All Blogs
HSBC, Standard Chartered targeted in forex crackdown
HONG KONG, June 28, 2007 (AFP) – HSBC and Standard Chartered confirmed Thursday they were among banks targeted in a crackdown by China’s foreign exchange regulator on speculative capital inflows. The two banks said they had recently been inspected by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) and had taken action to ensure they complied […]
Murali and Malinga leads Sri Lanka in record win against Bangladesh
June 28, 2007 (AFP) – Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan combined to destroy Bangladesh as Sri Lanka won the first Test of their three-match series by an innings and 234 runs.Both bowlers finished with four wickets each as Bangladesh, resuming their second innings at 233-5, were shot out for 254 within 30 minutes of the […]
Sri Lanka hopeful Norway meeting will help peace process
TOKYO, June 28, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Thursday he was optimistic that a meeting of top donors this week would help to revive the island nation’s moribund peace process.Peace broker Norway is holding the crucial meeting of Sri Lanka’s top aid donors in a bid to halt a new […]
Sri Lanka reports 430 killings in five months
June 28, 2007 (AFP) – Some 430 Sri Lankans were slain during a five-month period, most of them minority Tamils, a commission said on Thursday, amid growing controversy over rights abuses in the conflict-hit island. The Special Presidential Commission on Disappearances said the killings were reported between September 2006 and February 2007 as the country […]
Sri Lanka media rights body slams moves to bring back law that curbed critical reporting
June 28, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Free Media Movement (FMM) has expressed shock at attempts to bring back a repealed law which it said was used in the past to silence critical reportage and to persecute editors and journalists. An international media rights mission that was in Sri Lanka this month called on the […]
Ruling Roost
LONDON, June 28, 2007 (AFP) – Ten years after British energy markets were liberalised the customer is king and can put pressure on prices with a click of a computer mouse to change provider.Since Britain first prised open its gas and electricity markets to private households in 1998-1999, the market has settled down and prices […]
‘s Law drives Indian coins into the melting pot
KOLKATA, India, June 27, 2007 (AFP) – Businesses and public transport in India have been hit by a shortage of small change as rupee coins are being turned into razor blades, police said Wednesday. Demand for coins in Kolkata has soared as word spread that 100 one rupee coins could fetch 125 rupees from workshops […]
Sri Lanka rejects treasuries auction; rupee falls to new low
June 27, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka rejected a weekly treasury bills auction Wednesday as the rupee fell to a new life low against the dollar, dealers said.The local currency traded as low as 111.52 against the dollar before picking up to 111.45, after crossing the psychological 111 rupee barrier just two days earlier. The […]
Customs Blog
June 27, 2007 (LBO) – A web logging site for the Sri Lankan and international trading community as well as customs clients has been launched, giving access to new information on tariffs and regulations, officials said. The database holds all of the country’s customs regulations, related laws, taxes and other levies as well as preferential […]
Sell Off
June 27, 2007 (LBO) – Ultrapay Limited, the Australian broadband and mobile wireless services company, has sold the stake it held in Sri Lanka’s Ruhuna Multivision pay tv business, the company said.Ultrapay held the stake in Ruhuna Multivision, which runs Comet Cable, through its subsidiary Chalmway Private Limited. The company says the sale netted 1.2 […]