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Japan voices concern over Sri Lanka economy, human rights
TOKYO, June 27, 2007 (AFP) – Japan, the single largest donor to Sri Lanka, on Wednesday expressed concern about the human rights situation in the island nation during a visit by Colombo’s foreign minister, the government said. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso raised “the Japanese public’s heightening concerns over the human rights situation in Sri […]
” in Western aid cut
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka told Western donor nations Tuesday that it would be a “tragic error” to cut aid to the island nation due to alleged human rights abuses linked to a longstanding ethnic conflict.Britain, Germany and the Netherlands have already slashed various forms of aid to Colombo due to human […]
” economy
June 27, 2007 (LBO) – Areas bordering Sri Lanka’s western province, which is open to the world and has good infrastructure, grew fastest last year with a rapidly advancing service sector, the Central Bank has said. “In contrast, all the other provinces had per capita value added below the country average, ranging between 0.8 in […]
Pacey Numbers
June 26, 2007 (LBO) – Sampath Bank is raising 1.5 billion rupees through an unsecured debenture which Fitch has rated AA- (lka), but the rating agency says more capital may be needed to maintain its loan growth rate in to the medium term. It has two associates, a Bangladesh-based non-bank financial institution LankaBangala Finance Ltd […]
Sri Lanka drops controversial new tea export tax
June 26 (LBO) – A proposal to increase a tax on Sri Lankan tea exports to fund subsidies has been dropped after opposition from producers and exporters, a top official said.The government proposed increasing the export cess by two rupees to six rupees per kilo in response to demands from small holders to subsidise fertiliser […]
Different Jump
June 26, 2007 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan athletics coach participating in an international training programme has disappeared in Italy, a senior official said Tuesday in Colombo.Gayan Malika, a triple jump coach, went missing after flying to Italy for an athletics meet as part of a training programme sponsored by the International Olympic Council, the […]
China shipping firm jumps 83 percent on Shanghai trading debut
SHANGHAI, June 26, 2007 (AFP) – China’s flagship shipping firm, COSCO Holding, jumped 83 percent on its trading debut in Shanghai Tuesday after raising net proceeds of 14.88 billion yuan (1.96 billion dollars). COSCO shares opened at 15.52 yuan on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in line with broker estimates, against its initial public offering (IPO) […]
” ties
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2007 (AFP) – The US Securities and Exchange Commission watchdog has added a link to its website listing dozens of mostly foreign companies it said Monday had disclosed interests in “countries known to sponsor terrorism.” The list of international companies includes Australian, British, German, French and Japanese groups including HSBC Holdings, Unilever […]
Sri Lanka smashes Bangladesh with four centuries
June 26, 2007 (AFP) – Four batsmen scored centuries as Sri Lanka flexed their batting might to tighten the screws on Bangladesh in the first cricket Test here on Tuesday.Maiden Test hundreds by Prasanna Jayawardene and veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas capped a solid batting display by the hosts, while captain Mahela Jayawardene and opener Michael […]
‘s tsunami-hit stadium ready for Test with England
June 26, 2007 (AFP) – The tsunami-devastated Galle cricket stadium in Sri Lanka will be fit to host the third and final Test against England in December, an official said here on Tuesday.Galle stadium curator Jayananda Warnaweera said the early-November deadline for reconstruction would be met. The stadium, originally the venue for the opening match […]