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Sri Lanka clears Tamil editor over Tiger air attacks
April 24, 2009 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan court on Friday released a Tamil newspaper editor who had been detained over alleged links to Tamil Tiger air attacks in the capital, an official said.Nadesapillai Vidyatharan, who edits the Sudar Oli daily, was detained in February under anti-terrorism laws, but police told the Colombo Fort Magistrate […]
Sri Lanka army says Tamil Tiger leader trapped
KILINOCHCHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers is trapped in a small strip of coastal jungle in the northeast and leading his last remaining fighters, a top army commander said Friday.Journalists flown to Kilinochchi were shown a large haul of mortars and small arms said to have been captured […]
Sri Lanka aviation policy mulls further opening
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – A new Sri Lankan aviation policy aims to encourage investment and open the sector up for more carriers, ground handling and caterers as the economy recovers from war and the market grows, officials said. “If there’s a big growth, with the recovery of the global economy and an end to […]
Sri Lanka approves electricity improvement project
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government said the Cabinet has approved a foreign aid funded project to expand and improve electricity services, especially to the poor, and support renewable energy. Media minister Anura Yapa said the Asian Development Bank is giving a loan of 164 million dollars for the project with the […]
Sri Lanka ex-Tiger gets top ruling party post
April 24, 2008 (LBO) – A former Tamil Tiger who ran the group’s arm in Eastern Sri Lanka has been appointed to a deputy chairman post in the ruling Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan, alias Karuna, is already a government minister. SLFP general secretary Maithripla Sirisena said Muralitharan was given the […]
Indian officials head to Colombo for talks on civilians
NEW DELHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – Senior Indian officials were due to fly to Colombo Friday to press the Sri Lankan government to protect tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the war, the foreign ministry said. “The only lasting solution will come from political efforts to address the real concerns of the Tamil […]
Sri Lanka rupee dips below 120.0 to the dollar
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka rupee weakened below the psychological 120.00 level against the US dollar in spot trade to 120.80 before recovering, as the local currency continued float freely, dealers said. The rupee fall come amidst a collapse in import volumes and an unprecedented contraction in the trade deficit. The rupee […]
Sri Lanka converts state dollar loans to bonds
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has converted hundreds of millions of dollar denominated loans from state banks in a move that will improve the transparency of government debt and make them marketable, an official said. The bonds could now be offered to any investor when they are rolled over increasing access and state […]
Sri Lankan stocks gain on bullish sentiment
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks rose across the board Thursday on mostly retail buying, with the main index up 1.82 percent, spurred by rate cuts but the rupee weakened below 120 against the dollar in the spot markets, dealers said. The rupee weakened to be quoted as low as 120.65/90 before recovering […]
Maritime Draw
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s ship registry, which governments have long promoted with little success, will get six brand new vessels belonging to a group with German interests with close links to the island, starting this year. Two of the ships, multi-purpose vessels being built by a Dutch yard, are owned by Mercantile […]
Sri Lanka Trans Asia hotel to be re-branded
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Trans Asia hotel, part of the John Keells group, will be closed for repairs after being damaged in a Tamil Tiger air raid and be reopened under a new name.The company said in a stock exchange filing that the hotel in Colombo will be closed for three and […]
Sri Lanka tea prices perk up as rupee weakens
April 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices rose sharply at this week’s auctions, propelled by the weakening of the rupee against the dollar and lower quantities, brokers said. They said prices of low grow teas, which make up the bulk of the crop, gained substantially although those from the higher elevations fell because […]