Vienna - Wienerberger AG, one of the world's largest brickmakers, said Monday that a plan to shut down 27 of around 250 factories this year was under way, as the company's net income fell by 44 per cent to 133 million euros (169 million dollars) in the first three quarters.
With the construction sector declining in Western Europe and a sharp drop in housing starts in the United States, the Austrian company said it had already shut 16 of the 27 plants this summer in order to ensure liquidity and to protect its financial base.
Gaza - Israeli troops killed four Palestinians in a fire- fight in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, further battering an already shaky truce.
An Israeli military spokeswoman in Tel Aviv said the troops had spotted a group of armed men making their way to the border fence which separates the salient from Israel, and had opened fire.
Washington, Nov 12 : In a new study, scientists have established that sildenafil, a drug also sold as Viagra and known for treating erectile dysfunction (male impotence) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), does not influence blood flow in patients with cirrhosis.
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem affecting about half of all patients with end-stage liver disease.
The scientists found that sildenafil had no effect on the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG).
Munich - Germany's HVB banking group said Wednesday it posted a loss of 285 million euros (356 million dollars) in the third quarter as a result of the global financial market turmoil.
This compared to a profit of 83 million euros in the same quarter of the previous year for the Munich-based bank, which is the German offshoot of Italy's Unicredit.
A trading loss of 490 million euros coupled with increased outlays to boost credit risk provisions, were major factors in the bank's 2008 third quarter performance, the company said.
HBV shares slumped 8.2 per cent to 3.60 euros after the figures were released.
New York, Nov 12 : For Svetlana Pankratova, having the world''s longest legs and being recognized for it has its advantages and disadvantages.
The 36-year-old, who had recently appeared in Times Sq. to receive certification of the Guinness world record for the world''s longest legs, stands 6 foot 5 inches tall and had been encouraged by her friend to enter her legs into the record books.
“I wasn''t too interested in the idea at first, but she convinced me,” the New York Daily News quoted the Russian record-breaker, currently in the U. S. to promote this Thursday''s Guinness World Records Day 2008, as saying.
Vienna - Wienerberger AG, one of the world's largest brickmakers, said Monday that a plan to shut down 27 of around 250 factories this year was under way, as the company's net income fell by 44 per cent to 133 million euros (169 million dollars) in the first three quarters.
Gaza - Israeli troops killed four Palestinians in a fire- fight in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, further battering an already shaky truce.
Washington, Nov 12 : In a new study, scientists have established that sildenafil, a drug also sold as Viagra and known for treating erectile dysfunction (male impotence) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), does not influence blood flow in patients with cirrhosis.
Munich - Germany's HVB banking group said Wednesday it posted a loss of 285 million euros (356 million dollars) in the third quarter as a result of the global financial market turmoil.
New York, Nov 12 : For Svetlana Pankratova, having the world''s longest legs and being recognized for it has its advantages and disadvantages.
London, Nov 12 : Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, 33, has revealed that his pregnant wife Jools has developed an odd craving for hot water bottles.
