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European demand supports Lenovo

2008-08-08T08:58:00+02:00

Chinese PC maker Lenovo has reported upbeat quarterly profits as it improved market share in Europe.

The firm, which is one of the official partners for the Beijing Olympics, said net income grew 65% to $110.5m (£56.8m) in the three months to June.

Sales rose 10.5% to $4.2bn, with sales in Greater China up 22% to $1.7bn, while sales in the Americas fell 4.8%.

The firm saw sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa rise to $904m from $755m the year before.

Broad-based growth

"Lenovo is growing across geographies and product lines, continuing to bolster its already strong position in both developed markets and the fast-growing emerging markets," said Chairman Yang Yuanqing.

Best known for its Thinkpad slim-line computers, it said demand for these type of laptops continued to be the largest contributor to total sales.

Lenovo is the fourth biggest computer manufacturer in the world behind Taiwanese computer firm Acer and Hewlett Packard and Dell of the US.

It established itself as a global player in 2005 when it bought IBM's PC operations.

Solana talks to Iranian nuke negotiator by phone

2008-08-05T08:30:26+02:00

E.U. foreign policy chief Javier Solana is pictured before a meeting on nuclear issues with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili at the Town Hall in Geneva July 19, 2008
　
BRUSSELS, Aug. 4 -- The European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana held on Monday a phone conversation with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, according to a news release from Solana's office.

During the conversation, they discussed the Iranian nuclear issue, as a follow-up to the meeting they had in Geneva on July 19,the news release said.

The news release did not give more details about their conversation, but said that "Solana will be in touch with the authorities of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States".

Their talks came two days after the expiration of a deadline set at the Geneva meeting for Iran to give "a clear answer" to an incentive package the six nations have offered it for the suspension of its uranium enrichment.

Iran did not give any answer by the Saturday deadline concerning the package, which Solana handed to the Iranian authorities in June on behalf of the six countries.

A good investment: Report says NCC adds more money to Fairfield County

2008-07-31T09:12:19+02:00

Jackie Tiro, who has been studying business administration at Norwalk Community College since last year, knows that her education is a good investment.

According to a new report on the college, Fairfield County is seeing the benefit, too.

The report, prepared by Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. of Moscow, Idaho, for the state community college system, found that NCC adds more money to the economy than it takes out, and provides taxpayers a return on their investment.

A study included all 12 community colleges in Connecticut.

"It reassures the taxpayers and the General Assembly that they're making a good investment," said Mary Anne Cox, assistant chancellor of the community college system.

The report found that having former NCC students employed in the region increases income by $511.8 million, stimulating the regional economy.

State taxpayers also benefit, earning a 10.4 percent rate of return on their investment in NCC. About 93 percent of NCC students remain in the state, and each student who enters the work force expands the tax base by generating higher earnings and reducing the dependency on public funds, according to the report.

NCC students add $25.6 million in income annually to the state economy, the report states.

Several NCC students said they plan to stay in Connecticut when they finish their degrees.

State Rep. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, who is on the General Assembly's Education and Higher Education committees, said she

wasn't surprised to hear the results.
Boucher said NCC boosts the region when living costs and gas prices are rising.

"I think that is one place where we actually do receive a benefit or return," Boucher said. "It is one of our last remaining competitive advantages."

The report wasn't a response to looming budget cuts, Cox said. It is good to show the financial benefits of the community college system, Cox said.

NCC President David Levinson said the nursing program is a good example of the report's findings. After two years, graduates enter a competitive job market, earning $65,000 a year or more and provide a crucial service.

"You can't go to Norwalk, Stamford or Greenwich hospitals without coming into contact with one of our nursing students," Levinson said.

The report found that the lifetime earnings of an NCC student will increase $8.10 for every $1 invested in their education, and they can recover all their costs in seven years.

"I can see that, because when you come here you save more money than going to a bigger college or university, but get the same amount of education," said Tiro, 18. "It's good to have a school like this close to home that costs less money."