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Feb 12, 2008 (LBO) – JNW news, Sri Lanka’s pioneer news provider on mobile networks, has launched a news website using Sinhala Unicode characters, an official said. “We wanted to do Unicode because that is the future of Sinhala on the web,” JNW chief Chamath Ariyadasa said. “Advantages like easily transferring the content to other […]
Sri Lanka to give national honour to Maldives President
Feb 12, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will confer a national honor on visiting Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for fostering close relations with the island, the foreign ministry said.Gayoom is scheduled to arrive in the island today with a delegation of senior ministers and officials. “The Lanka Mithra Vibushana” will be conferred on Gayoom […]
How phone operators use SMS for cash transfers
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – In many poor and emerging countries, the lack of banking infrastructure but widespread use of mobile phones has created a business opportunity that network operators are keen to exploit.On Monday, British operator Vodafone announced at the industry’s annual trade show in Barcelona that it would launch a money […]
‘ funds in Asia
SINGAPORE, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – A consortium launched in Singapore on Tuesday aims to choke militants’ access to funds in Southeast Asia which one analyst said could reach three million US dollars a month. The Consortium for Countering the Financing of Terrorism aims to strengthen cooperation between banks, government agencies and academia to cut […]
Drought cuts 10 percent off Australian agricultural production
SYDNEY, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – Drought cut 10 percent off the value of Australia’s agricultural production in 2006-07, official figures showed Tuesday.Poor crop production fuelled the downturn to a total output of 34.2 billion dollars (30.8 billion US), the Australian Bureau of Statistics said. Cotton dipped 46 percent to 514 million dollars, while rice […]
Dollar stable as traders digest G7 meeting
TOKYO, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – The dollar was steady against the yen in Asian trade Tuesday after world finance chiefs refrained from taking any concrete measures to stabilise markets at a weekend meeting, dealers said.They said the Tokyo market, which was closed on Monday for a national holiday, was still digesting the outcome of […]
Sri Lanka beat India to revive tri-series hopes
CANBERRA, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka hammered India by eight wickets on Tuesday to revive their hopes in the rain-hit tri-series.Set a revised 154 to win from 21 overs, Sri Lanka reached the rain-adjusted target with two overs to spare for their first win of the series. India made 195 for five from […]
Sri Lanka win toss, bowl against India
CANBERRA, Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bowl in the rain-delayed match of the triangular one-day cricket series against India here Tuesday.. After heavy showers in the morning, the match was shortened to 29 overs a side. India stayed with the side that upset Australia […]
Sri Lanka Tigers shell military base as fighting kills dozens
Feb 12, 2008 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels shelled a key military base in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, officials said, as the defence ministry said dozens of rebels were killed in new fighting.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attacked the Thallady military camp in the district of Mannar early Tuesday, drawing retaliatory fire […]
Oil Trends
Feb 12, 2008 (LBO) – Lanka IOC is looking to extend its bunker business once new pipelines connecting the Colombo port with storage terminals are laid, an official said. The pipes would be laid by the common infrastructure firm, Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Ltd (CPSTL), which is jointly owned by Lanka IOC, the state-owned Ceylon […]