‘s upgrades China, Hong Kong, Macau ratings

HONG KONG, July 26, 2007 (AFP) – International ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service said Thursday it has upgraded its currency ratings for China, Hong Kong and the gambling haven of Macau.It has raised China’s long-term foreign currency bond rating to “A1” from “A2” on the back of the exceptional strength of its external payments position, […]

Indonesia issues tsunami alert after 6.6-magnitude quake

JAKARTA, July 26, 2007 (AFP) – Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami warning Thursday for the province of North Maluku after a 6.6-magnitude quake hit the area, a meteorology official said.The earthquake was centered 57 kilometres (35 miles) under the seabed some 234 kilometres northwest of the town of Ternate, the capital of North Maluku, said […]

Flat Profits

July 26, 2007 (LBO) – Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka’s largest celco saw consolidated net profits dip by a marginal 3 percent in the June quarter as start-up costs of a new pay TV division dragged the group bottom line down. “DBN will expand its fixed wireless operation into four more districts including Colombo, during the […]

Easy Dollars

July 26, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has relaxed foreign currency transactions in the country by allowing money changers to sell as well as buy forex and also relaxed rules on operating non-resident foreign currency accounts. The Central Bank, which regulates the industry, said in a public notice that nine money changers out of 62 […]

Investment banks in detailed bids for Sri Lanka sovereign bond

July 25, 2007 (LBO) – Investment banks vying to lead-manage a sovereign bond issue have started to make detailed presentations to the Sri Lanka government as official data showed that the country’s foreign reserves were coming under pressure. The beauty parade is expected to be completed this week with banks making proposals for 400 and […]

Sri Lanka blast deaths climb to 12

July 25, 2007 (AFP) – The death toll in a bomb attack against a military convoy in northern Sri Lanka rose to 12 as a wounded soldier died in hospital on Wednesday, police said.The Tigers have been fighting for a separate state for minority Tamils for 35 years, a conflict that has claimed more than […]

SYDNEY, July 25, 2007 (AFP) – A New Zealander was jailed for 24 years Wednesday after being convicted of the first murder in 150 years on the tiny South Pacific territory of Norfolk Island.He will be eligible for parole after a minimum of 18 years. Glenn McNeill, 29, murdered Australian Janelle Patton and dumped her […]

Animal rescuers on red alert as it rains cats and dogs in Britain

OXFORD, England, July 25, 2007 (AFP) – It is not only humans who have been hit by Britain’s worst floods in 60 years — cats, dogs and donkeys are also suffering, prompting a rescue mission on an unprecedented scale. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has sent a third of […]

” trade deal

SOFIA, July 24, 2007 (AFP) – Six foreign medics sentenced to death then life imprisonment in Libya in a controversial AIDS case were free in the Bulgarian capital Tuesday after the EU struck a multi-million-dollar financial and trade deal with Tripoli.The five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor who also has Bulgarian citizenship were released […]

The high price of bullion; money printing Zimbabwe hikes gold by 760%

HARARE, July 25, 2007 (AFP) – Zimbabwe’s central bank on Wednesday increased the price of gold by 757 percent in a bid to curb rampant smuggling of the precious metal and cover soaring production costs, an official said. Zimbabwe’s gold production is this year expected to drop to about 8,700 kilogrammes from 11,354 kilogrammes last […]

Trying Hard

RIYADH, July 24, 2007 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan minister said on Tuesday he was seeking Riyadh’s help in obtaining clemency for a teenage maid condemned to death but he did not expect an immediate outcome to efforts to save her life.“We got a very good and patient hearing” from Saudi foreign ministry officials during […]

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