Author: LBO
Sri Lanka’s April inflation swings up
Apr. 28 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation rate for April rose over consumer demands for bananas, fresh fish, milk foods and vegetables during the traditional New Year season, the Census & Statistics Dept. said Friday. On a point-to-point basis inflation for April rose to 9.2 percent over 6.4 percent reported in March, as the government […]
Mission possible — Britain’s secret service trawls for new talent
LONDON, April 27, 2006 (AFP) – Britain’s secret service, famed for lurking in the shadows, launched its first overt recruitment operation on Thursday, calling on men and women who are looking for a challenge.For the first time in its 97-year history, MI6, the country’s foreign spy agency, published an open advertisement in a newspaper. “From […]
Pakistan’s Afridi withdraws retirement from Test cricket
KARACHI, April 27, 2006 (AFP) – Pakistani allrounder Shahid Afridi has withdrawn his temporary retirement from Test cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday.Afridi, 26, shocked his team when he announced earlier this month that he was giving up the longer form of the game until after the 2007 World Cup to concentrate […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank calls for better fiscal policies to maintain stability
Apr.27 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has called for better fiscal policies and continued reforms to maintain growth and economic stability, in its annual report on the country’s economic performance.The Bank said Thursday the country grew by 6 percent in 2005, a day after the Finance Ministry said it grew by 6.2 percent last […]
S&P cuts Sri Lanka Telecom’s credit outlook
Apr. 27 (LBO) – US credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s Thursday cut Sri Lanka Telecom’s credit outlook to negative from stable, in the wake of escalating violence, which may result in the country slipping back to war. The cash rich operator posted net profits of 3,093 million rupees, while revenues surged 10 percent to […]
Standard & Poor’s cuts Sri Lanka’s credit outlook
Apr. 27 (LBO) – International rating agency Standard & Poor’s Thursday lowered Sri Lanka’s credit outlook to negative from stable, amid escalating violence and fears that the island may slip back to war. However, S&P warned: “The country’s external liquidity could come under pressure if war causes reduced foreign exchange inflows from tourism and tourism-related […]
International rating agencies lower Sri Lanka’s credit outlook
Apr. 27 (LBO) – International rating agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor’s Thursday cut Sri Lanka’s credit outlook to negative from stable, reflecting the island’s worsening security situation. Should the violence become more widespread, adversely affecting the economy, public finances and donor inflows, Sri Lanka’s sovereign ratings could be downgraded, both agencies said. – Mel […]
Norway condemns Sri Lanka bombings but remains ‘optimistic’
OSLO, Apr.26 (AFP) – The main mediator in the Sri Lankan conflict, Erik Solheim of Norway, on Wednesday condemned the flare-up of violence on the war-torn island but said he was optimistic that it would end shortly.Government forces have carried out coordinated air, sea and land attacks against rebel positions in the restive northeast since […]
Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers one of world’s deadliest militant groups
Apr. 26 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers, blamed for a suicide attack against a top military official that threatens to pitch the island back into civil war, is one of the world’s deadliest guerrilla groups.For Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran the most lethal weapon in his armoury is the young […]
The Black Tigers — Sri Lanka’s deadly suicide squads
Apr.26 (AFP) – “Black Tiger” suicide squads, secular Hindus driven by loyalty to the Tamil cause rather than religion, have been sowing terror in Sri Lanka for over two decades.The audacious bombing Tuesday inside Sri Lanka’s main military base, in which a female member of the Tamil Tigers feigning pregnancy blew herself up, was just […]
Surging rubber prices raising ‘alarm bells’: experts
KUALA LUMPUR, Apr. 24 (AFP) – Rising demand that has pushed prices for natural rubber to record highs is raising fears world supplies will run short, experts said Monday at an international summit in the Malaysian capital. Growing demand has seen prices rise steadily for over a year, hitting 2.0 dollars per kilogram (2.2 pounds) […]
Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry shows record growth in March
Apr. 20 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s leisure industry greeted record 54,746 visitors in March, as key western countries warned nationals to avoid traveling to the north east of the country as violence intensified in the region. The tsunami-hit island welcomed 54,746 visitors (up 8.6 percent over 2005) in March, which helped swell arrivals for the […]