Pakistan confirms Swat ceasefire
February 24, 2009
Taliban fighters and the Pakistani government have agreed to a “permanent ceasefire” in the Swat valley following a year of intense fighting in the troubled north-western area, a senior government official said.
The ceasefire follows a controversial peace agreement, announced last Monday, in which the government accepted the introduction of sharia law in the valley. At least 1,200 people have been killed and 250,000 people have fled Swat in the past year.
The Taleban have also destroyed nearly 200 schools, most of them for girls, during a sustained campaign against secular education in Swat.
An earlier peace agreement broke down in mid-2008.
Ceat, Apollo Tyres to reduce prices
February 24, 2009
New Delhi: Two Indian tyremakers said they will reduce prices by 2%, passing on the excise duty cut announced by the finance minister on Tuesday.
Government cut the excise duty on a range of products to 8% from 10%, to help stimulate demand and shore up the flagging economy.
Apollo Tyres Ltd said it will reduce prices by 2%, following cuts in factory gate taxes by the government on Tuesday.
The new prices will be effective midnight of 25 February, the firm said in a statement.
Ceat Ltd will cut prices of truck tyres effective immediately, its third reduction in three months, it said in a press release.
Shares in Apollo Tyres fell 1.5% to Rs 16 while Ceat fell 1.6% to Rs 33.65 in a weak market.
Sony and mSpot Sign Ringtone deal
February 24, 2009
Sony Music Entertainment and mSpot have entered into a ringtone distribution agreement that will add Sony’s catalog of artists to mSpot’s collection of over 400,000 song titles.
mSpot’s customers can find the new Sony tracks through the Make-UR-Tones mobile application available on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon cell phones. The application lets listeners select full-track songs and edit them to create short, customized ringtones.
mSpot now offers ringtones form all four major labels, including EMI, Warner Music, and Universal, along with indies Ingrooves and IRIS. Companies like mSpot, Myxer, and Jamster offer ringtones separately as well as through various agreements with the major carriers.
Jade Goody begged for mercy killing after cancer diagnosis
February 24, 2009
Former Big Brother star Jade Goody, who also recently participated in Indian version of Big Brother, has begged for mercy killing after the doctors told her that her cervical cancer had become terminal and she has only few weeks to live.
Goody who shot to limelight with reality show Big Brother had to left the Indian show midway on being diagnosed with cancer. Earlier, doctors told her that she may survive the battle against cancer but now it has been told that her disease is terminal.
The 27-year-old TV star has sold the story of her battle against cancer to television and lifestyle magazines to ensure a better life for her two sons.
The controversial star, who married on and off boyfriend Jack Tweed in a lavish ceremony on Sunday, reportedly sold the exclusive coverage rights to a lifestyle magazine for USD 1 million dollars.
Tweed, 21, had proposed Goody on the eve of Valentine’s day after the star was told the cancer had spread to major organs and could not be treated.
The dying actress was recently criticized when she announced that she may allow her death to be captured on camera.
Goody’s publicist Max Clifford said that Goody now wants to christen her sons so that they can keep “in touch” with her after she dies.