Vienna - Austrian telecommunications provider Telekom Austria AG said Wednesday its third-quarter net profits had dropped by 6.2 per cent to 163 million euros
(207 million dollars), mainly due to higher interest expenses after it acquired Velcom last year.

Operating income rose to 262 million euros, increasing by 1.5 per cent from the third quarter of 2007.

The takeover of Belarus mobile phone operator Velcom dampened profits, but also boosted Telekom Austria's revenues, which grew by 4 per cent to 1.33 billion euros.

Dhabi, Nov. 12, 2008 -- Foreign Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for International Cooperation Affairs, Mohammed Abdul Rahim Abdul Jalil, received at his office here today Austrian Ambassador, Gerald Kriechbaum.

They discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost them, the follow-up of the work of joint committee meeting held in Austria and visa exemption between the two countries.

Vienna - Wienerberger AG, one of the world's largest brickmakers, said Monday that a plan to shut down 27 of around 250 factories this year was under way, as the company's net income fell by 44 per cent to 133 million euros (169 million dollars) in the first three quarters.

With the construction sector declining in Western Europe and a sharp drop in housing starts in the United States, the Austrian company said it had already shut 16 of the 27 plants this summer in order to ensure liquidity and to protect its financial base.

Vienna - The price fo

Vienna - Bank Austria, part of the Italian UniCredit group, said Wednesday its profits fell by 1.2 per cent to 1.74 billion euros (2.21 billion dollars) in the first three quarters of 2008, due to growth in Central and Eastern Europe and relaxed accounting rules.

Vienna - The plan by Austria's postal service Post AG to close 77 per cent of its post offices in the coming years will be put on hold by decree, Austrian Infrastructure Minister Werner Faymann announced Tuesday.

As part of the restructuring plan, the state-owned Post also wants to lay off 9,000 of its 25,800 employees by 2015, according to Austrian media reports.