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Qatar
offers all possible DOHA, Nov 10: Qatar, which takes over chairmanship of the Islamic Organisation Conference (OIC) on Sunday, has offered to render all possible help and assistance to India and Pakistan in the resolution of the Kashmir problem.....more Germany to help Thailand BANGKOK, Nov 10: Thailand will cooperate with Germany to develop bio-diesel, diesel oil produced from plants, according to a midday TV news report......more US treasuries up on soft NEW YORK, Nov 10: US treasuries gained yesterday after a report showed core wholesale inflation remains tame and stocks were rattled by deepening uncertainty over the outcome of Tuesday’s cliffhanger Presidential contest.......more Low-dose Aspirins carry LONDON, Nov 10: People taking low-dose Aspirin to prevent heart problems still have an increased risk of stomach bleeding, British doctors said today......more Legal hurdles may WASHINGTON, Nov 10: Though election officials say they will announce the results of the Florida vote recount early tomorrow, legal challenges may cut off the "winner’s" immediate entry to the White House. As the Florida vote recount reached half way, the margin between the Bush and Gore votes narrowed down to some hundreds.....more |
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India to work with VIENTIANE (LAOS), Nov 10: India today underscored its relations with ASEAN countries and said it was committed...more
India, Singapore sign SINGAPORE, Nov 10: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the task force.....more
Putin announces MOSCOW, Nov 10: At least 380 generals and 240,000 officers of the Russian armed forces will lose their ......more |
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Qatar
offers all possible help in resolution DOHA, Nov 10: Qatar, which takes over chairmanship of the Islamic Organisation Conference (OIC) on Sunday, has offered to render all possible help and assistance to India and Pakistan in the resolution of the Kashmir problem. "If there exist any possibility to bring India and Pakistan together, we will not hesitate to do so", Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mhmad Bin Jassim told newsmen at the end of the marathon OIC Ministerial session here last night. He said if both countries agree Qatar is ready to even mediate to bring an end to confrontation between two South Asian neighbours on the Kashmir problem. He described the Kashmir problem as complicated, which needs urgent solution. Sheikh Jassim said Qatar enjoys excellent relations with India. "India is a friendly country and Pakistan an Islamic nation." The first day meeting of the foreign ministers exclusively discussed the palestine issue. The Qatar Foreign Minister said that several Islamic countries are in favour of punitive action against Israel. "Breaking of relations with Israel at all levels" is one of the proposals under serious consideration of the ministerial committee. Referring to his country’s decision to close down Israel trade office in Doha, he said it was not taken under foreign pressure. "No one pressurised us to shut down Israeli office," he stated. He said Qatar has no commercial exchange with Israel. Meanwhile, Political Affairs Committee of the OIC finalised the agenda for the summit, which will be attended by over 50 kings, Presidents and Prime Ministers of Islamic countries. The agenda included the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and escalation of tension in the troubled state. The 41- point political agenda also includes discussion on civilian strife in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is not represented in the OIC although the Taliban regime was trying its best to seek support of 56-member grouping to get recognition. Meanwhile, senior Hurriyat leader Mandlama Abbas Ansasi briefed delegates of various countries on the latest political and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Manlama Abbas along with PoK Prime Minister Sultan Mahmood Chandhry will also attend OIC ministerial contact group meeting on Kashmir here this evening. This meeting will be attended by Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, Niger and Saudi Arabia. (UNI) |
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Germany to help Thailand to develop bio-diesel BANGKOK, Nov 10: Thailand will cooperate with Germany to develop bio-diesel, diesel oil produced from plants, according to a midday TV news report. The Thai Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment would work jointly with the German Research Institute to develop the initiative, said the report. The project aims at making use of oversupply of crops, particularly palms and helping growers sell products and generate more incomes. The focus is also on developing an oil substitute to reduce the country’s reliance on imported oil, Science, Technology and Environment Minister Arthit Urairat was quoted as saying. The German Research Institute had agreed to assist Thailand in pushing the initiative into a concrete project for implementation, he said. A director of the German Research Institute said Germany had several years of experience in developing bio-diesel, and was willing to cooperate with Thailand in developing the project. Germany was also interested in setting up joint ventures with Thailand to develop and produce the so-called bio-diesel for commercial use, said the director. (TNA) |
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US treasuries up on soft PPI, equity vote jitters NEW YORK, Nov 10: US treasuries gained yesterday after a report showed core wholesale inflation remains tame and stocks were rattled by deepening uncertainty over the outcome of Tuesday’s cliffhanger Presidential contest. As Democrat Al Gore moved to mount possibly lengthy legal challenges to the vote results in Florida, dealers found comfort from forecasts a gridlocked congress will stymie the fiscal plans of whoever next occupies the White House. Gains by long-term treasury debt were augmented as the Government repurchased 1.25 billion in older debt. Overall trading volumes were thin as wall street was glued to developments in florida, where the state’s 25 electoral votes will give victory to either Gore or his Republican opponent, George W Bush. The political uncertainty briefly sent US technology shares swooning to near their lowest levels of the year, sending risk-averse stock investors to temporarily park their cash in the Government bond market. Treasuries later retreated from the day’s highs as seesawing stocks cut their losses late in the day. "The state of the union is at stake and the dominating factor (for treasuries) is the stock market," said John Santoro, head of Governments trading at SG Cowen Securities Corp. At the 5 pm close, 10-year treasury notes rose 12/32 to 99-18/32, yielding 5.81 percent. Thirty-year bonds gained 5/32 to 105-12/32, yielding 5.86 percent. Five-year notes rose 4/32 to 99-27/32, yielding 5.78 percent, and two-year treasury notes rose 2/32 to 99-21/32, yielding 5.93 percent. The Labor Department said core producer prices — which strip out volatile food and energy costs — fell by 0.1 percent in October, compared to the 0.1 percent gain economists had expected, and the 0.3 percent gain in September. The headline Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.4 percent, compared to a 0.9 percent rise September. "It’s a positive development for the bond market since the underlying trend in inflation is modest," said Kevin Logan, chief US economist at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson North America LLC. The market’s positive tone was burnished by a report showing US weekly jobless claims jumped to their highest level since Jan. 1999, suggesting some easing in the tight US labor markets which have the federal reserve wary of inflation. Traders said the treasury’s 17th debt buyback this year was well-subscribed, and players believed Government budget surpluses used to pay down debt will not face imminent threat by an election victory by either Gore or Bush. "Most people at this point are figuring you are going to have a congress which is gridlocked, so there won’t be a whole lot of spending bills or tax cuts passed," said John Roberts, head of Governments trading at Barclays Capital. Many bond market participants had raised concerns that Bush’s proposed massive tax cuts would overstimulate the economy and lead to higher interest rates — a negative for bond prices — while also cutting into budget surpluses. But the most narrowly split congress in more than four decades may mean any incoming president will face an uphill battle passing his legislative agenda, political analysts said. The treasury, which has now repurchased 26.5 billion of a planned 30 billion this year, bought back the 1.25 billion in bonds with an average maturity of 24.8 years and average yield of 6.008 percent for 1.398 billion. It was not clear when the closest presidential race in decades would be resolved. The nation was still awaiting word on an official florida vote recount when the Gore campaign said reported ballot irregularities would require legal action. Legal challenges aside, the nation may have to wait until Nov. 17 for the tally of mailed absentee ballots. "Customers are sidelined. Nobody wants to do anything," said Jim Caron, treasuries strategist at Merrill Lynch Government securities. (REUTERS) |
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Low-dose Aspirins carry risk of stomach bleed LONDON, Nov 10: People taking low-dose Aspirin to prevent heart problems still have an increased risk of stomach bleeding, British doctors said today. Aspirin, the 100-year-old wonder drug used to relieve a range of ailments, has been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke in highly susceptible people. Taking low-dose Aspirins was thought to minimise serious side effects, including stomach bleeding. But researchers at the radcliffe infirmary in Oxford said neither the dose nor modified release formulations cut the chance of internal bleeding. "Long-term Aspirin therapy, even at a low dose, carries a risk of gastrointestinal haemorrhage," said Dr Yoon Kong Loke. The researchers reviewed 24 studies of Aspirin involving 66,000 patients. Their findings were published in the British Medical Journal. Stomach bleeding occurred in about 2.5 per cent of patients taking Aspirin for heart problems, compared to 1.4 per cent in Placebo groups. Despite the increased risk, the scientists said there were relatively few deaths caused by stomach bleeding compared to heart disease — the leading killer in the industrialised world. "Patients and doctors need to consider the trade-off between the benefits and harms of long-term treatment with Aspirin," they said. Aspirin reduces the risk of blood clots and cuts the odds of having a second heart attack in patients. Most patients are advised to take low-dose Aspirin, about 75mg a day. Although Aspirin is available over the counter, the researchers said the risk of stomach bleeding could be higher in patients who take it without consulting a doctor. In a commentary on the research, Martin Tramer of Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland said: "it may be more appropriate for some people to eat an apple rather than an aspirin a day." Doctors also advise that Aspirin should not be taken by people who are allergic to it, or patients suffering from asthma or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or those who have severe liver or kidney disease or bleeding disorders. (REUTERS) |
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Legal hurdles may delay US presidency WASHINGTON, Nov 10: Though election officials say they will announce the results of the Florida vote recount early tomorrow, legal challenges may cut off the "winner’s" immediate entry to the White House. As the Florida vote recount reached half way, the margin between the Bush and Gore votes narrowed down to some hundreds. No precise figure of the absentee votes, whose preference is said would clinch the issue, is immediately available, but their voting strength in Florida duing 1996 elections was two thousand. Their preferences in the Presidential contest from US soldiers posted in the Balkans and the Middle East is not likely to be known before November 17. And another bombshell came from Robert Wexler, Democratic Representative from Florida, when he charged that nearly 20,000 votes in the Palm Beach County in Florida needed to be disqualified "since they voted twice because of a faulty ballot paper". Moreover, election authorities here have disqualified fifteen per cent of black voters, traditional supporters of the democratic party. It remains to be seen whether this contentious election is going to be further bogged down to contests in courts of law. Meanwhile, both Republican George W Bush and Democrat Al Gore have staked their claim to the White House. Mr Bush told reporters in Austin that he remained confident of victory and urged officials in Florida to resolve the elections as quickly as possible in a calm and thoughtful manner. Mr Gore, who spoke to reporters at Nashville, said the recount should be carried out carefully and without any rush to judgement. He added the transition would be smooth "no matter who wins the ballot". (UNI) |
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India to work with ASEAN for Mekong basin development VIENTIANE (LAOS), Nov 10: India today underscored its relations with ASEAN countries and said it was committed to jointly work with the grouping for the development of Mekong basin countries. Addressing the inaugural ministerial meeting of Ganga-Mekong cooperation between India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said intensity of cooperation among these countries would lead to the economic development of South East Asia and India. For India, he said its relationship with South East Asia was significant and a valued aspect of its international relations. In the last five years, India has become a dialogue partner of the ASEAN, has robust cooperative work programme in biotechnology, space & information technology, advance material and human resource development. Both trade and investment between India and South East Asia is on the upward swing despite having suffered a small reversal during the recent financial crisis, Singh said. He said India had committed itself to jointly working with ASEAN on the Mekong basin development programme. Referring to the ambitious Ganga-Mekong Suvarnabhoomi linkage programme aimed at promoting tourism, culture and education between India and Mekong basin countries, Singh said we are seeking closer interaction at the people to people level through this initiative without, in any fashion, losing their native identity and character. He said these countries should tap the great entrepreneurial dynamism of their people and their desire for a defining place in the new global economy for implementation of Ganga-Mekong programme. Our cooperation in tourism, education, culture and communications, and if this cooperation is people oriented and people-driven, can channelise this dynamism for tangible economic and social gains motivated by profits and benefits, and by the goodwill and well being of all the people of the six countries, Singh said. Besides Singh others who attended the meeting were Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, Cambodian Tourism Minister Veng Seryvuth, Myanmar Tourism Minister Saw Lwin, Minister in Thailand Prime Minister’s Office Adisai Bodharamik and Vietnam Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien. (PTI) |
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India,
Singapore sign MoU on task force SINGAPORE, Nov 10: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the task force on economic cooperation between India and Singapore was signed here today in the presence of President K R Narayanan and his singapore counterpart S R Nathan. The MoU was signed Indian Minister of Culture and Tourism Anant Kumar and Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry V G George. The task force, to be led by Mr G S Dutt from India’s Finance Ministry and Mr Ong Ye Kung from Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, will examine ways tobroaden and deepen economic linkages and to promote greater trade and greater investment flows between the two countries. The task force will study the possibility of establishing a Free Trade Area (FTA) between India and Singapore, recommend proposals for expansion of India—Singapore trade, economic and financial sector cooperation over the next ten years and study the ways and means by which singapore can become a catalyst for India’s reforms. The MoU which came into effect immediately after signing shall remain inforce for a period of 3 years. Earlier in the day, India and Singapore signed the 3rd India—Singapore Executive Programme 2000-2002 at a ceremony at the official residence of President S R Nathan witnessed by President K R Narayanan. The executive programme, spells out the general terms and cooperation in the areas of arts, heritage, archives and library exchanges. A MoU on a ten years loan agreement for museum artifacts to be lend by the Archaeological Survey of India for the purpose of display into the South Asia gallery of the Asian civilisation museums to open in 2002 was also sealed. President K R Narayanan who is accompanied by high level delegation consisting of Minister for Culture Anant Kumar, 4 MPs and a team of senior officers, will later in the day meet intellectuals and attend state banquet hosted by the President of Singapore and his wife Mrs Nathan. (UNI) |
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Putin announces military cutdowns MOSCOW, Nov 10: At least 380 generals and 240,000 officers of the Russian armed forces will lose their jobs in the sweeping cuts announced by President Vladimir Putin to build a more mobile and effective force. The overall cuts have been put at 600,000 troops - a one-fifth reduction in the over 3 million uniformed men that Russia boasts of - over the next five years till 2005. The idea is to create a mobile, better equipped and more cost-effective force, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Sergei Ivanov said in his televised statement after the meeting of the Council. A unanimous decision has been taken that we need to carry out military reform in the broad sense, Ivanov said. To maintain such a cumbersome and at times ineffective military organisation is extravagant and in all senses wrong. In our situation its simply not permissible, Putin said in his opening remarks at yesterday’s session of Security Council, televised by all Russian channels. The Security Council is an advisory body, but serves as an important forum for Presidential decisions. Its membership includes the country’s top military, security and economic officials. The future of the country’s armed forces and military institutions depends on this, as does Russia’s very security. We have discussed this for a long time and moved toward this decision. Our time is up, Putin said, adding that a mobile, well-equipped military organisation is an insurance against any threat to the country. (PTI) |
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