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Air ambulance to evacuate wounded British honeymooners
Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – An air ambulance arrived in the Maldives Tuesday to evacuate a British honeymoon couple wounded in a weekend bomb attack, a minister said. The plane, chartered by the Maldivian government, will airlift Christian and Jennifer Donelan, both 32, to Britain, where they will undergo further medical treatment, Tourism Minister Mahamood […]
Yearly inflation in OECD area falls to 1.8 percent in September
PARIS, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – Annual inflation in the 30 industrialised members of the OECD fell to 1.8 percent in the year to August from 2.0 percent in July 2006, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday.In Japan, prices were down by 0.2 percent in August compared with a year earlier after […]
Lonely Planet founders say BBC sale offers chance to move on
SYDNEY, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – The founders of Lonely Planet guidebooks said Tuesday that they decided to sell the “backpackers’ Bible” to BBC Worldwide because they wanted to “move on” and have more time for travel.Tony and Maureen Wheeler founded the hugely successful publishing business 34 years ago when they compiled a list of […]
Soaring euro, slowing economy dampen odds of eurozone rate hike
FRANKFURT, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – The European Central Bank is keeping an eye on inflation but the chances it will raise its base lending rate Thursday are nil owing to the soaring euro and signs the eurozone economy is slowing down.In Britain, the Bank of England was also expected to hold rates steady, two […]
Indonesia issues tsunami alert after quake
JAKARTA, Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – Indonesia issued a tsunami warning to coastal areas along its west Sumatra island Tuesday after a 6.4-magnitude quake struck offshore, the meteorology office said. . .
‘s wife to be auctioned
LONDON, Oct 1, 2007 (AFP) – Jewels that once previously belonged to Anita Delgado, a Spanish dancer who became the fifth wife of a wealthy Indian maharaja, are to be auctioned in London, auction house Christie’s said Monday. The eight pieces of jewellery, described by Christie’s as consisting predominantly of art deco pieces, will be […]
Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers deny taking bribe to rig elections
Oct 2, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels Tuesday rejected lingering allegations that they cut a lucrative deal with President Mahinda Rajapakse to ensure his election victory nearly two years ago.The Tigers are leading a drawn-out campaign for independence, and the island’s mainstream political leaders have often been accused of cutting deals with […]
Zimbabwe hikes rates by 15,000bp as Sri Lanka holds rates steady
Oct 02, 2007 (LBO) – Zimbabwe has hiked overnight discount rate by 15,000 basis points to 800 percent while the rate at the unsecured last resort window has been upped to 850 percent, a market day after Sri Lanka froze policy rates. “These levels will be reviewed regularly without prior warning,” Zimbabwe’s central bank governor […]
Health Injection
Oct 01, 2007 (LBO) – Aureos South Asia Fund (ASAF) has invested five million dollars in an Apollo hospital in Bangladesh, the South Asian focused investment fund said. The Bangladesh Taka 343 million injection goes to STS Holdings, which owns the Apollo Hospital in the country. The investment will boost STS Holdings’ plans for further […]
Sri Lankan tea brokers mull mechanisation
Oct 01, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea brokers are considering mechanizing preparation of samples to speed up the work to handle ever increasing volumes. Brokers today prepare and distribute a million two once samples of tea a week for buyers to see and taste before deciding to bid at the Colombo auctions, the world’s […]
Open Season
Oct 01, 2007 (LBO) – The United States visa lottery for would-be immigrants will be opened on Wednesday, October 3, and participation is without any charge, the US embassy in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo said. Lottery winners will be notified between May and July, 2008 and have a one-year window in which they may […]
Split Profits
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1, 2007 (AFP) – Telecommunications giant Telekom Malaysia on Monday saw its share price jump by 11.3 percent in morning trade after the company announced a plan to split its mobile and fixed-line business. At 11:45 am (0345 GMT), Telekom Malaysia shares rose 1.10 ringgit to 10.80 (3.18 dollars) on the Kuala […]