Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka intimidation of journalists condemned by rights group
March 05, 2008 (LBO) – Media rights group Reporters Without Borders has condemned attacks against Sri Lankan journalists who exposed by live broadcast an assault by a junior cabinet minister on a state TV station news director. It said in a statement that the authorities appeared more concerned with probing journalists who resisted the assault […]
Sri Lanka drifting towards dictatorship: civil society
Mar 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan civil society groups Wednesday warned that the government’s contempt for the rule of law and the constitution was bringing the country into disrepute and could cause economic harm. The Organisation of Professional Associations said way President Mahinda Rajapakse and the government was ignoring established norms of good governance […]
Sri Lanka television worker slashed with razor
Mar 05, 2008 (LBO) – A librarian working for a Sri Lanka state television station where a junior minister was held hostage after he stormed its newsroom had been knifed while travelling on a bus, an official said. .Updated Convenor of the Sri Lanka’s Free Media Movement (FMM) Sunanda Deshapriya said Ranjini Aluthge is being […]
Philippine inflation at 5.4 percent in February
MANILA, March 5, 2008 (AFP) – Inflation in the Philippines rose to 5.4 percent in February, its highest level since October 2006, the government said Wednesday. The figure was a sharp increase on the 2.6 percent posted for the same period last year and up on the January inflation rate of 4.9 percent. Core inflation, […]
China targets 4.8 percent inflation in 2008
BEIJING, March 5, 2008 (AFP) – China has set an inflation target of around 4.8 percent for 2008, according to the text of a speech Premier Wen Jiabao is to deliver to the national legislature later Wednesday. Wen will deliver the speech when parliament opens around 9:00 am (0100 GMT). The speech was given to […]
US Internet users going mobile: study
SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – A comScore study released Tuesday shows US mobile Internet use is rising exponentially as people increasingly opt to be online while on the move.The comScore study indicates more than half the US mobile broadband use is done from work computers and that more than 75 percent of the […]
Dollar slips against euro amidst fresh printing fears
NEW YORK, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – The dollar slipped against the euro Tuesday in the face of fresh inflation fears in the eurozone and a call by the US Federal Reserve chief for tough action to stem US mortgage foreclosures.The single European currency was at 1.5210 dollars around 2200 GMT, up from 1.5203 late […]
Clinton wins Ohio as McCain claims Republican mantle
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 4, 2008 (AFP) – Democrat Hillary Clinton vowed to fight all the way to the White House after she checked rival Barack Obama’s momentum in Ohio, while Senator John McCain captured the Republican mantle Tuesday. US networks projected the former first lady would take the economically scarred state of Ohio, but said […]
Sri Lanka apparel makers struggle to find workers
March 5, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s key clothing industry is rolling out a publicity blitz to attract shop floor workers to fill nearly 12,000 vacancies in plants across the island, industry officials said.A 280,000-dollar campaign will hit the local airwaves this week, as a team of recruiters and animators target 150 rural villages to […]
Asset Class
Mar 05, 2008 (LBO) – Borrowing for day to day government spending has increased the cost of money for Sri Lankan companies and families struggling to get their first mortgage. A Malaysian economist says experience from his country suggests that the government could start a specialist infrastructure bonds, and create a market among pension funds, […]
Sri Lankan shares lose momentum
Mar 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks lost momentum Wednesday with the indices barely managing to maintain the previous day’s gains and trading in York Arcade and John Keells Holdings being the main activity.The All Share Price Index up just 3.98 points to close at 2,566.23 and the more liquid Milanka went up 2.87 […]
Sri Lanka loan deal to Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank
March 5, 2008 (LBO) – Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank has won a deal to raise up to 300 million dollars for Sri Lanka, priced 259 to 370 basis points above London benchmark rates, the government’s debt office said. . Standard Chartered has been mandated to raise 150 million dollars and go up to a […]