The Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal for the ratification of the second amendment to the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), a preferential trade agreement among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region, under which Bangladesh will get duty facilities on some 10,677 items, reports UNB. The approval…

Speakers in Khulna yesterday underscored the need for boosting investment as well as setting up eco-friendly industries to free the country from the curse of poverty, reports BSS. The speakers made the observation while addressing a conference titled ‘Private Investment Attraction,…

AFP, DOHA: Qatar yesterday announced it had launched direct shipping services to ports in Oman, a move that bypasses a Gulf "blockade" on a…

The annual flagship event for the South and Southeast Asian nations to promote regional trade and investment kicked off in Kunming yesterday, reports BSS.  The 2017 South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair (SSACEIF) will be held from June 12 to 18 at Kunming Dianchi International…

A 10-day Jamdani exhibition will begin on the premises of Bangladesh National Museum in the capital today, reports UNB. Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) and Bangladesh National Museum will jointly arrange the event. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu will inaugurate the…

AFP, HONG KONG: The pound struggled yesterday to bounce back from last week’s sharp losses triggered by a shock British election result that has…

AFP, BERLIN:  German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts African leaders yesterday for a G20 conference aimed at fighting the grinding poverty driving the mass migrant influx to Europe. The idea is to team up African nations willing to reform with the world’s biggest economies and private investors…

AFP,SAN FRANCISCO: Video game giant Electronic Arts on Saturday courted fans with titles such as “Star Wars Battlefront” and snatched the…

AFP, JAKARTA: Indonesian executives weary of Jakarta’s notorious traffic jams may in future be able to order a helicopter ride with their smartphones through a new service being considered by ride-hailing firm Grab. The Southeast Asian company conducted a trial run of GrabHeli at the weekend,…

Stock markets extended loss to maintain falling trend for the fourth straight day of the week yesterday due to lower participation, reports BSS. The border…

AFP, SAN FRANCISCO: Marissa Mayer was hailed as Yahoo’s savior when she took charge of the pioneering internet firm five years ago. But Mayer was…

AFP, DOHA:  Qatar’s Central Bank said yesterday banking transactions at home and abroad were continuing normally despite the diplomatic crisis which has seen several Gulf countries sever ties with the emirate. In a statement released on the state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA), Central Bank…

AFP, Riyadh: The price of a pack of cigarettes doubled for Saudi Arabian smokers on Sunday under first-time tax measures to help the kingdom cope with a drop in oil revenues. Residents of the world’s biggest oil exporter long enjoyed a tax-free and heavily subsidised existence but a collapse in…

AFP, TOKYO: Fujifilm yesterday announced it would take a bigger-than-expected loss from “accounting irregularities” at two subsidiaries, but described them as having only a minor impact on its finances. The news comes several months after Fujifilm—which shifted into other businesses…

AFP, ATHENS:  A deal on debt relief for Greece is “not far,” France’s new finance minister Bruno Le Maire said yesterday ahead of crunch eurozone talks on the issue on Thursday. “I am optimistic that we will have a good solution. We are not far from agreement,” Le…

AFP, NEW YORK: General Electric yesterday announced the departure of chief executive Jeff Immelt, who had made the risky bet of refocusing the American conglomerate on its industrial roots, particularly energy. Immelt, 61, who has served in the role since 2001, will hand his chief executive position…