Author: lbostgadmin
Bomb attack in Sri Lanka capital ahead of vote
January 22, 2010 (AFP) – A key opposition activist in Sri Lanka was targeted at home by a bomb early Friday, police said, despite tighter security ahead of next week’s presidential election. Ban urged all Sri Lanka parties and their supporters “to show restraint and refrain from violence, to adhere to the electoral laws and […]
‘s eye
Jan 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s upcoming presidential polls will be monitored by around 40 observers representing the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA), a Taiwan based body, officials said. The Asian observers had come on an invitation extended by elections chief Dayananda Dishanayake, Pan Wel-Ta, Taiwanese election commissioner, who is heading the mission […]
‘s child brides
PARIS, January 22, 2010 (AFP) – Babies born to child brides in India run a higher risk of malnourishment compared to those born to older mothers, says a paper appearing on Friday. Anita Raj, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health, led an investigation into 19,000 children born to 13,500 women who had […]
Bank Block
WASHINGTON, January 22, 2010 (AFP) – President Barack Obama unveiled plans Thursday to limit the size and scope of US banks and financial firms in a new offensive against Wall Street excesses laid bare by the financial crisis. “Never again will the American taxpayer be held hostage by a bank that is too big to […]
Rate Cut
Jan 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said loans given to war torn northern and eastern areas for economic revival under a special scheme would be cut to 9.0 percent from the current 12.0 percent. The central bank said the loans were available from Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Hatton National Bank, Commercial […]
Sri Lankan stocks close 0.34-pct higher
Jan 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed 0.3 percent higher Friday as investors awaited presidential polls on January 26 and December quarter results also started to trickle in, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 3,531.73, up 12.02 points, while the Milanka index of more liquid stocks slipped 0.10 percent (3.93 […]
Sri Lanka graduates above IMF low income status: Central Bank
Jan 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has moved out of the countries eligible for financing from the International Monetary Fund’s poverty reduction and growth facility with greater access to capital markets and higher incomes, the Central Bank said. “Accordingly, Sri Lanka will now be recognised as a country with a middle income emerging market […]
Coup Claim
January 21, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main opposition said Thursday it feared President Mahinda Rajapakse would use the military to remain in power if he was defeated in next week’s elections. Opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka accused the government of pushing senior army commanders to appear on state-run television to express their public support for […]
UN chief worried by growing violence ahead of Sri Lanka polls
UNITED NATIONS, January 20, 2010 (AFP) – UN chief Ban Ki-moon is alarmed by the growing violence in Sri Lanka, including the reported slaying of political activists, ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, his spokesman said Wednesday. “The Secretary General is concerned about the growing violence in the lead-up to the presidential election in Sri […]
Sri Lanka to study nuclear power feasibility
Jan 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is seeking Korean help to study the feasibility of starting a nuclear power plant in the island, power and energy ministry secretary M M C Ferdinando said. “We are discussion with the government of Korea (South) to implement nuclear power in Sri Lanka,” secretary Ferdinando told reporters Wednesday. […]
Sri Lanka to sign coal plant deal with India after elections
Jan 21, 2010 (LBO) – The wrapping up of a joint venture deal to build a coal power plant on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast by India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has been put off till presidential polls are over, an official said. The government said a joint venture agreement and a power purchase agreement […]
Sri Lanka JKH hotel unit to raise Rs3.6bn to expand
Jan 21, 2010 (LBO) – The leisure unit of Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings group is making a 3. 6 billion rupee cash call to spruce up its hotels and build new ones as the country expects a surge of tourists after the end of a 30-year war. The company said it was issuing 364 […]