Category: Other
Rights diplomats struggle to find Sri Lanka compromise
GENEVA, May 27, 2009 (AFP) – The UN Human Rights Council reconvened its special session on Sri Lanka Wednesday with diplomats struggling to bridge an Asian-Western divide over the rights situation and a probe into abuses. Sri Lanka, backed by Asian countries including China, India and Pakistan, tabled a revised draft resolution late Monday which […]
WHO mulls pandemic threshold as flu cases near 13,000
MEXICO CITY, May 27, 2009 (AFP) – Mexico reported two more swine flu deaths on Tuesday, as World Health Organization scientists asked if it had moved too quickly to declare the outbreak a pandemic.Authorities in Mexico said the death toll had risen to 85, and infected cases rose to 4,721 with scientists advancing through a […]
More than 110 dead after cyclone hits Bangladesh, India
DHAKA, May 26, 2009 (AFP) – Bangladesh and India launched major relief operations Tuesday after a cyclone tore into the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal, killing at least 116 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Many of the casualties in Bangladesh were reported to be children who drowned when Cyclone Aila triggered […]
Sri Lanka tea output recovers in April
May 25, 2009 (LBO)- Sri Lanka’s total tea production in April 2009 shows an increase compared with the same month a year ago, indicating the crop is recovering from the effects of severe drought earlier this year.The Sri Lanka Tea Board said total tea production in April was 29.2 million kilos, up 4.8 percent from […]
Australian navy intercepts refugee boat: minister
MELBOURNE, May 24, 2009 (AFP) – The Australian navy intercepted a refugee boat with 77 people aboard Sunday off the country’s northwest coast, Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said. The boat is the 13th suspected people-smuggling craft to have been stopped in Australian waters or to have made landfall since January, prompting criticism from the […]
Foreign institutions invest over US$3bn in Indian bourses in 2009
NEW DELHI, (Asia Pulse) – Foreign Institutional Investors’ (FIIs) inflow into the Indian stock markets has crossed the US$3 billion mark (over Rs 15,725 crore) so far this year, with as much as US$2 billion coming in just five trading sessions. Since the beginning of new fiscal year, FIIs have started putting money in domestic […]
Bare Facts
May 23, 2009 (LBO) – The primary objective of a central bank is to stabilise the value of its currency and continue to maintain that stability to facilitate long term economic growth. There could be other ancillary objectives assigned to a central bank, such as providing liquidity to the government to bridge its revenue and […]
India seeks death certificate of Tamil Tiger leader: official
NEW DELHI, May 21, 2009 (AFP) – India on Thursday asked Sri Lanka to provide the death certificate for Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, a foreign ministry official told AFP. The separatist rebel chief, who was reported killed by Sri Lankan forces earlier this week, was wanted in India for planning the 1991 assassination of […]
Sri Lanka tea prices hit by stronger rupee, lower quality
May 22, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices fell at this week’s auction with a sudden strengthening of the rupee adding to downward price pressure caused by bigger volumes and lower quality, brokers said. Asia Siyaka also said tea prices generally declined for most categories due to lower quality following a holiday period. “The […]
Maldives joins International Labour Organization
May 21, 2009 (LBO) – The Indian Ocean tourist paradise of Maldives has joined the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN agency which deals with labour issues said.The membership started on May 15, with president Mohamed Nasheed accepting obligations under the constitution of the ILO. “We warmly welcome the Republic of Maldives to the ILO […]
No More
May 20, 2009 (LBO) – A man who ran an illegal Ponzi-style ‘investment’ scheme in Southern Sri Lanka, offering high interest rates until its collapse last year when he failed to repay investors, has been shot dead, police said. Piyadasa Ratnayake, from the southern Sri Lankan township of Hungama was abducted in the early hours […]
Indian industry looks to new government to boost growth
MUMBAI, May 20, 2009 (AFP) – The newly elected Congress-led government needs to move swiftly and decisively to restore blistering economic growth in India, even if that means higher inflation, industry leaders here say. As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh prepares for a second term of office, business executives said they hoped the government would announce […]