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Sri Lanka September tourist arrivals up
Oct 12, 2009 (LBO) – Tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka in September 2009 rose 28.6 percent to 37,983 from a year ago, with strong growth from key European, East Asian and south Asian markets, the Tourism Authority said.The number of visitors from south Asia shot up by half to 13,072, with Indian arrivals rising 54.3 […]
India industrial output surges
NEW DELHI, October 12, 2009 (AFP) – India’s industrial output surged by a better-than-expected 10.4 percent in August, official data showed Monday, which analysts say could raise pressure on the central bank to hike interest rates.The strong year-on-year figures came on the back of double-digit growth in the manufacturing, mining and electricity sectors. Analysts were […]
Great recession: Danger or opportunity for Sri Lanka?
Oct 12, 2009 (LBO) – It is worth discussing the assessment of a Nobel Laureate of the Great Recession and its implications for Sri Lanka. Michael Spence, who shared the 2001 Economics Nobel with Joseph Stiglitz and George Akerlof and chairs the Growth and Development Commission believes that the key problem is the one trillion dollar […]
Indonesia detains 260 Sri Lankan migrants: police
BANTEN, October 11, 2009 (AFP) – Indonesia detained about 260 Sri Lankan migrants in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra while attempting to make their way by wooden boat to Australia, police said Sunday.Indonesia is a key staging point for people smugglers bringing Afghans and other nationals for a perilous onward sea journey to […]
Most hostages freed after deadly Pakistan army HQ siege
by Masroor Gilani RAWALPINDI, October 11, 2009 (AFP) – Three hostages and four militants were killed early Sunday as Pakistani troops stormed a building to end an almost 20-hour siege outside army headquarters near Islamabad, officials said. At least 25 people had been snatched by suspected Taliban gunmen, who tried to storm the nuclear-armed nation’s […]
Anger grows among Sri Lanka detained refugees: rights group
October 11, 2009 (AFP) – A quarter of a million Tamil civilians detained in state-run camps since the end of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict are in an increasingly “tense and ugly” situation, a rights group said Sunday. Deteriorating conditions, drinking water shortages and the imminent monsoon have raised tensions among the detainees and sparked clashes […]
Investors reap peace dividend in Sri Lanka
October 11, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s small stock exchange has become one of the world’s top performing bourses as investors reap the peace dividend from the end to the island’s bloody ethnic conflict.Investors are banking on renewed economic strength and profits in the country that emerged in May from a bloody and protracted civil […]
” IMF faces rough road toward bigger role
ISTANBUL, October 7, 2009 (AFP) – The IMF gained new stature as global lender at annual meetings with the World Bank in Istanbul that ended Wednesday, but is on a rough road between a fragile economic recovery and dissension among members.The finance chiefs from the 186 member nations of the institutions agreed after two days […]
Sri Lanka, India in joint navy training exercise
Oct 10, 2009 (LBO) – The Indian and Sri Lankan navies held a three-day joint exercise in the seas off Colombo earlier this week to train officer cadets and practice manoeuvres for maritime security operations.The manoeuvres included flights by an Indian navy light helicopter which dropped supplies on two Sri Lankan navy patrol vessels to […]
Sri Lanka power failure worst in history: chairman
Oct 10, 2009 (LBO) – Three consecutive failures of Sri Lanka’s power grid has raised new questions about the reliability of the island’s distribution system, but officials say there will be a probe to examine ways to reduce future blackouts. The immediate cause of the failure seemed to be a cable break in a key […]
Sri Lanka wraps up final council poll ahead of national elections
October 10, 2009 (AFP) – Vote counting got under way in southern Sri Lanka Saturday after nine hours of polling for the final local council before national elections due next year, officials said.Nearly two thirds of the 1.7 million eligible voters turned out to elect the 55-member Southern Provincial Council, a stronghold of President Mahinda […]
Sri Lanka Tamil refugees should move freely: US
WASHINGTON, October 9, 2009 (AFP) – The United States on Friday called on the Sri Lankan government to allow Tamil refugees displaced by recent fighting to move freely around the country.Assistant US Secretary of State Robert Blake, who is focussed on US relations with central and southern Asia, “emphasized the importance of the government allowing […]