India win Twenty20 title after rousing finale

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 24, 2007 (AFP) – Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s young Indian team snatched the inaugural Twenty20 world title after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by five runs in a thrilling final on Monday.Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was declared the player of the tournament despite falling for zero in the final. The Indians, restricted to 157-5 after electing […]

Heavy battles in Sri Lanka claim 27 lives: military

Sept 24, 2007 (AFP) – Heavy fighting between security forces and Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka has left at least 27 people dead, military officials said Monday. The LTTE lost at least 20 men in pre-dawn clashes Monday on the Jaffna peninsula, according to the defence ministry. Another three Tigers were killed in the […]

Reach Out

Sept 23, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal has urged the banking community to reach out to the rural poor saying the move would not only help impoverished farmers but enrich the banks themselves. The government and the banking community should aim to improve financial inclusion for vulnerable sections and […]

‘ Wi-Fi dreams fading fast

WASHINGTON, Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) – Ambitious plans for big Wi-Fi networks to provide free or low-cost wireless Internet access are being abandoned or scaled back by US cities as the economics of the deals turn out to be more challenging than expected. San Francisco and Chicago in recent weeks abruptly halted plans to set […]

‘s Chery group matures into global auto player

WUHU, China, Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) – China’s Chery Auto sales vice president Jin Yibo remembers when the roof in the president’s office had a leak so big that they had to put out buckets to collect the water. “Those were tough times,” said Jin, shaking his head in disbelief as he recalled Chery’s humble […]

From India to Indjija — Serb town in IT park deal

INDJIJA, Serbia, Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) – Goran Jesic, a young mayor with a reputation for investment coups, will sign a deal this week with an Indian company to build an IT park here, yet another win for this tiny Serbian town already hailed as an “economic miracle.” Jesic is confident the project for the […]

Fed decision to print more money undermine confidence in dollar

WASHINGTON, Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) – The dollar’s weakness and the euro’s rise to record highs have raised questions about confidence in the US currency following a surprising Federal Reserve half-point rate cut, analysts say. Some are concerned that the dollar’s woes may prompt central banks to cash in their greenbacks, provoking a further downward […]

Sri Lanka conflict end in sight but dangers ahead, says US

Sept 23, 2007 (LBO) – Recent military victories over Tamil Tigers, especially in Sri Lanka’s east, offer a chance to end the conflict but only if minorities can be convinced of a bright future in the island, the US envoy has said. . “A solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict is in reach,” US Ambassador Robert […]

Sri Lanka offers olive branch to Tamil Tigers

Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka offered Sunday to halt major military operations against Tamil separatists in exchange for peace talks following intense international censure. The military will not press ahead with a ground offensive if the Tigers agree to talk, Defence Ministry secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told a newspaper. The country’s top defence official […]

LBR-LBO CFO Forum

Sept 22, 2007 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan chief financial officer’s job has become more challenging but the position retains its strategic importance and provides the best stepping stone to the top in the corporate sector, a senior executive said. “It is the same old role which most of our finance professionals are not playing […]

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