Egypt authority appeals Medinaty land ruling

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 27 (Reuters) – An Egyptian authority in charge of selling state land to developers has appealed an administrative court’s decision to scrap a contract that alloted real estate to a unit of Talaat Moustafa Group (TMGH.CA).

Financials

The New Urban Communities Authority said in a statement that July 17 had been set for a hearing aimed at blocking the ruling.

The administrative court ruled on June 22 to cancel the contract that alloted 8,000 feddans (8,304 hectares) of land to Talaat Moustafa for its flagship Medinaty project.

The company and the housing ministry said the project would not be affected by the ruling. [ID:nLDE65L0VP] (Writing by Alexander Dziadosz)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nikkei flat in choppy trade; Softbank up on iPhone

June 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 24 (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei was flat in thin, choppy trade on Thursday as short-covering petered out, with charts showing further gains were likely to be difficult.

Stocks | Financials

But Softbank Corp (9984.T) became the second-biggest contributor to the Nikkei 225 as Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iPhone 4 made its global debut, with fans pouring into Softbank outlets and Apple’s flagship Japan store. [ID:nTOE65M07U]

Softbank is the exclusive iPhone operator in Japan.

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 edged up 0.1 percent to 9,928.34, while the broader Topix lost 0.1 percent to 879.77. (Reporting by Elaine Lies)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Skype now available for Sony Ericsson Symbian smartphones

June 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Runs on Symbian-based Satio, Vivaz and Vivaz pro
LUXEMBOURG–(Business Wire)–
Skype announced today the availability of Skype on three Sony Ericsson
smartphones based on the Symbian platform, the world`s most popular smartphone
platform. Users of Sony Ericsson`s flagship smartphones Satio, Vivaz and Vivaz
pro can now use Skype on the move, over either a WiFi or mobile data connection
(3G, GPRS, EDGE). It can be downloaded now by visiting skype.com/m on a
compatible handset, and will also be made available on the Sony Ericsson Play
Now arena (http://www.playnow-arena.com) later this month.

Skype for Symbian enables users to:

* Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world*
* Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
* Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
* Share pictures, videos and other files.
* Receive calls to their existing online number
* See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
* Easily import names and numbers from the phone`s address book

Skype for Symbian will run on any Sony Ericsson smartphone using Symbian ^1, the
latest version of the Symbian platform.

“Applications for communication and social networking are incredibly popular
with mobile users. The opportunity to use a world-class app like Skype, in
combination with the excellent applications and capabilities we have already
integrated into our Satio, Vivaz and Vivaz pro devices, will make up a
compelling package to our customers,” said Kristian Tear, Executive Vice
President and Head of Sales and Marketing at Sony Ericsson.

Russ Shaw, General Manager, Mobile at Skype said, “We see a huge demand for
Skype on mobile. The users want to keep in contact with the people that are
important to them without worrying about the cost, distance or whether they are
away from a computer. It is our goal to meet this demand and make Skype
available on a wide range of mobile devices by entering relationships with
operators and handset manufacturers. Just a few weeks ago we have announced
Skype for Symbian. Now, we are very pleased to bring it to Sony Ericsson
smartphones and enable more people to take the Skype features they love with
them on the move.”

Sony Ericsson is the exclusive provider of Symbian smartphones to Skype during
CommunicAsia, June 15th – 18th.

* Skype recommends use of an unlimited data plan to avoid incurring additional
charges from operators. Users should also be aware that extra charges may apply
if they use Skype over a mobile data connection when abroad.

About Skype

Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of
individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send
instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Everyday, people
everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.
Download Skype to your computer or mobile phone at skype.com.

About Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson is a 50/50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson established in
October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London and operations
in major markets around the world. Sony Ericsson`s strategy is to become the
industry leader in mobile Communication Entertainment, through new styles of
interaction across the internet and social media. Sony Ericsson offers exciting
consumer experiences through innovative and feature rich phones, accessories,
content and applications. For more information visit: www.sonyericsson.com

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Skype
Eunice Lim, +6593299321(M)
Skype – eunice09
eunice.lim@skype.net
or
Sravanthi Agrawal, +447584235114(M)
Skype – sagra28
sravanthi@skype.net
or
Sony Ericsson
Mattias Holm, +44 20 8762 6065
Merran Wrigley, +44 20 8762 5862
General Press: +44 208 762 5858
press.global@SonyEricsson.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Beauty Bubbles Over at Makeup&GO! Introducing BUBBLE Blow Dry, LA’s Hippest New In-and-Out Hair Studio

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES, CA, Jun 09 (MARKET WIRE) —
The freshest face to hit the west coast beauty scene, Makeup&GO!,
celebrates the unveiling of its highly anticipated hair studio, BUBBLE
Blow Dry. Featuring eight pro styling stations outfitted with coveted
Hollywood haircare lines, the choicest styling tools and luxurious wash
chairs, BUBBLE completes the in-and-out, one stop shop beauty studio
concept — with fast, convenient, affordable blowouts for $35.

On-the-go glam services are all the rage and Makeup&GO! has
single-handedly transformed the pro makeup application to an everyday
license — comparable to a weekly mani/pedi. Add blowouts to the matrix
and women now have everything they need under one roof to get gorgeous.
Malin+Goetz and Neil George haircare, Ergo and Bio styling tools and
Gamma & Bross Spa wash chairs, complete with built-in massage, are among
the featured brands specially selected to ensure every BUBBLE experience
is luxe.

Thanks to the genius of leading entertainment executive Lori Sale,
recognized as one of the top 100 women in Hollywood by Variety and The
Hollywood Reporter, the game-changing point of difference is access to a
celebrity-caliber team of artists and stylists without any pressure to
buy the goods, because Makeup&GO! doesn’t sell the products in its
toolkit: Juice Beauty, mark, Smashbox, tart cosmetics or temptu’s
airbrushing system. However, guests do walk away with a face chart
highlighting products used and tips on how to get the look on their own.

“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the response from women to
Makeup&GO! since we opened,” says Lori Sale, Founder and CEO of
Makeup&GO! “Women finally feel like they have permission to indulge
themselves, anytime — and with the addition of BUBBLE Blow Dry, they
need not go anywhere else to get gorgeous.”

In addition to the flagship, 4,000 square foot Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow
Dry Brentwood location, opening today, Sale plans to unveil additional
Los Angeles-based studios this fall as well as roll-out nationwide
beginning 2011. Sale has collaborated with Janet Hector, a beauty
industry veteran, to turn Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE into breakthrough
destinations.

“We want women to view Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow Dry as their own
personal go-to Hollywood style team,” says Hector. “From airbrushing to
pro makeup artists to a top hair style team, we’re making Hollywood glam
affordable, accessible, convenient and fun.”

The beauty studio evokes contemporary clean lines, with lipstick red
accents, super-sanitized applicators, rock-out music and a fully-lit
dressing room, with 360-degree mirrors, complete with professional
steamer — so ladies can don their duds and head out the door stat!

And, if getting glammed-up means heading out the door for a special
occasion where last-minute gifts are in order, Makeup&GO! also sells
GO-Gifts, a curated menagerie of must-have items, ideally suited for the
gracious hostess, birthday girl or baby shower.

Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE are located at 13038 San Vicente Boulevard (corner
of San Vicente & 26th Street). Hours of operation are 8am to 8pm Tuesday
through Friday, 10am to 8pm on Saturday, and 12pm to 6pm on Sundays. A
private party room is also on site — ideal for every occasion from Bat
Mitzvahs to weddings to bachelorette parties to corporate gatherings.
Walk-ins are welcome or to schedule an appointment, book online at
www.makeupandgo.net or www.bubbleblowdry.com or call 1-310-451-6253.
Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow Dry will make house calls and travel artists
to any event location via its fully-outfitted mobile beauty bus,
Makeup&GO! 2 GO!

Contact:
THE COLLECTIVE PR
Jennifer Goldin / Debbie Burke
(646) 242 8262 / (917) 224 1415
jenn@thecollective-pr.com
debbie@thecollective-pr.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Beauty Bubbles Over at Makeup&GO! Introducing BUBBLE Blow Dry, LA’s Hippest New In-and-Out Hair Studio

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES, CA, Jun 09 (MARKET WIRE) —
The freshest face to hit the west coast beauty scene, Makeup&GO!,
celebrates the unveiling of its highly anticipated hair studio, BUBBLE
Blow Dry. Featuring eight pro styling stations outfitted with coveted
Hollywood haircare lines, the choicest styling tools and luxurious wash
chairs, BUBBLE completes the in-and-out, one stop shop beauty studio
concept — with fast, convenient, affordable blowouts for $35.

On-the-go glam services are all the rage and Makeup&GO! has
single-handedly transformed the pro makeup application to an everyday
license — comparable to a weekly mani/pedi. Add blowouts to the matrix
and women now have everything they need under one roof to get gorgeous.
Malin+Goetz and Neil George haircare, Ergo and Bio styling tools and
Gamma & Bross Spa wash chairs, complete with built-in massage, are among
the featured brands specially selected to ensure every BUBBLE experience
is luxe.

Thanks to the genius of leading entertainment executive Lori Sale,
recognized as one of the top 100 women in Hollywood by Variety and The
Hollywood Reporter, the game-changing point of difference is access to a
celebrity-caliber team of artists and stylists without any pressure to
buy the goods, because Makeup&GO! doesn’t sell the products in its
toolkit: Juice Beauty, mark, Smashbox, tart cosmetics or temptu’s
airbrushing system. However, guests do walk away with a face chart
highlighting products used and tips on how to get the look on their own.

“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the response from women to
Makeup&GO! since we opened,” says Lori Sale, Founder and CEO of
Makeup&GO! “Women finally feel like they have permission to indulge
themselves, anytime — and with the addition of BUBBLE Blow Dry, they
need not go anywhere else to get gorgeous.”

In addition to the flagship, 4,000 square foot Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow
Dry Brentwood location, opening today, Sale plans to unveil additional
Los Angeles-based studios this fall as well as roll-out nationwide
beginning 2011. Sale has collaborated with Janet Hector, a beauty
industry veteran, to turn Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE into breakthrough
destinations.

“We want women to view Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow Dry as their own
personal go-to Hollywood style team,” says Hector. “From airbrushing to
pro makeup artists to a top hair style team, we’re making Hollywood glam
affordable, accessible, convenient and fun.”

The beauty studio evokes contemporary clean lines, with lipstick red
accents, super-sanitized applicators, rock-out music and a fully-lit
dressing room, with 360-degree mirrors, complete with professional
steamer — so ladies can don their duds and head out the door stat!

And, if getting glammed-up means heading out the door for a special
occasion where last-minute gifts are in order, Makeup&GO! also sells
GO-Gifts, a curated menagerie of must-have items, ideally suited for the
gracious hostess, birthday girl or baby shower.

Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE are located at 13038 San Vicente Boulevard (corner
of San Vicente & 26th Street). Hours of operation are 8am to 8pm Tuesday
through Friday, 10am to 8pm on Saturday, and 12pm to 6pm on Sundays. A
private party room is also on site — ideal for every occasion from Bat
Mitzvahs to weddings to bachelorette parties to corporate gatherings.
Walk-ins are welcome or to schedule an appointment, book online at
www.makeupandgo.net or www.bubbleblowdry.com or call 1-310-451-6253.
Makeup&GO! and BUBBLE Blow Dry will make house calls and travel artists
to any event location via its fully-outfitted mobile beauty bus,
Makeup&GO! 2 GO!

Contact:
THE COLLECTIVE PR
Jennifer Goldin / Debbie Burke
(646) 242 8262 / (917) 224 1415
jenn@thecollective-pr.com
debbie@thecollective-pr.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Airlines body IATA demands unions quit picketing

June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BERLIN, June 7 (Reuters) – The global airline body slammed unions for walking off the job at a time when carriers are are struggling to turn a profit, dealing with a toxic mixture of ballooning costs, airspace closures and a weak economic environment.

“Pilots and crew must come down to earth. Strikes at this time are short-sighted nonsense,” International Air Transport Association (IATA) Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said in his opening address at the body’s annual meeting on Monday.

IATA said earlier on Monday it now expects the world’s airlines to post a $2.5 billion profit this year, an improvement of more than $5 billion from its March forecast. [ID:LDE6560L6]

But airlines in Europe will report a combined $2.8 billion loss this year, hit by fallout from a volcanic ash cloud that swept across Europe in April and shut airspace across large parts of the continent as well as labour strikes, it said.

“Labour needs to stop picketing and cooperate,” IATA’s Bisignani said.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For a graphic of travel stocks and oil prices click on:

here

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Thousands of travellers have been stranded around the world this year as cabin crew and pilots walked off the job to push for higher wages or more job security.

British Airways (BAY.L) cabin crew on Saturday started a five-day strike — their latest in a series of walkouts since March — in a long-running dispute that has so far cost the London-based airline about 120 million pounds ($173.2 million). [ID:nLDE653210]

German flagship carrier Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) lost almost 50 million euros ($59.7 million) when its pilots went on strike in February and took its union to court to stop the walkout.

Lufthansa Chief Executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber told Reuters on Sunday talks with the pilots were progressing but gave no indication of how close the parties were to an agreement.

BA CEO Willie Walsh, taunted by union leaders for going to Berlin for the meeting and not staying in London to negotiate, roundly criticized the Unite union that represents cabin staff.

“They failed in their efforts to ground BA and they will fail in any future efforts to do so,” Walsh told Reuters on the sidelines of a Oneworld airline alliance presentation, of which BA is a member.

Walsh said there was no point at which there would be an unacceptable trade-off between the savings from the cuts and the cost of the strikes, the cuts had to be implemented to preserve the airline’s future.

U.S. airlines have also been struggling to cut labour costs.

American Airlines owner AMR Corp (AMR.N) has long maintained that its labour costs are above industry average partly because it restructured outside of bankruptcy, while some rivals have used Chapter 11 protection to slash costs in recent years.

U.S. airlines have also been struggling to cut labour costs.

American Airlines owner AMR Corp (AMR.N) has long maintained that its labour costs were above industry average partly because it restructured without declaring bankruptcy, while some rivals were able to slash costs under Chapter 11 protection.

American Airlines Chief Executive Gerard Arpey told reporters on the sidelines of the IATA meeting his company had a a staff cost disadvantage of $600 million a year compared to other major airlines. ($1=.6929 Pound) ($1=.8375 Euro) (Reporting by Maria Sheahan, Ben Berkowitz and Adrian Murdoch; editing by Karen Foster)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Continental Gold Begins 2010 Drill Program at Buritica Gold Project, Colombia

June 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jun 02 (MARKET WIRE) —
Continental Gold Limited (TSX: CNL) (“Continental” or “The
Company”) is pleased to announce that it has begun an aggressive
drill program at its flagship Buritica gold property near Medellin in
northwestern Colombia. A total of four drills will be in operation – one
underground and three surface drills, which are scheduled to complete a
minimum 23,000 metre program by the end of 2010. Continental’s previous
17,600 meters of drilling and 1200 meters of underground development have
defined several high grade veins and a mineralized breccia body. The
current drill campaign will complete step-out and infill drilling on the
San Antonio, Sur, B, and Centena veins and a portion of the breccia.
Additionally, several geochemical soil anomalies will be drill tested.
This work, along with ongoing underground development, will form the
basis of a resource calculation scheduled for early 2011.

Since exploration began on the 18,000 hectare (44,475 acre) Buritica
property in 2008, Continental has outlined a 2 x 2 kilometer carbonate
base metal-type gold vein/breccia system related to a center of
porphyry-style alteration. To date several of the larger veins have been
tested over a 200-450 meter vertical range and all are open at depth.
World-wide, the larger mineralized systems of this type have economic
potential in the veins over significant vertical ranges. This down-dip
vertical extension of the veins is one of several additional highly
prospective exploration targets which will be tested with the remaining
drill meters. Other 2010 drill priorities include follow up drilling of
the Yaragua diatreme breccia, a portion of which has average grades of 3
grams per tonne gold, the La Mano and San Augustine prospects which have
potential for bulk tonnage in zones of replacement mineralization, and
several high priority soil geochemical anomalies.

“Because we are in the extremely fortunate position of having
multiple high-priority drill targets, we intend to remain flexible with
respect to increasing the number of drills we may require as well as
increasing the overall drilling campaign to properly cover the target
areas,” commented Stuart Moller, Vice President, Exploration .
“Our mandate is resource definition drilling program on the known
mineralized veins and any other mineralization we encounter, so it’s very
important that we be able to add drills at short notice as we advance
this project. For that reason, as well as others, we chose to work with
Major Drilling Group International Inc., which has the capacity we need
for this flexibility.”

New Addition to Management Team

Continental Gold also announces that Naomi Nemeth has been appointed Vice
President, Investor Relations. Ms. Nemeth has worked in the mining and
mineral exploration industry for the past six years with a focus on
investor relations and corporate management. She has held senior Investor
Relations positions with Homeland Energy Group (coal, South Africa),
African Copper PLC (copper, Botswana), Wolfden Resources (gold and base
metal exploration, Canada), Sanatana Diamonds (Canada) and Desert Sun
Mining (gold producer, Brazil). Prior to returning to the mining field in
2004, Ms Nemeth held senior investor relations and communications roles
in the pharmaceutical (GSK, Biovail, MDS) and financial services
(Manulife Financial, Clarica-Sunlife Financial) sectors. Ms Nemeth began
her career as a field exploration geologist in the Yukon and northern
Ontario following completion of an Honours BSc in Geology and Biology at
Brock University. Subsequent to that, Ms Nemeth earned a Masters degree
in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario.

Qualified Person

Stuart Moller, PGeo, is the Qualified Person for the information
contained in this press release and is a Qualified Person within the
meaning of National Instrument 43-101.

Additional details on the Buritica project and the rest of Continental
Gold’s suite of gold exploration properties is available at
www.ContinentalGold.com.

About Continental Gold Limited

Continental Gold Limited is an advanced-stage exploration company with
eight gold projects covering 190,000 hectares in Colombia. Spearheaded by
a management team with over 40 years of exploration and mining experience
in South America, the Company plans to conduct an aggressive exploration
program to its extensive portfolio with a focus on its flagship
high-grade gold project, Buritica and its drill-ready program, Berlin.

Forward-Looking Statements

“This press release contains or refers to forward-looking
information, including statements regarding the estimation of mineral
resources, exploration results, potential mineralization, exploration and
mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and
estimates of market conditions, and is based on current expectations that
involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking
statement include, but are not limited to, failure to convert estimated
mineral resources to reserves, capital and operating costs varying
significantly from estimates, the preliminary nature of metallurgical
test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required
governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks,
uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed
in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange
rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of
projects and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and
development industry. Forward-looking statements are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties, and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from expected results. Readers should
not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company
assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new
events or circumstances other than as required by law.”

Contacts:
Continental Gold Limited
Naomi Nemeth
Vice President, Investor Relations
416.643.7638
info@continentalgold.com
www.continentalgold.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fire doused on German ship; passengers, crew safe

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Oslo, May 29 (DPA) A fire that forced the evacuation of the passengers and crew from the German cruise ship Deutschland in western Norweigian waters was extinguished late Friday, hours after the blaze broke out in an engine room, Norwegian officials said.

The Norwegian news agency NTB said that 607 people – all passengers and most of the crew – were evacuated in the harbour of Eidfjord, some 200 km north-west of Oslo.

Those evacuated included 364 passengers, who were mostly German, 241 crew members and two Norwegian pilots who were on board when the fire started.

‘So far there are no reports of injuries,’ Per Fjeld, spokesman for the rescue headquarters, told the German Press Agency dpa.

The evacuation of the passengers and crew from the ship to land had been carried out in orderly fashion, he said.

The passengers are to be flown home Monday.

The fire broke out 12.30 p.m. (1030 GMT), with the cause not yet determined. Officials said that the vessel’s fire-proof doors had all held, preventing the blaze from spreading throughout the vessel.

Specialised marine firefighters were called in from Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, helping to bring the blaze under control.

The 175-metre-long Deutschland – dubbed a ‘floating 5-star hotel’ – is the flagship of the northern German shipping firm Deilmann. It was being towed overnight Sunday to Bergan for further inspection of the damage.

The Deutschland had been due to depart Eidfjord on Sunday evening for Hamburg. It was scheduled to leave Tuesday from Hamburg on a cruise to London and Scotland.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top golfers say just one season away from claiming Tiger’s `lair’

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 20 (ANI): A clutch of golfers have said they are just one season away from claiming Tiger Wood’s number one ranking.

The latest is Ian Poulter, who has talked about the possibility of challenging Tiger Woods at the top of the rankings.

When announcing yesterday that he could become world No 1 this summer, Poulter affected only the odd raised eyebrow in a roomful of agreeing nods.

This recognition was in large part down to the forlorn state of Woods at the moment and also because Poulter was not merely referring to himself.

According to The Independent, this was no rerun of the flamboyant Englishman”s famous “When I reach my full potential it will be just me and Tiger” declaration of a few years ago. This was more “just me and eight others and Tiger”.

“It”s closer at the top of the rankings than it ever was because of all the points Tiger has dropped,” the paper quoted Poulter, as saying.

“If they play great for three or four months, get a couple of wins and a couple of big finishes, I can see anybody in the top 10 getting to the points that Tiger is at now – including myself,” he added.

Poulter was speaking on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship, an event which tees off at the West Course boasting five of the world”s top 10.

Four of them happen to hail from the United Kingdom (Ernie Els being the other).

Yet with respect to Poulter, of this quartet Lee Westwood holds the most realistic chance of usurping Woods.

On Monday the 37-year-old awoke to find himself in the career-high position of No 3 and with the tag of “world”s best” in tantalising focus.

Unlike Poulter and many other of his fellow professionals, Westwood does not include an algorithm book as a fixture in his luggage set so will not be aware of the complex calculations. Victory here in the European Tour”s flagship tournament will earn him not only 640,000 pounds but more importantly enough ranking points to bring him within a top-two finish at next month”s US Open of the No 1 spot.

Listening to Westwood yesterday it was clear he does not believe that anyone right now can depend on the form of Woods or even of Phil Mickelson.

“Tiger”s performance and schedule are unpredictable at the moment, aren”t they?” said the man who has finished third, third, second in the last three majors.

“We have all seen that the last few weeks. Phil is obviously world class and already has a major this year, but his performances are very much up and down as well. And the world rankings are all about consistency. So, I suppose yeah, No 1 and No 2 are more achievable than they have been in the last few years.” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mohammed Al Fayed sells iconic Harrod’s for 1.5 billion pounds

May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 8 (ANI): The iconic Harrod’s department store, has been sold by owner Mohammed Al Fayed for a whopping 1.5 billion pounds to the Qatari royal family.

Septuagenarian Al Fayed took the decision to sell the store he helmed for over 25 years so that he could retire peacefully and spend more time with his children and grandchildren, Sky News reports.

Ken Costa, chairman of Lazard International, which advised Al Fayed on the deal, said in a statement, “In reaching the decision to retire, he wished to ensure that the legacy and traditions that he has built up in Harrods would be continued, and that the team that he has built up would be encouraged to develop the foundations that he has laid. Qatar Holding will become only the fifth owner of Harrods since its creation, in 1840. Qatar Holding was specifically chosen by the Trust as they had both the vision and financial capacity to support the long term successful growth of Harrods.”

The flagship luxury store, which had humble beginnings as a small shop in the year 1834, now sprawls over 4.5 acres of land. Its motto is Omnia Omnibus Ubique — All Things for All People, Everywhere. Several of its departments, including the seasonal Christmas department and the Food Hall, are world famous.

(ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATE 1-Unite student property fund Q1 NAV up 2.1 pct

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

* Total portfolio valued at $1.55 billion

Financials

* Estimated net asset value p/unit up 2.1 pct to 0.778 pence

(Adds detail)

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – Britain’s largest student landlord Unite Group (UTG.L) posted a 2.1 percent rise in the first quarter estimated net asset value of its flagship UK property fund, as rental growth edges into positive territory.

The property portfolio of the UK Student Accommodation Fund was independently valued at 1.024 billion pounds ($1.55 billion), Unite said on Friday, reflecting a 2 percent increase on its Dec. 2009 value, driven in part by 0.8 percent of quarterly rental growth.

The average initial yield of the Fund’s portfolio stands at 6.75 percent.

The company said it expected further rental growth in the next two quarterly valuations as reservations for the forthcoming academic year progress. Some 57 percent of the fund’s accommodation has been reserved, broadly in line with the 59 percent level achieved last year.

(Reporting by Sinead Cruise, editing Laurence Fletcher) (See www.reutersrealestate.com for the global service for real estate professionals from Reuters)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sarah Palin near deal for nature doco

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sarah Palin is reportedly close to securing a deal for a travelogue reality show.

Sources say Discovery Communications has edged out rival A and E Networks in the bidding for the project, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, and an agreement could be announced in the next few days.

It is still undecided which network in the Discovery suite would air Alaska, which is being produced by Mark Burnett Productions.

Although travelogues are on-brand for the Discovery flagship, having Palin as a centrepiece also makes the show a fit for mum-friendly TLC.

Clearly nature docs are still viable for the company – Discovery’s latest effort in the genre, the miniseries Life, debuted to 11.8 million viewers on Sunday night.

In her numerous TV appearances, Palin has proven she can draw an audience. But her show will not come cheaply.

The former Alaska governor’s asking price was $US1.2 million per episode. A network paying anywhere close to that figure would make Alaska one of the most expensive nature series ever produced.

The high-definition program will be shot in a style similar to Life and Planet Earth and will feature the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate acting as a guide to the Alaskan outdoors.

When it was commissioned by the BBC at a cost of $US25 million, the 11-part Planet Earth was considered the most expensive documentary the network had ever made.

Discovery Communications had no comment.

- Reuters

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Towering Queen Mary 2 sails into Adelaide

March 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Queen Mary 2 has sailed into Adelaide, towering above the arrival terminal at Outer Harbor.

Hundreds of people have lined the shore to watch the grand ship’s arrival, as it sailed up the Gulf at sunrise.

It is at about the halfway point of a world voyage of more than three months.

More than 2,000 passengers are enjoying the luxury on board the 345-metre-long ship.

It has about 1,500 staff to deal with passengers’ needs across 14 decks, which house five swimming pools, 10 restaurants, 14 bars and clubs and a huge ballroom.

Jo Podoliak from the South Australian Tourism Commission is sure the passengers will spend up big in Adelaide and the wine regions.

“Lots of passengers are actually pre-booked on tours which have been arranged with local tour operators so they’ll get in to see the city and various surrounding regions such as the Adelaide hills and down south to McLaren Vale,” she said.

“A range of people will just take the option to wander into the city with a range of transport options.”

The Queen Mary 2 set sail again in the evening, bound for Fremantle.

The mammoth liner went into service about six years ago, taking over as Cunard’s flagship from the QE2.

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UPDATE 1-Key Antofagasta mine restarts after Chile quake

March 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

* Los Pelambres mine shut after power disruption

Stocks

* Resumed operations on Sunday, no major problems expected (Adds details, quotes, background)

LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) – Operations at Antofagasta’s (ANTO.L) flagship Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile resumed operations on Sunday after an earthquake temporarily disrupted power supplies, the firm said on Monday.

“Presently it is not expected that Los Pelambres will suffer any significant level of disruption to existing operations but all equipment and infrastructure will be checked as operations restart,” the London-listed mining group said in a statement.

Up to one-fifth of Chile’s copper mine capacity was shut on Saturday after the world’s biggest copper producer was rocked by a huge magnitude-8.8 earthquake, but mines were slowly resuming operations. [ID:nN28209603] [ID:nN27183634]

Los Pelambres, which produced 70 percent of Antofagasta’s total copper cathode output of 442,500 tonnes last year, is located in the Coquimbo region, about 240 km northeast of Santiago. The epicentre of the quake was about 325 km southwest of Santiago.

Antofagasta’s other operations are in the Antofagasta region, about 1,350 km -1,500 km north of Santiago, and were not disrupted.

Last month, the firm posted a 7.4 percent fall in annual copper production, but said production would rise this year due to expansion projects. [ID:nLDE6112DO]

The company is due to post annual financial results on March 9. (Reporting by Eric Onstad; Editing by Rupert Winchester)

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New BMW showroom and workshop launched in West Delhi by Deutsche Motoren

September 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 2 (ANI/Business Wire India): BMW India announced the opening of the new showroom and workshop facility by Deutsche Motoren in West Delhi.

Located at Shivaji Marg, Moti Nagar, West Delhi, this is the second facility in New Delhi from Deutsche Motoren. The showroom and workshop are headed by Yadur Kapur, Dealer Principal, Deutsche Motoren.

Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India said, “BMW India dealerships are presently leading in offering high quality services that are at par with international standards. Deutsche Motoren is our flagship dealership in New Delhi, and we are pleased to see further expansion of Deutsche Motoren in order to support our growing sales in the region.”

Deutsche Motoren is fully equipped to manage this 4S facility comprising of sales, service, spare parts and business systems to ensure that customers receive best-in-class pre and post sales ownership experience.

Yadur Kapur, Dealer Principle, Deutsche Motoren said, “Our partnership with BMW India has consistently been successful with premium customers in New Delhi. In order to serve our growing clientele with the same enthusiasm and passion we are proud to launch our second BMW showroom and workshop facility in Delhi.”

The facility is spread over 11,500 sq ft. The showroom can display up to three BMW cars and offers the customers a unique retail environment. The showroom is evolved on the signature-BMW concept of street display and the pavement flanking alongside as the customer area. All operations related to sales are efficiently covered from the space, which ensures comfort to the customer at the point of sales.

The workshop has 3 service bays and offers customers a high quality service experience which ensures comfort at all times. The facility will have a staff of 15 people.

As with every other BMW dealership, Deutsche Motoren has provided its staff intense training in management of sales, service, spare parts and business systems to ensure that customers receive best-in-class pre and post sales ownership experience. A team of service engineers have also been trained at BMW’s training centers in Singapore, Malaysia and Germany. (ANI)

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Maruti sells nearly 85,000 vehicles in Aug.2009

September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep.1 (ANI): Maruti Suzuki India Limited, India’s car market leader, sold a total of 84,808 vehicles in August 2009, growing 41.6 percent in the month. This includes exports of 14,847 units, the highest ever monthly export in the company’s history.

A company release said it had sold a total of 59,908 vehicles in August 2008.

Maruti Suzuki’s volume in the domestic A2 segment grew by 39.3 per cent. In the A3 segment the sales volume grew by 44.1 cent during the month as compared to sales in August 2008.

During the month the company crossed the milestone of 50,000 cumulative exports in this fiscal. A star is Maruti Suzuki’s flagship export model. A star, which was introduced internationally in January 2009, has been leading the export numbers since introduction. The major markets for this model in Europe include Germany, UK, France and Netherlands.

In the last week of August 2009, the company introduced the Estilo with a bolder new look and the latest, 1-litre, BS-IV compliant, K-series engine. (ANI)

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Govt. efforts and media’s role helped in largely containing Swine Flu: Soni

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug.29 (ANI): Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Saturday claimed that the spread of swine flu pandemic had been largely contained with the efforts of Government and crucial role played by media in educating people about the deadly disease.

Addressing media after inaugurating a two-day film festival of short documentaries by well-known photographer and art historian Benoy K Behl in the national capital, Soni said: “The Government has been successful in providing information to people on swine flu. Even television channels have played a major role in educating people by inviting doctors and experts in their studios every day to provide information about the deadly virus.”

The Minister said the government has taken concrete steps to implement major schemes during its first 100 days in office.

“The government has taken concrete steps on all the flagship schemes introduced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is himself monitoring their implementation,” Soni said.

Soni, while seeking greater cooperation from states, said they should make extra efforts to provide benefits of various central schemes to people. (ANI)

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Air India employees on hunger strike over non-payment of salary

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 25 (ANI): Employees of India’s flagship carrier Air India are on a three-day hunger strike from today over delay in payment of their salaries.

“Over 20,000 members of the Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG) and the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and some other unions from across the nation have decided to go on hunger strike from today, as the management is rigid over payment of our salaries,” said J B Kadian, general secretary, ACEU.

Last Friday, the meeting of the unions with the Air India CMD in Mumbai failed to reach any conclusion. The next round of meeting is scheduled to be held here this afternoon.

The employees threatened that they would again go on strike on August 31 if their negotiations with the management fail.

Earlier, employees had gone on a two-hour-long protest over non-payment of wages.

The unions had earlier called off their proposed strike on June 30 after the management had agreed to pay the salaries of 70 per cent of workers.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel had said the government cannot bail Air India out every time, and it is time for the flagship carrier to tighten its belt and resolve its financial woes.

Air India’s borrowings have risen from Rs.6, 550 crore in November 2007 to Rs.15, 241 crore in June this year. (ANI)

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‘India can sustain 8 to 9 per cent growth rate’

July 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

On Board special flight, July 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said India should be able to sustain with little bit difficulty growth rate of 8 to 9 per cent notwithstanding difficulties on the international front.

Addressing a press conference onboard after attending the G8-G5 summit at L’Aquila in Italy, Dr. Singh said, “India’s saving is 35 per cent with normal capital output 4:1. I am confident that India will come out of this crisis stronger, but it will be a difficult road to travel.”

“Our exports have suffered, capital flows from abroad have declined, and international bank lending to the developing countries have declined. Therefore, challenge for us is to sustain and revive the growth which we have built up in last five years notwithstanding the deterioration,” he added.

The Prime Minister further said: “All available indicators of 2009 points to weakening of US and European economies and therefore one can say that the global environment for development of the countries of third world has undergone on sharp deterioration.”

Earlier, Dr. Singh expressed confidence that the country can achieve eight to nine per cent growth rate in the coming two to three years and the government will be working to achieve it.

The Prime Minister emphasized that though the fiscal deficit is high, there is a need to rapidly expand economy, create jobs and resources for spending on flagship programmes on education, health, rural development and scope for expansion in infrastructure development. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)

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