Standard Chartered makes a Whopping Profit of 11%

LONDON (Gaeatimes.com) — A good news for the Standard Chartered comes in light this year. Amidst a recessive and hard fiscal year, SC saw a profit of 11% as compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, U.K. peers Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG) and HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) suffered very bad losses that could be … Original article on : Standard Chartered makes a Whopping Profit of 11%.

Let’s all back uniform goods, service tax regime: Mukherjee

NEW DELHI – Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday made a plea to all political parties to help implement a pan-India goods and services tax from April next year by supporting the relevant bill to amend the constitution, without delay.

“It has to be supported now. It must be introduced in parliament in this session itself. Otherwise … Read more »».

Economic policies affecting credibility of India’s economists: BJP

NEW DELHI – India’s economic policies are impacting the credibility of the economists who run the country, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contended in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday as the upper house began debating the price rise issue that had stalled parliament last week.

“We want to maintain the credibility of the economists who make the … Read more »».

Bangladesh plans to split communications ministry

DHAKA – Bangladesh plans to set up separate ministries for railways and information and communication technology (ICT), both of which are now under the communications ministry.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had pledged to create “Digital Bangladesh” in her 2008 election campaign to provide more jobs and facilities.
She spoke of creating two full-fledged ministries, now … Original article on : Bangladesh plans to split communications ministry.

Owner Group of Divya Bhaskar Announces the 2nd India Pride Awards

MUMBAI (GaeaTimes.com) — The Bhaskar group is the owner of the famous newspapers like Dainik Bhaskar and Divya Bhaskar. After the first successful edition of India Pride Awards last year, The Bhaskar Group and DNA are ready to organize the second edition of India Pride Awards 2010, which is a tribute to the contributions …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Owner Group of Divya Bhaskar Announces the 2nd India Pride Awards.

Prices can be tamed but states must cooperate: Mukherjee

NEW DELHI – Every step was and will be taken to tame prices, but the public at large must appreciate that certain factors like supply shortfall and hoarding were beyond the federal government’s control, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Wednesday.

Replying to a debate on the government’s response to rising prices in the Lok Sabha, which … Original source on Gaea Times at : Prices can be tamed but states must cooperate: Mukherjee.

Lloyds Banking Group H1 net profit down 92 pct but revenues rise, bad loans drop

Lloyds H1 profit down 92 pct but bad loans drop

LONDON – Part-nationalized Lloyds Banking Group PLC reported Wednesday that first-half net profits fell 92 percent from a year ago, when it booked a big one-off gain, but revenue grew and bad loans were almost halved from a year ago.
Lloyds, formed last year when Lloyds TSB … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Lloyds Banking Group H1 net profit down 92 pct but revenues rise, bad loans drop.

Yao Ming, other Chinese celebrities star in ads aimed at promoting country’s image abroad

Celebrities film ads to boost China’s global image

BEIJING – Basketball star Yao Ming, movie director John Woo and piano prodigy Lang Lang are among dozens of celebrities who will appear in television commercials later this year in a bid by China to boost its image abroad.
Experts say Chinese leaders have been unhappy over international coverage … Read more : Yao Ming, other Chinese celebrities star in ads aimed at promoting country’s image abroad.

Tennessee voters to decide GOP nominee in most expensive congressional race in country

Tenn. voters to decide priciest US House primary
DICKSON, Tenn. – The most expensive U.S. House race in the country will be decided Thursday in Tennessee’s primary, where voters pick the nominees for three open congressional seats and governor.
The candidates for the 8th District seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. John Tanner have spent …. Source article  : Tennessee voters to decide GOP nominee in most expensive congressional race in country.

Kilpatrick loses House re-election bid in Michigan as voters knock out sixth incumbent

Another incumbent down as Michigan Rep. loses
WASHINGTON – Incumbents beware. Another lawmaker just bit the dust.
Michigan Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick lost her bid for an eighth term on Tuesday, her son’s legal woes dragging her down in a year when fickle voters seem eager to fire longtime lawmakers.
She’s the sixth – and the …. Source  : Kilpatrick loses House re-election bid in Michigan as voters knock out sixth incumbent.

LIC Housing Finance Seeking Expansion

MUMBAI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- LIC Housing Finance Ltd is all set to enter the rural housing loan market with a range of INR 4 to 5 lakh as it has said in a recent statement. The mortgage lender is likely to launch a distinct subsidiary entity for this purpose. The subsidiary will be unveiled in …. Read the original article  : LIC Housing Finance Seeking Expansion.

Sensex slips from morning highs

MUMBAI – A benchmark index for Indian equities was ruling on a quiet note Wednesday, having slipped from opening highs.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,115.56 points, was at 18,139.04 points, 24.21 points or 0.13 percent up from its previous close at 18,114.83 points. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Local fruit, herb farms supply produce for the massage table in latest spa treatment trend

Locally grown fruits latest trend in spa treatment

LOS ANGELES – Visitors have long come to the hilly Southern California hamlet of Ojai to get stuffed with the Pixie tangerines grown as a specialty in the area’s citrus groves.
Now they’re coming to get scrubbed with them too.
The Ojai Valley Inn and other spas across the country … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Local fruit, herb farms supply produce for the massage table in latest spa treatment trend.

Geithner discusses India-US strategic priorities

WASHINGTON – Economic and other policy priorities between India and the US were discussed by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner with a major Track II group trying for enhancing the strategic relationship between the two countries.

Geithner met the Indian delegation of the US-India Aspen Strategy Group (ASG) here Tuesday and “discussed a broad range … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Geithner discusses India-US strategic priorities.

Bill Lane, ex-Sunset magazine publisher, philanthropist and environmentalist, dead at 90

Ex-Sunset magazine publisher Bill Lane dead at 90

PALO ALTO, Calif. – Former Sunset magazine publisher Bill Lane, who donated millions of dollars to Stanford University and environmental causes, has died. He was 90.
Lane also served as U.S. ambassador to Australia and Nauru. Stanford says he died of respiratory failure Saturday at Stanford Hospital.
Lane was born … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bill Lane, ex-Sunset magazine publisher, philanthropist and environmentalist, dead at 90.

Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, mother of imprisoned ex-mayor, loses bid for 8th term in Dem. primary

Voters boot ex-Detroit mayor’s mom from Congress
DETROIT – Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, the mother of the imprisoned ex-mayor of Detroit, lost her bid for an eighth term with a Democratic primary defeat Tuesday.
The 65-year-old Detroit congresswoman conceded the race to State Sen. Hansen Clarke of Detroit, who had 47 percent of the vote …. Original source  : Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, mother of imprisoned ex-mayor, loses bid for 8th term in Dem. primary.

BlackBerry stock sinks as new device is no iPhone 4 ‘killer’

TORONTO – Less-than-glowing first reviews of the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 launched Tuesday by Research In Motion Ltd (RIM) to catch up with Apple’s iPhone 4 sank company shares more than four per cent on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

RIM’s troubles over security concerns also deepened Tuesday when Saudi Arabia reportedly banned BlackBerry from this week. … Original source on Gaea Times at : BlackBerry stock sinks as new device is no iPhone 4 ‘killer’.

Oil falls slightly to near $82 in Asia as traders eye US crude supplies, dollar

Oil falls to near $82 on weak US crude demand

SINGAPORE – Oil prices fell from a three-month high above $82 a barrel Wednesday in Asia after a report showed U.S. crude inventories fell less than expected last week, suggesting demand in the U.S. remains sluggish.
Benchmark crude for September delivery was down 46 cents to $82.09 … Original source on Gaea Times at : Oil falls slightly to near $82 in Asia as traders eye US crude supplies, dollar.

Railways suspend operations in Kashmir

JAMMU – The Indian Railways suspended its operations in the Kashmir Valley for an indefinite period after violent mobs burnt railway stations and targeted tracks in some towns, officials said Wednesday.

The decision was taken after mobs burnt stations in Sopore and Budgam, besides harassing non-local employees, an official in the Northern Railways said.
The railways … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Railways suspend operations in Kashmir.

Asian stock markets mostly lower after earnings, data show US economic recovery remains fitful

Asian shares fall on signs of fitful US recovery

BANGKOK – Asian stocks mostly fell Wednesday, led by a 2 percent tumble in Japan, following a slew of economic and earnings reports that provided a reminder the U.S. economic recovery remains fitful.
The stream of bad news from the world’s biggest economy included earnings from Procter & …. Read the original article  : Asian stock markets mostly lower after earnings, data show US economic recovery remains fitful.