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Chinese tourists, diplomats make a splash in the Maldives
MALÉ, September 23, 2013 (AFP) – The travellers pouring off flight LV199 from Shanghai into the international airport of the Maldives, many dressed in designer labels, are an unmissable sign of China’s interest in the far-flung archipelago.His half-brother, long-time autocrat Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled until 2008, was saved from a coup by late Indian […]
SriLankan flight diverted over bomb claim
Sept 22, 2013 (LBO) – State-run SriLankan Airlines said its flight to London’s Heathrow airport was diverted to Stansted after a passenger claimed that he had a parcel bomb.The passengers had been transferred by Heathrow by coach. A British national had claimed that he had a bomb on board just as SriLankan’s UK503 was beginning […]
‘s Tamil party wins landslide victory in key poll
JAFFNA, September 22, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party won a landslide victory Sunday in landmark elections in the battle-scarred north, raising hopes of some degree of self-rule for the ethnic minority after decades of war. The election comes ahead of a Commonwealth heads of government summit due to take place in Colombo […]
Tamil party heads for big win in Sri Lanka vote
JAFFNA, September 21, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party was Sunday headed for victory in the first regional elections to a semi-autonomous council in the island’s north after decades of ethnic war.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) swept three of the five districts declared so far following Saturday’s Northern Provincial Council elections, official results […]
Tata-Singapore tie-up seen reaffirming India aviation potential
NEW DELHI, September 21, 2013 (AFP) – A new Indian airline planned by the giant Tata Group and Singapore Airlines reaffirms the nation’s longterm potential as an aviation market, despite the sector’s current financial turbulence, analysts say. Tata Sons, the holding company of tea-to-software conglomerate Tata Group, and SIA said this week they were setting […]
Sri Lanka construction industry targeted by Milcris
Sept 20, 2013 (LBO) – Milcris (Pvt) Ltd, a construction consultancy with Sri Lankan origins which caters mainly to international projects in the Middle East says it is now targeting the domestic market. “We do not want to disturb or we are not competing with local companies. Our competitors are international giants,” De Silva said. […]
‘s Tamils vote after decades of war
JAFFNA, September 21, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils began voting Saturday to elect what they hope will give them a shot at self-rule after decades of ethnic bloodshed that claimed over 100,000 lives.Tamils in the country’s battle-scarred northern province are voting for the first time to elect a semi-autonomous council, in an election […]
”’ rating ahead of bond sale
Sept 20, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s DFCC Bank has been given a ‘B’ international rating by Standard and Poor’s ahead of a bond sale. “DFCC’s business position reflects our view of the bank’s satisfactory business stability, diversification, management, and strategy compared with that of peers in emerging markets,” said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst […]
Tele Target
Sept 19, 2013 (LBO) – Broadband customers of Sri Lanka Telecom, the islands sole wireline operator, topped 350,000 by June 2013, the firm said amid an expansion of its fibre optic network capacity. Sri Lanka Telecom offers ‘triple play’ with voice, data and television through its PEOTv service. Sri Lanka Telecom has been boosting its […]
‘s new central bank chief orders surprise rate hike
MUMBAI, September 20, 2013 (AFP) – India’s new central bank governor marked his first policy meeting Friday with a bold decision to hike interest rates, wrong-footing analysts and leading to sharp falls on the stock market.Reserve Bank of India (RBI) chief Raghuram Rajan, who had warned he was prepared to be unpopular, ordered a rise […]
Hypocrisy one-upmanship in Sri Lanka
Sept 20, 2013 (LBO) – One of the worst things this administration has done is double the size of the government work force.One of the best things the short-lived Ranil Wickremesinghe administration did in 2002-04 was to freeze government appointments in the face of an economic crisis that saw the economy contracting for the first […]
”s new boat people policy
UDAPPUWA, September 20, 2013 (AFP) – As Australia’s new government launches tough measures to halt asylum seekers arriving on boats, some dirt-poor fishermen and their families half a world away in Sri Lanka seem undeterred. Although Armugasamy did not fullfil his dream of resettling in Australia, he still hopes the journey was worth it. The […]