Located in Ho Chi Ming City, the store represents the next phase of Starbucks’ plan to increase its presence further in Asia at a time when stagnating growth in America has prompted it to open thousands of stores and outlets across China and the Asia Pacific region.

Florida-based renewable and sustainable energy technology company GDT Tek Inc, has expanded its business model to include the acquisition of cogeneration landfills.

“Cogeneration landfill operations generate significant revenues but perhaps even more exciting to GDT Tek is our ability to increase the efficiency of cogeneration landfills with our waste heat to electricity system ‘The Phoenix’,” said president Bo Linton.

Potash marketing company Canpotex Limited has reached agreement with Sinofert subsidiary Sinochem Fertilizer Macao to supply 1,000,000 tonnes of potash in the first half of 2013.

The price level agreed reflects a US$70.00 per tonne reduction from the last contract price established in March, 2012.

The Qatari economy expanded by 3.9 percent in the third quarter of 2012/2013, according to data released by the Qatar Statistics Authority.

This marks a slowdown from the second quarter, when real GDP grew five percent from a year ago, and the first quarter, when growth was 6.9 percent.

Qatar, the world’s biggest producer of liquefied natural gas, is diversifying away from petroleum exports into other industries and financial services.

Healthcare delivery in Africa is to benefit from a $10.6 million public-private financing initiative from the Medical Credit Fund (MCF).

The MCF financing has been sourced from the US Government and a group of leading international foundations this week—the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the Calvert Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Soros Economic Development Fund, the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation and Dutch private investors, as well as grant funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Alcoholic beverages producers and importers Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) and Russian Standard have agreed a revised transaction for their strategic alliance.

The amended transaction is intended to stabilize CEDC's business and to allow CEDC to address its balance sheet issues in an orderly fashion. Changes in management structure are also included.

Boeing and Aeromexico have finalized an order for six 787-9 Dreamliners, with reconfirmation rights for four additional Dreamliners.

The order by Mexico's largest airline, first announced as a commitment in July, is valued at more than $1.46 billion at published list prices.

FMC Technologies announced today an agreement with Statoil for the supply of additional subsea equipment for the Snorre field. The order has an estimated value of $33 million in revenue.

Under the terms of the agreement, FMC Technologies will provide 10 production risers and tieback connectors. The equipment is scheduled for delivery in 2015.

We wish a Merry Christmas to all our readers, whether you celebrate the holiday as a Christian or not.

The first recorded celebration of what is now the major holiday in the Christian calendar took place in Rome, Italy, in AD 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor). The first ‘Christ Mass’ was officiated by Pope Sixtus III in AD 435.

The satellite tracking group from the Intelligence & Space Research (ISR) Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory is tracking Santa Claus' whereabouts again on Christmas Eve.

The LANL will be using satellite tracking dishes in the high mountains of Los Alamos, New Mexico, as well as sensors on the FORTE satellite and the Cibola Flight Experiment (CFE) satellite to monitor Santa's progress as he delivers presents around the world to good children everywhere.