Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka ex-military chief to run against president: party
November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former military chief, General Sarath Fonseka, will challenge his ex-boss President Mahinda Rajapakse in upcoming elections, a key leftist opposition party announced Tuesday.The JVP, or People’s Liberation Front, which had earlier backed Rajapakse, said they secured an agreement with Fonseka, 58, to stand against Rajapakse, who on Monday […]
Sri Lanka dominated by India in second Test
KANPUR, November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir hit sparkling centuries to give India a flying start in the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka here on Tuesday. Sehwag scored 131 off 122 balls and shared 233 runs for the opening wicket with Gambhir as India reached 307-1 at tea on […]
Emirates to launch direct flights to Tokyo
Nov 24, 2009 (LBO) – Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, said it plans to launch direct non-stop services to Tokyo from March 28 next year to lure travellers across the Middle East instead of the Pacific. The move closely follows the recent launch of operations to Durban and Luanda, the airline said in a statement. At […]
Sri Lanka navy seizes 142 migrants: spokesman
November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy on Tuesday seized four fishing trawlers carrying 142 illegal migrants heading for Australia, a spokesman said.The boats were detected off the island’s southern coast while they were moving eastward in the direction of Australia, navy spokesman Athula Senarath said. “The passengers had paid large sums of money […]
Sri Lanka ex-military chief asks court to restore bodyguards
November 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former top army general Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to restore his security contingent which has been drastically scaled down following a spat with the president, officials said.General Sarath Fonseka petitioned the country’s highest court seeking the restoration of his 600-member strong bodyguard unit which has been slashed […]
Legal Action
PARIS, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – A French court on Monday jailed 21 Tamil Tiger militants convicted of extorting millions of euros from the Tamil diaspora in France to fund their armed campaign in Sri Lanka. The toughest sentence of seven years in was given to Nadaraja Matinthiran, whom the court heard was the leader […]
Transport Trends
Nov 24, 2009 (LBO) – Vehicle imports to Sri Lanka in August 2009, measured by the total number of new registration of motor vehicles, fell 22.2 percent to 16,293 from a year ago, latest official data showed. The government lifted restrictions imposed towards the end of 2008 on import letters of credit for vehicles, amid […]
Ship Fuel
Nov 24, 2009 (LBO) – A price war among Sri Lankan bunker suppliers in Colombo port is intensifying with some firms saying prices have fallen below cost to loss-making levels.Sri Lankan bunker suppliers said prices have come down sharply since the market was opened up and more suppliers came in with the price difference between […]
Road Support
Nov 24, 2009 (LBO) – The European Union (EU) said repairs to a key road linking Sri Lanka’s south with the east that was damaged by a tsunami had been completed with EU and Asian Development Bank aid. The 158-kilometer stretch of the southern coastal road linking the southern Matara town with Wellawaya towards the […]
Sri Lankan shares fall 1.9-pct
Nov 24, 2009 (LBBO) – Sri Lankan stock prices fell across the board Tuesday on retail investor worries about the political and economic future after the government announced a snap presidential poll, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 2,875.39, down 1.90 percent (55.68 points) while the Milanka Price Index of more liquid […]
Sri Lanka corporate debt killed by nuisance tax: market participants
Nov 24, 2009 (LBO) – The corporate debt market in Sri Lanka is being held back by the complex way a tax is charged by the government which has killed secondary market trading in debt securities, market participants have said. “But the way it’s collected allows secondary market trading without any problem. They basically collect […]
Sri Lanka to hold early presidential polls: minister
November 23, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will hold early presidential elections within months, media minister Anura Yapa told reporters on Monday, after government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels six months ago.However former army general Sarath Fonseka, who is widely credited with the military strategy that secured victory in May, is expected to stand […]