Singapore - In the wake of the world-wide financial crisis consumer confidence has turned pessimistic across the Asia Pacific region, according to a survey released Wednesday by MasterCard.
From India to China, and Japan to New Zealand the urban middle class were more pessimistic for the first half of 2009 than six months ago, according to the latest bi-annual Consumer Confidence survey by MasterCard Worldwide released in Singapore.
MasterCard found that only Vietnam, China, India and Singapore of the 14 markets surveyed are optimistic about the first half of next year.
Islamabad - Unknown gunmen shot dead a US aid worker and his driver in Pakistan's north-west on Wednesday, officials and media reports said.
The attack occurred in an upmarket neighbourhood of Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, located close to the restive tribal region.
"Assailants lying in ambush opened fire on the US national's car as it drove down an alley in the University Town (area of Peshawar), killing the foreigner and his local driver on the spot," an area police officer said on condition of anonymity.
London, Nov 12 : Sir Paul McCartney may have unknowingly revealed that the women who inspired The Beatles'' 1966 hit ''Eleanor Rigby'' actually existed.
For about 42 years, music fans have been confused whether E. Rigby ever live, or was she non-existent.
Now, documents carrying the signatures of the woman have surfaced suggesting her to be a scullery maid, reports the Independent.
Melbourne, Nov. 12 : They may have had all their plans chalked out for dealing with India’s master class batting line-up, the dusty pitches and had the experts to deal with all aspects of the game, but according to a Herald Sun report, the Australian cricket team simply came apart during the four Test series.
Brussels - Struggling carrier Alitalia will have to pay back a 300-million-euro (382-million-dollars) loan it received from the Italian government after it was judged Wednesday to constitute "illegal state aid" by the European Commission.
Damascus - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told his Syrian counterpart Wednesday that Iraq will not be a base for raids on Syria and will soon appoint an Iraqi envoy to Syria.
Zebari, who arrived in Damascus on Tuesday, met with Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Muallem. Zebari delivered a letter from Nuri al-Maliki to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The letter added that the Iraqi government had not been aware of the US raid the Syrian village of Abu Kamal.
Singapore - In the wake of the world-wide financial crisis consumer confidence has turned pessimistic across the Asia Pacific region, according to a survey released Wednesday by MasterCard.
Islamabad - Unknown gunmen shot dead a US aid worker and his driver in Pakistan's north-west on Wednesday, officials and media reports said.
London, Nov 12 : Sir Paul McCartney may have unknowingly revealed that the women who inspired The Beatles'' 1966 hit ''Eleanor Rigby'' actually existed.
Melbourne, Nov. 12 : They may have had all their plans chalked out for dealing with India’s master class batting line-up, the dusty pitches and had the experts to deal with all aspects of the game, but according to a Herald Sun report, the Australian cricket team simply came apart during the four Test series.
Brussels - Struggling carrier Alitalia will have to pay back a 300-million-euro (382-million-dollars) loan it received from the Italian government after it was judged Wednesday to constitute "illegal state aid" by the European Commission.
Damascus - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told his Syrian counterpart Wednesday that Iraq will not be a base for raids on Syria and will soon appoint an Iraqi envoy to Syria.
