All Blogs
Sri Lanka runs out of chicken as tourists flock to island
December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is set to import chicken for the first time in over two decades as consumption zooms due to a tourist bonanza and rising incomes on the formerly war-ravaged island, a minister said Wednesday. Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said he had ordered the import of 2,500 tonnes of chicken […]
Getting Choosy
Dec 08, 2010 (LBO) – Britain intends to restrict entry of foreigners for study with tougher criteria for adult students and stricter accreditation procedures for private sector education providers, a statement said. They aim to ensure students return overseas after their course, limit entitlements to work and to sponsor dependants and simplify procedures for checking […]
Thai Crackdown
BANGKOK, December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Thai authorities said Wednesday they had arrested 45 migrants from Sri Lanka in the latest of a series of crackdowns in recent months. The Sri Lankans, who were rounded up at a crowded apartment in a Bangkok suburb, appear to be economic migrants hoping to travel to a third […]
Open Door
SAN FRANCISCO, December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Amazon will make its Kindle electronic books available for reading on Web browsers beginning early next year, with people’s digital collections saved in the Internet “cloud.” Amazon executives on Tuesday showed off “Kindle for the Web” at a Google press event introducing a new, swifter version of the […]
India to attend Nobel ceremony: report
NEW DELHI, December 7, 2010 (AFP) – India will attend Friday’s Nobel peace prize ceremony in Oslo for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, the country’s national news agency said on Tuesday. The Press Trust of India (PTI) did not give details or say who will represent India at the ceremony. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vishnu […]
Sri Lankan migrants held in Thailand
BANGKOK, December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Thai authorities said Wednesday they had arrested 45 migrants from Sri Lanka in the latest of a series of crackdowns in recent months. Sri Lanka’s crackdown on the Tamil Tigers, which ended a lengthy civil war last year, has resulted in a flood of people seeking asylum in other […]
Nineteen countries decline Nobel ceremony invite: organisers
OSLO, December 7, 2010 (AFP) – Nineteen countries will shun Friday’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Institute said, following Chinese pressure for a global boycott. “You only have to look at the figures. The vast majority of countries invited will be represented,” Nobel Institute director Geir […]
Opening Shot
Dec 08, 2010 (LBO) – Shares of Sri Lankan liquid petroleum gas supplier Laugfs Gas, sold at 23 rupees in a public offer, opened higher but came under selling pressure, brokers said. The firm offered 75 million ordinary shares at 23 rupees to raise 1,725 million rupees, and 52 million non-voting shares at 15 rupees […]
Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.5-pct
Dec 07, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks extended loses Tuesday closing 0. 57 percent lower with index heavy stocks weakening though turnover rose of several large deals, brokers said. Seylan Bank shares were heavily traded with over 6. 15 million shares changing hands and the stock closing at 100.20, up 1.10 rupees. Contribution to […]
Terminal Tales
Dec 07, 2010 (LBO) – Container volumes at Sri Lanka’s South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), a private transhipment facility in Colombo port, fell to a yearly low in November, latest statistics show. The private terminal has become a key source of profits for JKH in recent years, along with a bunker fuel unit in Colombo […]