have either been signed or are being proposed or negotiated across Asia, where the share of […]
Global rules needed to curb trade in arms components: report
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, […]
‘s top job
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 […]
India logs 8.9 pct first quarter growth, beats forecasts
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 […]