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Italian police arrest 33 Tamils on terror charges
ROME, June 18, 2008 (AFP) – Italian police Wednesday arrested 33 Sri Lankan Tamils charged with belonging to the outlawed Tamil Tigers group fighting a separatist insurgency against the government in Colombo, an official said.Twenty-eight people were arrested in a series of raids on the mainland, suspected of membership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil […]
Heavy fighting kills 26 in Sri Lanka: defence ministry
June 18, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels engaged in heavy fighting in the embattled north, leaving at least 23 rebels and three soldiers killed, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.“Heavy fighting was reported from Navathkulama, Periyamadu, Kayamoddai, Palamodai and Koviltkunchukulam areas according to military reports,” the defence ministry said […]
Malaysia to probe link to Sri Lanka bomb plot: report
KUALA LUMPUR, June 18, 2008 (AFP) – Malaysia will help Sri Lanka track down a suspect believed to be involved in a Tamil Tiger bomb plot in Colombo, a report said Wednesday. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, who oversees internal security, said authorities would investigate a report about the arrest of six members of the […]
Lower costs drawing users to mobile Internet: industry
SINGAPORE, June 18, 2008 (AFP) – Lower costs are drawing more and more users to access the Internet via their mobiles, and opening up opportunities for advertisers, industry players said. Flat rates for data are becoming increasingly common, and mobile devices for accessing Internet content are more widely available, said Andre Levisse, of management consulting […]
New US military contractor overbilling scandal in Iraq looms
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2008 (AFP) – A civilian Pentagon official in charge of the largest US military contract in Iraq was removed from his job in 2004 after refusing to pay one billion dollars to KBR Inc. because the company was unable to credibly justify its expenses, the New York Times reported Tuesday. KBR is […]
Updated Firefox browser eyes world download record
SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, 2008 (AFP) – Mozilla on Tuesday released an improved version of its Firefox web browser that has gained popularity as a free alternative to Microsoft’s ubiquitous Internet Explorer.Mozilla said Firefox 3 promises Internet surfing that is fast, secure, and easy to customize because it is designed to adapt to people’s online […]
Sri Lanka economic statistics questioned
June 18, 2008 (LBO) – Rosy growth figures put out by government outfits are suspect, a Sri Lankan think tank has said, calling for the collection and analysis of socio economic data to be entrusted to independent authorities. The Point Pedro Institute of Development, said the outlook for the island economy is bleak given rising […]
Sri Lanka stocks end little changed
June 17, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stock market closed flat Tuesday on retail interest with Ceylinco Insurance dominating the thin trading on speculation of a rights issue, brokers said.The All Share Price Index fell 0.19 percent (4.54 points) to end at 2,440.37 while the more liquid Milanka was down 0.16 percent (4.80 points) to […]
Leasing Funds
June 17, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s People’s Leasing Company (PLC), a unit of state-run People’s Bank, will sell a 200 million rupee 12-month debenture, Fitch Ratings, which gave the issue an ”F1(lka)’ rating, said. A ‘F1(lka)’ national short-term rating indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or […]
Canada adds World Tamil Movement to terror list
OTTAWA, June 16, 2008 (AFP) – The government of Canada on Monday added a second Tamil group to its list of banned terrorist organizations, outlawing the World Tamil Movement.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE or commonly known as Tamil Tigers), who are fighting a bloody independence campaign in Sri Lanka, were added to Canada’s […]