| Negotiation with WB on DSC-IV begins today
The government will start negotiations today (Sunday) with the largest multilateral donor agency World Bank (WB) for the release of the fund, amounting to US$200 million under the fourth tranche (instalment) of development support credit (DSC) programme, official sources said.
A senior Economic Relations Division (ERD) official said that as the government had already carried out a lot of reforms and increased particularly the domestic oil prices, the WB might approve the $200 million budgetary support for Bangladesh by next month.
The visiting WB appraisal mission, led by its sector director, Sadiq Ahmed, told journalists last week that the lending agency might disburse the DSC-IV before the announcement of the next budget by the government of Bangladesh.
The ERD official said: "The final negotiation is expected to be completed by April 10.
US Accuses Canada Of Reneging On Lumber Deal
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has welcomed a decision by the United States Trade Representative, Susan Schwab, to request formal consultations with Canada to discuss whether that country is really abiding by the US-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement. The agreement, which entered into force on October 12, 2006, was supposed to settle a longstanding and acrimonious dispute regarding imports of Canadian softwood lumber. Questions have already been raised, however, about Canadas compliance with the agreement. Canada struck a deal on lumber and they need to abide by it," Baucus commented. "Ive urged Ambassador Schwab to push Canada on this, and I commend her for taking this first step of requesting consultations." The US trade representative owes it to lumber workers in Montana and across the country to make Canada play by the rules, he added.
Alameda teachers want mediator in talks
ALAMEDA The union representing Alameda teachers say contract talks with the school district have reached an impasse and it has asked the state to appoint a mediator. While both sides have reached tentative agreement on a portion of the contract, which expired in July, the talks have stalled over a pay raise and medical benefits. The announcement of an impasse follows union and district officials meeting 19 times in the past 13 months. "There's been a lot of time and energy put into it," said teacher Glenda McDowell, the chief negotiator for the Alameda Education Association. "But at this point, there's been no movement. I think it's time to bring in a third party." The union's call for an outside mediator on March 29 surprised district officials, who said they had offered a benefits and salary proposal during talks earlier the same day.
Papers end legal fight in Seattle
The Hearst Corp. and the Seattle Times Co. said Monday that they have resolved a four-year legal fight over their joint operating agreement, permitting the Times and Hearst-owned Seattle Post-Intelligencer to continue publishing into the foreseeable future. The two sides have been engaged in costly litigation and had agreed to enter binding arbitration -- meaning both sides would accept an arbitrator's ruling -- which was scheduled to begin on Monday. The settlement of their legal dispute was announced minutes before the arbitration session was to begin. The two newspapers have had a joint operating agreement since 1983. They are separate editorially, but the Times operates the business functions of both papers and receives 60 percent of revenue after production costs. Those terms will remain.
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