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Venice holds its breath for giant New Year kiss
ROME, Dec 28, 2007 (AFP) – Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in a giant New Year’s kiss in front of Saint Mark’s Basilica in the romantic Italian city of Venice, the authorities said Friday. “New Year 2008 in Venice will become the New Year of love,” the Venice municipality said […]
Sri Lanka defence secretary calls for formal end to truce
Dec 29, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s defence secretary said the government should formally pull out of a ceasefire with Tamil Tiger rebels amid escalating fighting in the island, a state-run daily reported Saturday. A 2002 Norwegian-brokered truce began to unravel in December 2005 and both sides have blamed each other for the mounting violence […]
Sri Lanka money rates spike above penal discount rate
Dec 28, 200 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s overnight rates spiked to 21 percent despite two discount windows that give money at 12.00 percent and 19.00 percent, while a bond auction was rejected by the government’s debt office Friday, dealers said. The debt office was again fishing for money offering bills on ‘tap’ at around 21.30 […]
Pension Problem
Dec 28, 2007 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund has criticised delays in reforming Sri Lankan state sector pension schemes and urged government to regulate private pension funds. It also urged the government to allow large pension funds to expand their private securities portfolio in order to develop the securities market, and make them more […]
” on Qaeda claim over Bhutto killing
ISLAMABAD, Dec 28, 2007 (AFP) – Pakistan’s interior ministry said Friday it was “unaware” of Al-Qaeda claiming a link to Benazir Bhutto’s killing but said “extremist elements” behind a wave of attacks this year could be responsible.Asked about a report on Pakistan’s ARY TV network that the militant group founded by Osama bin Laden was […]
Money printing Zimbabwe see year of record inflation, price controls and shortages in 2007
HARARE, Dec 27, 2007 (AFP) – After a year which saw the official inflation rate surge to 8,000 percent, shelves run dry and opposition leaders beaten up, few people in Zimbabwe can wait to see the back of 2007. While veteran President Robert Mugabe hopes to secure a seventh term of office in elections next […]
Sri Lanka judge raps police in probe of unruly minister
Dec 28, 2007 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan judge reprimanded police Friday for failing to thoroughly investigate a minister who sparked a riot at the state-run television channel after allegedly assaulting a journalist.Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohamed Macky said he was not happy with a police report into Thursday’s alleged assault by Labour Minister Mervin Silva […]
Sri Lanka says 25 Tigers killed in clashes
Dec 28, 2007 (AFP) – At least 25 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in fresh military attacks along the de-facto border of territory held by the guerrillas, the defence ministry said Friday. The members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were killed in four separate attacks in Vavuniya district on Thursday, the ministry […]
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Dec 28, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka condemned Friday the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and said it underscored the need for “absolute commitment” to fight terrorism.“This brutal assassination, underlines the need for the absolute commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in order to make it unacceptable in […]
From Pakistan to Sri Lanka; record of assassinations in the Indian subcontinent
ISLAMABAD, Dec 27, 2007 (AFP) – Thursday’s assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto is one of a long series of political assassinations which have taken place in southern Asia since the end of the colonial era and the partitition of India in 1947. INDIA – January 30, 1948: A Hindu extremist kills Mahatma […]