Sri Lankan tour operators explore Bali with eye on joint ventures

Asia News Network - Monday 20th May, 2013

With the picturesque Bali Island in Indonesia, launching a massive tourism promotion, Sri Lankan tour operators were exploring the hitherto largely unexplored market, with a focus on joint ventures.A Business Seminar entitled "Bali Tourism Prospects Reaching Out To South and Central Asian Market", held at the Grand Kuta Bali Hotel last week, revealed that over 1300 Lankans had visited ...

Dollar rebounds in Asia as investors await Bernanke

General Sources - Monday 20th May, 2013

The dollar turned higher against the yen in Asia on Tuesday as investors waited for testimony by the US central bank chief and a policy meeting of the Japanese central bank. The dollar was changing hands at 102.61 yen in Tokyo morning trade, up from 102.26 yen in New York late Monday. The euro rose to 132.20 yen from 131.76 yen in New York while slipping to $1.2868 from $1.2884. The dollar ...

Asia stocks muted ahead of Fed meeting

Tampa Bay Online - Monday 20th May, 2013

The Fed is currently conducting the third round of massive bond purchases known as quantitative easing to help drive down interest rates and spur lending. But recently improving data on the U.S. economy has led to speculation that the Fed might consider scaling back the program or winding it down earlier than ...

Azerbaijan hints at Eurovision vote breach

The Courier Mail - Monday 20th May, 2013

THE head of Azerbaijan's state broadcaster has questioned the vote tally in the Eurovision Song Contest where it embarrassingly gave "nul points" to the entry from neighbouring Russia. The broadcaster is claiming votes for Russia were apparently not taken into account. "It is of serious concern and surprise that at the final count of votes from Azerbaijan, Russia was not given ...

Centerra Gold risks Kyrgyz collapse

Asia Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

By Fozil Mashrab A legal dispute between the Kyrgyzstan government and Centerra Gold has entered a decisive stage for both sides after the Kyrgyz parliament instructed the government either to renegotiate a 2009 deal with the Canadian mining company or withdraw its mining license, though Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev recently ruled out any steps to nationalize the mine. The ...

Tajikistan president visits China

China Daily - Monday 20th May, 2013

/enpproperty--> China and Tajikistan established a strategic partnership on Monday, which observers said would benefit the two countries' economies and regional stability. ...

Milli Majlis dismisses reports on bill on Azerbaijan’s occupied lands

News.Az - Monday 20th May, 2013

A number of media have recently spread reports about the alleged preparation of a bill on the occupied lands of Azerbaijan in Milli Majlis. According to the press service for the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, in line with the information in media, there is a plan to submit the bill for discussion in the parliament of Azerbaijan soon. The statement disseminated by the press service for the Milli ...

Baku expands role in Turkish economy

Asia Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

By Vladimir Socor On March 22 in Copenhagen, the Danish and Turkish prime ministers, Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Recep Tayyp Erdogan, witnessed the signing of agreements between subsidiaries of Danish Moeller-Maersk and Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) to develop a giant port near Izmir in Turkey. The petrochemicals holding Petrokimya (Petkim), majority-owned by SOCAR, is ...

The right fare in Azerbaijan

Asia Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

importing of 1,000 London taxis to Baku, the construction of an international bus station, and a lucrative road-construction project. The group has received preferential treatment and the interlinked companies owned by the families have taken large shares or even monopolized certain transportation sectors like bus transport, taxis, road construction, and cargo-transportation services in the ...

Azerbaijan queries Eurovision snub

News.com.au - Monday 20th May, 2013

Azerbaijan says Eurovision made a mistake when it recorded 'nul votes' from the country for Russia's Dina Garipova, above, at the Eurovision Song Contest. Picture: ...

Flight recorders from crashed U.S. military plane found in Kyrgyzstan

Middle East Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

Searchers found flight recorders from a U.S. military plane that crashed in Kyrgyzstan in early May, Kyrgyz's Transport and Communication Ministry said Monday. A ministry spokesman said the recorders were found in debris at the crash site and turned over to U.S. officials for analysis, RIA Novosti reported. The Boeing KC-135 refueling tanker with a three-member crew crashed into a gorge ...