Author: lbostgadmin
India steelmaker Essar seals deal for US steel firm for 1.1 bln dlrs
NEW DELHI, May 2, 2008 (AFP) – Indian steelmaker Essar Steel said Thursday it planned to acquire US steel company Esmark, valuing the deal at 1.1 billion dollars, as it pushes ahead with an aggressive North American expansion drive.With the planned buy, Essar will have nearly seven million tonnes of steelmaking capacity in the United […]
Sri Lankan police arrest UN aid worker for carrying pistol
April 30, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Wednesday arrested a local staff member attached to a United Nation organisation for carrying a pistol with him, the defence ministry said. Thiagaraja Prabhakaran, working with the World Food Programme office in the northern district of Kilinochchi, was held while he was being searched at a roadblock in […]
Sri Lanka mine kills two police commandos: military
May 1, 2008 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday set off a roadside mine in northern Sri Lanka, killing two police commandos, the defence ministry said. The Claymore mine, packed with steel balls, exploded in Kebethigollewa as troops were clearing the road for mines, the military said, adding that troops fired at fleeing […]
British police get more time to quiz Tamil Tiger suspects
LONDON, May 1, 2008 (AFP) – British police have been given more time to question three men held as part of a police probe into the Tamil Tiger guerrillas in Sri Lanka, a spokesman said Thursday.Detectives have been granted until Tuesday to hold the trio at the high-security Paddington Green police station in London. “We […]
Federal Reserve under fire as commodity bubble wreaks chaos; WSJ says Bernanke addicted to printing
April 30, 2008 (LBO) – The Federal Reserve money printing that has fired a commodity bubble causing malnutrition and food riots in poor countries is increasingly coming under fire, with mainstream media adding their voice to a growing flood of critics. After the sub-prime bubble started to unravel last July the Fed has cut rates […]
Sri Lanka Sinhala news service, central bank talks economics online
April 28, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s pioneer Unicode Sinhala news portal, Vimasuma.com and the Central Bank has teamed up to produce a series of educational discussions targeted at economics students and the public. The multimedia discussion series which can be viewed online at www.vimasuma.com is aimed at economics teachers, students of economics and others […]
Sri Lanka central bank says will maintain tight policy
April 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank will continue to maintain tight monetary policy to cope with the current economic turmoil, uncertainty and high prices, a senior official said. “Monetary policy will continue to be tight,” said Ranee Jayamaha, deputy governor of the Central Bank said Wednesday. “The exchange rate and the interest […]
Sri Lanka central bank tightens money targets
April 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has tightened reserve money targets as 12-month inflation hit a new high of 25.0 percent in the capital Colombo on a new index while an older index showed an increase of 29.9 percent in April. The US has increasingly come under fire for firing a global […]
‘s Murali plans to teach magic to young spinners
April 30, 2008 (AFP) – Record-breaking Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan said Wednesday he plans to team up with Indian counterpart Anil Kumble to coach spinners when he retires from international cricket.“I will do a little bit for the game, not for money but for enjoyment,” Muralitharan told the Mumbai-based Daily News and Analysis newspaper. […]
Money printing US adds 40 mln in emergency food aid
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2008 (AFP) – The United States on Tuesday released 40 million dollars in emergency aid for the World Food Program (WFP) to help deal with the growing global food crisis affecting the poorest nations. The funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be added to 200 million dollars […]
Dollar pauses in Asia ahead of Fed rate decision
April 30, 2008 (AFP) – The dollar was little changed in Asian trade on Wednesday as investors sat on their hands ahead of a Federal Reserve interest rate decision and a US economic growth report, dealers said.A decision by Japan’s central bank to leave its key interest rate unchanged at 0.5 percent had little impact. […]
Mekong nations to form OPEC-style rice cartel: Thai PM
BANGKOK, April 30, 2008 (AFP) – Thailand’s prime minister said Wednesday his country had agreed in principle to form a rice price-fixing cartel with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia as costs of the staple grain rocket. The grouping of Mekong nations would be similar to the oil cartel OPEC, and would be called the Organisation […]