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Apple Computer unveils new product line

TOKYO: Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled improved, faster models of its popular iBook and PowerBook laptop computers at the Tokyo MacWorld Expo show. Apple also announced it has increased the performance of its Power Mac G4 line, which runs professional applications. With its hot-selling iMac, iBook and G4 computers drawing kudos from customers and envy from competitors, Apple has been reaping the benefits of a remarkable financial turnaround under chief executive Steve Jobs.ÑAP

Australian economy

SYDNEY: Austraia's economy will continue to grow strongly this year, but inflation will rise sharply in September quarter because of taxation reform, the central bank said on Wednesday. In a generally upbeat assessment, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) forecast a rise in inflation well beyond the targeted 2-3 percent range because of the introduction on July 1 of a goods and services tax (GST).ÑAFP

Aid handouts

BANGKOK: Appealing to rich nations to open up their markets, the chief of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Wednesday that aid handouts cannot help the poorest countries as much as-selling goods in real free trade. Mike Moore told the UN Conference on Trade and Development that trade could be a force for peace in the world but for it to work, everyone had to have access and the gaps between rich and poor coutnries narrowed. The gaps are growing in the rapidly globalizing, high-tech economy, Moore said, urging rich nations to help least developed countries catch up by lowering trade barriers to their exports.ÑAP

Japan's industrial output

TOKYO: Japan's industrial output fell a revised 1.2 percent month-on-month in December, the trade ministry said on Wednesday after first estimating it fell by 1.4 percent. Inustrial shipments fell a revised 1.0 percent in the month compared with a preliaminary estimate of a 1.1 percent decrease given on January 28, the ministry said. Inventories were down 1.5 percent instead of 1.6 percent as first given. AFP