Category:
Sri Lanka tea industry eyes NZ dairy success
Nov 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea industry needs to work together more closely like New Zealand’s dairy industry which dominates a big share of the world’s dairy trade, an industry official said. Kumar Jayasuriya, chairman of James Finlay, Colombo, a big plantations company whose ultimate parent is Britain’s Swire group, said the industry […]
Fight
SYDNEY, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – Australia moved to tighten security at its main immigration centre on Monday after a riot by 150 asylum-seekers, reportedly wielding pool cues, broomsticks and tree branches, left 37 wounded.Immigration Minister Chris Evans said security would be increased to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s mass brawl between Afghan and Sri […]
Sri Lanka to hold early presidential polls: minister
November 23, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will hold early presidential elections within months, media minister Anura Yapa told reporters on Monday, after government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels six months ago.However former army general Sarath Fonseka, who is widely credited with the military strategy that secured victory in May, is expected to stand […]
Flashy Indian brides struggle with high gold prices
NEW DELHI, November 22, 2009 (AFP) – For Indian brides buying jewellery, the bigger the better is the general rule, but record gold prices during this year’s wedding season are forcing many to compromise.India is the world’s biggest consumer of gold, so the rise of local prices to records above 1,000 dollars an ounce is […]
Sri Lanka power generation up in August
Nov 22, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s power generation rose 1.3 percent in August 2009 to 845 GigaWatt hours from a year earlier, with hydro power increasing its share, the latest official data showed.Petrol sales, used mostly for private transport was up 7.1 percent to 45,000 metric tonnes.To August petrol sales were up 4.6 percent […]
Sri Lanka resettlement plan needed: politicians, activists
November 22, 2009 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government has failed to make adequate welfare provision for the 136,000 Tamil civilians it plans to release from internment camps, rights activists and opposition parties said Sunday. Heeding international calls for the camps to be closed, the authorities said the remaining detainees — held since the military […]
‘s JKH poised to put more cash into leisure
Nov 22, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings is ready to invest nearly 6.0 billion rupees over the next two to three years in upgrading and building new hotels if tourism arrivals pick up after the end of a 30-year war as expected, an official said. By 2011 JKH would be ready to […]
Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.93-pct
Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down Friday as retail investors continued to take defensive positions after speculation of tainted fund manager, Raj Rajaratnam divesting Commercial Bank stake, brokers said.DFCC Bank closed at 148.00 rupees, up 3.00, and National Development Bank closed at 180.00 rupees, up 1.00. Fixed line operator Sri Lanka […]
Index
Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has slipped five places to 97 in the annual corruption perceptions index in an annual perception survey conducted among 180 countries, by Transparency International, a corruption watchdog.“What we see is a clear indictment on Sri Lanka and the urgent need for major systemic changes to wipe out corruption,” […]
UN Call
November 19, 2009 (AFP) – The United Nations on Thursday stepped up pressure on Sri Lanka to free thousands of war-displaced civilians held in state-run internment camps.“Months after the conflict ended, our main concerns haven’t changed. People are still not given free access to leave these camps on their own free will,” UN humanitarian chief […]
India force a draw after Gambhir, Tendulkar tons
AHMEDABAD, November 20, 2009 (AFP) – Gautam Gambhir made 114 and Sachin Tendulkar hit an unbeaten 100 as India batted out the final day to draw the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka here on Friday. India easily wiped out a huge first innings deficit of 334 runs as they scored 412-4 in their second […]
Sri Lanka has released half of war-displaced: minister
November 20, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has released more than half of the thousands of displaced civilians held in government camps after the end of the country’s ethnic conflict earlier this year, a minister said Friday. “We feel the security situation has eased considerably now to allow people to return to their homes,” Human […]