Category: Special Reports
Sri Lankan climber successfully summits Mt Everest
May 21, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala has summited the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, early this morning, becoming the first Sri Lankan to complete the incredible feat, the support team said. She is now descending to a lower base camp, with winds favorable. She has not yet had an opportunity to make […]
La Nina may give India heavy monsoon, Sri Lanka expects usual monsoon
May 25, 2016 (LBO) – India may have the highest monsoon rainfall in 22 years with La Nina on the cards, according to a private weather forecaster, boosting agricultural production and easing a shortage of drinking water. Although the prediction by Skymet Weather Services Pvt., a New Delhi-based private forecaster, is higher than the forecast […]
India to turn Iranian port into transit hub bypassing Pakistan
May 24, 2016 (LBO) – India, Iran and Afghanistan have signed a tripartite agreement to turn the Iranian Chabahar port into a transit hub bypassing Pakistan, foreign media reported. The agreement will significantly increase the use of Chabahar port and connect India to Central Asia through Afghanistan and also provide Afghanistan access to India through […]
Flood-hit Sri Lanka receives help from several countries
May 24, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has received a helping hand from several friendly countries to support the disaster affected people in the country. The Foreign Ministry has established a task force to coordinate emergency relief assistance from Diplomatic Missions in Colombo and Sri Lankan Missions overseas, with the relevant Ministries and Agencies in […]
Sri Lanka flood water could take few days to recede: UN OCHA
May 23, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s worst floods in 25 years may take few days to recede, with the increasing possibility of health issues in urban areas, UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its situation report released on Sunday. “It is expected to take several days for floodwaters to […]
South-West monsoon gradually establishing over Sri Lanka: Met Dept
May 24, 2016 (LBO) – The South-west monsoon condition is gradually establishing over the country, and showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, North-Western, Southern, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces, the Met Dept said on Tuesday. “Fairly heavy to heavy falls (around 75-100mm) are also likely at some places,” a statement released at […]
Sri Lanka’s Colombo water supply still safe: Rauff Hakeem
May 20, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem today rejected claims that the water intakes from Ambatale Water Treatment Plant were polluted. Speaking in Parliament the Minister assured that there is no truth to the rumor that the Kalani River water had been severely polluted with oil. “We have been constantly […]
150 people feared dead in two Sri Lanka landslides
May 19, 2016 (LBO) – Around 150 people are feared dead after more than three days of heavy rain triggered two landslides in central Sri Lanka, disaster officials said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Torrential rains have forced more than 223,000 people from their homes across the South Asian country, the latest official data showed. Seventeen […]
Sri Lanka floods leave over 135,000 homeless
May 17, 2016 (LBO) – At least eight people were killed and over 207,000 people were affected due to adverse weather in Sri Lanka where more than 135,000 people have been driven out of their homes by floods, officials said Tuesday. Over 47,000 families were affected in the island with Western Province has been reported […]
Crisis-hit Venezuela near collapse, says new oil deal with China
May 17, 2016 (LBO) – Venezuela says it has reached a deal with China to improve loan terms as falling oil prices have driven the oil-exporting country into economic crisis and collapsed its currency. Venezuelan Economy Vice-President Miguel Perez told Reuters that all conditions, including loan time frames, investment amounts and non-financial aspects, had been […]
Governor replies to article by anonymous writer
May 13, 2016 (LBO) – In response to an article published in a media outlet written by an anonymous writer titled ‘What is expected of Central Bank Governor?’ Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran has replied that there were factual inaccuracies in the article. “The writer has sought to compare my conduct with that of a […]
Thilak Karunaratne sends letter of demand to Sunday Leader
Apr 18, 2016 (LBO) – Thilak Karunaratne, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), has sent a letter of demand to The Sunday Leader newspaper alleging defamation for an article titled “SEC Fails Market Again,” on April 3rd. The article, which quotes from another article published on the website “‘Lanka News […]