SriLankan Airlines ground handling, catering monopoly extended by 10 years

May 24, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s airports authority has extended by 10 years a ground handling and catering monopoly given to the national carrier SriLankan Airlines at the international airport, a statement said. “Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited has awarded SriLankan Airlines the long term exclusive franchise for ground handling and catering […]

Dicey Deals

May 24, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is continuing its legal defence in action filed by international banks over petroleum derivatives sold to a state-run oil distributor, the government’s top legal officer said. Fitch Ratings said the fine was bigger than the local branch’s capital but its rating was unaffected due to expected support from […]

Sri Lanka stock close 0.5-pct lower

May 23, 2011, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed weaker Monday, amid broad sell-off though heavy trading in Colombo Land shares boosted activity, brokers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed down 0.54 percent to end at 7439.15 (40.48 points), while the Milanka index of liquid stocks dropped 0.39 percent (26.60 […]

Finance Growth

May 23, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s LB Finance said net profits for the March 2011 grew 83 percent to 391 million rupees from a year earlier, with strong growth in lending during the past year and a steep increase in other income, interim accounts showed. Its government securities portfolio rose modestly to 1.6 billion […]

Militants storm Pakistan naval air base, five dead

KARACHI, May 23, 2011 (AFP) – Taliban gunmen armed with rockets and explosives stormed a major naval air base in the heart of Pakistan’s biggest city, destroying two US-made surveillance aircraft and killing five personnel. Officials said the brazen attack in Karachi, which came three weeks after the US killing of Osama bin Laden, was […]

Sri Lanka Hayleys wind power plant to start in Sept

May 23, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s listed Hayleys group said a wind power plant it is building in the island’s north western coastal town of Kalpitiya will begin commercial operations in September 2011. The 10 MegaWatt wind plant is run by its unit Nirmalapura Wind Power (Private) Ltd. The Kalpitiya peninsula has another wind […]

Sri Lanka cautious on Pakistan tour

May 23, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s cricket officials Monday reacted cautiously to an invitation to tour Pakistan, just two years after players were targeted in a deadly militant ambush in Lahore. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced at the weekend that they had invited Sri Lanka to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one […]

Fernando fireworks see Lankans tame Lions

DERBY, May 22, 2011 (AFP) – Dilhara Fernando took three wickets for four runs as Sri Lanka completed their preparations for next week’s first Test against England with a morale-boosting 38-run win over the England Lions here on Sunday. Sri Lanka, who’d already beaten Middlesex, won on the fourth and final day after being made […]

Sri Lanka private sector urged to hire former combatants

May 23, 2011 (LBO) – An international terrorism expert has suggested Sri Lanka’s private sector should employ former Tamil Tiger separatist fighters who have been rehabilitated to help ensure they don’t return to violence. Sri Lanka’s 30-year ethnic war ended in May 2009 resulting in accelerated economic growth and a tourism boom. Gunaratna said many […]

Sri Lanka inflation to fall in May

May 23, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation is expected to come down in May following spike to 9. 8 percent in the 12-month to April and the central bank is comfortable with the current interest rates, Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Sri Lanka has a pegged exchange rate and foreign exchange market interventions generate rupees […]

Cruise Call

May 22, 2011 (LBO) – India’s first cruise ship, Chennai flagged AMET Majesty will make calls on Sri Lanka’s Colombo and Trincomalee ports when it begins high seas cruises in June, a media report said. India is already the largest generator of tourists to Sri Lanka. Arrivals have boomed since the island introduced visa on […]

” UK staff

NEW DELHI, May 22, 2011 (AFP) – Indian tycoon Ratan Tata has denied calling his British staff lazy after a London newspaper quoted him attacking them for heading home early on Friday afternoons. The Tata Group issued a statement after the Times published an interview in which he described how “nobody is willing to go […]

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