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Marathon men take aim at World Cup
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 10, 2007 (AFP) – Thirty-two years after the first World Cup was decided over a modest five playing days, the 2007 edition will open on Sunday and will go on and on until April 28. The 16-team World Cup in the Caribbean will last 48 days with 51 matches broadcast live to […]
Thousands of civilians flee as troops, Tigers clash
March 11, 2007 (AFP) – More than 40,000 civilians have fled their homes in eastern Sri Lanka in recent days amid renewed clashes between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels that have left 33 dead, both sides said Sunday.More than 4,000 people have been killed amid an upsurge in fighting since December 2005, despite the two […]
MSF founder sees no quick end to Sri Lankan cycle of violence
March 11, 2007 (AFP) – The founder of the French charity Medecins Sans Frontiers, who has worked in over a dozen war zones, says there is no quick fix to Sri Lanka’s current killing spree — his latest human rights challenge. Bernard Kouchner, 67, a former French minister who co-founded MSF (Doctors without Borders) in […]
Sri Lankan president raps police over killings
March 11, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president Sunday chided his top police officers over a new wave of “execution-style” killings and demanded immediate action to end a climate of terror.President Mahinda Rajapakse expected “responsible intervention” by the police to stem a wave of killings, abductions and extortion rackets, some of which have been linked […]
Sri Lanka tea replanting, promotions hit due to withheld industry funds
March 10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s smallholders are not getting promised incentives for replanting and the national promotional budget for tea has also been hit because industry funds are being held by the state, officials said. Local tea exporters currently pay a four-rupee cess on every kilogram of tea sold, netting in over a billion rupees […]
Hot Chilli
Mar 09, 2007 (LBO) – Over 30 Sri Lankan advertising agencies will battle it out for the chilli of the year, at the annual advertising awards for the hottest, most creative ads. The awards ceremony is a joint initiative of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (the 4A™s). To […]
Sri Lanka, Vaas figure among all time World Cup records
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 10, 2007 (AFP) – World Cup records ahead of the 2007 tournament which opens in the West Indies on March 11: Team records Highest Total: 398-5 – Sri Lanka v Kenya, Kandy, 1996 Lowest Total: 36 – Canada v Sri Lanka, Paarl, 2003 Highest match aggregate: 652 – Sri Lanka v Kenya, […]
Sri Lanka lose to Kiwis despite Tharanga ton
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 9, 2007 (AFP) – Upul Tharanga hit a majestic century but couldn’t stop Sri Lanka from slipping to an 18-run defeat against New Zealand in their final World Cup warm-up on Friday. Chasing a victory target of 286, Tharanga hit 10 fours and two sixes in his 106 off 112 balls. New […]
Eight killed in Sri Lanka wildlife park as fighting escalates
March 10, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels shot dead four security personnel and four park officials inside a wildlife sanctuary as fighting escalated elsewhere on the island, the military said Saturday.More than 4,000 people have been killed in escalating fighting since December 2005 even though the two sides agreed to a truce five […]
Sri Lanka rakes in US $ 215 mn from dollar bonds while risk premium edges up
March 09 (LBO) – The risk premium demanded by buyers of Sri Lanka dollar bonds edged up Friday, but the government raked in all offers raising four times the money it originally sought. Raising dollar debt has become an important part of bridging Sri Lanka’s fiscal deficit over the past four years, but relatively short […]
‘s cash rates rocket to a new 7-year high amidst cash crunch
March 09 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s overnight rates reached 30 percent amidst tight liquidity, with monetary authorities restricting access to its discount window, dealers said. The central banks key discount rate was raised by 50 basis points to 12.00 per in February after inflation rose to 20.5 percent in January. Updated – highest call rate […]
Little Orix
March 09, 2007 (LBO) – Lanka Orix Finance Company (LOFIN), a subsidiary of Lanka Orix Leasing has shown a 105 percent growth in loans in 2006 Fitch Ratings said, giving the firm a BBB+ (lka) rating. “The principal factor supporting the rating of LOFIN is the strong implied support assumed to be available from its […]