Native Feel

February 20 (LBO) – Microsoft’s new Vista operating system, which comes with built in Sinhala language capability would open a high technology window for rural Sri Lankans, officials said. “The main objective of having Sinhala language in our own operating system is to enable people to interact with the computer,” says Imran Vilcassim, a Microsoft […]

Smooth Talking

COLOMBO, Feb 20, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s telecom sector soared in 2006 to 7.3 million users, led by a 59 percent jump in new mobile phone connections on competition and falling call rates, the telecom watchdog said Tuesday. Despite a waiting list of around 366,000 for fixed-line phone services, the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Regulatory […]

Tele Research

Feb 20 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom tied up with the Peradeniya University recently to support information technology research and development for application in sociology, agriculture and medicine. œThis will create a platform for researchers from various disciplines to come together and take part in research and development activities, Shoji Takahashi, Chief Executive Officer of […]

Upper Limits

February 20 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank on Tuesday revised the requirements on single borrower limits to promote better risk management of banks. The new regulations allow individuals or single entities the ability to borrow up to 30 percent of the capital base of the bank. The single borrower limit goes up to 33 […]

Insurance Appetite

February 20 (LBO) – One of Sri Lanka’s youngest listed insurance firms, HNB Assurance closed up 8 percent Tuesday after declaring a one-for-two bonus issue following a 51 percent surge in profits for 2006. HNB Assurance closed up 2.50 rupees at 33.50 after peaking at 37 after the bonus announcement. A subsidiary of Hatton National […]

Sri Lanka exports to India drops for the first time on trade wars

Feb 19 (LBO) – For the first time in a decade, Sri Lanka’s exports to India dropped last year, following trade disputes over the island’s duty free access into India for vegetable oil, spices and copper. Sri Lanka and India have duty free or preferential access into each other’s markets for over 4000 goods, under […]

Sri Lanka look to deliver huge surprise at World Cup

NEW DELHI, Feb 19, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will be keen to maintain their recently-acquired reputation of doing consistently well away from home when they begin their World Cup campaign in the Caribbean.None of the three other sub-continent sides can match an impressive record of Mahela Jayawardene’s Sri Lankans, who won more than 50 […]

Police unearth over 400 baby bones in India

BHOPAL, India, Feb 19, 2007 (AFP) – Police were investigating Monday a hospital’s involvement in illegal female foeticide after 437 baby bones were dug up close by the complex, a state government said Monday.Police began unearthing the bones on Saturday from Christian Medical Hospital, in central Madhya Pradesh state, after a tip-off that medical staff […]

Joy and pain as train blast survivors arrive in Pakistan

LAHORE, Pakistan, Feb 19, 2007 (AFP) – Desperate relatives defied police and forced their way into the carriages that arrived here Monday evening with survivors of the train blast in India.“They are known for attacks on trains in India,” he said. Joy and pain as train blast survivors arrive in Pakistan =(PICTURE)= ATTENTION – RECASTS […]

Loud Numbers

February 19, 2006 (LBO) – Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka’s largest cellular phone operator, Monday posted a 44 percent rise in net profits for the 12 months to December, and said it plans to cover 100 percent of the island by end 2007. A unit of Telekom Malaysia, Dialog Telekom, reported a 10.12 billion rupee group […]

Executed

RIYADH, Feb 19, 2007 (AFP) – Four Sri Lankans convicted of armed robbery were beheaded by the sword in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on Monday, the interior ministry said. Victor Korea, Ranjith De Silva, Santhosh Kumar and Sharmila Sangeeth Kumar were executed for robbing a number of businesses at gunpoint, the ministry said in […]

Summary Justice

January 19 (LBO) – Saudi Arabia has beheaded four Sri Lankans by the sword including a man serving a jail sentence, reports from the desert kingdom said, bringing an abrupt end to a three year struggle by rights organizations and the prisoners themselves for clemency. An AFP news agency report quoting the Saudi Press Agency […]

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