In Friday's South Asia/Middle East papers

25 May 2007 06:00  [Source: ICIS news]

MUMBAI (ICIS news)--These were the top stories at 05:00 GMT in the following South Asia/ Middle-East newspapers’ online versions on Friday. To go to the individual websites, click the links below:

 

The Times of India

Front Page

 

Records with UK, US missions prove their role in trafficking

If the evidence gathered by the Delhi police against the four MPs allegedly involved in human trafficking is anything to go by, their goose may have well and truly been cooked.

 

Trim CEOs’ fat pay packets: PM

In a prescription to industry that’s likely to spark a debate in corporate India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday asked India Inc to “resist’’ paying large salaries to their top executives as rising wealth “iniquities’’ between the haves and have-nots could lead to social unrest.

 

Business

 

More people paying cash to buy cars

Mumbai: If you thought rising interest rates are stopping people from buying new cars, you thought wrong. Consider this: Over the last five months, the number of cars purchased using cash as against loans has shot up 10%.

 

Must learn to manage FDI like China, says FM

Foreign direct investment inflow should not be discouraged just because it can create some problems like rise in inflation and appreciation of rupee, says finance minister P Chidambaram.

 

The Economic Times

Front Page

 

Suzlon Energy sails through with REpower

India Inc’s conquest is getting hotter by the day. After the Tatas, Birlas and Mallya have sealed big-bang foreign deals in recent months, it’s now the turn of Suzlon to add another feather to India Inc’s cap. Suzlon has won the race for REpower, the German wind energy company.

 

Private party in defence enclave

The defence budget is set to boost the bottomlines of some of the big guns of India’s private sector. As the first salvos of liberalisation are fired, the chosen few of India Inc are set to benefit in terms of numerous concessions, which are largely the domain of select defence PSUs today.

 

Khaleej Times

Front Page

 

Saudi King, UAE leaders meet in Casablanca

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, received here last night His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

 

Man comes looking for father

Nearly 24 years ago, a Pakistani family lost contact with their bread-winner who worked in a Sharjah-based company.

 

Business

 

UAE remains Italy's biggest trading partner in the GCC

UAE continues to be Italy's biggest trading partner among the six Gulf States since 1999, prompting the Italian Trade Commission (ITC) in Dubai to further promote business relations between the two countries through an annual exhibition of Italian products in Sharjah.

 

Spurred by UAE inveSstments, Kerala govt woos further FDI

Boosted by the investments from United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala has launched a concerted effort to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) that they opposed while out of power.

 

Times of Oman

Front page

 

His Majesty greets Eritrean president        

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Isaias Afewerki of the state of Eritrea on the occasion of his country’s independence anniversary.

 

Macki in Tokyo for talks

Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council arrived here yesterday with his accompanying delegation from the Chinese city of Shingdao, winding up several days visit to the People’s Republic of China within the context of his tour in some East Asian countries.

 

Business

 

Qantas mulls spin-offs, share buy-back

Australia's national airline Qantas, target of a failed takeover bid, said Thursday it was considering spinning-off some businesses among a number of capital management alternatives.

 

Murdoch denies being bullied by China: FT

Rupert Murdoch has denied allowing political pressure from Beijing to influence the running of his News Corp media empire, the Financial Times said Thursday.

 

Arab Times

Front Page

 

Kuwait expected to let dinar rise 3% – Deutsche; Appreciation seen over 6 months

Kuwait’s central bank is expected to allow its dinar currency to appreciate by 3% in the next six months to check inflation and soak up cash pouring into the oil exporter’s economy, Deutsche Bank said in a report.

 

Situation calm, reassuring; Amir optimistic on prosperity

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said in remarks published on Saturday the situation in Kuwait was calm and reassuring, adding that he was optimistic of a prosperous future for the country.

 

Business

           

Solutions needed to tackle energy woes; Power outages, water shortages loom large

Private companies are buying electricity generators in expectations of power cuts this summer. The question that is being asked daily in Kuwait is: Of what use is the surplus money which we are generating because of the steep rise in oil prices.

 

Opec will face pressure to boost output: Kuwait; Kuwait plans major shake-up in oil sector

Opec will come under pressure to increase oil output due to high prices, a newspaper on Saturday quoted the Kuwaiti oil minister as saying. “For sure, there will be strong pressure on Opec to raise production.”

 

Dawn

Front Page

 

Ramday for judges’ right to appeal against dismissal

Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, who is heading a 13-member larger bench hearing identical petitions challenging a reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Thursday, suggested opening of the ‘closed alley’ for superior court judges who are removed by the Supreme Judicial Council.

 

Lal Masjid frees two policemen

Lal Masjid students on Thursday freed the two security officials kidnapped on 18 May, following the release of several of their colleagues as a result of ‘back channel’ negotiations between clerics of the mosque and the local administration.

 

Business

 

Price-hike ahead of budget goes un-noticed

The government has not been taking any notice of price manipulations by manufacturers and market players who as usual have arbitrarily raised prices of rice, fresh, tetra and powered milk, ghee, cooking oil etc.

 

116 textile mills close down, says Aptma

At least 116 textile mills have closed down with 700,000 spindles going out of operation, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) said.

 

Business Recorder

Front Page

 

Liberal Democrat report on Kashmir termed biased

Labour Party Euro, Member of Parliament (MP) Richard Howitt, speaking in advance of the final vote on the divisive Kashmir report in the European Parliament prepared by Baroness Emma Nicholson, has branded it as 'a lost opportunity to promote goodwill and peace'.

 

Peace contract with tribal elders ends

Peace Co-ordination Committee in North Waziristan has unanimously announced to end cooperation with the government and conveyed its decision to Political Agent Pirzada Khan. According to available details, the killing of four tribesmen in a recent operation had caused great anxiety and concern among the peace committee members.

 

Business

 

Pakistan and EU moving closer to Third Generation Agreement

Pakistan and European Union (EU) have discussed in depth all the aspects of Third Generation Agreement (TGA) and are moving closer despite the fact that it involves multiplicity of issues, said James Moran, European Union Director external relations for Asia.

 

Turkey seeks enhance trade ties with Pakistan

Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan, Engin Soysal here on Thursday stressed on the need for further enhancing trade, business and economic relations between his country and Pakistan to cope with the contemporary challenges in a befitting manner. He was addressing a meeting of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) to review trade relations between the two countries.

By: Staff Reporter
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