India’s Bharti joins 700-million-dollar cable project linking Britain
BANGALORE, India, May 7, 2008 (AFP) - Bharti Airtel, India's top mobile-phone operator, said Wednesday it had joined a consortium to build a 700-million-dollar …
World
Yahoo still open to a takeover offer from Microsoft: report
LONDON, May 6, 2008 (AFP) - Yahoo's Chief Executive Officer Jerry Yang defended his handling of failed takeover negotiations with Microsoft and said he remains …
Myanmar rulers under fire over cyclone
YANGON, May 6, 2008 (AFP) - Myanmar's military rulers were under fire Tuesday after revealing more than 10,000 people died in the cyclone that battered the …
Myanmar says cyclone death toll tops 15,000
YANGON, May 6, 2008 (AFP) - More than 15,000 people were killed in Myanmar's devastating cyclone, the government said Tuesday, with thousands more feared dead …
Cyclone could hurt Myanmar rice exports: WFP
BANGKOK, May 6, 2008 (AFP) - The deadly cyclone that struck Myanmar devastated its main rice-growing region, and could threaten exports meant to ease shortages …
Oil price strikes new record high at 122 dollars
LONDON, May 6, 2008 (AFP) - Oil prices hit a record high 122 dollars here on Tuesday as the market was driven by concerns over violence in key producer Nigeria …
Senegal’s Wade says UN food agency should be scrapped
DAKAR, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - Senegal's outspoken President Abdoulaye Wade late Sunday called for the scrapping of the UN food agency, saying its inefficiency had …
Is this the rice super-gene?
PARIS, May 4, 2008 (AFP) - Researchers in China have pinpointed an elusive gene that plays a linchpin role in determining the harvest potential of rice, …
Cambodia says rice cartel would ensure global food security
PHNOM PENH, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday that a proposed OPEC-style rice cartel in Southeast Asia would ensure global food …
China tells firms to brace for tough times: report
SHANGHAI, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - A Chinese government watchdog has warned major state-owned enterprises to brace for tough times given the likelihood of a …
Surging food prices bite across Asia
SYDNEY, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - From the rice paddies of Asia to the wheat fields of Australia, the soaring price of food is breaking the budgets of the poor and …
Japan looks to immigrants as population shrinks: report
TOKYO, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - Japan's ruling party is considering plans to encourage foreign workers to stay in the country long-term, a daily reported Monday …
ADB announces regional fund to fight impact of climate change
MADRID, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - The head of the Asian Development Bank announced on Monday the establishment of a Climate Change Fund to combat the impact of …
EU eyes pollution tolls for truckers
BRDO PRI KRANJU, Slovenia, May 5, 2008 (AFP) - Europe's truckers would have to pay for the pollution, traffic jams and noise they cause if the European …
From cartels to export curbs: gov’ts act on rice prices
HONG KONG, May 4, 2008 (AFP) - Rationing, subsidies, price-fixing cartels, export curbs -- you name it, governments across the world are trying it out as they …
Asian finance ministers mull creation of currency swap fund
MADRID, May 4, 2008 (AFP) - Asian nations are in talks over the creation of a multinational 80-billion-dollar (52-billion-euro) foreign exchange pool to be …
Indian inflation ‘big concern’ ahead of polls: finance ministry
MADRID, May 4, 2008 (AFP) - India's inflation rate, which jumped to a more than three-year high last month, is a "big concern" for the government as it heads …
Microsoft withdraws proposal to acquire Yahoo
SAN FRANCISCO, May 3, 2008 (AFP) - Microsoft on Saturday yanked its proposal to acquire Yahoo, saying the struggling Internet pioneer refused to budge on price …
India urged to copy China at Asian Development Bank meeting
MADRID, May 3, 2008 (AFP) - India must boost infrastructure spending and reform its labour market as China has done if it wants its economy to grow as fast as …
No Malaysian minimum wage despite inflation fears: report
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4, 2008 (AFP) - Malaysia's prime minister is not yet prepared to introduce a minimum monthly wage despite mounting pressure from trade unions …