Category:
Sri Lanka tea prices revive at auction, crop shortfall seen
Jan 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices revived at the first auction of the year this week with the industry saying a shortfall in the crop and the forthcoming ‘quality season’ should ensure better earnings in the first quarter.Anil Perera, head of the Private Tea Factory Owners Association, said the shortfall in crop […]
Sri Lanka military gains full control of highway to Jaffna: President
Jan 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s military has gained full control of a strategic highway linking the northern Jaffna peninsular with the south of the country after 23 years, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a nation-wide television address. Point Pedro is the northernmost point of the island, and Dondra Head the southernmost point. Education […]
Sri Lanka troops seize strategic pass from Tigers: official
January 9, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops fighting Tamil rebels on Friday took full control of the highly strategic Elephant Pass, a causeway linking the Jaffna peninsula with the northern mainland, an official said. The causeway fell to government troops advancing northwards from Kilinochchi, the political headquarters of the Tamil Tigers captured by the […]
‘s murder
January 9, 2009 (AFP) – Hundreds of Sri Lankan journalists took to the streets Friday to protest against the killing of a newspaper editor, as the government came under local and foreign pressure to protect freedom of expression.The demonstration in Colombo demanded a halt to violence, threats and intimidation after Thursday’s shooting of Lasantha Wickrematunga, […]
Sri Lanka anti-media violence a conspiracy: President
Jan 09, 2008 (LBO) – Violence against media is a conspiracy to pave the way for international involvement in the island’s internal affairs, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The most recent violence drew widespread condemnation from the United States, the European Union and rights bodies, who called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice, and […]
Sri Lanka anti-media violence undermining democracy: United States
Jan 09, 2009 (LBO) – The United States has strongly condemned the murder of a prominent newspaper editor in Sri Lanka and an attack on a broadcaster saying the violence was undermining democracy and silencing independent voices.Lasantha Wickematunge, editor of The Sunday Leader, a newspaper strongly critical of the government was shot on a main […]
Sri Lanka needs freedom of information for development: World Bank
Jan 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs freedom of information to develop, and Sri Lanka’s government should hold full and transparent investigations on violence against the media, the World Bank said. “The World Bank urges the Government of Sri Lanka to hold full and transparent investigations of incidents of violence against media,” the World […]
EU condemns shooting of Sri Lankan editor
BRUSSELS, January 8, 2009 (AFP) – The European Union condemned Thursday the shooting death of a respected Sri Lankan newspaper editor and expressed concern about media freedoms in the South Asian nation.Wickrematunga, 52, was shot by gunmen on two motorcycles as he drove to work near Colombo. He was rushed to hospital but died after […]
Sri Lanka shares head down, Seylan Bank draws interest
Jan 08, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended marginally weaker Thursday in thin trade and sentiment remaining gloomy with active, albeit low volume, trading in Seylan Bank, the subject of takeover interest, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share Price […]
Building Ships
Jan 08, 2009 (LBO) –Sri Lanka is trying to enhance its ship building capacity with the government inviting foreign investors to set up a ship yard at a new port being built in the south, a senior port official said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to […]
Sri Lanka expects record tea crop despite year-end drop
Jan 08, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea production and exports fell sharply in November 2008 but export earnings in the 11 months were ahead of the year before and a record annual crop is expected, brokers said.Tea production in November 2008 at 24.6 million kilos was the lowest since 1999 as producers cut output […]
Sri Lankan coconut growers seen giving up cultivation
Jan 08, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan coconut growers are giving up cultivation and selling estates for housing as prices of nuts have fallen too low to be remunerative, a left-wing parliamentarian representing cultivators said.“Coconut cultivators want a stable price that will cover their production costs,” said Namal Karunaratne, convenor of the Joint Organization of […]