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Japan Inc suffers 15 percent profit fall in April-June: report
TOKYO, August 3, 2008 (AFP) – The pre-tax profit of major Japanese companies fell 15 percent year on year in the April-June quarter, weighed down by the US economic slowdown and price hikes, a survey showed on Sunday.The survey was conducted by the Nikkei business daily, covering 685 companies that had reported their quarterly earnings […]
Thousands of workers strike in inflation-battered Vietnam
HANOI, August 3, 2008 (AFP) – Thousands of workers have gone on strike in Vietnam, demanding higher wages to match the rising cost of living after inflation surged 27 percent year-on-year in July, media reported Saturday. Nearly 5,000 labourers downed tools from Friday at the Kingmaker footwear plant in the Vietnam-Singapore industrial zone in southern […]
Sri Lanka lose to India
GALLE, August 3, 2008 (AFP) – Skipper Anil Kumble on Sunday lauded opener Virender Sehwag and teenage paceman Ishant Sharma for playing key roles in India’s series-levelling victory against Sri Lanka here.India, who lost the opening match of the three-Test series by an innings and 239 runs in Colombo, came back strongly to win the […]
Veteran Olympians still at the top
PARIS, Aug 03, 2008 (AFP) – Time and tide wait for no man, or do they? Beijing-bound athletes Jeannie Longo, Haile Satayin, Hiroshi Hoketsu, Dara Torres, James Tomkins and Susan Nattrass have shown getting older does not rule out Olympic participation at the highest level. French cyclist Longo, Ethiopian-born Israeli Satayin, who runs in the […]
Sri Lanka rattled by Indian pacemen
GALLE, August 3, 2008 (AFP) – Indian pacemen Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan shared three early wickets to boost India’s chances of winning the second Test against Sri Lanka here on Sunday. India earlier failed to cope with Sri Lankan spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis as they were bowled out for 269 after resuming […]
‘ summit highlights action against terrorism
Aug 02, 2008 (LBO) – South Asian leaders have called for tough action against terrorism at their summit in Colombo this weekend where they are to sign an accord on co-operation in criminal matters. Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh said terrorism continues to “rear its ugly head” in the region. “It remains the single biggest […]
Sri Lanka leader calls for lower international phone tariffs in south Asia
Aug 02, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa called for lower international direct dial (IDD) tariffs to better integrate the people of south Asia when he opened a regional summit in Colombo Saturday.But the international regime was dismantled from 2003, though its remnants seems to be still alive within SAARC. Last month he […]
India-Pakistan tensions to overshadow South Asia Summit
August 2, 2008 (AFP) – A summit of South Asian leaders was set to open in Sri Lanka on Saturday, with tensions between India and Pakistan likely to eclipse regional talks on trade, terrorism and poverty. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s new premier Yousuf Raza Gilani were due to hold their first-ever talks […]
Sri Lanka heavy fighting kills 52 ahead of South Asian summit
August 2, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting broke out in northern Sri Lanka on the eve of a South Asian summit in the capital, leaving at least 14 government soldiers and 38 rebels killed, a military official said Saturday. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) offered stiff resistance to a military advance in […]
Sri Lanka Tigers offer stiff resistance against army
August 2, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting broke out in northern Sri Lanka on the eve of a South Asian summit in the capital, leaving at least 11 government soldiers and seven rebels killed, a military official said Saturday. The fighting is taking place 250 kilometres (160 miles) north of here, but there has recently […]
GM posts 15.5 bln dlr loss as US sales skid
WASHINGTON, August 1, 2008 (AFP) – General Motors posted Friday a whopping 15.5-billion-dollar net loss in the second quarter as the US auto giant took hefty restructuring charges and US sales skidded.The bleak earnings reported by the largest US automaker coincided with news of a seventh straight month of US nonfarm job losses that stoked […]
Sri Lanka bounce back in India Test with late strikes
GALLE, August 2, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka grabbed three big wickets in the closing session to throw the second Test against India wide open on the third day here on Saturday. India were strongly placed at 144-1 before slipping to 200-4 in their second innings at stumps, with Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Chaminda […]