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US envoy to Sri Lanka named to top South Asian post
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – A veteran diplomat most recently tasked with the delicate job of Sri Lanka envoy was tapped Friday by President Barack Obama to serve as the assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs. If approved by the Senate, Robert Blake will replace Richard Boucher in a job that deals […]
‘s gold reserves top 1,000 tonnes: state media
BEIJING, April 25, 2009 (AFP) – China’s gold reserves rose 75 percent from 2003 to 2008, state media said, reporting that Beijing now had the world’s fifth largest holdings of the precious metal.China had 1,054 tonnes of gold by the end of 2008, up 454 tonnes from the 600 tonnes that it said it had […]
Sri Lanka rupee steady after volatile week
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – The rupee weakened to 120.70 levels against the US dollar, with a foreign bank on the buying side Friday, but recovered later in the day ending a week that saw the domestic currency fall about four rupees, dealers said. In late afternoon trade the spot dollar was quoted at 120.0/30 […]
Sri Lankan stocks up 6.9-pct over week
Apr 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed up 1.94 percent on military gains Friday, amid optimistic sentiment among local investors which pushed the market up 6.9 percent over the week, brokers said. Almost 1.5 million shares of Tokyo Cement non-voting shares changed hands at 10.25 foreign to local, in what seemed to be […]
Fuel Mix
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will decide on whether to call proposals for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant after a study funded by Japan is completed, a senior government official said. Though much cleaner than coal, diesel or furnace oil, LNG, which is kept liquid under high pressure requires expensive infrastructure […]
Bidding List
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has cleared five out of six parties who expressed interest in buying a 33.3 percent stake in Seylan Bank to look into the bank in detail and submit bids, officials said. The Central Bank took over the bank and put it under the supervision of state-run […]
Golden Probe
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has asked customers of the failed Golden Key Credit Card Company to submit details of their deposits and company officials to declare assets. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court last month ordered the Central Bank to probe the company after a group of depositors petitioned court saying it […]
Asian View
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – Millicom International Cellular, the parent of Sri Lanka’s Tigo cellular network, says it may sell out of Asian units, despite getting new subscribers amid tough competition. Total revenues for the quarter were 846.0 million US dollars with 327 million coming from Central America, 236 million from South America and 171 […]
Sri Lanka clears Tamil editor over Tiger air attacks
April 24, 2009 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan court on Friday released a Tamil newspaper editor who had been detained over alleged links to Tamil Tiger air attacks in the capital, an official said.Nadesapillai Vidyatharan, who edits the Sudar Oli daily, was detained in February under anti-terrorism laws, but police told the Colombo Fort Magistrate […]
Sri Lanka army says Tamil Tiger leader trapped
KILINOCHCHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers is trapped in a small strip of coastal jungle in the northeast and leading his last remaining fighters, a top army commander said Friday.Journalists flown to Kilinochchi were shown a large haul of mortars and small arms said to have been captured […]