All Blogs
Telekom Malaysia sees spike in first quarter profits
KUALA LUMPUR, May 16, 2006 (AFP) – Malaysia’s largest telecommunications provider Telekom Malaysia has seen a sharp gain in its first quarter profit, including gains from Indonesian mobile subsidiary PT Excelcomindo Pratama.Telekom said in a statement late Monday that its three months to March net profit rose 39 percent from a year earlier to 518.95 […]
‘s Tamil Tigers
May 16, 2006 (AFP) – The United States has asked the European Union to follow its lead and ban Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers as a terrorist group, a visiting US State Department official said Tuesday.“We have encouraged the EU to list the LTTE” as a terrorist group, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and […]
Children pay high price for Sri Lanka fighting: UNICEF
May 16, 2006 (AFP) – At least six children were killed in the latest surge of violence in Sri Lanka’s northeast and thousands were made homeless, the United Nations children’s fund UNICEF said Tuesday.“The ongoing violence underlines the urgency for the parties to the conflict to take immediate action to avoid slipping back into a […]
Policeman killed in Sri Lanka blasts
May 16, 2006 (AFP) – A policeman was killed and two others wounded Tuesday in two claymore mine explosions in Sri Lanka’s restive north-eastern district of Trincomalee, the military said.The blasts were aimed at officers who were clearing the main road of mines at Thampalakamam, a military official told AFP. The injured constables were rushed […]
Lame Excuse
May 16 (LBO) – A top economist tells Sri Lanka not to delay petroleum pricing reforms by taking cover behind potential oil reserves. Sri Lanka is a net oil importer, with a fuel bill in the region of 1.6 billion dollars (160 billion rupees) last year, over 800 million dollars the year before, driven upwards […]
War fears batter investor confidence in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, May 16, 2006 (AFP) – Fears Sri Lanka could return to civil war have punched a hole in investor confidence and wiped millions of dollars off the value of local shares, analysts said Tuesday The tiny Colombo Stock Exchange has shed nearly 53 billion rupees (5.3 million dollars) of its value since the crisis […]
New guide aims to erase ‘ugly American’ image
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2006 (AFP) – Don’t be so loud.Listen. Dress up. Those are among the tips offered to US business executives traveling abroad in a new guide aimed at countering the image of the “ugly American”.Launched this month by a non-profit group concerned about mounting anti-Americanism worldwide, the “World Citizens Guide” has 16 suggestions […]
Sri Lanka leaves interest rates at current levels for fifth straight month
May 15, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank opt to maintain its policy rates for the fifth straight month Monday amidst a possible bottoming out of inflation, though private sector credit demand has shown little signs of abating.The repurchase rate, which drains the money from the banking system, stays at 8.75 percent, while the […]
Solid Innings
May 15, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) said Monday, group net profits for the first quarter of 2006 topped 1.3 billion rupees, despite continued losses from its mobile subsidiary and a levy on international calls. At the close of Monday’s trading SLT’s shares dipped 0.25 rupees or 1.9 percent to 13.00 rupees. -by […]
Aviation sector faces a critical five years: industry
SINGAPORE, May 15, 2006 (AFP) – The commercial aviation sector faces a critical five years where the two key players, airlines and airport operators, must take the initiative to innovate ahead of a new era in passenger travel, industry experts said Monday Those who refuse to adapt will be left behind and could become takeover […]