All Blogs
Bill Gates surrendering Microsoft helm
SAN FRANCISCO, June 22, 2008 (AFP) – A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27.Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he […]
India says no military solution to Sri Lanka conflict
June 22, 2008 (AFP) – India has signalled to Sri Lanka that it wants to see an end to the island’s military campaign to help solve the decades-old Tamil separatist conflict, diplomats and officials said Sunday.In closed-door talks over the weekend with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and top officials, India’s National Security Advisor M.K. […]
Sri Lanka government urged to respect media rights
June 22, 2008 (LBO) – Twenty nine media organisations around the world have urged the United Nations to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to protect journalists in the island. The organisations affiliated to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that journalists in Sri Lanka […]
Sri Lanka tea trade divided, losing benefits: official
June 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s billion-dollar tea industry remains too divided, squabbling over trivial matters, and is losing out on benefits it can otherwise win as other industries have done, a senior trade official said. But, Akbarally warned, the gains from high tea prices could be eroded by soaring costs. Production costs shot […]
Sri Lanka gunships strike Tamil Tiger targets: military
June 21, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka launched air attacks in rebel-held territory in the island’s north on Saturday as ground troops killed at least four guerrillas, the defence ministry said. The air force deployed helicopter gunships to bomb suspected positions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Mannar district, the ministry said. […]
Sri Lanka Hayleys in wind energy; boosts hydro power capacity
June 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Hayleys group is building a 10MegaWatt wind power plant in the island’s Western coast and is planning to boost it hydro power capacity to 15Mega Watts, the company said. In the year to March 2008 the power and energy sector has shown a 53 percent return on 709 […]
Gulf to earn 1.3 trillion dlrs from oil in two years: report
KUWAIT CITY, June 21, 2008 (AFP) – The oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are projected to earn close to 1.3 trillion dollars in oil revenue in 2008 and 2009, a Kuwaiti economic report said on Saturday. The six-nation alliance — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia — earned 364 billion […]
Struggling Wall Street braces for new message from Fed
NEW YORK, June 21, 2008 (AFP) – Whipsawed by fresh worries on the financial sector, Wall Street enters the summer season with investors in a sour mood ahead of a meeting of increasingly hawkish Federal Reserve policymakers. Market jitters have risen amid high oil prices, troubles in the banking sector and the prospect of higher […]
Olympic torch in Tibetan capital amid tight security
LHASA, June 21, 2008 (AFP) – The Olympic torch relay made its way through Tibet’s capital Saturday amid heavy security three months after deadly riots against Chinese rule, in a move condemned by rights groups.Hand-picked spectators cheered runners as they carried the torch through Lhasa, after the relay started in front of Norbulingka, the former […]
Sri Lankan shares rebound, heavy trading in Vallibel Power
June 20, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed more than one percent higher Friday, ending several days of declines, with speculative trading in Vallibel Power Erathna boosting turnover, brokers said.The All Share Price Index gained 1.11 percent (26.91 points) to end at 2,459.98 while the more liquid Milanka rose 1.33 percent (38.68 points) to […]