Author: lbostgadmin
Malaysia calls for “toilet revolution”
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25, 2006 (AFP) – Malaysia’s deputy premier has called for a “toilet revolution” in the country, saying dirty facilities frighten away tourists and reflect poorly on the country.Opening the nation’s first ever “toilet expo” on Thursday, deputy prime minister Najib Razak said the cleanliness and beauty of a country’s toilets were a […]
Oil prices spike, nickel and coffee hit peaks
LONDON, Aug 25, 2006 (AFP) – Crude oil prices rebounded, while nickel hit a historic peak and coffee futures in London reached their highest level in seven years in a volatile trading week for commodities. On Friday, the Commodities Research Bureau’s index of 17 commodities finished at 336.20 points, up from 330.62 points the previous […]
Rocket Ride
August 25, 2006 (LBO) – Cheque usage in Sri Lanka has rocketed up, after an image clearing system is speeding up clearing, an official said. Sri Lanka’s central clearing house, LankaClear (Pvt) Ltd says usage has almost doubled within months of introducing an image clearing and truncation system, which has eliminated the physical transportation of […]
Sri Lankan warplanes bomb Tiger base as aid groups hit
Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lankan warplanes bombed a suspected base used by seaborne Tamil Tigers on Thursday as aid groups were hit in continuing violence that left at least three dead, the military and charities said.A 29-year-old Sri Lankan working for a New Zealand agency involved in tsunami relief was abducted and shot […]
Departing ceasefire monitor chief slams EU in gloomy Sri Lanka outlook
COLOMBO, Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) – The outgoing chief monitor of Sri Lanka’s crumbling ceasefire Thursday criticised the EU for banning the Tamil Tiger rebels and said his warnings of a violent “worst case scenario” had come true. Brigadier General Ulf Henricsson wrote a memo to the European Union more than a month before May’s […]
More Canadians arrested in Tamil Tigers anti-terror sweep
OTTAWA, Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) – Three Canadian residents accused of supporting Sri Lanka’s separatist Tamil Tiger rebels were arrested this week at the cusp of a joint Canada-US anti-terror sweep and face extradition to the United States, police said Thursday.Ottawa and Washington brand the movement a foreign terrorist organization. A total 11 suspects, including […]
Indian Hindus, Muslims find miracles, but some sceptical
NEW DELHI, Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) – Barbara Rao, an American software designer of Indian descent, relies on reason in her job, but, like tens of thousands of other Hindus, is now seeking answers of a different nature.“Hey man, this is faith,” said the Santa Fe resident, as she offered milk to a statue of […]
The planetary A-list: will Pluto make the cut?
PRAGUE, Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) – Suspense was deeper than a black hole Thursday as the world’s top astronomers prepared to announce whether lonely, little Pluto — ninth rock from the Sun — would be ejected from the planetary A-list. “We have to accept that the universe changed because the knowledge we have of it […]
Sri Lanka reports record tea sales from Jan-July
August 24, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka shipped a record 185.9 million kilos of tea to overseas buyers for the seven months to July, a commodity broker said Thursday. However, a strike at the Colombo port in July crimped export targets, with the island shipping 27.4 million kilos as against 28.0 million over the corresponding period […]
Backup Band
Aug 24, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s accounting watchdog has formed a committee to of experts to facilitate the flow emerging trends in accounting and auditing standards The panel will assist the Sri Lanka Accounting & Auditing Standards Monitoring Board (SLAASMB) staff to interact with industry experts on technical aspects, the watchdog said in a […]
Tinkering Job
August 24, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s financial intelligence unit is looking to raise the threshold on money transactions that have to be reported to authorities, following complaints from market players, a top official said Thursday. Anti-money laundering activities, comes under the supervision of the country’s finance ministry. South Asian securities regulators from Bangladesh, Bhutan, […]
Sri Lankan rupee extends gains; foreign interest boost stocks
August 24, 2006 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan rupee firmed up against the U.S. dollar Thursday, while share prices rose on foreign investors’ interest in selected bluechip stocks, dealers said. The broader All Share Price index inched up 0.48 percent to 2,138.05, while the liquid Milanka Price Index added 0.77 percent to 2,726.44 on sales […]