New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Calling for further cuts in lending rates by banks, Indian industry has for the second stright quarter given a thumbs down to business confidence, according to a survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The business confidence index dropped to [...]

Beijing, June 9 (IANS) An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in cattle in southwest China’s Yunnan province, the agriculture ministry said Sunday. A village in Shangri-La County reported that 283 head of cattle had shown signs of the disease, Xinhua reported. Laboratory test results released Sunday confirmed that [...]

Cape Town, June 9 (IANS) Two South African companies have been blacklisted by the US for being allegedly involved in operations worth billions of dollars on behalf of Iran, a media report said Sunday. The two entities – One Vision Investments 5 (Pty) Ltd. (OVI) and One Class Properties (Pty) [...]

Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 (IANS) “Karunya Lottery”, the brainchild of state Finance Minister K.M. Mani, has set aside Rs.36.50 crore for new dialysis machines. The income from the sale of the “Karunya Lottery” tickets is exclusively meant for extending financial assistance to poor patients ailing from diseases of the kidney, heart, [...]

Yangon, June 9 (IANS) Software giant Microsoft has officially announced its entry in Myanmar, partnering with Myanmar Information Technology Pte Ltd., state media reported Sunday. Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, made the announcement of its latest business expansion during the World Economic Forum on East Asia hosted by Myanmar [...]

Agartala, June 9 (IANS) Transporting food grains for the mountainous northeastern states of India via Bangladesh has begun, and the first consignment is expected to reach Tripura within 10 to 15 days, officials said Sunday. “A barge carrying the first consignment of 3,000 tonnes of foodgrains for Tripura left Haldia [...]

Agartala, June 9 (IANS) Transporting food grains for the mountainous northeastern states of India via Bangladesh began Sunday, and the first consignment is expected to reach Tripura within 10 to 15 days, officials said. “A barge carrying the first consignment of 3,000 tonnes of foodgrains for Tripura left Haldia port [...]

Srinagar: As peace returns to the Valley, Kashmir has started getting its share of high-end tourist facilities to cater to ever-increasing visitors. The latest is the well-known Sarovar Hotels and Resorts chain. This forest hillside resort is situated in the Royal Khazir property on the Gupkar Road in Srinagar, just two [...]

Accra, June 9 (IANS) Nearly 700,000 people in Ghana are staring at hunger as climate change has started taking a toll on food security in this West African nation of 25 million people, a survey shows. The phenomenon, according to an agrcultural expert, will further aggravate the frequency of droughts [...]

New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Poverty-stricken women in some parts of the country have found succour in a government scheme that provides financial help to set up small businesses and skill-based training to make them financially independent. Ajeevika, or the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), offers a ray of hope [...]