Inauspicious start for Sri Lanka timekeeping site

April 12, 2011 (AFP) – An official Sri Lankan timekeeping website aimed at synchronising watches and helping locals to obey astrological instructions crashed on its first day thanks to unexpected stormy weather. The website, www.sltime.org, was launched Monday by President Mahinda Rajapakse as a resource to help align clocks, watches and computers with Sri Lankan […]

Sri Lanka rights report given to UN chief

UNITED NATIONS, April 12, 2011 (AFP) – A panel of UN experts on Tuesday handed over a report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka against Tamil separatists to UN leader Ban Ki-moon, his spokesman said. But the United Nations would not say whether the panel was allowed to go to Sri Lanka, which publicly […]

UN leader under pressure over Sri Lanka war report

UNITED NATIONS, April 13, 2011 (AFP) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is studying an expert report into thousands of deaths during Sri Lanka’s 2009 military drive against Tamil rebels, as calls grow for an international probe. Ban has given himself just days to decide on recommendations made by a panel of experts which handed […]

Sri Lanka infrastructure lays foundation for growth: President

Apr 12, 2011 (LBO) – State infrastructure projects in power, ports, roads and water supply, especially in the war torn north and east of the country has laid a foundation for higher growth, Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. “On the other had in the north – which had regressed 30-year during the war – […]

Sri Lanka fast highway to have special emergency services

Apr 12, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s first 100 kilometer per hour expressway from Kottawa in Colombo suburbs to Godagama in Matara in the southern province will have a specialist police division, paramedics and fire brigade, officials said. “There will be a special police division for traffic control, paramedics and separate fire brigade for the […]

Sri Lanka vegetable traders hit by contradictory allegations

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s vegetable traders who are often accused of keeping prices up through a purchasing ‘mafia’ have now been accused of lowering prices through imports, according to a media report. Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times newspaper said local tomatoes were being sold for prices between 100 to 120 rupees and […]

Sri Lanka commercial rents rising: property firm

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s commercial rents have risen in 2010 with occupancy levels picking up from a slump in 2009, which saw the end of a 30-year war the owners of a prominent Colombo property has said. Overseas Realty Ceylon Ltd, a unit of Singapore’s S P Tao group said occupancy at […]

Sri Lanka coercive salary deduction under fire

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – An attempt by Sri Lanka’s state to deduct a two percent from workers’ salaries under to start a ‘pension scheme’ without any prior discussion with the workers themselves has come under heavy fire. The state which already deducts 8 percent from workers salaries for a state managed Employees Provident Fund, […]

Sri Lanka budget deficit 7.9-pct of GDP in 2010: central bank

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s budget deficit fell to 7.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2010 from 9.9 percent in 2009, Swarna Gunaratne, additional director of the central bank’s economic research department said. The deficit was better than the 8.0 percent of GDP that had been expected, she told a news conference […]

Sri Lanka central bank presses for reforms to state entities

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Reforming Sri Lanka’s loss-making public enterprises could help the country cope better with external shocks like high crude oil prices, the central bank has said. Adjusting domestic prices such as fuel to be more in line with international prices would reduce the burden on the budget of these enterprises, it […]

Maldives breaks peg, floats currency in 20-pct band

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Maldives has broken its peg at 12. 85 to the US dollar effectively allowing the currency to depreciate over 15 rufiya to the US dollar under a 20 percent band within which the currency will be allowed to float. The International Monetary Fund said the move will help stabilize the […]

Oil Mercantilism

Apr, 08, 2011 (LBO) – A top US monetary economist has poured cold water on fears about the world running out of oil, an idea which gains special prominence when the US Fed loosens monetary policy, debases the dollar and sends commodities bubbling up. Nixon at the time even halted exports of food commodities, instead […]

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