All Blogs
‘s Asian Alliance net up 60-pct
Mar 02, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Asian Alliance Insurance (AAIC) profits were up 60 percent to 113 million rupees with investment income more than doubling during 2007, audited accounts of the company showed. Assets in the life business went up to 1.1 billion rupees from 738 million and total assets were up to 1.9 […]
Populist India budget unlikely to give election boost: analysts
NEW DELHI, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – A populist budget unveiled by India’s ruling Congress party forgiving loans for poor farmers and cutting income taxes is unlikely to help its re-election chances in looming polls, analysts say.“People say Uttar Pradesh is just a glimpse of what’s going to unfold at the national level,” declared Mayawati […]
ECB to cut growth forecasts; keep rates steady
FRANKFURT, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – The European Central Bank will make a cut of sorts this week — but with eurozone inflation stubbornly high the cut will be to its growth forecasts, not interest rates. “The ECB council will cut on Thursday its forecasts for growth in the euro zone, but not its main […]
Sri Lankans fined for slow over rates
MELBOURNE, March 2, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka paid the price for its thrilling win over Australia at the MCG on Friday, fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday for slow over rates. ICC match referee Jeff Crowe ruled the Sri Lankans were one over short when time allowances were taken into consideration […]
Soldier killed in Sri Lanka blast, says army
March 2, 2008 (AFP) – A government soldier was killed in a roadside bomb attack carried out by Tamil Tiger guerrillas Sunday in northern Sri Lanka, the army said.Casualty figures provided by both sides differ vastly and cannot be independently verified since the government bars journalists and human rights workers from frontline and rebel-held areas. […]
Bunker Race
Mar 01, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation plans to tie up with global ship supply firm GAC Ships to supply bunkers or ship fuel, officials said. The move is expected to bring down bunker prices in Colombo port, now among the highest in the world, as well as improve availability. The […]
Lease Savings
Mar 01, 2008 (LBO) – Seylan Merchant Leasing, a unit of Sri Lanka’s Ceylinco group said it has raised 1.3 billion rupees in deposits after it was licensed as a finance company by regulators last year, the company said. It has a service which allows clients to view lease transaction details and payment history on […]
Pottu Test
Mar 01, 2008 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan Supreme Court judge said society discriminates against its members despite pledging allegiance to a human rights charter, and called for equal treatment for marginalized sections. “If you take a simple issue of race, it is the duty of the majority of the Sinhalese to reach out to […]
Sri Lanka says another 45 Tigers killed as blast toll climbs
March 1, 2008 (AFP) – A police officer wounded in a suicide bombing died in hospital Saturday, a hospital spokesman said as Sri Lanka’s defence ministry claimed security forces had killed 45 rebels in fresh fighting.The policeman died of his injuries a day after being caught in a huge blast detonated by a suspected Tamil […]
Sri Lanka mediaman threatened by gangsters; errant minister runs free: rights body
Mar 01, 2008 (LBO) – Another mediaman who filmed a confrontation between state TV workers and a minister who stormed the station’s newsroom has been threatened by gangsters, a media rights body said. Assistant camera news director Priyal Ranjith Perera had been threatened by a four-member gang who came to his residence and appeared to […]