Bajaj Auto faces rough ride in India car market

MUMBAI, March 6, 2011 (AFP) – Abhijit is fiercely proud of his Kawasaki Bajaj motorbike and considers himself a company loyalist. “Motorbikes are the best for urban travel. They’re economical and easy to park,” the Mumbai sales executive in his 30s told AFP. But while Abhijit, who uses only one name, wants to upgrade to […]

Sri Lanka-Aussies washed out, Dhaka in security row

NEW DELHI, March 5, 2011 (AFP) – Torrential rain washed away defending champions Australia’s World Cup clash with Sri Lanka on Saturday, just as the eagerly awaited encounter between the fierce rivals was coming to the boil. Sri Lanka had made 146-3, with skipper Kumar Sangakkara hitting an unbeaten 73, when Colombo’s R. Premadasa stadium, […]

Sri Lanka forex reserves $6.6bn in January

Mar 06, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves were 6. 6 billion US dollars by end January 2011, the same level as in December, the Central Bank said, as trade and economic activity expanded. The central bank said the reserves were equal to 5.9 months of imports of the past 12 months of 1,108 […]

Job Market

Mar 05, 2011 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan employment network is encouraging businesses to give jobs to over 15,000 youth in the former northern war zone who are seeking work and help improve ethnic relations in the country. “Access to the job market will renew hope in the community in the resettled area as well […]

Sri Lanka December exports, imports hit new high

Mar 05, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports and imports hit new monthly highs in December 2010 with shipments of apparel, the main industrial export, rising sharply despite the loss of duty free access to Europe. Expenditure on non food consumer import category also increased mainly due to higher imports of motor vehicles. All categories […]

Hair still has doubts about Murali

SYDNEY, March 5, 2011 (AFP) – Former Australian Test umpire Darrell Hair still has doubts about Sri Lankan star Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling action, more than a decade after he called him for chucking, a report said Saturday. Hair, who called Muralitharan for throwing in 1995, said he felt that some of the Sri Lankan legend’s […]

Angry Bangladesh fans stone West Indies team bus

DHAKA, March 4, 2011 (AFP) – Angry Bangladesh fans stoned the West Indies bus on Friday after the home team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket defeat in the cricket World Cup. Two windows of the bus were smashed as it was leaving the Sher-e-Bangla stadium after the match in what police claimed was a case […]

”: Sri Lanka

March 4, 2011 (AFP) – A call by the US Senate for an international probe into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka was “unfortunate”, the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse said Friday. The Sri Lankan government said “well motivated groups” had pressured the Senate to adopt a resolution earlier this week calling for an international […]

Sri Lanka stocks 1.91-pct higher

Mar 04, 2011(LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks rose sharply Friday, recovering some of Thursday’s losses, helped by a large crossing of Lanka Hospital and institutional, high-net-worth and retail trading, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 7,664. 72, up 1. 91 percent (143.98 points) while the Milanka Price Index of more liquid stocks […]

Top Gear

Mar 04, 2011 (LBO) – A new expressway in southern Sri Lanka that will be partly open by the middle of this year will be confined only to fast-moving vehicles with slow-moving ones like auto-rickshaws and tractors banned, an official said. R W R Pemasiri, director-general of the Road Development Authority, said the 126-kilometre southern […]

Health Business

Mar 04, 2011 (LBO) – India’s Fortis Healthcare group has bought a stake owned by Sri Lanka’s Distilleries in Lanka Hospitals, formerly part of the Indian Apollo chain, for 3. 98 billion rupees as part of a recent acquisition spree. Fortis Healthcare Global Holding bought 64 million shares or a 28. 6 percent stake of […]

Cricket Fakes

March 3, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police on Thursday detained 15 people and seized hundreds of fake items of 2011 cricket World Cup merchandise being sold in and around the capital Colombo. The Colombo Crimes Division raided shops in Colombo and the suburban Maharagama area, seizing T-shirts, caps and other memorabilia, following a complaint […]

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