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Sri Lanka tourist arrivals down 10.5 pct in March
Apr 21, 2009 (LBO) – Tourist arrivals to Sri Lankan fell 10.5 percent to 34,065 for the month of March 2009, with key Western European and South Asian markets weakening, the tourism promotion office said. The number of tourists from the all-important western European market, the lifeblood of beach resorts, fell by 5.2 percent to […]
Sri Lanka rubber regains bounce
April 21, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan rubber prices have bounced back as demand picks up and tapping slows down during the off-season, industry officials said. “So rubber manufacturing companies have got new orders as a result of which they have to buy the natural rubber raw materials from producers. “Also, supply is now lower […]
Record Gulf remittances bleak comfort for Pakistan
KARACHI, April 21, 2009 (AFP) – Pakistani expatriate workers wired home a record 739.4 million dollars last month, but experts warn job losses from the global credit crunch could soon slash remittances and rock the economy.Pakistanis working overseas sent 5.66 billion dollars home during the first nine months to March 31, 20 percent up on […]
Sri Lanka Tigers ignore deadline to surrender
April 21, 2009 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan army on Tuesday seized more territory from the Tamil Tigers as the rebels ignored a government deadline to surrender, the defence ministry said. The attack saw government forces effectively slice the last small strip of jungle held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in two, […]
Sri Lanka takes more territory from Tigers: ministry
April 21, 2009 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan army on Tuesday captured more territory from the Tamil Tigers ahead of the expiry of a government deadline for the rebels to surrender, the defence ministry said.The defence ministry has given Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and his fighters until 0630 GMT Tuesday to surrender. Advancing government troops […]
US says clock ticking for Sri Lanka solution
WASHINGTON, April 21, 2009 (AFP) – A US official warned on Monday that time was running out for a deal that he hoped would bring lasting peace to Sri Lanka as he pressed for both sides to halt the fighting.Sri Lankan authorities set a deadline of midday (0630 GMT) Tuesday for the surrender of Tamil […]
Sri Lanka rupee weakens to new life low of 117.10 against greenback
April 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka rupee fell steeply to 117.10 levels against the greenback Monday, after opening at 116.00/20 levels, with no intervention from the monetary authority, dealers said.Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange markets are coming to life after a lazy traditional New Year holiday week when demand for dollars was muted. The rupee […]
Sri Lankan stocks rise on war victories, rupee hits new low
Apr 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares rose across the board on Monday with investors upbeat over signs the ethnic war had reached its final stages, while the rupee hit a new low against the dollar, brokers and dealers said. Rebels leaders are believed to be hiding among the remaining civilians in the area […]
Foreign Interest
April 20, 2009 (LBO) – A number of prospective buyers interested in Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank have tied up with foreign partners to bid for a 33 percent stake in the bank, Central Bank governor Nivard Cabraal said. Ceylinco chief Lalith Kotelawala, who is now in remand over the collapse of his Golden Key Credit […]
India launches spy satellite
BANGALORE, April 20, 2009 (AFP) – India put an Israeli-built spy satellite into orbit Monday, aimed at boosting its defence surveillance capabilities in the aftermath of the Mumbai militant attacks. The satellite, which can see through clouds and carry out day-and-night all-weather imaging, has been a long-standing demand of the Indian military. Its acquisition was […]
Sri Lanka calls for world pressure on Tamil Tigers
April 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s top defence official has called on the international community and the United Nations to put pressure on Tamil Tiger rebels to lay down arms and surrender.He said the latest influx of refugees from the small strip of land remaining under rebel control showed the civilians wanted to escape […]
Civilian exodus spells defeat for Tigers: Sri Lanka president
April 20, 2009 (AFP) – Tens of thousands of civilians on Monday escaped from the area still held by Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers, signalling that the rebels’ “complete defeat” was imminent, President Mahinda Rajapakse said. Showing AFP aerial video from a military spy plane over the tiny area where the Tigers are staging a last […]