Sri Lanka blocks cricketers visiting Dalai Lama

May 4, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka stopped national cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara and another player from calling on the Dalai Lama out of fear that a meeting would anger China, an official said Tuesday. Sangakkara and former skipper Mahela Jayawardene were advised not to join their Indian Premier League teammates who paid a courtesy […]

Sri Lanka Brandix opens apparel export hub in India

May 04, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan apparel exporter Brandix has opened a 1,000-acre ‘Apparel Park’ in India to serve as a hub for manufacturers and suppliers in the south Asian region, a statement said. The facility near the eastern Indian port city of Vishakhapatnam when fully occupied will accommodate up to 20 apparel manufacturing […]

Sri Lanka to scale back emergency laws: minister

May 4, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s foreign minister pledged Tuesday that the country’s tough emergency laws introduced in 1983 to fight a raging Tamil insurgency would be gradually withdrawn. France had led international calls to scrap the emergency laws soon after the defeat of the rebels. Since then, Sri Lanka’s parliament has kept extending […]

‘s Huawei seeks India meeting over telcom ban: report

NEW DELHI, May 4, 2010 (AFP) – Chinese telecoms maker Huawei Technologies is planning to meet senior Indian officials to persuade them its equipment poses no security threat, a report said Tuesday. The move comes after New Delhi said last week it blocked sales between Indian mobile phone operators and Chinese equipment firms, which the […]

Fresh Brew

May 04, 2010 (LBO) – Unilever Sri Lanka (USL) has launched a new brand of tea in the island aiming to increase the multinational’s market share of branded teas that carry higher margins, officials said. The new brand, Brooke Bond Ceylonta, is expected to increase local market share for Unilever branded teas by 1.0 to […]

Ad Brawl

May 04, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan advertising agency Triad said it has sued the organizers of an ad awards scheme for 100 million rupees alleging the contest was a ‘scam’ subject to manipulation. Other defendants include members of the Chillies 2010 organizing committee headed by Rohan Rajaratnam. The Chillies was created by the advertising […]

Sri Lanka tea output recovery slows in March

May 04, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s total tea production, including green tea, rose 7. 8 percent to 20 million kilos in March 2010 from a year ago when output was hit by drought and the effects of the global commodities crash. Tea Board data showed that most of the increase in output in March […]

Sri Lankan stocks close 0.32-pct down on profit taking

May 04, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed down Tuesday as retail investors took profits ahead of a possible short term correction, while Horana Plantations, Nawaloka Hospitals and debutant Vallibel Finance were heavily traded, brokers said. Nawaloka Hospitals closed at 5. 50 rupees, up 60 cents with over 25 million shares traded, brokers said. […]

PARIS, May 3, 2010 (AFP) – Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders named Monday the world’s 40 worst “predators of the press” including politicians, religious leaders and militias to mark World Press Freedom Day. “They are powerful, dangerous, violent and above the law,” the Paris-based watchdog RSF said. “These predators of press freedom have the power […]

Sri Lanka US embassy salutes journalists

May 03, 2010 (LBO) – The US embassy in Colombo says the World Press Freedom Day which falls on May 03 is a reminder to citizens and government that a free media is an essential part of democracy. “In democracies, the people are sovereign, and representatives and elected officials derive their power from them,” the […]

Sri Lanka pardons jailed Tamil editor: minister

May 3, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Monday pardoned a convicted Tamil editor whose 20-year prison term last year for supporting “terrorism” drew international criticism, the foreign minister said Monday. J. S. Tissainayagam, who edited North Eastern Monthly magazine in Colombo, has been pardoned by President Mahinda Rajapakse to coincide with World Press Freedom […]

Sri Lanka suspends Fonseka court martial

May 3, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s court of appeal on Monday suspended a court martial against former army chief Sarath Fonseka, who tried to unseat the president in elections earlier this year. The court ordered the military tribunal that began hearings against Fonseka in March to halt its work until a decision has been […]

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