Author: lbostgadmin
Seven media workers killed in Sri Lanka in 2006, but no arrests: RSF
Feb 02, 2007 (LBO) – Seven media workers were killed in Sri Lanka in the past year, with Tamil journalists bearing the brunt of the oppression, an international media rights group has said. “No suspects have so far been arrested,” the Paris based Reporters without Borders, (RSF) said in a report. “There is total impunity […]
Sri Lanka steps up security ahead of national day
COLOMBO, Feb 2, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka stepped up already tight security in the capital Colombo on Friday amid fears of Tamil rebel attacks ahead of independence day celebrations, officials said. Security forces armed with tough anti-terror laws increased road blocks and random checks within the city of 600,000 people and carried out searches […]
Sri Lanka cricketers look for revenge in India
COLOMBO, Feb 2, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka hope to avenge an embarrassing thrashing by India 15 months ago when they play a four-match series from next week in the build-up to the World Cup.When Sri Lanka played in India in November, 2005, they were routed 6-1 in the one-dayers and 2-0 in the three-Test […]
‘s biggest mutual fund: report
BEIJING, Feb 2, 2007 (AFP) – China plans a special firm to manage one fifth of its forex reserves, laying the foundations of a behemoth that will handle more money than the biggest mutual fund in the world, state media said Friday.The State Foreign Exchange Investment Company is expected to be in charge of 210 […]
Musical Chairs
February 02 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s 54-member jumbo cabinet is causing logistical headaches for parliamentary staff, with senior members who crossed over from the United National Party, being entititled to the available meeting rooms officials said.Perks for each cabinet minister include an office space in the parliament complex, but the facility only has about three […]
Small Change
February 02 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s banks have reported much smaller volumes than previously expected, though state banks are yet to complete their reports, an official said. With only the Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank yet to report dormant assets, information regarding 545 million rupees worth of assets have been collected, Acting Bank Supervisor, […]
Thin Margin
January 31 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state petroleum utility expects to just break even or make a marginal profit in 2006, after a government price supplement subsidy was withdrawn, an official said. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s retail prices were state controlled, but the treasury gave it a price supplement until last year based on a formula […]
Sri Lankan FM says military crackdown on Tamil Tigers will continue
NEW DELHI, Feb 1, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s new foreign minister said Wednesday there would be no let-up in military operations against the separatist Tamil Tigers rebels as he urged them to return to the negotiating table.“We want the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to become a stake-holder in the peace process” launched […]
Mass arrests after Sri Lanka blasts kill 12
COLOMBO, Feb 1, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels set off a roadside bomb in Sri Lanka’s troubled north Thursday, killing a soldier as police carried out mass arrests after a similar blast killed 11 people, officials said.The latest Claymore mine attack was in the district of Vavuniya where soldiers were on routine operations sweeping […]
Sri Lanka expands jumbo cabinet
COLOMBO, Feb 1, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president Thursday swore in another minister increasing the cabinet to a historic high of 54 members. President Mahinda Rajapakse inducted a 52-member cabinet on Sunday morning and added another member by the evening. On Thursday, he named a layman belonging to the Buddhist monks’ party, the National […]
Inflation in Sri Lanka hits a new record of 20.5% in January
January 31 (LBO) – Consumer inflation in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo soared to a new record of 20.5 percent in the year to January, beating the 19.8 percent high reached in November, a report from the government’s statistics office showed Wednesday. This is the highest inflation seen in Sri Lanka for more than a decade. […]
India raises policy rate to 7.5% to keep inflation below 5.5%
MUMBAI, Jan 31, 2007 (AFP) – The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday raised its key short-term borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point to 7.50 percent citing inflation risks as it also hiked its full-year growth forecast. The central bank however kept other rates unchanged including its overnight deposit rate at 6.0 percent after […]