Category: Other
Sri Lanka gets World Bank aid for city flood protection
May 26, 2011 (LBO) – The World Bank is to provide 150 million US dollars to Sri Lanka to improve flood protection and infrastructure in and around the capital city of Colombo, a government statement said. The overall aim of the ‘Metro Colombo Urban Development Project’ under taken with World Bank funding is to improve […]
Maldives and IMF hammer out new 3-year deal
May 26, 2011 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund and the Indian Ocean tourist paradise of Maldives had reached a new 3-year deal to fix government finance and stabilize the country and its currency. Maldives is struggling with a large budget deficit partly due to large civil service salary bill, which it was unable to […]
US cutting back troops in Pakistan amid tensions
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 (AFP) – The US military said Wednesday it has begun pulling some American troops out of Pakistan after Islamabad requested a smaller presence, amid tensions over a US raid against Osama bin Laden. The Pakistani government had asked for a scaling back of the US contingent of more than 200 troops […]
Policy Debate
May 26, 2011 (LBO) – I am on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix, Arizona to St Louis, Missouri having enjoyed the only break in the rigorous seven week Eisenhower Fellowship program at the Grand Canyon, America’s great natural wonder. From St Louis I go to San Francisco and a number of other cities to […]
CEO Forum
May 26, 2011 (LBO) – Due to the growth of social media and the internet Sri Lankan firms have to be increasingly vigilant to safeguard the reputation of their brands among today’s well informed consumers, a senior executive said. Brands build bonds with end users to ensure they continually consume their products. Brand specialist say […]
Sri Lanka among elephant countries in action group
NEW DELHI, May 24, 2011 (AFP) – Eight countries with the largest number of elephants met for the first on Tuesday in New Delhi to plot new strategies to protect the animal. “Delegates here represent two-thirds of the world’s wild elephant population,” Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told the inaugural gathering of the Elephant-8 group. […]
Sri Lanka tea production on the rise
May 24, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea production is increasing despite a downturn in April compared with a year ago with annual output expected to hit a new high. Tea production fell 5.6 percent to 28.5 million kilos in April from a year ago when output had been boosted by favourable weather and high […]
Sri Lanka Watawala tea net up 50-pct in year to March
May 24, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s listed Watawala Plantations said profits rose 49. 6 percent to 642 million rupees in the year to March 2011 with revenues growing 9.0 percent amid higher commodity prices and profits from its retail unit. Managing director Vish Govindasamy said higher rubber prices pushed profits from the division to […]
Militants storm Pakistan naval air base, five dead
KARACHI, May 23, 2011 (AFP) – Taliban gunmen armed with rockets and explosives stormed a major naval air base in the heart of Pakistan’s biggest city, destroying two US-made surveillance aircraft and killing five personnel. Officials said the brazen attack in Karachi, which came three weeks after the US killing of Osama bin Laden, was […]
” UK staff
NEW DELHI, May 22, 2011 (AFP) – Indian tycoon Ratan Tata has denied calling his British staff lazy after a London newspaper quoted him attacking them for heading home early on Friday afternoons. The Tata Group issued a statement after the Times published an interview in which he described how “nobody is willing to go […]
Boot Camp
May 21, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has suspended a government plan to make military training compulsory for students who qualify for university education, an official said Saturday. The top court late Friday ordered the education ministry to delay implementation of the training programme until a ruling is made on a legal challenge […]
US security chief to visit India for talks
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2011 (AFP) – The US Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, will make a four-day visit to India beginning May 24, her office announced Thursday. Napolitano and Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, the country’s domestic security chief, will launch the US-India Homeland Security dialogue, which the Department says will increase communication about terrorism […]