Sri Lanka gives go-ahead for Pakistan cricket tour

December 26, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has given the green light for the national cricket team to tour Pakistan next month in place of India, who cancelled their five-week series over the Mumbai attacks. The Pakistan Cricket Board said it was set to lose at least 25 million dollars as a result of the […]

Sri Lanka says 18 Tamil Tigers killed in fighting

December 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military beat back a Tamil Tiger counter-offensive in the island’s north, killing at least 18 guerrillas, the defence ministry said on Thursday. The Tigers on Monday said that they killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken back territory lost to advancing government forces. Both sides are known […]

Sri Lanka takes key Tiger town after Christmas Day battles: military

December 26, 2008 (AFP) – Government forces on Friday wrested control of a strategic town after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels that left at least 40 people dead, the defence ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Tigers. The Tigers said Monday they had killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken […]

China Plan

BEIJING, December 25, 2008 (AFP) – China has started filling tanks at its largest oil reserve, taking advantage of tumbling world crude prices, state media reported Thursday. The aim of the reserves is to guarantee supply in times of need as the nation’s a growing economy demands ever-more energy to fuel the factories that supply […]

Hope and disappointment four years on from Asian tsunami

LAM TUTUI, December 25, 2008 (AFP) – When the deadly waters of the Asian tsunami smashed into this fishing village in Indonesia’s Aceh province four years ago, not one house was left standing.Now there are too many of them. Recovery has been uneven in the dozen countries hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, which […]

Sri Lanka southern businesses get IFC help

Dec 24, 2008 (LBO) – The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, said it is helping streamline business licensing in Sri Lankan’s southern Matara district. The Matara Municipal Council and the IFC are making it easier for small businessmen to get licenses to start businesses, an IFC statement said. It […]

Volatile Price

Dec 24, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka unit of the Indian Oil Corporation, which slashed petrol prices in response to a Supreme Court order, raised the retail prices back to the earlier level of 122 rupees Wednesday. The entire capital budget of the government is also financed out of debt, and the government has […]

Sri Lanka says 20 Tigers killed in fresh fighting

December 24, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces killed at least 20 Tamil Tiger rebels who were defending their political capital of Kilinochchi in the island’s north, the defence ministry said Wednesday.Troops captured the village of Sinna Paranthan, northwest of Kilinochchi, from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the ministry said. “Over 20 […]

Northern Reach

Dec 24, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank said it would offer ‘Saturday banking’ services at its Nelliady branch in the northern Jaffna peninsula, once a hot-bed of Tamil Tiger insurgency. With effect from January 1, 2009, the branch located in MMV Road, Nelliady, will be open on Saturdays from 9.00 a.m. to 1.30. […]

Rate Spike

Dec 24, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s rates spiked, despite excess liquidity and uncertainty heightened amid problems at a Ceylinco group company in a market that was already hurt by unpaid inter bank hedging contracts, dealers said.On Wednesday market excess liquidity rose to 10.6 billion rupees, though the central bank had lent 2.9 billion rupees […]

Harbour Moves

Dec 24, (2008) – The Sri Lankan government is trying to expedite a long-delayed project to call for private investors to build a new terminal in Colombo port, a senior ministry of ports and aviation official said.Ministry secretary Thosapala Hewage the attorney-general, the chief government legal officer, recently gave his opinion on the request for […]

Sri Lanka shares up, JKH trades boost volumes

Dec 24, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended marginally higher Wednesday with heavy trading in John Keells Holdings boosting trading volumes, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share Price Index ended slightly higher, up 0.33 percent (4.93 points) to close […]

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