Remanded

March 31, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police remanded in custody on Thursday an employee of an anti-government website over allegations that he made threats to the brother of an arson suspect. Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said Bennet Rupasinghe, the Sri Lanka-based news editor of lankaenews.com, was arrested and remanded in custody until April 7. […]

India eases foreign investment rules

NEW DELHI, April 1, 2011 (AFP) – India has eased regulations governing foreign companies and their Indian joint venture partners as it seeks to halt a decline in direct foreign investment. Foreign companies with an existing joint venture in India will no longer need the local partner’s permission if they want to set up a […]

Sri Lanka private airline hit by road re-opening, state competition

Apr 01, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s scheduled domestic private passenger air services to the north were forced to stop after the re-opening of road travel and competition from the air force, an official said. H M C Nimalsiri, director general of the civil aviation authority, said the island’s domestic aviation sector was small and […]

Sri Lanka mulls airport mono-rail, multi-storey car park

Apr 01, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is looking for investors to build a multi-storey car park and a hotel close to the international airport to which a mono-rail link is also envisaged, an official said. Johanne Jayaratne, executive director of Airports and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka), a state agency which operates airports, said the […]

Japan PM says stricken nuclear plant to be scrapped

SENDAI, March 31, 2011 (AFP) – Japan said Thursday its crisis-hit nuclear plant must be scrapped, but currently had no plans to evacuate more people, despite calls for a larger exclusion zone around the crippled facility. “At the moment, we do not have the understanding that it is necessary to evacuate residents there. We think […]

‘ forum

Apr 01, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industry and Commerce has decided to revive a regular meeting with exporters which allowed them to air grievances and get speedy solutions for problems. The Exporters’ Forum will be conducted with the Export Development Board (EDB), a government agency tasked with supporting exporters. The decision to […]

Subcontinent dominates World Cup

NEW DELHI, April 1, 2011 (AFP) – A first all-Asian final in the World Cup’s 36-year history between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Saturday underlines that familiarity breeds success. Never before have the subcontinental teams dominated the showpiece one-day event, as India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan all made it to the semi-finals for […]

Sri Lanka call up veteran Vaas as Murali sweats

March 31, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka were sweating over the World Cup final fitness of Muttiah Muralitharan and Angelo Mathews on Thursday as 37-year-old seamer Chaminda Vaas and Suraj Randiv were called-up as cover. “Chaminda Vaas and Suraj Randiv will be included in the Sri Lankan squad for the World Cup final as cover […]

Sri Lanka editor release demanded by rights groups

April 1, 2011 (AFP) – International media rights groups Friday asked Sri Lanka’s government to release the editor of a pro-opposition news website, a day after he was remanded in police custody for a week. A total of 17 journalists and media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past decade. Police arrested […]

Sri Lanka shares close up 0.5-pct

Mar 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed higher Thursday with interest in the banking and finance sector and Union Bank of Colombo the most actively traded and closing stronger, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 7,226.12, up 0.46 percent (33.40 points) while the more liquid Milanka index rose 0. 92 […]

Gridlock Strategy

Mar 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will have to find ways to improve public transport to reduce the need for private vehicle use to prevent gridlock as vehicle ownership rises with rising incomes, an expert said. “We need a sustained policy because vehicle growth is bound to happen with income growth. ” said Amal […]

Virtual Agency

Mar 31, 2011 (LBO) – Triadhot.com, a division of Sri Lanka’s Triad advertising agency said it had launched its first integrated marketing campaign in Singapore and is planning to enter Indonesia, Philippines and the Maldives. Advertisements developed by Triadhot.com for the client had appeared in newspapers, magazines, hoardings. “The digital campaign complete with a Facebook […]

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