| Nigeria: Country in African Governance League Table - 37th of 48
"We are shining a light on governance in Africa, and in so doing we are making a unique contribution to improving the quality of governance. The Ibrahim Index is a tool to hold governments to account and frame the debate about how we are governed. Africans are setting benchmarks not only for their own continent, but for the world". - Mo Ibrahim, founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation that has created the ranking of African governance performance. .
Diamonds are not forever
Surat's Rs 70,000-crore diamond industry has always lent a distinct sparkle to Gujarat politics, albeit discreetly, financing candidates, providing launch pads, even deciding the voting trends with its 10-lakh-strong workforce and its roots all over Gujarat. But 2007 is different. The past six months have seen a vocal campaign against Chief Minister Narendra Modi orchestrated by a set of diamond merchants in Surat, who have come out openly with their preferences and have divided the industry into pro- and anti-Modi camps. The chief minister's supporters have, meanwhile, been quick to organise functions to felicitate their leader in a show of strength before Surat goes to the polls on December 11. The diamond industry has traditionally supported the BJP. Of the five city seats in Surat district, four went to the BJP in 2002.
• Study: Employee Health Coverage Shrinks As Costs Go Up
An annual business survey has released findings noting that the cost of providing health care for workers rose again in 2007 to nearly $8,000 annually per employee, prompting more businesses to drop the benefit, according to an annual business survey released on Monday.
Costs rose by 6.1 percent, about the same pace as last year but lower than the double-digit rates of prior years. But that's still more than twice the rate of inflation, and costs to businesses would be even higher if they had not shifted more of it to the workers and their families, the National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health plans found. The survey by employee benefits firm Mercer included nearly 3,000 private and public employers with 10 or more workers. In keeping with trends of recent years, businesses with fewer than 200 workers were more likely to cut back on coverage than larger ones.
Cadmus And Provenco Apply For Clearance To Merge
The Commerce Commission has received an application from Cadmus Technology Limited and Provenco Group Limited seeking clearance for a merger transaction through which Cadmus and Provenco will amalgamate pursuant to Part XIII of the Companies Act 1993. Cadmus is listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. It designs, develops and implements electronic point-of-sale payment solutions for merchant businesses in New Zealand and overseas. .
State launches education campaign for seniors and their families
(SALEM) - The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) recently announced it is launching a public awareness campaign to help senior citizens and their families protect themselves against insurance and financial abuse.Beginning this fall, DCBS will five presentations around the state as part of its new SAFE program (Senior and Family Education on Insurance and Financial Issues). SAFE is designed to help seniors learn how to:� Recognize predatory marketing techniques used by insurance agents and security brokers.� Choose insurance and financial products that are suitable for them.� Avoid scams. DCBS has added senior-related information to its Web site (www.dcbs.oregon.gov) and developed several free publications for seniors and their families."Seniors are tempting targets for scams or deceptive sales practices because many are deciding what to do with large sums of money from a lifetime of savings and asset appreciation," said Cory Streisinger, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services.
(AFX UK Focus) 2007-11-16 11:44 GMT: Northern Rock expects to receive 6-8 takeover proposals - report UPDATE
(Adds detail, background) LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Northern Rock PLC expects to receive between six and eight proposals to buy all or part of the struggling banking group by today's preliminary bid deadline, the Financial Times reported. The bank and its advisers Blackstone, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch have set today as the deadline for indicative proposals, with US buyout firm JC Flowers LLC, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and hedge fund Cerberus Capital Management among those expected to bid for the entire bank. A fourth approach is expected from Olivant, the investment group led by former Abbey chief executive Luqman Arnold, which said this week that it intended to buy a stake in Northern Rock and work on stabilising the bank. Press reports have previously named US buyout firms Lone Star and Apollo as other potential acquirers of Northern Rock.
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