Mango production to rise

BHOJPUR: Production of mango in Bhojpur is likely to increase this year. Last year, about 30,000 metric tonnes of mangoes were produced while this year it is likely to produce 45,000 MT of mangoes, according to district agriculture office. — RSS

Food shortage in Humla

HUMLA: Humla district is facing a food shortage after quota rice could not reach on time. Nepal Food Corporation’s local warehouse has have no grain in store since Wednesday. Of the total quota for the current fiscal year of 6,900 quintals only 4,506 quintals have reach here. — RSS

Revenue collection rises

BUTWAL: Revenue collection by transport management, Lumbini zonal office, has considerable increased in nine months of this fiscal year in comparison to last year. They collected Rs 91,904,033 by mid-April. They collected Rs 96,112, 815 last year. — RSS

Chinese airlines take hit

HONG KONG: China Southern Airlines Co and China Eastern Airlines Corp, two of China’s major state-controlled airlines, have reported first quarter earnings badly buffeted by increases in jet fuel costs. China Southern actually went into the red, while China Eastern saw its net profit hurt, but analysts warned of further headwinds from high oil prices for the country’s carriers over the rest of the year. — AP

Global oil industry booms

SAN FRANCISCO: Pumped up by persistently high energy prices, the oil industry maintained its streak of massive — and growing — quarterly profits this week, aggravating motorists and amazing financial analysts. The results of the world’s four largest oil companies illustrate just how well the industry has fared lately. — AP

Copyright row in china

BEIJING: China said on Saturday it has ‘always worked hard’ to protect copyrights, defending itself against a US decision to put it on a blacklist of countries allegedly guilty of ‘rampant’ copyright abuses. — AFP

Zoellick to visit S E Asia

WASHINGTON: Deputy US secretary of state Robert Zoellick said he would make a 10-day long visit to Southeast Asia beginning from Monday to discuss free trade, counter-terrorism, maritime security and reconstruction of tsunami-hit economies. His regional swing would cover Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. — AFP

UA staff threatens strike

CHICAGO: United Airlines’ flight attendants union reiterated a threat on Friday to stage intermittent strikes if the company proceeds with its plan to terminate traditional employee pensions. The airline agreed to a settlement plan last week with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp under which it would shift responsibility for the plans to the government pension agency, with a resulting reduction in workers’ pensions. — AP