Category: Other
Guilty Plea
NEW YORK, January 7, 2010 (AFP) – A former senior partner in the McKinsey & Co consulting firm pleaded guilty Thursday in New York to taking money for providing tips in the alleged Galleon hedge fund insider trading ring. Anil Kumar pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy and securities fraud and said he had […]
Sri Lanka tea exporters press for import liberalisation
Jan 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea exporters are pressing for liberalisation of tea imports for blending and re-export, saying it could help improve value-addition in the island and expand markets. Jayantha Keragala, chairman of the Tea Exporters Association, said exporters could increase earnings if more imports are allowed for blending and value-addition. Imports […]
Small is big at Delhi auto show
NEW DELHI, January 3, 2010 (AFP) – Small will be big at an Indian auto show when the world’s leading manufacturers unveil a slew of compact cars designed for one of the world’s fastest growing markets. AutoExpo 2010, which begins on Tuesday and runs until January 11, is expected to be the biggest ever, featuring […]
US alerts travelers to threats of attacks in India
WASHINGTON, December 29, 2009 (AFP) – The United States published an alert Tuesday for Americans traveling to India, saying Washington continues receiving reports that militant groups may be plotting attacks in that country.The US State Department on December 9 alerted travelers to possible violence in India’s strife-torn Andhra Pradesh region but did not mention, as […]
Sri Lanka cuts lending rate for farmers ahead of polls
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s Central Bank said it will slash lending rates for farmers with effect from January 1, 2010 barely a month ahead of crucial presidential elections. Total loans amounting to about 10 billion rupees are disbursed each year under this loan scheme. Under the Agro Livestock Development Loan Scheme the […]
‘s 3G auction set for further delay
NEW DELHI, December 29, 2009 (AFP) – India’s long-awaited auction for third generation (3G) mobile telecom services has been delayed again and will miss a January 14 deadline, officials said Tuesday.“It will obviously not be on January 14. We will announce it (a new date for the auction) soon on our website,” an official in […]
Indian minister pans new visa rules on Twitter
NEW DELHI, December 28, 2009 (AFP) – India’s Twitter-loving junior foreign minister has used the microblogging site to criticise his government’s move to tighten rules for long-term tourist visas, his account showed Monday.Shashi Tharoor questioned the logic behind the tougher rules, saying the Islamist militants behind last year’s Mumbai attacks hijacked a boat and entered […]
Sri Lanka readies Ceylon tea intellectual property claim
Dec 28, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is readying a claim for intellectual property protection for different types of Ceylon tea under global ”Geographical Indicators’ rules that would help market the product, a senior official said.Sri Lanka Tea Board chairman Lalith Hettiarachchi said they are seeking recognition for GI indicators for seven tea growing districts […]
Graft Wave
December 26, 2009 (AFP) – Nearly half a billion dollars in tsunami aid for Sri Lanka is unaccounted for and over 600 million dollars has been spent on projects unrelated to the disaster, an anti-corruption watchdog said Saturday.Berlin-based Transparency International demanded an audit of the money received by the Sri Lankan government to help victims […]
Asia remembers day ocean unleashed its fury
BANDA ACEH, December 26, 2009 (AFP) – People across Asia paused Saturday to remember the day five years ago when an undersea earthquake unleashed a devastating wave that killed more than 220,000 people. A solemn day of prayers and remembrance to mark one of the world’s worst natural disasters was held in Indonesia’s Aceh province, […]
Arms Allegation
SINGAPORE, December 25, 2009 (AFP) – A Singapore opposition party member has been extradited to the United States where he stands accused of trying to supply arms to Sri Lanka’s defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, according to a report Friday.Balldev Naidu, 47, a businessman and co-founder of the Reform Party, was extradited on December 18, the […]
Sri Lanka tea earnings seen holding up despite lower crop
Dec 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea production this year will be lower than in 2008 because of drought and a strike but earnings should match last year’s as prices have been good, a senior official said. “Prices have been good – at least 10-12 percent more than last year.” Sri Lankan tea prices […]