All Blogs
Sri Lanka president accused of illegal campaign funding
December 31, 2009 (AFP) – Anti-graft campaign group Transparency International accused Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on Thursday of using state property and public cash to illegally finance his re-election bid.The Sri Lanka branch of the Berlin-based watchdog said armed forces, police and public servants were being deployed to campaign for the ruling party in […]
Sri Lankan shares close up 0.86-pct
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended an eventful 2009 at a record high of 3,385.55 points, up 0.86 percent (28.96 points) Wednesday, and up 128 percent for the year, outperforming all other exchanges except Russia, brokers said.Hatton National Bank closed at 170.25 rupees, up 2.25, Sampath Bank closed at 204.25 rupees, up […]
Sri Lanka cuts lending rate for farmers ahead of polls
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s Central Bank said it will slash lending rates for farmers with effect from January 1, 2010 barely a month ahead of crucial presidential elections. Total loans amounting to about 10 billion rupees are disbursed each year under this loan scheme. Under the Agro Livestock Development Loan Scheme the […]
Broadband Probe
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s telecom regulator has begun investigations on broadband speeds advertised by telcos after a private research study found them exaggerating available bandwidth to surfers, a senior official said. Sri Lankan telcos deliver 75 percent of advertised speeds in the last mile of the network. LIRNEAsia said broadband providers in […]
US alerts travelers to threats of attacks in India
WASHINGTON, December 29, 2009 (AFP) – The United States published an alert Tuesday for Americans traveling to India, saying Washington continues receiving reports that militant groups may be plotting attacks in that country.The US State Department on December 9 alerted travelers to possible violence in India’s strife-torn Andhra Pradesh region but did not mention, as […]
Sri Lanka Brandix says price cuts helped apparel sales
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Brandix group, which supplies top Western fashion brands, said price cuts had helped increase apparel sales despite a global slump in demand. Prices across all categories from men’s underwear, commodity, fashion and best price panties, fashion bras, lounge wear and woven pants, had fallen by 10 to 27 […]
‘s biggest
JAKARTA, December 30, 2009 (AFP) – China and Southeast Asia establish the world’s biggest free trade area (FTA) on Friday, liberalising billions of dollars in goods and investments covering a market of 1.7 billion consumers. Eight years in the making, the ASEAN-China FTA will rival the European Union and the North American Free Trade Area […]
’s Jayasuriya dropped for Bangladesh tri-series
December 30, 2009 (AFP) – The world’s most experienced one-day batsman, Sanath Jayasuriya, has been axed from next month’s limited-overs tri-series in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Cricket said Wednesday.Jayasuriya, 40, was not named in Sri Lanka’s 15-man squad for the tri-series as selectors made changes after recent defeats to India, the third team taking part in […]
76 journalists killed in 2009: watchdog
PARIS, December 29, 2009 (AFP) – The number of journalists killed because of their work rose to 76 this year from 60 in 2008, the media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday. “The authorities in these countries have understood that by encouraging journalists to leave, they considerably reduced the pluralism of ideas and the […]
Gas Call
Dec 30, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan unit of the Shell gas multinational said it was holding domestic prices of liquid petroleum gas cylinders despite higher import costs as the government had cut taxes. The announcement came as the Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry said the other supplier Laugfs Gas will cut its prices […]