Invest on education’

SHUNEH: A World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East wraps up on Sunday after highlighting the need for education to strengthen competitiveness and amid calls to support an Arab plan for peace with Israel. UAE prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum announced a $10 billion education fund to bridge what he called a wide knowledge gap between the region and the developed world in the West and Asia. — AFP

Thai energy shortage

BANGKOK: Fearing a looming electricity shortage, Thailand has for the first time included nuclear power as an option in its long-term energy planning, despite worries about environmental problems. The government’s planners believe that by the end of the next decade building nuclear plants will be the most affordable way of meeting the country’s rapidly growing energy needs. Construction of four conventional power plants has already been approved, but Twarath said the government’s latest 15-year Power Development Plan, which runs through 2021, calls for considering nuclear as a new energy source. — AFP

Indonesian growth

JAKARTA: Indonesia needed to improve its investment climate and reduce its reliance of commodity exports to achieve its forecast of 6.3 per cent economic growth this year. Southeast Asia’s largest economy grew by six per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, down from 6.1 per cent in the previous quarter. The figure was however more than the 5.8 per cent predicted by economists, and Indonesia’s finance ministers predicted that the economy would regain momentum and hit its fastest-full year growth in more than a decade. — AFP

German CPI rises

FRANKFURT: Consumer prices in Europe’s biggest economy rose in April. Prices in Germany rose by 0.4 per cent in April from the previous month and were 1.9 per cent higher than in April 2006. The increase was led by food prices, particularly fresh produce, which saw prices rise. Tomatoes, for example, were up by 34 per cent from a year ago while salads gained 34 per cent. — AP

Japan’s output revised

TOKYO: Japan said its industrial output fell by 0.3 per cent in March from February, less than previously thought, helping to ease jitters over the health of the domestic economy. The revised figure compared with an initial estimate of a 0.6 per cent drop and follows February’s gain of 0.7 per cent. Year-on-year, output was up by two per cent, better than an initial estimate of a 1.6 per cent increase. — AFP

Khetan condoled

KATHMANDU: Abdullah Gul, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Republic of Turkey has expressed deep condolence at the demise of Mohan Gopal Khetan, honorary consul general and a prominent industrialist. In a letter sent to Prem Lata Khetan, wife of late Mohan Gopal Khetan, Abdullah stated that he and his government would always remember late Khetan’s invaluable contributions and efforts to strengthen the friendly relations between Turkey and Nepal. —HNS

GDAN gets new team

KATHMANDU: The first annual general meeting of Gas Distributors Association, Nepal (GDAN) has constituted an 11-member executive committee under the chairmanship of Chandra Krishna Shrestha for a two-year term. Rajendra Mahato, minister for industry, commerce

and supplies graced the event as a chief guest. Mukunda Shrestha and Shiv Bhakta Shrestha are the first and second vice-presidents, while Anil Timilsina is the general secretary. Prasanta Aryal has been elected as secretary and Uday Tamrakar as the treasurer. Ram Prasad Lohala, Santosh Pandey, Hom Bogati, Laxman Shrestha and Raj Kumar Thapaliya are the members. —HNS