Study highlights financial links between doctors, industry

WASHINGTON, Oct 16, 2007 (AFP) – Nearly two-thirds of US medical school department chairs maintain some form of personal or financial links to the private sector, according to a study published Tuesday.The study, published in the October 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, also urges greater transparency and “underscore the need […]

Indian shares plunge 9.15 percent on offshore buying restrictions

MUMBAI, Oct 17, 2007 (AFP) – Indian share prices plunged more than nine percent Wednesday, forcing a trading halt, after the market watchdog proposed restrictions on purchases by overseas investors, dealers said.They said the plunge followed a notice by the Securities and Exchange Board of India saying it would consider curbs on the use of […]

Zimbabwe inflation surges to 7,892 percent

HARARE, Oct 17, 2007 (AFP) – Zimbabwe’s inflation rate, already the highest in the world, rose to a new peak of nearly 8,000 percent last month, figures released by the central statistics bureau showed on Wednesday.“The year-on-year inflation rate in September 2007 was 7,892.1 percent, gaining 1,389.3 percentage points on the August rate of 6,592.8 […]

‘s dollar millionaires are getting richer: report

HONG KONG, Oct 17, 2007 (AFP) – The number of dollar millionaires in Asia has swelled by 8.6 percent, with Japan home to more than 1.47 million, a report published Wednesday found. Japan has 43.7 percent of the region’s High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) — those with assets of more than one million dollars excluding […]

New Products

Oct 17, 2007 (LBO) – Software and IT educational institute OpenArc released products for business and management sectors of companies in Sri Lanka, following its 15 year anniversary celebrations. ‘Open Arc SkyBank’, is an enhanced web-based solution to enhance efficiency of merchant banks and finance companies which use online real time Integrated General Ledgers, OpenArc […]

High Stakes II

Oct 17, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence conglomerate Wednesday defended its claim to have made the highest bid for Colombo port’s new container terminal in partnership with PSA Corp. An Aitken Spence spokesman said a statement by rival bidder Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) was misleading and an attempt to change the rules for […]

Poor Health

Oct 17, 2007 (LBO) – Lanka Hospitals Corporation said its net loss for the first quarter of the 2008 financial year ended June 30 shot up 148 percent to 35.5 million rupees from 14.3 million in the same period last year. The Harry Jayawardene controlled company, which owns the Apollo Hospital, said in results reported […]

Sri Lanka tourism slumps throws thousands out of work

Oct 17, 2007 (LBO) – Five thousand experienced hotel workers are out of work due to the tourism downturn, according to the managers of Sri Lanka’s top hotel school who are now training people to find work abroad. Hotels are unable to hire new staff as tourist arrivals have fallen 22 percent in the first […]

Port Bids

Oct 17, 2007 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Wednesday dismissed conflicting claims by rival bidders for a new terminal contract, saying they were inaccurate as bids were still being evaluated. “No one can claim to be the highest bidder,” said Nalin Aponso, deputy chief manager for communication and PR at the SLPA. […]

Sri Lankan Tigers kill six soldiers inside wildlife park

Oct 16, 2007 (AFP) – At least six government troops were killed when Tamil Tiger rebels attacked a military position inside Sri Lanka’s main wildlife sanctuary, military officials said Tuesday.The bodies of the six men were found at first light Tuesday following an overnight attack on an army detachment inside the Yala National Park in […]

Sri Lanka clashes kill 38

Oct 16, 2007 (AFP) – At least 38 Tamil Tiger rebel fighters and government soldiers have been killed in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Tuesday.The guerrillas killed seven soldiers in an attack inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s main wildlife sanctuary in the southeast, a military official said. Six of […]

Sri Lankan wild life park scene of fresh fighting

Oct 16, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels have overrun a military post inside Sri Lanka’s most popular wildlife sanctuary, officials said Tuesday amid a surge in fighting ahead of the economically crucial tourist season.The defence ministry said the latest round of fighting over a 24-hour period — both in the wildlife park in the […]

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