Improving airport

SURKHET:

Surkhet, one of the busiest airports in the country, will soon be blacktopped through the internal resources of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). A tender has already been called for selecting the contractor for the work. Talking to RSS, chief of CAAN, Surkhet Rajendra Ranabhat disclosed that a budget of Rs 35 Million has already been allocated in this fiscal year for the work. A total of 1,060 metres will be back-topped along with the parking area while a cargo house worth Rs 2.5 Million will also be constructed, adds Ranabhat. Constructed in 2022 BS, the airport is located at a height of 2,400 meters from sea level and covers an area of 34 bigaha. — RSS

Road work disturbed

SURKHET:

Thousands of local people here have been hit hard after construction work on the 25-km long Sukatiya Bharta road came to a halt. The construction works was taken up in Kalikot district under the food for work programme of the World Food Programme. 1,000 workers of Sukatiya and Bhara VDC have been affected as the construction of road in rural remote areas launched by the World Food Programme (WFP) came to a halt following obstruction put up by the Maoists. This situation has robbed local labourers of their means of livelihood. — RSS

Crude oil prices rise

VIENNA:

Crude oil veulted above $65 a barrel ON Friday after the US Department of Energy said energy costs in the Unmted States for the upcoming winter would be the highest in 10 years. Oil futures rose for a second day as more damage reports from Hurricane Katrina filtered in, with US Energy Secretary Sam Bodman saying at least fouv refineries in the US Gulf Coast would remain off-line for months. — AP

Figuring Katrina woes

NEW YORK:

Moody’s Investors Service said devastation from Hurricane Katrina could lead it to downgrade almost $6 billion (euro4.8 billion) in debt issued by the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. The largest US credit rating agency also placed much smaller amounts of bonds issued by Jefferson Parish Sales Tax District and by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District on a possible downgrade. — AP

Strike at Boeing Co

SEATTLE:

The head of Boeing Co’s commercial airplane operations says the company and the Machinists Union were $1 billion (euro 810,000 million) apart when more than 18,000 workers hit the picket lines September 2, according to an internal memo to company executives. “When union negotiators say the two sides were ‘miles apart,’ they are correct,” Alan R Mulally said. — AP