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‘s takeover of Chinese steelmaker on hold: company
BEIJING, August 4, 2008 (AFP) – China Oriental said Monday a takeover of the firm by ArcelorMittal had stalled after Chinese regulators failed to give the green light to the proposed deal in the strategically key steel sector.China’s anti-trust regulator failed to approve the deal for ArcelorMittal to take a stake of more than 70 […]
Scores of Australians duped by Olympic ticket scam: reports
SYDNEY, August 4, 2008 (AFP) – Scores of Australians have been caught in an alleged global scam believed to have conned people worldwide into buying non-existent tickets to the Beijing Olympics, reports said Monday. The Sydney Morning Herald said one Brisbane man had spent 46,000 dollars (42,876 US) for tickets which never arrived while a […]
16 police killed in attack in China Muslim region: state media
BEIJING, August 4, 2008 (AFP) – Sixteen policemen in China’s Muslim-majority northwest were killed on Monday in a suspected terrorist attack, state media said, raising security fears four days before the Beijing Olympics.In one of the deadliest reported attacks in China in years, two men aimed a lorry at police officers jogging near their barracks […]
Six showdowns not to be missed at Beijing Olympics
PARIS, August 04, 2008 (AFP) – Six potential showdowns that should not be missed at the Aug 8-24 Beijing Olympics:- ATHLETICS Jeremy Wariner v LaShawn Merritt: The 100 metres might be the ‘blue riband’ event but the 400m is a purists dream and the battle between Wariner, the reigning Olympic champion, and his American compatriot […]
Sri Lanka political parties in joint call for media safeguards
Aug 04, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s major opposition political parties have backed calls for an end to government intimidation of the media and demanded it ensure the safety of journalists. Eleven political parties have signed a joint statement defending media freedom in Sri Lanka and requesting the authorities to safeguard media freedom and guarantee […]
Erotic Fee
Aug 03, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has ordered internet firms to filter pornographic content, but adults could buy unrestricted access for special fee with password protection, a media report said.The Sunday Island newspaper quoting a Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) statement said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered filtering sexually explicit content to […]
Sri Lanka minister says South Asian telecom watchdogs should swiftly cut tariffs
Aug 03, 2008 (LBO) – South Asian telecommunications regulators should quickly move to bring down overseas telephone tariffs, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama said at the conclusion of a regional leaders’ meeting.Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa raised the issue of cheaper call charges during his opening speech at the summit meeting of the South […]
Bhutan wins bid to host South Asian SAARC fund at Sri Lanka meet
Aug 03, 2008 (LBO) – Bhutan will host the secretariat of a South Asian regional fund that has already collected 307 million dollars in commitments at a summit meeting of regional leaders, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama said. But 300 million dollars of seed capital is tiny compared to the capital needs of the […]
Bhutan offers to host South Asian SAARC fund at Sri Lanka summit
August 3, 2008 (LBO) – The landlocked kingdom of Bhutan offered tax concessions to host a planned South Asia Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC) development fund, at a meeting of the seven nation grouping’s leaders in Colombo.The SAARC development fund is to have a 300 million dollar initial capital which will be used to fund […]
South Asian SAARC summit to conclude amid regional rivalry
August 3, 2008 (AFP) – South Asian leaders will push for anti-terror measures and greater food security as they wrap up a summit Sunday, but efforts to boost cooperation remain hampered by tensions between India and Pakistan. The prime ministers of the two countries met on the sidelines of the eight-nation regional summit, grabbing headlines […]