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‘s fightback led by Samaraweera
DHAKA, December 27, 2008 (AFP) – Thilan Samaraweera pulled Sri Lanka out of trouble with a gutsy 91 on the second day of the opening Test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.The second and final Test starts in Chittagong on January 3. The tourists, struggling at 172-6 on Friday, were bowled out for a respectable 293 […]
Petrol Saga
Dec 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) plans to file a contempt-of-court case against the government for its refusal to obey a Supreme Court order to reduce petrol prices, a media report said. The Daily Mirror newspaper said UNP wants to file a contempt-of-court case against the Cabinet, the […]
Gloomy year-end picture for global economy
WASHINGTON, December 27, 2008 (AFP) – Christmas retail sales plunged in the United States, a poll showed Friday, as Japan reported record cuts in production and more signs emerged that Spain has entered a recession. A leading think tank in London also forecast the British economy would shrink by 2.9 percent next year in the […]
Sri Lanka takes key Tiger town after Christmas Day battles: military
December 26, 2008 (AFP) – Government forces on Friday wrested control of a strategic town after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels that left at least 40 people dead, the defence ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Tigers. The Tigers said Monday they had killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken […]
Sri Lanka says 18 Tamil Tigers killed in fighting
December 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military beat back a Tamil Tiger counter-offensive in the island’s north, killing at least 18 guerrillas, the defence ministry said on Thursday. The Tigers on Monday said that they killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken back territory lost to advancing government forces. Both sides are known […]
Sri Lankan rupee overvaluation hurting apparel orders, jobs
Dec 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s apparel exporters could win back 15 percent of orders now lost due to an overvalued rupee caused by high domestic inflation, if there was a realistic exchange rate, an industry official said. The Sri Lanka rupee has fallen against the US dollar in December after the Central Bank […]
Sri Lanka gives go-ahead for Pakistan cricket tour
December 26, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has given the green light for the national cricket team to tour Pakistan next month in place of India, who cancelled their five-week series over the Mumbai attacks. The Pakistan Cricket Board said it was set to lose at least 25 million dollars as a result of the […]
Christmas celebrations reflect on war, hardship
VATICAN CITY, December 25, 2008 (AFP) – War and economic hardship loomed over Christmas celebrations across the world Thursday, with Pope Benedict XVI denouncing greed and pleading for an end to violence in the Middle East. The pontiff lamented that “the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians,” and he decried the conflicts […]
Sri Lanka tsunami recovery hampered by lack of accountability: IDA
Dec 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tsunami recovery efforts were hampered by lack of effective institutions, the International Development Association (IDA), part of the World Bank group said.“Reconstruction needs strong and accountable institutions,” it said in a statement. “Sri Lanka’s tsunami reconstruction was hampered from time to time by the dearth of effective institutions, […]
Hope and disappointment four years on from Asian tsunami
LAM TUTUI, December 25, 2008 (AFP) – When the deadly waters of the Asian tsunami smashed into this fishing village in Indonesia’s Aceh province four years ago, not one house was left standing.Now there are too many of them. Recovery has been uneven in the dozen countries hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, which […]