All Blogs
Slow Going
Feb 08, 2008 (LBO) – A multi-million dollar project to build a new container port in Colombo is on track despite lengthy delays, a Sri Lankan government minister has assured the island’s shipping community. The government plans to build a new deep-water port next to Colombo, called the Colombo South Port, as well as build […]
Sri Lankan shares end up, more interest in Dockyard
Feb 07, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks edged up on thin trading Thursday with a big parcel of Distilleries propping up turnover but investors remained worried about the profitability of companies given high interest rates and inflation. The All Share Price Index went up 17.44 points to 2,454.89 while the liquid Milanka index closed […]
Electronic Cash
Feb 07, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon has tied up with financial giant JP Morgan Chase, to offer a foreign exchange card that can replace travellers cheques for people traveling abroad, the bank said. Foreign travellers could store the equivalent of between 500 to 10,000 dollars and use it as to […]
Sri Lanka says tea exports earned record billion dollars
Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka earned a record one billion dollars from tea exports last year despite a drop in volumes, the island’s tea board said Thursday.Sri Lanka’s high quality aromatic teas are made with tender leafs and buds of the plant botanically known as Camellia Sinenis. Sri Lanka, the world’s largest exporter […]
Desert Move
Feb 07, 2008 (LBO) — Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence, a top leisure group that also runs resorts in the Maldives and India, said it had inked a deal to operate four hotels of Oman Hotels and Tourism Company (OHTC). . Al Falaj and Ruwi Hotels in Muscat, Al Wadi in Sohar and Sur Plaza in […]
Euro sags ahead of ECB rate decision
TOKYO, Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) – The euro was slightly weaker against its major rivals in Asian trade on Thursday amid nervousness ahead of an interest rate decision by the European Central Bank, dealers said.They said traders were also cautious about a weekend meeting of world finance chiefs in Tokyo where recent financial market turmoil […]
‘s hotel bought by Dubai state firm
LONDON, Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) – A property fund backed by an investment arm of the Dubai government bought prime west London property from the Queen’s portfolio, the monarch’s property managers announced on Wednesday. Its revenues from its assets are paid to the finance ministry. The Crown Estate, which manages Queen Elizabeth II’s real estate, […]
Hilary raids own kitty as Obama photofinish takes toll
US-VOTE – 02/07/2008 01:41 GMT – AFP PRINT WASHINGTON, Feb 6, 2008 (AFP) – Hillary Clinton’s race for the White House showed vulnerability Wednesday as she admitted tapping her own pocketbook for five million dollars to keep up a grueling fight against rival Barack Obama. “A month and a half is an eternity in politics […]
Sri Lanka suspends school sports after bomb
Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) – All school sports have been suspended in Sri Lanka after a Tamil Tiger suicide bomb attack in the capital killed nine pupils and a baseball coach, the government said Thursday.An eduction ministry spokesman said planned field trips for events marking the island’s 60th anniversary of independence from Britain would also […]
Ranatunga picks new team to head Sri Lanka Cricket
Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) – Two of Sri Lanka’s foremost cricketers, Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, have joined up to lead the island’s cricket administration, sports minister Gamini Lokuge told AFP on Thursday.Former captain Ranatunga, who already heads Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), will be assisted by his World Cup winning colleague Aravinda de Silva […]