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Sri Lanka to hold presidential poll Jan 26: election office
November 27, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s electoral office said Friday that presidential elections would be held on January 26, with President Mahinda Rajapakse expected to face his former military chief Sarath Fonseka.“Elections will be held on the 26th of January,” Dayananda Dissanayake, the commissioner of elections, told AFP by telephone. Rajapakse, 64, called the […]
Sri Lanka gets new tourism minister
Nov 27, 2009 (LBO) – Achala Jagoda, a parliamentarian representing the National Freedom Front, an ally of the ruling coalition has been appointed the island’s new tourism minister, the government’s information office said.Nandana Gunatileke, the former minister left the NFF, which is a breakaway faction of Sri Lanka Marxist Nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. Gunatileke has […]
Sri Lanka must tackle corruption to lure investors: US envoy
Nov 27, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka must act against corrupt government officials and businessmen and ensure local firms play fair with foreign companies if it wants to attract investors, the American envoy to the island has said. It needs to unshackle the media, be more open to trade and better protect intellectual property rights […]
Cheaper Calls
Nov 26, 2009 (LBO) – South Asian telecommunications regulators have decided to ask phone companies in the region to reduce international call charges, an official said.Priyantha Kariyapperuma, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Sri Lanka, said the move, at a Colombo meeting of regional regulators, is intended to make overseas calls cheaper. All […]
Dubai debt fears hit world stock markets
LONDON, November 26, 2009 (AFP) – Global equities slumped Thursday, with Europe down three percent after Dubai’s shock call to suspend the debt of a key state company fuelled anxiety about excessive public borrowing, analysts said. The government of Dubai shocked financial markets on Wednesday when it said it would ask creditors of its Dubai […]
‘s sharp reversal of fortunes
DUBAI, November 26, 2009 (AFP) – The plan by state-owned Dubai World to suspend payments on its large debts highlights the sharp economic reversal in the once-booming Gulf Emirate.A timeline of events since the global economic crisis began: 2008 – Oct 5:The frenetic expansion of Dubai appears relentless as state-owned Nakheel announces plans for a […]
Sri Lanka buys 10 tonnes of gold from IMF
Nov 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has bought 10 metric tonnes of gold for 375 million US dollars from the International Monetary Fund, following in the wake of India and Mauritius, the international monetary watchdog said. The IMF said the deal was made at November 23 prices. Sri Lanka’s central bank Governor Nivard Cabraal […]
Sri Lanka will not collect back taxes from war torn areas: official
Nov 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s revenue office will not collect back-taxes from areas that have emerged from a 30-years war but will set up branches to start tax collection as economic activities pick up, an official said.“We are not trying to collect taxes due in previous years,” commissioner general of Sri Lanka’s Inland […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves US$5.2bn in November
Nov 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves had climbed to 5.2 billion US dollars by November 20, helped by strong capital inflows and International Monetary Fund loans, the Central Bank said. Sri Lanka went to the IMF when reserves dipped to around a billion US dollars in March following an extended period of […]
Sri Lanka bill yields flat
Nov 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasury bills yields were flat at this weeks auction, with the government rolling over 11.5 billion rupees of securities and raising 241 million rupees in fresh debt at Wednesday’s auction. The government’s debt office said the 3-month yield was 7.25 percent, the 6-month yield was 8.33 percent and […]
‘re running out of gold: miners
MONTREAL, November 25, 2009 (AFP) – Gold production will continue to fall, despite a brief boost in 2009 and soaring prices, as deposits are exhausted and new discoveries remain elusive, say miners.“It’s not like a water tap you can turn on and it comes right away.” Barrick and Newmont expect nevertheless to continue increasing production […]
Sri Lanka stocks end weaker
Nov 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended slightly weaker Wednesday in thin trade with investors taking profits in anticipation of further falls amid uncertainty created by forthcoming polls and, brokers and analysts said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share Price […]