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Sri Lanka tourist arrivals reaching a million in November: official
Nov 16, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals have topped 904,000 and is reaching towards a million tourists by the end of November 2013, an official said. The average spend per day was 109 US dollars compared to 65 in 2009, Jayaweera said. Sri Lanka’s arrivals have been boosted by reasonably priced accommodation and […]
Campus Launch
Nov 16, 2013 (LBO) – A campus of UK’s University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) launched in Sri Lanka this week will strengthen links between the two countries, British foreign secretary William Hague has said.The British High Commission said about 8,000 Sri Lankans gain UK education qualifications each year, while 35,000 more get professional qualifications through […]
Maldives hopes for new leader after scuttled votes
MALÉ, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – Organisers of a troubled presidential election in the Maldives said they hoped to name a winner of a run-off contest Saturday after previous attempts were scuttled.Chief Elections Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek told reporters that he hoped they will be able to declare a final winner in an election where former […]
Crisis-hit Maldives vote again
MALÉ, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives Saturday began voting in a run-off presidential election held under intense international pressure to elect a new leader and end months of political unrest.Polling booths across the Indian Ocean archipelago opened at 7:30am (0230 GMT) with the 239,000 electorate given eight and a half hours to choose […]
Sri Lanka rejects international war crimes probe
COLOMBO, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – A top minister rejected pressure Saturday for an international probe into alleged war crimes at the end of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, saying the government would “definitely” not allow one.“Why should we have an international inquiry?We will object to it … Definitely, we are not going to allow it,” […]
” on rights: Cameron
COLOMBO, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron urged Sri Lanka Saturday to move “further and faster” to address allegations of war crimes, saying the issue would remain high on the international agenda. “The Sri Lankan government needs to go further and faster on human rights and reconciliation,” Cameron told a press […]
Mauritius pulls out of hosting 2015 CHOGM: PM
PORT LOUIS, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – The prime minister of Mauritius said Friday his country was withdrawing as host of the next Commonwealth summit as a result of his decision to boycott this year’s meeting in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka has been accused of widespread human rights abuses against its Tamil minority as well as […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves at US$7.0bn in September
Dec 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves eased to 7.0 billion US dollars in September 2013 from 7.5 billion US dollars in August, official data showed. This year Sri Lanka has to repay about 500 million US dollars to the IMF which are made directly out of foreign reserves of the Central Bank. […]
Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.3-pct
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed lower in a broad sell-off with consumer goods and diversified stocks losing ground, brokers said. Ceylinco Insurance closed 69.60 rupees higher at 1,333.20 rupees and Ceylon Tobacco Company closed 5.00 rupees higher at 1,055.00 rupees. Dialog closed 10 cents higher at 9.10 rupees and Sri Lanka […]
Maldives president leaves country on eve of crucial polls
NEW DELHI, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – The president of the Maldives has left the country on the eve of national elections that have been delayed three times, his spokesman said Friday, leaving a leadership void amid a constitutional crisis.Mohamed Waheed, who took office after a contested transfer of power last February, left for Hong […]
Cameron visits Sri Lanka former war zone
COLOMBO, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron made an historic visit Friday to Sri Lanka’s former warzone, stealing the spotlight from a Commonwealth summit after the host, President Mahinda Rajapakse, warned against passing judgement on his country’s past. Only hours after the summit opened in Colombo, Cameron flew into the northern […]
Sri Lanka President says Commonwealth should not be judgmental
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the Commonwealth should not be a judgmental or punitive body at a meeting of heads of governments of member countries in Colombo.The Commonwealth meet had been clouded over war crimes allegations against Colombo over the last stages of a civil war which ended in […]