Category: Other
‘s elephant census begins despite boycott
MINNERIYA, August 12, 2011 (AFP) – Thousands of workers, soldiers and volunteers fanned out across Sri Lanka on Friday to begin the country’s first national elephant survey despite a boycott by some wildlife groups. Hundreds of conservationists decided not to take part because of fears prompted by comments from a minister that the survey will […]
‘s Religare expands into Africa
Aug 11, 2011 (LBO) – India’s Religare Capital Market Limited (RCML) said a recent purchase of South Africa’s Noah Financial Innovation will be a base for further expansion in to the region. RCML chief executive Martin Newson says the South African acquisition is part of its emerging markets investment banking operations, “both in its own […]
Sentencing Plea
Aug 11, 2011 (LBO) – Lawyers for Raj Rajaratnam, a Sri Lanka born fund manager convicted of insider trading, said he should be dealt leniently because of his failing health, the state exaggerated his crimes and his good deeds. US prosecutors had demand a maximum sentence of 24.5 years and described him as the ‘modern […]
Death Sentence
NEW DELHI, August 11, 2011 (AFP) – India’s president has rejected mercy pleas from three men convicted of the 1991 assassination of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, paving the way for their execution, an official told AFP on Thursday. “The rejection (of the clemency petitions) happened last week after the president returned from a foreign […]
Lawlessness
Aug 11, 2011 (LBO) – Friday Forum, a Sri Lankan citizens group fighting to re-establish rule of law and liberal democracy, has raised fresh concerns about lawlessness in the island’s north after an elderly Tamil journalist was brutally assaulted. A 30-year war in the island’s north and east ended two year ago. Local elections were […]
Indian minister says confidence returns to market
NEW DELHI, August 10, 2011 (AFP) – Confidence has returned to India’s share market after it plunged to a 14-month low on the back of the latest global financial turmoil, the country’s finance minister said Wednesday. India’s benchmark Sensex index of 30 leading shares soared nearly 400 points in early trade as part of a […]
Sri Lanka Bairaha June net down 47-pct
Aug 10, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Bairaha Farms, a poultry group said net profits fell 47 percent to 55. 1 million rupees in the June 2011 quarter with revenues down 01 percent to 565 million rupees. The firm reported earnings of 3. 45 rupees per share for the quarter. Sri Lanka’s poultry stocks have […]
Sri Lanka war ravaged rice mill gets ILO help
Aug 10, 2011 (LBO) – The International Labour Organization is helping a co-operative society in northern Sri Lanka rebuild a war-damaged rice mill, which will process paddy produced by 2,000 farmers in the area. The mill in Nadunkerni, Vavuniya, can process 4,000 metric tonnes of paddy (unhusked rice) a year, creating 20 jobs. The ILO […]
Sri Lanka eastern farmers to grow sea bass, mussels, oysters: USAID
Aug 10, 2011 (LBO) – Farmers in Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka are growing sea bass in cages as part of a larger aquaculture project involving 1,300 people who will also grow mussels and oyster, with help from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The US embassy in Colombo said over 50 percent of […]
Sri Lanka wildlife groups boycott elephant census
Aug 10, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan conservation groups are boycotting an elephant census, and called on the private sector not to support the effort, after a government minister revealed plans to capture up to 300 calves with tusks for domestication. Agrarian and wildlife minister S M Chandrasena was reported as saying that the survey […]
Flowing water on Mars sparks new hunt for life traces
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2011 (AFP) – Scientists have found evidence of flowing salt water on steep Martian slopes, which if confirmed would be the first discovery of active liquid water on the red planet, NASA said Thursday. The data gathered by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has given new focus to the hunt for life forms […]
Sri Lanka can tap Vietnam for aquaculture: minister
July 30, 2011 (LBO) – Vietnam is ready to send experts to Sri Lanka to transfer aquaculture knowledge and techniques to grow seaweed, lobster and sea-cucumber, visiting minister Vu Van Tam said in Colombo. “We can send out technicians or experts to help Sri Lanka,” deputy minister Tam said. “Or we are ready to receive […]