Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lankan plantations stocks sought after on earnings outlook
Feb 18, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended higher Monday driven by keen interest in plantations stocks by domestic retail investors anticipating higher earnings on the back of strong commodity prices, brokers said. In the bond market, all bids received at the auctions were rejected by the central bank. The All Share Price Index […]
Sri Lanka kicks off US$300mn syndicated loan
Feb 18, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has called for proposals from foreign banks to raise 300 million dollars from a syndicated loan aiming to close the deal by late March or April, officials and bankers said. The Central Bank, which manages the island’s public debt, will call a meeting of bankers later this week […]
Sri Lanka military claims 20 Tiger rebels killed
Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan forces killed at least 20 Tamil Tiger guerrillas in clashes in the north of the island at the weekend, defence officials said Sunday.Government forces backed by war planes attacked Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) along the front lines in the north on Saturday, an official said. He […]
High inflation oil-subsidizing Iran to spend US3bn importing fuel
TEHRAN, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – Iran’s parliament on Saturday approved a three-billion-dollar spending plan to fund diesel and petrol imports during the next Iranian year, the official IRNA news agency reported.MPs approved a budget allowing imports worth up to 30 trillion rials (3.2 billion dollars) in the new year beginning on March 20. Iran […]
Laws hamper media coverage of Maoist story
RAIPUR, India, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – As the state at the epicentre of India’s Maoist insurgency battles the rebels, journalists say they too are finding themselves branded as outlaws.A law passed by Chhattisgarh state in 2005 made it a crime to “assist in a meeting” with a member of a banned organisation, or to […]
Germany reels over fat cat tax probe
BERLIN, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Germany braced Sunday for more fallout from the worst tax evasion scandal in its history, exposed by a mysterious informant who reportedly took a five-million-euro award and now says he fears for his life.The German government said it paid the unnamed whistle-blower to hand over Liechtenstein bank details on […]
Sri Lanka airforce bombs rebel base: ministry
Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s airforce kept up air strikes on suspected Tamil Tiger rebel targets in the island’s north for the third day in a row on Saturday, the defence ministry said.It did not give details of casualties or damage but said a rebel coordination centre in Mannar on the northwest coast […]
‘s Jayawardene says batsmen must lift
PERTH, Australia, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said his team needed to play smarter cricket at international level after this week’s 63-run loss to Australia.Sri Lanka blew their chance to go top of the tri-series ladder here Friday when several batsmen threw their wickets away as they were dismissed for […]
US scientists pinpoint 14 top technological challenges
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – The US National Academy of Engineering has announced the grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century that, if met, would improve people’s lives.The list of 14 tasks was unveiled Friday by a diverse committee of experts from around the world, convened at the request of the US […]
WHO wants tobacco firms to stop smuggling with new treaty
GENEVA, Feb 15, 2008 (AFP) – The World Health Organisation announced Friday that it planned to adopt a new international treaty on the illegal tobacco trade by 2010. The existing FCTC agreement, signed in February 2005, aims to rein in the estimated five million annual deaths caused by smoking, which the WHO says will double […]
India opens massive weapons fair, denies arming for war
NEW DELHI, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – A massive defence fair opened in India’s capital Saturday, with hundreds of global weapons firms competing for billions of dollars of sales to one of the world’s largest armies and biggest spenders. Some 450 firms from countries including the United States, Russia, Britain, Russia and Israel are displaying […]
Ward Rounds
Feb 16, 2008 (LBO) – A ban on representatives of Sri Lanka’s healthcare firms visiting hospitals has been lifted following a presidential order after the industry agreed to follow a code of conduct, an industry body said. Sri Lanka’s health ministry had banned visits by representatives to hospitals as part of a series of regulations […]