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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 […]
‘s captain for World Cup
Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Mahela Jayawardene will lead Sri Lanka at the World Cup in the Caribbean next March, chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel told AFP on Monday.“Mahela has done a decent job since taking over from Marvan Atapattu and he will continue till the World Cup,” De Mel said. “We’ve been working […]
Troops, Tigers trade artillery charge as Sri Lanka braces for battle
Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military and Tamil Tiger rebels Monday accused each other of initiating artillery attacks in the island’s restive east as both sides braced for a major offensive in the region.“Ground and intelligence sources have confirmed that the Tigers are preparing to launch a major offensive south of Maavilaru, Kadjuwatte […]
Main opposition in Sri Lanka blows hot and cold over upcoming budget
November 05, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s opposition United National Party which has pledged to support the ruling party in the budget vote says, it will criticize harmful features of the budget, because economic policy is not included in a recent co-operation deal signed between the two parties. “We were not consulted on the upcoming […]
Chatterboxes
DHAKA, Nov 5, 2006 (AFP) – The number of subscribers to Bangladesh’s top mobile phone company exceeded 10 million Sunday as low call rates and cheaper phones led to a surge in customers, GrameenPhone said Sunday.GrameenPhone, a unit of Norwegian telecom company Telenor, said it added 4.5 million subscribers since January, making it the fastest-growing […]