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Sri Lanka mulls sea rescue of civilians in war zone
February 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is considering a sea evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside its war zone, officials said on Tuesday as a government ally said there was a spike in non-combatant deaths.Some 80,000 civilians remain inside the northern Wanni region, where government troops have cornered the Tigers into […]
Sri Lanka Tigers sign up child soldiers: UNICEF
February 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s cornered Tamil Tiger rebels have intensified conscription of child soldiers, some as young as 14, the United Nations agency for children said Tuesday.The Tigers have recruited more than 6,000 child soldiers since 2002, he added. UNICEF said in a statement that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) […]
Sri Lankan stocks close up
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed marginally up Monday driven by retail interest on the construction sector, as news of the war coming to a close highlighted the prospects of new development contracts, brokers said. He anticipated that the indices would try to consolidate at the present levels with investors hoping for […]
Sri Lanka tourist arrivals fall 32-pct in January
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Foreign visitors to Sri Lanka plunged 32.4 percent in January 2009 to 38,468 compared with the same month last year, the island’s tourist promotion office said, with a global economic crisis depressing leisure travel.Arrivals from Western Europe, a key generating market that is crucial to keep coastal resorts in jam, […]
Airwave War
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s mobile phone operators have declined to respond to accusations by newest market entrant, India’s Bharti Airtel, that they are resorting to interconnectivity sabotage, citing a gag order by the regulator. Company officials said the Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (TRC) has asked celcos not to comment on recent accusations […]
Tigers killing civilians fleeing Sri Lanka war zone: UN
February 16, 2009 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger guerrillas have prevented tens of thousands of civilians from leaving Sri Lanka’s war zone and those trying to escape have been “shot and sometimes killed,” the United Nations said Monday. Tens of thousands of civilians in the rebel-held area were experiencing serious shortages of food, medicine, and clean […]
Red Cross evacuates 400 from Sri Lanka war zone
February 16, 2009 (AFP) – The Red Cross evacuated Monday a ferry load of 400 civilians wounded in fighting between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels. The injured and their accompanying relatives were shipped out of the conflict zone in the northeast of the island and taken for “further medical treatment,” International Committee […]
British-Sri Lankan charged with with arson
LONDON, February 16, 2009 (AFP) – British police have charged a man with arson and affray after he reportedly tried to set himself on fire outside Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Downing Street offices, they said Sunday. Sivsubarmazam Loges-Waran, 41, of Gloucestershire in western England, is due in court on Monday “charged with arson with intent […]
Sri Lanka needs prompt coherent action to survive global slump: think tank
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs “prompt and coherent” policy action to counter a global slump which was slowing demand for exports and making it difficult for the government and private firms to borrow abroad, a top think tank has said. “It is essential that prompt and coherent policy action is taken in […]
No More
Feb 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Fitch Ratings has downgraded the rating of state-run mortgage lender State Mortgage and Investment Bank (SMIB) and withdrawn its rating, the firm said. The bank’s rating was downgraded to ‘BBB+(lka)’ from ‘A-(lka). The rating outlook is negative at the new level. Fitch Sri Lanka said SMIB owns 1.78 […]