In Friday's South Asia papers

12 September 2008 06:00  [Source: ICIS news]

THE TIMES OF INDIA

Front page

NSA confirms China's NSG hostility to govt
While the Manmohan Singh government and Congress may consider it politik to wink at China's opposition to the nuclear waiver, India's giant neighbour poses a stiff geo-political challenge as it relentlessly seeks to contain and possibly cap the rise of a regional rival on the world map.

Muslim airman attacks IAF's anti-beard rule
The Supreme Court on Thursday took upon itself to adjudicate a sensitive issue raised by a petition which contends that an Indian Air Force rule banning its personnel recruited after 2002 from sporting a beard interferes with their faith.

Business

NASSCOM builds up support for outsourcing
Even as it has been busy underplaying US presidential nominee Barack Obama's outburst against outsourcing, NASSCOM has also been actively drumming up support on the issue by lobbying with the aides of the Democratic Party's aspirant for the White House.

India should phase out fuel subsidies: IEA
The International Energy Agency, a Paris-based entity that tracks energy demand in the developed economies, on Thursday asked India to phase out fuel subsidies to moderate demand, even as crude continued its southward journey despite Wednesday's marginal production cut announced by OPEC which accounts for 40% of global supplies.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES

Front page

Companies may have to hike public stake
Listed Indian companies with a relatively low public float may soon have to work on plans to increase their public shareholding by at least 3-5% annually to ensure that they fulfil the minimum threshold level of 25%.

Tatas to rollout 1,000 Nanos from Pune plant
Tata Motors is all set to manufacture 1,000 Nanos at its Pune plant. The vendors have released their last lot of components for Nano on Thursday, which will be delivered to Pune within a day or two.

THE BANGLADESH TODAY

Front page

Khaleda Zia released
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has been released from the sub-jail at Parliament Complex after one year and eight days of her confinement-ending one episode of caretaker government's crackdown on politicians.

Overall imports grow 29% in two months
The country's overall imports grew by 29.01% during the first two months of the current fiscal against the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Business

BGMEA conducts social compliance audit on 1,386 factories
Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) as part of social compliance audited 1,381 member factories out of 2,435 to support the overall monitoring activities of organization.

US trade deficit rises to $62.2bn in July
The US trade deficit rose by a worse-than-expected six percent in July to $62.2bn on high oil prices and surging Chinese imports, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

DAILY MIRROR

Front page

Lalith Dissanayaka sworn in before Speaker
UPFA’s Lalith Dissanayaka was sworn in before Speaker today as a parliamentarian in place of JVP’s Anuruddha Polgampola who was stripped of his parliamentary seat.

Seven bodies found in Moneragala jungle
The bodies of seven farmers with gunshot and cut injuries were found in a jungle in Kotiyagala in Siyambalagamuwa, Moneragala on Thursday, police said.

Business

Cairn invests in lankan oil exploration
The Board of Investment (BOI), the governing body for promoting industrial investments in Sri Lanka and Cairn Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn India entered into an agreement yesterday for a commitment of an initial investment of more than $110m towards the exploration of hydrocarbons.

Eagle records an impressive 25% growth in revenues in the 1H
Eagle Insurance PLC recorded a consolidated revenue of Rs3.34bn for the first six months of 2008. This reflects an impressive growth of 25% over the corresponding period in 2007.

DAWN

Front page

Gilani, corps commanders endorse Kayani’s stand
The government expressed its determination on Thursday to defend the country’s borders in the wake of increasing air attacks by US-led forces on tribal areas and American and British demands that international security forces be allowed to target what they call Al Qaeda ‘sanctuaries’ in areas bordering Afghanistan.

Nato not to take part in US raids inside Pakistan
Nato will not take part in a proposed US strategy of conducting raids into Pakistan from Afghanistan against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, a spokesman said on Thursday.

Business

Rice consumers still paying more: Stockists flood markets
The wholesale prices of various rice varieties have fallen sharply after the stockists flooded the markets with the commodity in view of its declining prices on the world markets turning exports less attractive.

Services’ export jumps by 18.9%
The services sector export is up by 18.93% during the first month (July) of the current fiscal year over the corresponding month of last year, suggested data of federal bureau of statistics (FBS) here on Thursday.

BUSINESS RECORDER

Front page

Bajaur clashes: 100 militants, two soldiers killed
Security forces killed up to 100 militants in fierce clashes near the Afghan border on Thursday, a security official said.

Nato says won't take part in Pakistan raids
Nato will not take part in a proposed US strategy of conducting raids into Pakistan from Afghanistan against Taliban and al Qaeda militants, a spokesman said on Thursday.

Business

Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves fall to $9.1bn
The country's foreign exchange reserves fell to $9.10bn in the week that ended on September 6, from $9.13bn in the previous week, the central bank said on Thursday. The State Bank of Pakistan said its own reserves fell to $5.72bn from $5.76bn previously, while those held by commercial banks rose to $3.38bn from $3.37bn.

Checking inflation top priority: Gilani
Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the democratic process in the country has been completed with the election of the President and the foremost priority was to check inflation, strengthening state institutions by ensuring supremacy of parliament, independence of judiciary and rule of law.

By: Staff Reporter
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