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Sri Lanka relief move endangers trapped civilians: Amnesty
September 10, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s move to evict relief workers from its embattled north worsens the humanitarian situation for tens of thousands of civilians who rely on aid, Amnesty International said Wednesday. The London-based rights group said the Colombo government lacked the capacity to provide basic essentials and safety for those who have […]
UN chief alarmed by worsening strife in Sri Lanka
UNITED NATIONS, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – UN leader Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm Tuesday over escalating strife between government troops and rebels in northern Sri Lanka and reminded the parties of their obligations to ensure the safety of civilians. “The secretary general expresses his deep concern over the increased hostilities in northern Sri Lanka, and […]
Sri Lankan Airlines on new direction to trim fuel
Sept 10, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan Airlines says it is cutting fuel use by making clean landing approaches at its home base in Colombo and through a series of efficiency measures devised in house and with international advice. To recieve instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 […]
Lehman Brothers in freefall as hopes fade for new capital
NEW YORK, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – Shares of Lehman Brothers went into a freefall Tuesday as hopes faded for an injection of fresh capital for the ailing Wall Street investment bank, analysts said. Lehman, one of Wall Street’s most prominent investment firms, saw its shares tumble 44.95 percent to end at 7.79. The shares […]
OPEC a spectator as oil sinks below US$100
VIENNA, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – Oil prices dipped below 100 dollars for the first time since April on Tuesday as OPEC met in Vienna, with pressure growing within the exporter group for Saudi Arabia to rein in its production. OPEC is expected to announce an unchanged production policy that in theory binds 12 of […]
Sri Lanka becomes top South Asian reformer in 2008: IFC study
Sept 10, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has been rated the top South Asian reformer in an annual business regulation study by the World Bank group, with a new company law and credit information improvements boosting its scores.Singapore led the global rankings on the overall regulatory ease of doing business for a third consecutive year.New […]
Sri Lanka to build premium tourism zone; offers 14 islands
Sept 09, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to offer a new tourism zone for development in Kalpitiya in the country’s north western coast, which has 14 islands in which to build eco-friendly resorts, officials said. Tourism secretary George Michael says the area with 14 islands contains 4,000 acres for development. Galhena said requests for […]
Digital President
Sept 09, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has a ‘digital president’ who is strongly backing the spread of information communications technology (ICT) in the country, International Telecommunications Union (ITU) chief Toure Hamadoun said.Sri Lanka now had 44 percent mobile penetration, which was double that of India. It was the first country in South Asia to […]
Competition
Sept 09, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka incumbent mobile operators say the industry has healthy competition and are denying claims by new rival, India’s Airtel that anti-competitive practices in interconnection are keeping prices high.Sri Lanka’s Dialog, Hutch, Mobitel and Tigo says the country’s mobile penetration reached 38 percent at the end of 2007, which was […]
Full Penetration
Sept 09, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka top celcos firms said they will connect more people by finding ways to lower costs, despite rising inflation and taxes on mobile calls hitting the pockets of poorer sections of society. Anoja Obeysekere, from Sri Lanka’s Dialog Telekom, who is the chairperson of the Asia Pacific GSM Association, […]
Asif Ali Zardari sworn in as Pakistan president
ISLAMABAD, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – Asif Ali Zardari became Pakistan’s president Tuesday and faced immediate pressure to combat the Islamic militant insurgency that has engulfed the nation in the past year, as well as a struggling economy.Zardari, the controversial 53-year-old widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, was sworn in at a closely-guarded ceremony […]
” found in Afghanistan
KABUL, September 8, 2008 (AFP) – An Afghan archaeologist has discovered the remains of an ancient 19-metre-long (62-foot) “sleeping Buddha” in central Afghanistan’s Bamiyan a government official said Monday.Bamiyan, about 140 kilometres (90 miles) northwest of Kabul, is on the ancient Silk Route between Europe and Central Asia. A team led by Zameryalai Tarzi had […]