Category:
Sri Lanka rebels say truce dead, monitors leave embattled region
COLOMBO, Feb 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka truce monitors pulled out of an embattled northern region where thousands of civilians were on the run fearing a fresh military offensive, as Tiger rebels said the ceasefire was all but dead. The local employees of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) were no longer at their […]
Sri Lanka and South Asia to gain by freeing trade: report
Feb 20 (LBO) – South Asian countries including Sri Lanka could make huge gains by freeing up trade in education, health and tourism and lowering other barriers between themselves, a new report by a regional business forum and the World Bank has said. South Asian countries included in the report include Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, […]
Sri Lanka Central Bank raises interest rates by 0.5% to contain inflation
Feb 23 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank Friday raised its key policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 12.00 percent to dampen rising prices as inflation rose to a record 20.5 percent in January. The bank also said finance, energy and trade ministries have been ordered to co-ordinate their efforts to reduce inflationary […]
Mutual Benefits
February 22 (LBO) – A tax-efficient closed-end fixed income mutual fund launched by National Asset Management (NAMAL) is already attracting commitments from the corporate sector, officials said. But monetary policy has been tightened since December, sending market interest rates shooting up. The NAMAL Flexi Income Fund will invest mostly in better yielding corporate bonds and […]
Smart Buildings
February 21 (LBO) – Following the rapid spread of urbanization in Sri Lanka, local architects say more efficient and economical design methods must be adopted. In the field of architecture in Sri Lanka, there has not been any serious deliberation on sustainability, says Chandana Edirisuriya, Vice President Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA). In South […]
Zenith
February, 22 (LBO) – After growing at breakneck speed for the past several years, Sri Lanka’s mobile phone market is losing pace and competitors are pecking away at dominant player Dialog’s market share, an equities research report has said. In 2006 Sri Lanka’s mobile penetration hit 27.1 percent according to official Telecommunications Regulatory Commission data. […]
From holidays to yoga pants: luxury freebies for Oscars stars
LOS ANGELES, Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) – The US tax man has helped put a stop to the 100,000-dollar goodie bags, but celebrities will still be showered with an eye-popping array of lavish gifts at this year’s Oscars.“This is just a thanks for making great movies.These are the people who help put a smile on […]
Sri Lanka at best ever for World Cup: de Silva
COLOMBO, Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) – Former batting great Aravinda de Silva believes the current Sri Lankan side go into the World Cup with better chances of winning the title than their champion 1996 team. “I honestly feel this side have a better chance than we had in 1996.When you compare the eras, I feel […]
Nine killed in Sri Lanka boat attack: navy
Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy sank two suspected Tamil Tiger boats off the island’s north-western coast Thursday, killing at least nine people, a military official said. Navy craft attacked the suspected rebel boats off the coast of Puttalam district, a navy spokesman said. “There were six men in one boat and three […]
‘s national heritage again
February 22 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s sacked national heritage minister Anura Bandaranaike has been re-appointed to his former post Thursday, a spokesman from the presidential secretariat said. Bandaranaike was removed with former aviation minister Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi.
Norway offers help to revive Sri Lanka peace bid
COLOMBO, Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) – Norway’s top peace broker in Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, Thursday offered to go the extra mile to revive the stalled process on the eve of the fifth anniversary of a moribund truce.Solheim, who is also Norway’s international development minister, expressed the hope that Sri Lanka’s government and the Liberation […]
Killings continue in Sri Lanka ahead of failed truce anniversary
COLOMBO, Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) – Three civilians were found shot dead in northern Sri Lanka and a soldier was killed in the country’s east Thursday, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of a failed truce agreement, police said. The bullet-riddled bodies of the civilians were found in three locations in the town of […]