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Maldives strongman wants to rule on into fourth decade
MALE, August, 2007 (AFP) – Asia’s longest serving leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, says he wants to be the first directly elected president of the Maldives after winning a landslide victory for his political reform package.However, the country has yet to stage a multi-party election.Gayoom has previously been the sole presidential candidate nominated by a 50-member […]
”s bid for PC maker Packard Bell hit by Acer-Gateway deal
BEIJING, Aug 28, 2007 (AFP) – A bid by China’s Lenovo to buy major European personal computer maker Packard Bell will probably fail due to an acquisition by rival Acer, state media said Tuesday.The Lenovo plan may be aborted after Taiwan’s Acer announced Monday it had signed a deal to buy Gateway for 710 million […]
Money printing Zimbabwe fertilizer firms close due to forex shortages
HARARE, Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – Zimbabwe is facing another year of food shortages as three major fertiliser manufacturers have closed due to power cuts and a lack of raw materials, state media reported Monday.Eben Makonese, chief executive of Chemplex Coroporation which runs the three semi-governmental firms, said Dorowa minerals, Iron Duke and Zimphos have […]
‘s central bank sees credit squeeze easing
SYDNEY, Aug 28, 2007 (AFP) – There are signs that the credit squeeze which rocked global markets recently is easing both in Australia and overseas, the deputy governor of Australia’s central bank said Tuesday. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Ric Battellino said the steps taken by the central bank to ease upward pressure on interest […]
‘s Mahela, Muttiah among ICC award nominees
MUMBAI, Aug 28, 2007 (AFP) – Test captains Ricky Ponting of Australia and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka were on Tuesday nominated in four categories for the 2007 International Cricket Council awards.The winners will be announced at the ICC awards night to be held in Johannesburg on September 10, a day before the inaugural World […]
Not too late for Sri Lanka peace talks: Egeland
SINGAPORE, Aug 28, 2007 (AFP) – There is still time for peace talks between Sri Lanka’s government and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels despite the virtual collapse of a truce, a former Norwegian peace broker said Tuesday.“It’s not too late. They can and should and must reopen real peace negotiations,” Jan Egeland told AFP. But he […]
Sri Lanka forex market uncertainty returns; no two way quotes yet
August 27, 2007 (LBO) – Expectations that two-way quotes would resume and exporters would start selling in Sri Lanka’s forex markets were dashed early Monday after official interventions spread unease among dealers.Banks stopped quoting two-way in the interbank forex market after the central bank started intervening and terrorizing dealers a few weeks ago. Heavy central […]
‘s Hapugastenne estate profit soars on high tea prices, asset sales
August 27, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hapugastenne Plantations said net profit for the June quarter shot up 472 percent to 170 million rupees with the bottom line being boosted by high low grown tea prices and profit from asset sales. Revenue for the quarter was up 39 percent to 705 million rupees, according to […]
Ouch!
Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – A colony of wasps attacked over 250 tourists on Monday at a fifth-century rock fortress in Sri Lanka causing a stampede, police said. At least 85 people were hospitalised while others were given first aid following the incident at the foot of the 180-metre (600-foot) fortress of Sigiriya. The Sigiriya […]
Holy Film
MUMBAI, Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – An historical epic is to be filmed about the life and teachings of the Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, a South Asian production team said Monday. “The message of the movie gives answers to global crises of conflict and environmental problems,” Navin Gooneratne, the chairman of the Light […]