Auto service stations.
Minkara Group, owns six Mobil Oil auto service stations in prime locations in Beirut city.Wardieh ( Hamra )Red Cross ( Kantari)Joumblat (Ain El Mreiseh)Sidani Street (Ras Beirut)Bechara El Khoury (off Solidere, Beirut Central District)Ras El Nabeh (Ras El Nabeh Area)The company has introduced automation and a computer aided management system which lead to significant improvement in the staff efficiency as a result improving the rate of customers serviced per day. This also resulted in building up the trust of more than 55 first rank companies (Embassies, Taxi Companies, Banks Transporters, etc...) to become regular customers and open accounts with the stations which are to billed on a monthly basis. It should be noted that the acceptance of payments settled by all types of credit cards contributed in the success of these service stations with an increase of 32% in sales.
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Fogarty wants Ducati to quit.
LONDON: Former World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty urged his former team Ducati to quit the series--where he won four titles.Fogarty retired from riding this year following a protracted recovery from a broken arm and the British star now wants the Italian team to concentrate on developing a new four-stroke machine for the Grand Prix World Championship (GPs).Adored by thousands of racing fans, Fogarty has turned down an opportunity to run a World Superbike team for Ducati in 2001 but showed an interest in fronting a four-stroke team for GPs a year later."It's obviously a big decision for Ducati to make, but the way I see it they don't have a choice,'' said the Blackburn-born rider."There is no future in WSB. In some way I hope I am wrong as WSB is close to my heart, but I can't see it.''--AFP
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=========News form Beirut.========
Lebanese Cabinet continues discussions on 2001 state budget
The Lebanese Cabinet today held a morning session to continue discussions on the 2001 state budget project after listening to a detailed presentation on the project by Finance Minister Fouad Al-Sanyoura during a session on Tuesday. The session today was headed by President Emil Lahhoud and attended by Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri and the 30 ministers. A closed-door meeting between President Lahhoud and Premier Hariri preceded the session.During the meeting today, Hariri responded to earlier remarks by ministers on various parts of the budget project. Discussions mainly centered on increasing budgets allocated to specific ministries, particularly the ministries of agriculture, industry and public works. Ministers also suggested abolishing the tax of 5,000 LL on telephone bills aimed at improving the conditions of the state-run Tele Liban. Cabinet also discussed an agenda of 24 clauses and ratified suggestions aimed at ensuring the success of the Shopping and Tourism Festival extending between the beginning of February and mid March.
De Mistura concludes visits to Lebanese officials by meeting Berri
The personal representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to southern Lebanon, Staffan De Mistura today concluded his visits to Lebanese officials by meeting House Speaker Nabih Berri. De Mistura this week held talks with Lebanon&#
========News from Croatia========
Croatian police and military forces liberated western slavonia region
Police and military forces of Republic of Croatia liberated within less than 40 hours the occupied territory of Western Slavonia, including the towns of Jasenovac, Okucani and Stara Gradiska. The action began on the 1st of May at 05:30 and ended in the afternoon of the next day. The aim of the action was to ensure safe traffic on the modern highway Zagreb-Slavonski Brod-Lipovac and on the railroad between Zagreb and Vinkovci. The section of these two paths in length of 27 km (15 miles) was closed for any kind of traffic for over three years now, since Yugoslav army and Serb's forces carried out the aggression on Republic of Croatia in 1991. After the Agreement with Serbs from the occupied territories has been reached on the 21st of December 1994. the highway was opened. Even though they signed the agreement there has been several severe incidents on the highway, and on the 24th of April 1995. Serbs closed it down. In spite of the agreed, the railroad hasn't been opened at all.
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India says it is ready to talk to Pakistan if terrorism stops.
NEW DELHI, India (AP) -- India's highest official in Islambad met with Pakistan's military ruler Monday in the first direct communication between the two enemies since a 1999 military confrontation which left at least 1,000 soldiers dead.India offered to hold peace talks with Pakistan if Islamabad stops its support for Pakistan-based Islamic militants. But India rejected the possibility of holding tripartite talks involving Islamic militant groups.Meanwhile, large numbers of villagers in three districts of India-controlled Kashmir voted for the first time in 23 years on Monday. Islamic militants had called for villagers to boycott the vote.Following the meeting between Ambassador Vijay Nambiar and Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan said that only a resumption of the dialogue between the two countries could lead to the cessation of violence, Indian officials said.
While both sides have repeated their longheld positions, the Nambiar-Musharraf meeting might have opened a door for a way out of the impasse over the resumption of talks.
Leaders of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, a group of 23 parties that opposes Indian control of Kashmir, were planning to go to Pakistan soon to speak to government and militant leaders about a common approach to India's peace initiative.
The Pakistan High Commission issued a statement on Monday calling upon the Indian government to enable all members of the Hurriyat to make the trip "to prepare the ground for a tripartite process of negotiations for a peaceful settlement ..."
But India's rejection of the tripartite process was categorical.
"India would like to make it clear that there is no question of a tripartite process and India rejects the very notion of tripartite talks," said Raminder Jassal, a spokesman at the external affairs ministry.
Jassal said that Nambiar told Musharraf that India wished to resume talks with Pakistan, but that the "cessation of cross-border terrorism," was a requirement.
India accuses Pakistan of financing, training and arming Islamic militants. Pakistan denies the charge and says it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the guerrillas.
Islamic guerrilla groups fighting to wrest Kashmir from India had asked villagers to boycott Monday's polls, saying they were designed to legitimize Indian authority and could hamper embryonic peace initiatives.
Emboldened by the silent Pakistani artillery guns since a unilateral cease-fire declared by India on Nov. 28, voters showed up to elect councils and headmen for 125 villages in the three districts.
The guns have fallen silent since Pakistan responded to India's temporary cease-fire, which is due to end on Jan. 26. However, India's army has recommended that it be extended.
There has been no local democracy in Kashmir since the insurgency began in 1989.
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