Author: lbostgadmin
Iran Bound
SEOUL, December 21, 2009 (AFP) – A planeload of weapons from North Korea seized in Bangkok this month was bound for Iran, a newspaper report said Monday, citing documents obtained by arms trafficking experts.US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair had said last week that the 35-tonne cargo, shipped in defiance of UN sanctions on […]
Sri Lanka Aitken Spence to manage Ramada Hotel in Delhi
Dec 21, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence Hotels group said it has struck a deal to run the new Ramada Hotel & Convention Centre in New Delhi scheduled to open in February or March next year. Aitken Spence Hotels said in a statement its latest foray into the Indian market is meant to […]
Connected
Dec 21, 2009 (LBO) – A highway to Sri Lanka’s north is seeing free movement of people and goods for the first time in decades after the final restrictions on traffic were removed from Monday.Following a ceasefire with the Tigers in 2002, the road was opened but the Tigers collected tax on goods moving along […]
Sri Lanka banks gain as stocks hit new high
Dec 21, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed at a new high Monday, up 1.43 percent, with banks drawing interest as retail investors re-entered the market, gaining confidence from last few week’s foreign trading, brokers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed up 1.43 percent (45.46 points) to end at 3,234, […]
‘s war heroes battle for a clean image
December 20, 2009 (AFP) – A presidential election in Sri Lanka next month will see two former allies from the country’s bitter civil war slugging it out, but their record on corruption, not the battlefield, might swing the final vote.President Mahinda Rajapakse and his former army chief Sarath Fonseka are set to face each other […]
Asylum seekers leave Indonesia: official
JAKARTA, December 20, 2009 (AFP) – Fifteen of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers who spent weeks refusing to get off the boat that rescued them near Indonesia have left the country, a foreign ministry official said Sunday.“They left Indonesia yesterday. Two were flown to Australia and the other 13 were taken to an evacuation centre […]
Asset Sales
Dec 20, 2009 (LBO) – Court appointed officials liquidating assets of Golden Key Credit Card Company, a failed finance firm in Sri Lanka’s Ceylinco group, are planning an auction of assets, and offers have been received for the sale of a hospital, a media report said.The Sunday Island newspaper said several offers have been received […]
‘s explosive 123
NAGPUR, December 18, 2009 (AFP) – Tillakaratne Dilshan hammered a second successive century to power Sri Lanka to a thrilling three-wicket victory over India in the second one-day international here on Friday.The opener, who made 160 in the last match, cracked a rapid-fire 123 as Sri Lanka surpassed India’s 301-7 with five balls to spare […]
Climate leaders: The rhetoric vs. the reality
COPENHAGEN, December 19, 2009 (AFP) – They had been urged to side with the angels but ultimately, base political instinct seems to have prevailed among the world’s most powerful leaders as they sealed a climate pact among themselves, sparking fury elsewhere.From the eve of the 12-day marathon right until its finale, the overwhelming message in […]
Copenhagen deal passed amid condemnation, disappointment
COPENHAGEN, December 19, 2009 (AFP) – A UN conference on Saturday rammed through a battle plan against climate change forged by US President Barack Obama and other top leaders, sidelining smaller states which lashed the deal as a betrayal.After toxic exchanges through the night, the summit chair forced through a deal using a procedural tool […]
Sri Lanka to change price index basket next year
Dec 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will change the basket of goods in its most widely watched price index from next year and re-base it to reflect consumption patterns of a newer survey, an official said.The revised index itself was made ‘official’ suddenly at the height of an inflation bubble in April 2008, when […]
Sri Lanka war refugee re-settlement gets World Bank aid
Dec 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s war refugee re-settlement efforts will get World Bank fund to re-build infrastructure and economic activities, in the north and east of the country which has emerged from a three decade long conflict. A 77 million US dollar credit will help 100,000 refugees in the north return to their […]