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New Platforms
Apr.19 (LBO) – Sri Lankan based software firm specializing in securities trading platforms says regulatory changes in the United States and Europe, is expanding the markets for their products. MillenniumIT which started with equities trading software, now offers fixed income securities trading with latest versions catering to commodity trading and futures contracts. In addition to […]
Oil For Poor
TEHRAN, Iran, Apr.19 (AFP) – Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on oil producers, in particular fellow OPEC members, to sell a part of their crude production to poor countries at “better prices”, the ISNA news agency reported Wednesday.“Oil producing countries, in particular OPEC members, could determine quotas for poor consumers with better prices,” the […]
More bloodshed as Norway pushes for Sri Lanka peace
Apr. 19 (AFP) – Another 10 deaths were reported Wednesday in Sri Lanka’s embattled north and east as Norway’s new peace envoy launched a fresh attempt to salvage the island’s collapsing ceasefire.Two Claymore mine attacks also rocked the troubled regions Wednesday, wounding at least five people including a Korean businessman and two of his Sri […]
Ten killed in Sri Lanka, foreigner among injured
Apr. 19 (AFP) – Ten more people have been killed in Sri Lanka, police and Tamil Tiger rebels said Wednesday, as two Claymore mine blasts wounded four people.A foreign national, believed to be a Southeast Asian, was among those wounded Wednesday, police said adding that his vehicle was hit by a Claymore mine in the […]
Norway envoy holds talks with Sri Lanka PM on saving truce
Apr.19 (AFP) – Norway’s new peace envoy to Sri Lanka has held talks with Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake on moves to salvage the island’s tottering ceasefire, government officials said Wednesday.Jon Hanssen-Bauer advanced his meeting with the prime minister to Tuesday, shortly after arriving in the island amid an upsurge in violence which the Colombo government […]
Norwegian mediator ‘frustrated’ by Sri Lankan parties
OSLO, Apr.18 (AFP) – The main mediator in the Sri Lankan conflict, Erik Solheim of Norway, said Tuesday he was frustrated by the government’s and Tamil rebels’ lack of flexibility, which he said was endangering talks aimed at saving a shaky truce.“I have to admit that we’ve become a bit frustrated these past few days […]
Agonizing Wait
Apr.18 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks have asked for extra time to implement a tax on credit card transactions, as the new stamp duty law is riddled with ambiguities. A stamp duty of one percent or Rs10 for every Rs1,000 spent, has kicked in from April 4, throwing banks and credit card users off balance […]
Get on and play, Gavaskar tells cricket burnouts
NEW DELHI, Apr. 18 (AFP) – Indian great Sunil Gavaskar scoffed Tuesday at suggestions excessive cricket was burning players out, saying the hard grind was part of the honour of representing one’s country. Gavaskar, who now heads the powerful cricket committee of the sport’s world governing body, said he was shocked at players complaining of […]
Historic Highs
LONDON, Apr.18 (AFP) – World oil prices hit record peaks on Tuesday above 72.0 dollars in London and close to 71.0 dollars in New York as the market fretted over possible military conflict between the United States and Iran.The price of New York’s light sweet crude hit a historic high of 70.88 dollars per barrel, […]
Sri Lanka offers compromise to save peace bid
Apr.18 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday agreed to helicopter rides for Tiger rebels in a bid to clear the way for truce talks as peace broker Norway sent an envoy to stop the island sliding back to war.Colombo’s top official handling the peace process, Palitha Kohona, said they told Norway that the Liberation Tigers of […]