Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka power engineers say talks successful
June 23, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s power engineers are to formally decide on ending their work-to-rule campaign Monday following successful talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday, an official said. The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) started trade union action last week, seeking the removal of chairman Udayasri Kariyawasam and duty-slashed car concessions. A […]
Sri Lanka says at least 29 killed in fresh fighting
June 23, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels across Sri Lanka’s northern regions left at least 29 combatants dead, the defence ministry said on Monday.At least 23 rebels and six government soldiers were killed as troops exchanged artillery fire and smashed through guerrilla bunkers in the district of Mannar […]
Malaysia releases Sri Lankan accused of nuclear links
KUALA LUMPUR, June 23, 2008 (AFP) – Malaysia said Monday it had released a Sri Lankan man held for four years over alleged links with a nuclear black market run by Pakistan’s Abdul Qadeer Khan, saying he did not pose any threat. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Buhary Syed Abu Tahir remained in the […]
Sri Lanka tea board to tighten laws on exports
June 23, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Tea Board is seeking new laws to tighten quality control on exports and prevent shipments of what are considered teas below a certain minimum standard, a senior official said. Sri Lanka Tea Board chairman Lalith Hettiarachchi said national legislation was required to enforce the ISO 3720 standard […]
Sri Lanka stocks end up on retail activity in energy counter
June 23, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks Monday edged up again on the back of Friday’s gains propelled by heavy trading in Vallibel Power Erathna, which announced a takeover deal, and trading in Dialog Telekom and Hayleys. Brokers said retail activity might pick up this week as investors may be more liquid with Sri […]
Sri Lanka sells US$230mn in two year bonds
June 23, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka sold 2-year bonds worth 230 million US dollars priced at 294 basis points above the London Interbank Offered (LIBOR) rate, the government’s debt office said. At the same time 250 million dollars of old Sri Lanka Development Bonds also matured, indicating a net pay down of 20 million […]
Sri Lanka government urged to respect media rights
June 22, 2008 (LBO) – Twenty nine media organisations around the world have urged the United Nations to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to protect journalists in the island. The organisations affiliated to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that journalists in Sri Lanka […]
India says no military solution to Sri Lanka conflict
June 22, 2008 (AFP) – India has signalled to Sri Lanka that it wants to see an end to the island’s military campaign to help solve the decades-old Tamil separatist conflict, diplomats and officials said Sunday.In closed-door talks over the weekend with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and top officials, India’s National Security Advisor M.K. […]
Bill Gates surrendering Microsoft helm
SAN FRANCISCO, June 22, 2008 (AFP) – A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27.Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he […]
” at oil price summit
JEDDAH, June 22, 2008 (AFP) – Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah launched an offensive against oil “speculators” on Sunday as he opened a summit on the soaring price of crude which exposed OPEC divisions over whether to increase production.The king announced that Saudi production had now risen to 9.7 million barrels a day, the highest figure […]
‘s Switzerland for millionaires
SINGAPORE, June 22, 2008 (AFP) – Got at least five million US dollars? A private banker is at your service in Singapore, which is fast gaining a reputation as the Switzerland of Asia for the world’s growing ranks of multi-millionaires.The tiny, tropical island-state, Southeast Asia’s most advanced economy, has emerged as a centre for the […]
Sri Lanka in drive to arrest thousands of army deserters
June 22, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military has launched a campaign to track down and arrest up to 12,000 army deserters who failed to take advantage of a government amnesty, a spokesman said Sunday. “About 5,000 responded to the general amnesty we had from May 2 to the 30th,” Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. “We […]