Volume 4 Number 158 Sat. November 01, 2003       Advertise with The Daily Star -- Advertising on the Website    Advertising in the Printed E dition-- Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Political Sports Foreign Relations Metropolitan National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Literature Others About Us Contact Advertisement Suppliments Archives Business   24 countries confirm participation in int'l trade confce ICC-B sponsored meet begins Jan 17 Delegates from twenty-four countries have confirmed their participation in the mega international trade conference to be held in Dhaka on January 17-18 next year.   Password Telecom World 2003: Avarice and greed of a few Many people call it the "Telecom Olympics" because it is held in every four years. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been hosting this quadrennial telecom extravaganza since 1971 inGeneva.   BGMEA vents concern over high yarn prices Acting president of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) SM Nurul Haque Thursday expressed deep concern over the 'unusual rise' of cotton yarn prices, saying it may cause   Meghna Life Ins okays 10pc dividend Meghna Life Insurance limited declared a 10 per cent dividend for its shareholders.   Prices of essentials fixed at Agora Agora, one of the leading superstores in Bangladesh, has fixed the prices of essentials for the month of Ramadan, says a press release.   Investment barriers in China relaxed China said on Friday it would allow businesses in some regions to invest more money abroad in its latest move to deflect U.S. pressure for a revaluation of its yuan currency.   US economy grows at best pace since 1984 The US economy rocketed ahead at its fastest pace in nearly two decades in the third quarter as consumers, their wallets fattened by tax cuts, went on a buying spree, the government said on Thursday.   UN alarmed at slow rate of Third World development Eighteen months after an international summit on financing Third World development and slashing world poverty, the United Nations Thursday deplored the stagnating pace of progress.   World Economic Forum reports Finland, US now most competitive economies Finland is the world's most competitive economy followed by the United States, Sweden, Denmark and Taiwan, according to a Global Competitiveness Report released Thursday.   Japan data point to fragile recovery Japan's unemployment rate in September was unchanged from August at 5.     Advertisement