Author: lbostgadmin
Troops, Tigers trade artillery charge as Sri Lanka braces for battle
Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military and Tamil Tiger rebels Monday accused each other of initiating artillery attacks in the island’s restive east as both sides braced for a major offensive in the region.“Ground and intelligence sources have confirmed that the Tigers are preparing to launch a major offensive south of Maavilaru, Kadjuwatte […]
‘s captain for World Cup
Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Mahela Jayawardene will lead Sri Lanka at the World Cup in the Caribbean next March, chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel told AFP on Monday.“Mahela has done a decent job since taking over from Marvan Atapattu and he will continue till the World Cup,” De Mel said. “We’ve been working […]
‘s 150th member
HANOI, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Vietnam is set to become the 150th member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Tuesday after 20 years of market reforms that have made the communist ruled country one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.Hanoi hopes admission to the Geneva based club will further boost trade and investment for the […]
Tokyo Stock Exchange boosts capacity again
TOKYO, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Monday it had raised its order handling capacity to 14 million per day from 12 million as part of an upgrade following a series of technical problems.Asia’s largest bourse came under heavy criticism after it closed early for the first time ever in January […]
Zimbabwe economy mars Africa resurgence: IMF
PRETORIA, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials Monday said inflation-ravaged Zimbabwe was a dark spot in sub-Saharan Africa, which is otherwise set for higher economic growth next year.“The situation is very bad in Zimbabwe.Inflation is higher than 1,000 percent,” Abdoulaye Bio-Tchane, the director of IMF’s Africa department, said in Pretoria. […]
Ocean Link
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – An undersea optical fibre cable between Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands could be the first leg of a trans-Indian Ocean cable system that would link Africa with the Far East, officials said. The cable laying ship is expected to reach Maldives on the 12th and the cable terminated in […]
Sore Eyes
BERLIN, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) – Haiti, Myanmar and Iraq are perceived as the most corrupt countries in the world while Finland is seen as the cleanest, a respected global graft watchdog reported Monday.Transparency International (TI) said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index covering 163 countries that some of the world’s poorest nations were also […]
Southern Link
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – Asiri Hospitals Ltd, currently at the centre of a takeover battle, announced plans on Monday to invest and develop a hospital in Matara. “The Company has entered into an agreement with Central Dispensary & Nursing Home Ltd, Matara to lease the premise for a period of 20-years,” Asiri Hospital’s Company […]
Private Property
Nov 06, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Monday announced measures to charge a royalty fee on the commercial use of local artists™ creations and penalties for violators, in a bid to tighten the misuse of copyright laws. Mooted by the national Intellectual Property Office or NIPO and the Collective Societies of Sri Lanka, the law […]
Flying High
November 6, 2006 (LBO) – Dubai’s Emirate Airlines Monday reported a steady profit growth as the carrier flew more passengers and carried more cargo to offset historically high fuel prices. For the six months ended Sept 30, net profit was up 29 percent to 323 million dollars over the same period last year. Emirates’ operating […]
Upsurge in violence expected after Sri Lanka talks fail
COLOMBO, Nov 5 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military and Tamil Tiger rebels are again accusing each other of gearing up for war after peace talks collapsed in Switzerland, with analysts saying an upsurge in violence is inevitable.The government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) failed a week ago to buy time for […]
Former Sri Lanka skipper Ranatunga hails Hair exit
COLOMBO, Nov 5 (AFP) – Sri Lankan cricket legend Arjuna Ranatunga Sunday welcomed the International Cricket Council’s decision to remove Australian umpire Darrell Hair from its elite panel.“This should have happened long ago, but I am happy with the way the ICC handled the Pakistani complaint,” said Ranatunga, who led his team to an epic […]