In Wednesday's South Asia papers

09 April 2008 04:30 [Source: ICIS news]

Front Page

IOC chief dismisses scrapping relay
The Olympic flame arrived here on Tuesday under heavy security as games officials dismissed suggestions that the global relay could be abandoned amid protests over China's human rights record.

Shah Jahan's dagger up for sale in London
Sotheby's has cancelled the auction of a set of armour that some Sikhs believe belonged to Guru Gobind Singh, but another item from Indian history will be up for sale in London on Thursday--a personal dagger (khanjar) of Mughul emperor, Shah Jahan.

Business

Indian CFOs get highest salary hike in Asia
Finance executives in India Inc have reason to cheer. According to CFO Asia magazine’s 2008 Compensation Survey, finance executives in India got the highest pay hikes in all of Asia in 2007.

GMR in fix over airport development fees
User development fee (UDF) to be paid by passengers for using new airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad seems to have run into trouble with everyone--government, passengers and now even airlines.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES

Front Page

Low promoter stake lures corporate raiders
The unsolicited takeover bid for Orchid Chemicals has opened a can of worms for Indian promoters of public-listed firms who have historically lorded over their companies with minuscule holdings.

THE BANGLADESH TODAY

Front Page

Army has no political ambition: General Moeen
Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed on Tuesday said there would be no deviation from holding the general election as per the roadmap, categorically stating that the army has no political ambition.

Emergency landing of GMG Airlines at Bangkok
Fearing a hijack a Dhaka-bound flight with 60 passengers of GMG Airlines from Kuala Lumpur made an emergency landing at Don Muang Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday, according to sources.

Business

Saudi minister asks BD to send skilled workers to KSA
Saudi Deputy Minister for Labour Ahmed Abdulraham Al Mansour Tuesday urged the authorities in Bangladesh to send workers with adequate knowledge about Saudi culture, lack of which often embarrasses both the sides.

Philippines buys 500,000/tonne rice from Thailand, Vietnam
The Philippines has taken delivery of 500,000/tonnes of rice as the government sought to assure an edgy public that supply of the staple food was adequate, President Gloria Arroyo said Tuesday.

DAILY MIRROR

Front Page

Pandemonium at JVP defectors’ meeting
In a dramatic turn of events a news conference held by the JVP defectors who were supporting the Party’s Parliamentary group leader and Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa ended in near fisticuffs as one of the MP’s who had come with the original group of defectors turned coats and started arguing with the rest of the group.

AI concerned over malnourished Sri Lankan children
Amnesty International (AI) is very much concerned about reports that there remain wide disparities in the health and nutritional conditions of children living in conflict-affected and poorer areas of Sri Lanka.

Business

Inflation set to remain at double digits this year too - CB
The inflation rate is likely to remain at double digits, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said yesterday while hitting out at international aid agencies, as being “off the mark” on Lanka’s economy figures, and political groups that had previously termed the sovereign bond issue as unacceptable but acknowledged it today.

GSP plus concessions at the cost of sovereignty - President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday insisted that although the government is taking every possible measure to receive the GSP+ concessions, compromising the sovereignty of the country is not one of its principles.

DAWN

Front Page

Lawyers rough up ex-minister Sher Afgan
Lawyers beat up the former minister for law and parliamentary affairs, Dr Sher Afgan Niazi, at the Fane Road here on Tuesday, ignoring bar leaders? warnings that their action would jeopardise the drive for the revival of the pre-emergency judiciary.

Qaim secures trust vote
Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday secured a unanimous vote of confidence from the Sindh Assembly when identical resolutions, moved by 27 members under Article 130 (3) of the Constitution, were put to vote.

Business

Fate of first agro-processing zone in the doldrums
The fate of country’s first agro-processing zone, launched by the Sindh government early last year, is in the doldrums, as development work remains suspended for the last six months.

Most South Asian states may miss MDG targets
A new World Bank-IMF report on Tuesday warned that most countries in South Asia would fall short of targets fixed in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)--a set of eight globally agreed goals to be achieved by 2015.

BUSINESS RECORDER

Front Page

Lawyers pummel Sher Afgan
People watched as lawyers used kicks and punches and tore clothes of former law minister Sher Afghan in presence of representatives of the bars, with police trying to give him a safe passage from the office of a bar where he had gone for some consultation.

Reducing poverty: India well ahead of Pakistan: World Bank-IMF report
A new World Bank-IMF report said that India is well ahead of Pakistan in reducing poverty and all South Asian nations are required to do more to keep GDP growth rate at least at 7% to achieve millennium development goals (MDGs).

Business

(no news updates)

By: Staff Reporter
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