Bond traders divided over a change in Sri Lankan interest rates

Apr.11 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank is unlikely to cut interest rates this month, though some traders are expecting a 25 basis point cut. -Mel Gunasekera: mel@ The repurchase rate currently stands at 8.75 percent and the reverse repurchase rate is at 10.25 percent. The repurchase rate is the return on cash deposited by […]

Asian Foray

SINGAPORE, Apr.11 (AFP) – India’s sixth largest private bank, UTI Bank Ltd, opened its first international branch in Singapore Tuesday, marking the first step in plans to stamp its footprint in Asia. “This marks the onset of our international operations, as a response to the growing globalisation of the Indian economy,” said UTI Bank chairman […]

Indian cricket board suspends former boss Dalmiya

NEW DELHI, Apr.11, 2006 (AFP) – Former world cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya was on Tuesday suspended from the Indian board he once ruled on charges of misappropriation of funds.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement that Dalmiya, 65, would not take part in its activities till a probe into […]

After Test pain, Jayasuriya eyes World Cup glory

Apr.11 (AFP) – Sanath Jayasuriya may have experienced only pain and disappointment in his farewell Test, but he hopes the cricketing gods will smile on him at the World Cup next year.The former Sri Lankan captain says his retirement from Test cricket will help him focus on one-dayers and he will do his best to […]

Returning Sense

Apr.11 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s finance ministry says fuel subsidies are placing an unsustainable burden on the exchequer; in a move analysts expect to be a precursor to an upcoming round of retail fuel price hikes. “In 2005, the government had to spend Rs25 billion to sell fuel below cost,” a statement from the Ministry […]

Bus blast kills 12 Sri Lankan sailors and dims peace hopes

Apr.11 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil rebels blew up a bus full of sailors in northeastern Sri Lanka on Tuesday killing 12 and further dimming hopes for a new round of peace talks next week, officials said. The attack was seen by officials involved in the Norwegian-backed peace bid as a blow to diplomatic efforts to […]

Britons wounded in Sri Lanka blast

Apr.11 (AFP) – Three Britons were injured in Tuesday’s bomb attack in northeastern Sri Lanka in which 12 sailors were killed, police said. The two women and a man were flown to Colombo for treatment after their van was caught up in a mine attack that was intended for a navy bus, a police official […]

Turbo Charge

Apr.10 (LBO) – The World Bank Monday gave out US$35,000 grant to six projects that will help youth development work in Sri Lanka. -LBO Newsdesk: LBOEmail@ In its second consecutive year, the 2006 Small Grants Programme aims to build capacity and develop management skills among Sri Lankans within the ages of 18-30 years, the bank’s […]

Sri Lanka condemns death of five soldiers as international donors meet LTTE

Apr.10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Monday condemned the killing of five soldiers in Jaffna today while island’s key international lenders met Tamil Tiger rebels. Five army personnel and three others, including two aid workers, died in a claymore mine blast by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Jaffna on the A-9 highway between Kodikaamam and […]

Canada labels Tamil Tigers terror group

OTTAWA, Apr. 10 (AFP) – Canada has added the Sri Lankan separatist Tamil Tigers to its list of terrorist organizations, Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day announced Monday.The declaration made it possible for Ottawa to block fundraising in Canada for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers, a group fighting for the […]

Sri Lanka donors meet Tamil Tigers to save peace talks

Apr.10 (AFP) – Envoys from Sri Lanka’s international donors went Monday to meet Tamil Tiger rebels in a bid to keep peace talks due to be held in Switzerland from April 19 on track, officials said.The ambassadors of Norway, Japan and the European Union (EU) flew north to rebel political headquarters at Kilinochchi to see […]

Four soldiers, two aid workers killed in Sri Lanka blast

Apr.10, 2006 (AFP) – At least four Sri Lankan soldiers and two civilians were killed in a landmine blast blamed on the Tamil Tigers in the northern Jaffna province Monday, defence officials said.Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, Sri Lanka’s military spokesman, said an army truck was caught in the “mine explosion killing four and seriously injuring two […]

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