Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka gets Canadian support for disaster planning
July 14, 2008 (LBO) – Canada has given Sri Lanka support to train officials from government and non-governmental organisations in responding to natural disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean which devastated parts of its coastline. High Commissioner for Canada, Angela J. Bogdan, said the devastating impact of the tsunami and other natural disasters in many […]
Sri Lanka busts fertilizer subsidy budget in five months
July 14, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has spent almost a year’s allocation for a populist fertilizer subsidy in just five months, the finance ministry said in a report, indicating that more than 30 billion rupees would be needed to maintain it till the year end. Policy Stampede In recent years policy makers and senior […]
Sri Lanka food firm and IFC to push dairy farmers up the value chain
July 14, 2008 (LBO) – The foods division of Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings (JKH) has tied up with dairy farmer co-operatives to set up facilities to add value to raw milk, in a move which is backed by the World Bank’s private sector arm, the company said. Gilles Galludec, IFC Country Manager for Maldives […]
Sri Lanka shares end higher
July 14, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices ended higher Monday with gains in heavyweight Sri Lanka Telecom and John Keells Holdings pushing up the indices.Brokers said a slight recovery anticipated this week would offer profit taking opportunities for investors who bought during the downturn. The All Share Price Index ended up 0.80 percent […]
Names to look out for at Beijing Olympics
PARIS, July 13, 2008 (AFP) – AFP Sports Service has chosen a selection of athletes who could be grabbing the headlines during the Beijing Olympics:- ATHLETICS Muna Lee (USA) – Two weeks after her car was struck by a drunken driver and her shoulder was hurt, this thin 27-year-old speedster known more for her 200m […]
Cambodian garment workers worry about future prospects
PHNOM PENH, July 13, 2008 (AFP) – Sath Vanny sits anxiously at the door to her tiny one-room hut in the factory district of Cambodia’s capital.She left her hometown in the southern province of Takeo seven years ago to work at a women’s shirt factory, sending most of her earnings back to help the family […]
IndyMac bank seized by US amid intensifying crisis
LOS ANGELES, July 12, 2008 (AFP) – Federally-seized IndyMac Bank was due to reopen Monday after suffering one of the biggest bank closures in US history, as the troubled US mortgage industry struggles to stem further meltdown.The regulatory Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) announced Friday it had placed the California-based bank, worth an estimated 32 […]
Sri Lanka says 32 killed in fresh fighting
July 13, 2008 (AFP) – At least 30 Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in the island’s embattled north, the defence ministry said Sunday.The separatist guerrillas were killed in the Wanni region and the adjoining Jaffna peninsula on Saturday, the ministry said. It said 26 rebels were also wounded […]
Asia sets stage for disaster relief exercise with key powers
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2008 (AFP) – After much debate, Asia is finally expected to agree to hold its first civilian-military disaster relief exercise with key powers such as the United States, Russia and the European Union.It will set the stage for real emergency response to disasters, such as the recent cyclone that ravaged Myanmar and […]
Battle Values
July 13, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Stassen group controlled by tycoon Harry Jayewardene had been valued at over 24 billion rupees (228 million US dollars) by his partners who are in courts to force a buyout of their interests, a media report said. The Sunday Island newspaper said V P Vittachchi, R K Obeysekera […]
Sri Lanka yet to resolve England tour crisis
July 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan cricket’s governing body has yet to resolve the crisis over next year’s England tour that clashes with a more financially lucrative tournament in India, officials said Saturday.A source at Sri Lanka Cricket dismissed local media reports indicating the board had agreed to allow players to take part in […]
Dog off the menu for Olympic restaurants: Chinese media
BEIJING, July 11, 2008 (AFP) – Beijing’s official Olympic restaurants have been banned from offering dog meat to avoid offending foreign visitors, state press reported on Friday.The ban, issued by the Beijing Catering Trade Association, forbids all 112 official Olympic restaurants from offering dog meat dishes, and urges other eateries to take pooches off the […]