All Blogs
UN seeks international panel to probe Sri Lanka killing fields
COLOMBO, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) – The United Nations Tuesday welcomed Sri Lanka’s move to probe the killing of hundreds of civilians by troops and Tamil Tigers, but said a broader international mechanism was needed to check rights abuses. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said in a statement that Monday’s […]
No Cash
Nov 07 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to ask Reliance Industries of India and Petronas of Malaysia for extended credit on fuel purchases, to ease recent pressure on the exchange rate. Meanwhile, the government is also considering offering targeted subsidies for kerosene to Samurdhi beneficiaries, while allowing Ceypetco to sell at market rates, an official […]
Flying High
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – Dubai’s Emirate Airlines Monday reported a steady profit growth as the carrier flew more passengers and carried more cargo to offset historically high fuel prices. For the six months ended Sept 30, net profit was up 29 percent to 323 million dollars over the same period last year. Emirates’ operating […]
Private Property
Nov 06, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Monday announced measures to charge a royalty fee on the commercial use of local artists™ creations and penalties for violators, in a bid to tighten the misuse of copyright laws. Mooted by the national Intellectual Property Office or NIPO and the Collective Societies of Sri Lanka, the law […]
Southern Link
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – Asiri Hospitals Ltd, currently at the centre of a takeover battle, announced plans on Monday to invest and develop a hospital in Matara. “The Company has entered into an agreement with Central Dispensary & Nursing Home Ltd, Matara to lease the premise for a period of 20-years,” Asiri Hospital’s Company […]
Sore Eyes
BERLIN, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Haiti, Myanmar and Iraq are perceived as the most corrupt countries in the world while Finland is seen as the cleanest, a respected global graft watchdog reported Monday.Transparency International (TI) said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index covering 163 countries that some of the world’s poorest nations were also […]
Ocean Link
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – An undersea optical fibre cable between Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands could be the first leg of a trans-Indian Ocean cable system that would link Africa with the Far East, officials said. The cable laying ship is expected to reach Maldives on the 12th and the cable terminated in […]
Zimbabwe economy mars Africa resurgence: IMF
PRETORIA, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials Monday said inflation-ravaged Zimbabwe was a dark spot in sub-Saharan Africa, which is otherwise set for higher economic growth next year.“The situation is very bad in Zimbabwe.Inflation is higher than 1,000 percent,” Abdoulaye Bio-Tchane, the director of IMF’s Africa department, said in Pretoria. […]
Tokyo Stock Exchange boosts capacity again
TOKYO, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Monday it had raised its order handling capacity to 14 million per day from 12 million as part of an upgrade following a series of technical problems.Asia’s largest bourse came under heavy criticism after it closed early for the first time ever in January […]
‘s 150th member
HANOI, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Vietnam is set to become the 150th member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Tuesday after 20 years of market reforms that have made the communist ruled country one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.Hanoi hopes admission to the Geneva based club will further boost trade and investment for the […]