Sri Lanka investors wooed by Maldives

Jan 04, 2009 (LBO) – The new government in the Maldives, in move to privatize the economy, is looking at selling state-owned businesses and becoming more investor friendly, the Maldivian leader said on a visit to Colombo. We come here to open the country for business. We are looking at an ambitious decentralization program. We […]

Sri Lanka moves in on Tiger HQ, vows to take supremo

KILINOCHCHI, January 4, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s army said Sunday it was moving in on the jungle stronghold of the Tamil Tiger rebels, in a final assault aimed at ending the longest-running ethnic war in Asia.Flush with confidence after retaking their main city two days ago, the army vowed to capture rebel leader Velupillai […]

Sri Lankan troops fighting towards Tiger HQ: govt

KILINOCHCHI, January 4, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Sunday its troops were battling towards the jungle headquarters of the Tamil Tigers, two days after retaking their main city in a military assault that the government said would crush the guerrillas once and for all.Government soldiers consolidating their new positions in Kilinochchi, the former Tamil […]

Sri Lanka troops may face tough jungle battles ahead: analysts

January 4, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankans celebrated the fall of the Tamil Tigers’ de facto capital with street parties, but military observers say bloodier battles may still lie ahead as the rebels take refuge in the jungles.by Amal Jayasinghe “This is certainly not the end of the war,” Sithadthan said. “We can say this […]

Sri Lanka central bank promises single digit inflation in 2009

Jan 03, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has promised single digit inflation amid deflationary external conditions and the possibility of a looser stance and lower interest rates in 2009, in its annual road map for monetary policy. In the last few months inflation has been falling with the effects of external deflationary conditions […]

Sri Lanka to give incentives for foreign remittances

Jan 03, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will give incentives to expatriate citizens to bring their saving home in the form of higher interest rates and lower taxes, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said.But a severe crash crunch in the government has led to a new surge of money printing in December, adding more pressure […]

Three wounded in Colombo blast

January 3, 2009 (AFP) – At least three people were wounded in a bomb blast in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on Saturday, a day after a suicide bomb attack killed two people elsewhere in the city, police said. The latest explosion was outside a mosque in Colombo’s commercial area of Pettah, police said, adding that […]

‘ military HQ

January 3, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops advanced Saturday on the military headquarters of the Tamil Tigers, a day after capturing the rebels’ de facto political capital in the north of the island. The defence ministry said forces were moving towards Mullaitivu, the jungle district along the northeastern seaboard, where the Tigers are known […]

Sri Lanka Dilshan rallies team with century

CHITTAGONG, January 3, 2009 (AFP) – Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed a superb 162 off 165 balls to lead Sri Lanka’s fightback on the opening day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.Dilshan hit two sixes and 21 fours for his sixth Test century as the visitors recovered from a shaky 75-4 to […]

US renews call for peaceful dialogue in Sri Lanka

WASHINGTON, January 2, 2009 (AFP) – The US State Department on Friday urged the Sri Lankan and Tamil Tigers to start negotiating over the “legitimate” demands of the Tamils after Colombo announced a key win over the rebels.Sri Lanka said Friday its troops had finally captured Kilinochchi, the unofficial capital of the Tigers, and urged […]

Sri Lanka govt mulls tax hike on milk powder imports

Jan 02, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government is considering increasing customs duties on milk powder imports to take advantage of plunging global prices without raising domestic prices and raise revenue. World prices have plummeted by over 50 percent from a November 2007 high of 4,550 dollars a metric ton of milk powder. “The […]

Sri Lankan rupee slips to 113.90/114.00 to the dollar

Jan 02, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan rupee lost ground Friday and closed the first week of 2009 at 113.90/114.00 against the greenback, dealers said. The rupee opened the day at 113.10/20 to the dollar. Dealers said a large import bill was settled through state bank. They said the market largely ignored news of […]

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