Nationalist Looters

COLOMBO, June 28, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s police arrested key suspects involved in fuelling religious riots and looting, an official said Saturday as minority Muslims expressed fears of more unrest ahead of Ramadan.Muslims as well as a majority of moderate Buddhists have pressed for action against the Buddhist Force, or BBS, which is seen […]

‘s power sector losses seen at $27bn by World Bank

NEW DELHI, June 24, 2014 (AFP) – Annual losses in India’s dysfunctional power sector are forecast to rise to billion in 2017 unless the government enacts sweeping reforms in the face of rising demand, a World Bank study said Tuesday.India has one of the world’s lowest per capita electricity consumption rates, with the average person […]

Nationalist Riots

COLOMBO, June 22, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police announced Sunday they were tightening security in the capital after local media, in a rare show of unity, condemned them for failing to control Buddhist extremists behind deadly anti-Muslim riots. The UNP has accused the country’s powerful defence secretary and president’s younger brother, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, of […]

Fire Probe

COLOMBO, June 21, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police were investigating a fire which Saturday destroyed a Muslim-owned clothing store in a district where religious tensions have been heightened after anti-Muslim riots killed four people and wounded 80.Authorities have not ruled out arson at the upmarket No-Limit store in Panadura, 25 kilometres (16 miles) south […]

Smishing Alert

June 18, 2014 (LBO) – HSBC Sri Lanka has warned that there is a text message scam seeking campaign and has asked customers or non-customers not to call back and reveal their identity, passwords or account details.“HSBC would like to remind that the Bank has not sent these text messages to customers and non-customers and […]

‘s inflation hits five-month high

NEW DELHI, June 16, 2014 (AFP) – India’s inflation accelerated to a five-month high in May, in a worrying sign for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new government which has made fighting price rises a priority.The Wholesale Price Index, the most closely watched cost of living monitor, rose to 6.01 percent in May — the highest […]

” in defence technology: PM

NEW DELHI, June 14, 2014 (AFP) – India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday the country must be “self sufficient” in its defence capabilities at a ceremony inducting a Russian-built aircraft carrier into the navy.Modi said India should place “immense importance” on developing the latest technology as the navy looks to recover from a string […]

‘s Karachi airport

KARACHI, June 8, 2014 (AFP) – Heavily armed militants attacked Pakistan’s busiest airport in the southern city of Karachi Sunday night, killing at least six people as flights were suspended and the army was called in, officials said. Some six militants were also killed in the assault as gunfire, which continued overnight, and two huge […]

Japan to be first stop for India PM Modi: report

TOKYO, June 6, 2014 (AFP) – Japan could be the first foreign destination for new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese media reported Friday, suggesting the trip could happen as early as this month.Coming top of Modi’s travel itinerary would mark a diplomatic coup for Japan, whose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is looking to boost […]

Court Order

June 05, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s courts have ordered the liquidation of Touchwood, a controversial forestry investment company, but a appeal of the decision is planned, a media report said.Meanwhile recent media reports said trees in some forestry plantations and some investors were attempting to prevent it. Adaderanabiz.lk, a Colombo based business news portal […]

Flipkart battles Amazon for India e-shopping dominance

NEW DELHI, June 4, 2014 (AFP) – India’s online retailers are bulking up on acquisitions and funding as they battle the world’s biggest Internet shopping giant, Amazon, for supremacy in the hyper-competitive domestic market.Late last month, Flipkart, India’s largest e-shopping portal, announced the takeover of rival Myntra in a deal analysts estimated at 0 million […]

Extinct bat found in Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY, June 4, 2014 (AFP) – A big-eared bat which was thought to be extinct has been found in a forest in Papua New Guinea, highlighting the unique biodiversity of the developing nation, researchers said Wednesday. Until the find the bat, or Pharotis imogene, had not been seen in 120 years. “The species was presumed […]

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