Category:
UN rights office condemns Maldives death penalty revival
GENEVA, April 29, 2014 (AFP) – The UN human rights office on Tuesday voiced concern over moves to revive the death penalty in the Maldives, including for minors, after a six-decade freeze on capital punishment in the Indian Ocean archipelago.“We are deeply concerned about a new regulation adopted in the Maldives on implementation of the […]
Pakistan India relations take surprising warmer turn with Modi
NEW DELHI, May 26, 2014 (AFP) – India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to hold landmark talks with his Pakistani counterpart and announce his new cabinet Tuesday as he looked to hit the ground running on his first day in office. The morning after Modi and his slimmed-down team of ministers were sworn in, […]
Sri Lanka President, Indian PM discuss fishing, post-war reconciliation
May 27, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa had discussed the island’s post-war reconciliation process and an fishing dispute with India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, his office said.“Both agreed that talks between the fishermen and the meeting of the joint committee of officials must continue,” the statement said.Sri Lanka […]
Sri Lanka borrows US$275mn from ADB for roads, education
May 27, 2014 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank said it would loan 175 million US dollars to build roads and boost the state university system to generate graduates that more employable.ADB will give 100 million US dollars for Sri Lanka government’s skills sector development program which plans to reduce a mismatch between the competencies […]
Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.2-pct
May 26, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed up with telco and other index heavy stocks gaining despite low foreign participation, brokers said. Sri Lanka Telecom closed 70 cents higher at 48.80 rupees and Asian Hotels and Properties closed 2.10 rupees higher at 72.10 rupees, contributing most to the index gain. Lion Brewery Ceylon […]
Vehicle Trend
May 26, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s commercial vehicle registrations continued were sharply down from a year earlier, especially trucks in April 2014, though motor cycle sales were up, an analysis by an equities research unit shows.Motor car registrations were flat at 1,917 units, only marginally down from 1977 units a year earlier. Among small […]
India PM-elect Modi to keep defence, slashes full-rank cabinet to 23: reports
NEW DELHI, May 26, 2014 (AFP) – India’s premier-elect Narendra Modi plans to slash 26 government positions and name himself as defence minister under a cabinet revamp set to be unveiled later Monday, reports said.Modi’s cabinet will number 45 including him, down from 71 in outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh’s scandal-tainted Congress-led coalition administration, the […]
China turns expressway into military airstrip: reports
BEIJING, May 26, 2014 (AFP) – China has flown warplanes on to and from a civilian road for the first time, state media said Monday, a technique which could be used for “emergency landings during wartime”. An image of a fighter jet taking off from a motorway in the central province of Henan — with […]
Sri Lanka exports surge 28.6-pct in March, trade gap narrows
May 26, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports surged 28.6 percent in March 2014 from a year earlier to 1,069.9 million US dollars with apparel up 32.6 percent keeping the momentum seen from the last quarter as Western economies recovered. The trade gap narrowed 13.5 percent 1,816 million US dollars in the first three months […]
Cricket: Sri Lanka defeat sorry England by 157 runs
CHESTER-LE-STREET, May 25, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka came up with the perfect response to their defeat in the first one-day international against England as they swept aside Alastair Cook’s team in the second meeting at the Riverside on Sunday. Ashan Priyanjan added an important 43 runs for the tourists, who set a target of […]
Sri Lanka electricity: Getting what you pay for
May 26, 2014 (LBO) We believe that micro enterprises are important. If they succeed, they become small businesses and then medium enterprises. That is how development happens. We wanted to find out how poor micro enterprises were served by mobile companies and by electricity distribution companies. LIRNEasia conducted random-sample surveys in three countries (actually in […]
‘s forex reserves US$8.1bn; BOP surplus up with weak credit
May 26, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s balance of payments surplus or the gap between international receipts and payments widened to 828.8 million US dollars, the Central Bank said as weak domestic credit dampened imports. However when credit is weak not all of the inflows are spent, generating excess liquidity in the domestic money markets […]