Category: Other
‘s quarterly profit falls
KUALA LUMPUR, May 22, 2008 (AFP) – Telekom Malaysia said Thursday its net profits in the first quarter fell 12.8 percent from a year ago to 519.7 million ringgit (162.4 million dollars) on higher operating and financing costs. Malaysia’s largest telecommunications firm said sales for the three months to March rose 10.6 percent to 4.6 […]
Oil smashes 135 dollars in Asian trade
SINGAPORE, May 22, 2008 (AFP) – Oil smashed past 135 dollars a barrel for the first time Thursday, continuing its astonishing rise following unexpected drops in US crude and gasoline stocks in a tight market, dealers said.In Asian morning trade, New York’s main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for July delivery, rose to a […]
Sri Lanka banks on quality to hold tea prices up
May 22, 2008 (LBO) – Tea exporting countries last week agreed to stick to a minimum quality level to prevent oversupply from depressing prices, strengthening Sri Lankan efforts to prevent shipments of so-called ‘refuse tea’, a top official said. Tea Board chairman Lalith Hettiarachchi said producing countries adopted the measures owing to growing concern the […]
Sri Lanka to import copra for oil mills
May 22, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to import copra, or dried coconut kernel, to feed the country’s oil mills which are facing high prices and raw material shortfalls, a senior minister said. The cabinet of ministers had approved the import of 45,000 tonnes of metric tonnes of copra to the country, information minister […]
‘s son quits ruling party
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Malaysian former premier Mahathir Mohamad’s son quit the ruling party Wednesday after his father called for mass resignations to force the ouster of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.. Businessman Mokhzani Mahathir warned the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was heading for “annihilation” unless Abdullah stepped down to take […]
Bollywood muscles in on Hollywood
CANNES, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – With India’s entertainment billionaires seemingly blessed with limitless pockets, Bollywood is flexing its movie muscle, taking on Hollywood in unexpected corners of the globe and buying up theatres worldwide.“Bollywood now has the muscle and (Indian) corporates have big money,” prominent Indian filmmaker Jagmohan Mundra told AFP. Mundra said Bollywood […]
‘s child obesity problem ballooning – study
GENEVA, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Child obesity is ballooning into a big problem in China as ‘little emperors’ are increasingly getting an appetite for the Western couch-potato way of life, according to a study presented in Geneva.Almost one in five children under seven is overweight and more than seven percent are obese, according to […]
Sri Lanka eastern dairy industry gets US boost
May 21, 2008 (LBO) – The United States which is helping milk farmers in eastern Sri Lanka says more private sector investment is needed to boost production and get better prices for producers. Hess says the dairy sector holds great promise for improving the livelihoods of thousands of Sri Lanka farmers throughout the island, especially […]
Sri Lanka Chilaw Plantations back in state hands
May 21, 2008 (LBO) – Chilaw Plantations, a Sri Lanka government owned plantation that was under private management, would be taken back to state control before the end of the month, a senior government official said. Though the bulk of the plantations are now in private hands, some plantations, including Elkaduwa Plantations in the Matale […]
‘ pay packets
SYDNEY, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged company executives to rein in their salaries Wednesday, amid a furore over an 80 million dollar (76.8 million US) payout to the head of an investment bank. Speaking after it was revealed that outgoing Macquarie bank chief executive Allan Moss would receive a […]
US ethanol policy under siege in food-for-fuel debate
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Amid a surge in food prices blamed in part on US expansion of corn-based ethanol production, lawmakers, experts and industry officials are urging the government to rethink a new law mandating alternative fuels. The United States is the world’s top producer of corn-based ethanol, which the administration of President […]
Google launches online medical records service
SAN FRANCISCO, May 19, 2008 (AFP) – Google on Monday launched Google Health, a long-anticipated medical records service letting US users store and manage their health care information online.The offering raises privacy concerns and draws yet another battle line between Internet search king Google and global software giant Microsoft, which began offering a similar HealthVault […]