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Tiger rebels escape in Sri Lanka jail break
June 4, 2006 (AFP) – Eight inmates, among them two Tamil Tigers being held for firearm offences, broke out of a jail in Sri Lanka’s restive eastern province Sunday after overpowering their guards, an official said.The men, brandishing a firearm, escaped from the main prison in Batticaloa, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of here, as […]
Foreign pressure pushing Sri Lanka to talks as war fears recede
June 4, 2006 (AFP) – Stepped up international pressure encouraged Sri Lanka’s warring parties to resume talks this week amid hopes of a new power-sharing deal, officials and diplomats said.Sri Lanka’s government is set to open two days of talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Oslo, the capital of peace broker […]
Tsunami puts Sri Lanka’s cinnamon industry on a different plane
A budding cinnamon plant that’s growing after the tsunami. PERALIYA, June 3, 2006 (LBO) — Wearing a red crash helmet to beat the sun, Punya Sena crouches on the ground, planting young cinnamon saplings to replace thousands that were destroyed by the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka’s coastal belt in December 2004. . Wimalawathi Mendis, […]
Quick Thinking
June 3, 2006 (AFP) – A Thai airways flight from Colombo to Bangkok made an emergency landing Saturday at Sri Lanka’s only international airport shortly after take-off, airport officials said.The Airbus A-330 aircraft carrying over 225 passengers and crew reported engine trouble and returned to the airport after being in the air for a few […]
‘s cinnamon industry on a different plane
A budding cinnamon plant that’s growing after the tsunami. PERALIYA, June 3, 2006 (LBO) — Wearing a red crash helmet to beat the sun, Punya Sena crouches on the ground, planting young cinnamon saplings to replace thousands that were destroyed by the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka’s coastal belt in December 2004. . Wimalawathi Mendis, […]
Sri Lanka to offer US$ 250 mn bonds to market this month
June 2, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will offer the first tranche of a medium term bond issue, worth 200 million dollars to market players later this month, as the government looks for ways to pay for hefty imports of oil, wheat and sugar, officials said Friday. Central Bank’s public debt department told primary dealers […]
Sri Lankan rupee weakens, while stocks perk despite heavy foreign selling
June 2, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed the week on a high note, while the rupee dipped further against the dollar, as financial markets reacted sharply to news of the Central Bank governor’s sudden resignation.Colombo share prices rose 1.79 percent on a 12.9 percent rise in fuel retailer Lanka IOC, but heavy foreign […]
Bank of Ceylon shops for dollars
June 2, 2006 (LBO) – State-run Bank of Ceylon is actively pursuing to raise around 250 million dollars through a syndicated loan from foreign banks with offices in Sri Lanka, market sources said.Last year, Bank of Ceylon raised 130 million dollars via a two-year syndicated loan to finance its ongoing trading facilities including oil imports […]
Sri Lanka to raise dollar bonds to shore up reserves this month
June 2, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to tap the international debt market this month to raise 350 million dollars to shore up official reserves, a top Central Bank official said Friday as financial markets reacted sharply to news of the bank governor’s sudden resignation. Dubbed ‘Sri Lanka Development Bond’, the issue will carry […]
Rubber could lose some steam this year, but stay a cash cow
June 02 (LBO) – Overheated rubber prices are expected to settle down from its recent high spell, brokers say, but stocks with high exposure to rubber will still be the cash cow this year. Top grades of crepe rubber, which makes up bulk of Sri Lanka’s rubber exports, is now selling at 395 rupees a kilo, […]
No Bribes
June 02 (LBO) – A government help line linked up to 20 key state departments is to be rolled out soon, to offer general public information from getting birth certificates to a driving license. The Government Information Centre (GIC), accessed by dialing 1919 from anywhere in the island, is still in beta testing stages and […]
Beat the heat — with rattlesnake ice cream
TOKYO, June 2, 2006 (AFP) – Anyone for rattlesnake ice cream? Japan is no stranger to bizarre frozen deserts and this year is no exception with cow tongue, Indian curry, cheese and even cactus among the flavours on offer for courageous taste buds at an annual event at the Namjatown theme park. Other ice creams […]