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China blames poor safety for mine disaster

XIANGNING, China (AFP) – China’s work safety watchdog has blamed lax standards at a coal mine in the north for a huge flood that left 153 workers trapped underground, as hopes faded Wednesday for their rescue.
Three days after water gushed into the vast Wangjialing mine being built in Shanxi province, [...]

Read More » No commentMarch 31, 2010

S.Korea military on alert after warship sinking

BAENGNYEONG ISLAND, South Korea (AFP) – South Korea said Wednesday it has ordered all government officials to stay on emergency alert until the crisis sparked by the mysterious sinking of a warship is resolved.
The officials have been told not to take leave and to stay alert even while off-duty in [...]

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Chinese interest rules the auction world

HONG KONG (AFP) – In a bold recognition of the world’s fastest-growing auction market, Sotheby’s recently hoisted China’s flag at the most conspicuous spot outside its New York headquarters.
The flag now flies between those of the US, UK, France, and Switzerland, where the auction house has established its core client base.
“We [...]

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Philippine beauty ejected from Miss Universe contest

MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines’ entry for the Miss Universe beauty pageant has been disqualified after local organisers discovered she was born overseas and out of wedlock, a contest official said Wednesday.
Maria Venus Raj, 21, was set to represent her country in August and begin charity work after winning [...]

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Indians scale down in Afghanistan, fearing attacks

KABUL (AFP) – India has suspended medical aid and teaching programmes in Afghanistan, where Indian businesses and charities are slashing staff over fears they are increasingly targeted by militants.
Kabul-based Indians believe they were the specific targets of three recent attacks in the Afghan capital, including a February 26 bomb and [...]

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Philippines insists its airlines safe despite EU ban

MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines on Wednesday insisted its airlines were safe after the Southeast Asian nation’s carriers were banned from flying into the European Union.
“Our aircraft meet the international standards in safety,” Civil Aviation Authority head Alfonso Cusi said.
“PAL (Philippine Airlines) would like to assure the riding public that safety [...]

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Ericsson wins contract to upgrade Bharti’s network

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson said on Wednesday it has won a 1.3-billion-dollar (960-million-euro) contract to upgrade the network of Indian mobile operator Bharti Airtel.
“Airtel users will enjoy an enhanced voice quality and faster data access,” Ericsson said in a statement.
“The agreement will enable Airtel to put in [...]

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Indian outsourcers eye bonanza from US healthcare bill

NEW DELHI (AFP) – Indian outsourcing firms are banking on a business bonanza from US President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare reform as cost pressures prod insurers and hospitals to become more efficient.
The 940-billion-dollar US healthcare bill, passed in March, will extend health insurance coverage to 32 million Americans over the next [...]

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India begins to count its billion-plus population

NEW DELHI (AFP) – An army of 2.5 million officials will be deployed in India this week to help carry out the latest census of the world’s second-largest population, an official said Tuesday.
The survey will cost 60 billion rupees (1.25 billion dollars) and will consume 11.63 million tonnes of paper, partly [...]

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Internet connects deepest Nepal to ‘telemedics’

KATHMANDU (AFP) – Patients in rural Nepal will soon be able to consult specialist doctors over the Internet as part of an innovative scheme to improve health care in remote areas of the Himalayan country.
Over the next few weeks, the government will begin connecting 25 district hospitals, most of them [...]

Read More » No commentMarch 31, 2010