QA expands network

KATHMANDU: Qatar Airways (QA) has expanded its North African network by launching scheduled flights to Tunis and Algiers. The airline is operating three flights a week non-stop between its operational hub of Doha, and the Tunisian capital of Tunis. The flights continue onto Algiers, the capital of Algeria. — HNS

CCI condemns arrest

KATHMANDU: Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Sunsari has condemned arrest of Pawan Kumar Agrawal, president of the Chambers. The branch has also appealed the business community, political parties, human rights association, journalists and civil society to appeal for a probe of Agrawal. — HNS

MS offers licence

SEATTLE: Microsoft Corp is trying to make some money off some of its spare technology, offering entrepreneurs and venture capitalists licenses to such inventions as tamperproof identification card software and computer tricks that make chintzy speakers sound top-notch. — AP

IBM to slash jobs

NEW YORK: International Business Machines (IBM) Corp said it would cut between 10,000 and 13,000 jobs and record a pre-tax charge of between $1.3 billion and $1.7 billion in the second quarter. — AP

Air India, Airbus row

NEW DELHI: Air-India said on Thursday that it would complain to Airbus Industrie for crying foul over its decision to buy 50 long-range jets from Boeing. Jitendra Bhargava, spokesman for Air-India, said the carrier would make its deep unhappiness known to Airbus for alleging that it had been soft on Boeing. — AFP