Sri Lankan troops on outskirts of Tamil Tiger HQ: army chief

COLOMBO, September 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government forces have advanced to the outskirts of the northern Tamil Tiger rebel capital of Kilinochchi, the army chief announced Thursday. The government, which pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire in January, wants to capture the town and deal what would be a major military and psychological […]

Sri Lanka warring parties warned by European Commission

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – The European Commission has warned both sides in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict against human rights abuses, saying Tamil Tigers were resorting to summary executions and urging the government to ensure relief supplies to refugees. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 […]

Funny Money

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has named six entities as illegally taking money from the public and engaging in lending or investment activities, including a recently collapsed firm. The central bank said Okanda Finance (Pvt) Ltd of Waidya Road, Dehiwela, Nadini Finance (Private) Limited of 17, Reality Plaza, Colombo Road, Ja- […]

Reduced Sentence

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – Despite Sri Lanka™s high primary school enrollment rate, large numbers drop out owing to weaknesses in the system, with many taking to crime, organizers of an education exhibition said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The island’s primary school net […]

‘s Pizza Hut withdraws tainted Fonterra cheese

TAIPEI, September 26, 2008 (AFP) – Taiwan’s Pizza Hut said Friday it had pulled grated cheese from its outlets after they were found to contain unacceptably high levels of the industrial chemical melamine. “Our delivery shops island-wide have stopped supplies of the grated cheese after tests for melamine showed higher than the allowed levels. We […]

Another One

WASHINGTON, September 26, 2008 (AFP) – US bank JPMorgan Chase took over struggling Washington Mutual for 1.9 billion dollars, the US Federal Deposit Insurance Agency (FDIC) announced late Thursday.The acquisition creates the largest US depository institution with more than 900 billion dollars in customer deposits, the FDIC said in a statement. In the deal, JPMorgan […]

Rural Finance

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka said it is maintaining the Rating Watch on the National Long-term ratings of six Sri Lankan state-owned Regional Development Banks (RDBs) which are being merged. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The required amendments to the RDB […]

Safe Bet

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – The United States has guaranteed 540 million rupees of conflict area credit in Sri Lanka by a domestic leasing firm to bring finance into the island’s eastern province which had seen intense fighting until recently.The USAID guarantee will be effective for three years from October 1, 2008, to September 30, […]

Sri Lanka shares sink again

Sept 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares sank again Friday as investors remained on the sidelines with a big deal CT Land Development propping up turnover on an otherwise dull day, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share Price Index […]

Sri Lanka John Keells in share buyback

Sept 25, 2008 (LBO) –Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings (JKH) said it would give back 2.2 billion rupees to shareholders through a buy back of one share for every 25 held at 90 rupees. The shares are being bought back above the market price. JKH closed at 86.25 rupees on Wednesday. The firm sold rights […]

Bush calls McCain, Obama, leaders to White House

WASHINGTON, September 25, 2008 (AFP) – US President George W. Bush will host White House rivals John McCain and Barack Obama, as well as top lawmakers, for economic crisis talks on Thursday, a spokesman said Wednesday. Bush, who telephoned Obama around 7:30 pm (1130 GMT), hopes “to work on driving toward a bipartisan and timely […]

Oil prices drop, despite tumbling US energy stockpiles

LONDON, September 24, 2008 (AFP) – Oil prices dipped on Wednesday, erasing earlier gains and continuing this week’s roller-coaster ride, as traders set aside news that US crude inventories plunged last week. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, fell 84 cents to 105.77 dollars per barrel. Brent North Sea crude for […]

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