Emirates SkyCargo won the award for Best Cargo Airline to the Middle East, for the 16th time in a row, and Best Cargo Airline to the subcontinent, for the sixth consecutive time, at the Cargo Airline of the Year Awards held in London. The Dubai Cargo Village, which plays such a vital role in Emirates SkyCargo's global growth, was also honoured as Best Middle East Cargo Airport, according to reports in the UAE's dailies.

The awards come as Emirates SkyCargo, the Dubai-based cargo division of the international carrier, continues its rapid expansion to all corners of the world. It already has launched five new routes in 2004, with more to come in the next few months, and increased the size of its Boeing 747 freighter fleet to five. The awards are organised by the trade magazine Air Cargo News, UK, and attract votes from readers across the world.

Emirates SkyCargo now serves a truly global network of 76 destinations in 54 countries, including 21 destinations with its freighter aircraft. It is rolling out an eight-route expansion across five continents in 2004.

Peter Sedgley, Emirates' vice-president, Cargo Commercial Operations, said, "Emirates is delighted to receive this recognition of not only our cargo services to the Middle East but beyond as well. With a rapidly expanding global network, we are able to offer customers an ever-increasing choice and superior service to match. This award confirms we are on the right track."

THE American Importers Association (www americanimportor .org) has announced that imports of Indian goods into the United States of America for the first three months of 2004 were US$3.77 billion, an increase of 16.7 per cent over the US$3.23 billion in the same period of 2003.

The Association predicts that exports to the US from India will total approximately US$15.1 billion in 2004. India is America’s 18th largest import trading partner.

Although all sectors show signs of increasing, Indian exporters in the food and beverage, apparel and fabric, computer and electronics, fabricated metal, and chemical sectors will find the greatest potential to see their exports to the US grow in 2004.

PUNJAB National Bank (PNB) has achieved 100% branch computerisaition for all its branches. The Bank has computerised all its 4026 branches, which include
536 metro, 769 urban, 788 semi-urban and 1933 rural branches. Speaking to newsmen, PNB chairman and Managing Director S.S. Kohli said that 504 branches in 101 cities were networked under centralised banking solution (CBS), offering freedom of banking anywhere. A CBS customer can operate his account at any other CBS outlet in India and can avail of all facilities. The customer of CBS networked branches enjoy the facilities of instant fund transfers across cities, collection of cheques, deposit of funds, instant access to statement of account and a host of other value added services through any of the inter-connected branches. Another attractive facility, available to the customers of CBS networked branches, is ‘multi-city cheque book’ which can be used at any city under PNB’s CBS network. Further 1082 branches are equipped with bilingual software. Presently, the Bank has 400 ATMs and tie-up arrangements with four other banks namely ‘MTR’ with the combined strength of over 1850 ATMs. The PNB has also recently signed an MoU with ICICI Bank for sharing of their 1700 ATMs. Now the customer of PNB can avail facilities on over 3500 ATMs.

PNB also offers other value added service, Internt Banking Service, online payment facility for online railway reservation through IRCTC payment Gateway Project, PNB Debit Card etc.

THE Olympic spirit is spreading fast among the Coca-Cola family as the momentous day for the Olympic Torch to land in India on June 10. And to share the magical moments of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, key brand ambassadors of Coca-Cola in India, namely Vivek Oberoi, Chiranjeevi, Bipasha Basu, Siran and Aamir Khan, have committed to participate in the New Delhi leg of the global Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay.

Coca-Cola in India, as the presenting sponsor of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay, had earlier invited nominations, based on the theme of recognising inspiration, from the masses and schools to enable them share the true Olympic spirit by providing them an opportunity to become the local torch-bearers.