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” from Iraq to Sri Lanka
VATICAN CITY, Dec 25, 2007 (AFP) – Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday lamented the “grim sound of arms” in the world’s conflict zones, from Sudan to Sri Lanka and especially the volatile Middle East, in his Christmas message.“On this day of peace, my thoughts turn especially to those places where the grim sound of arms […]
Sri Lanka says 13 rebels killed in ongoing heavy fighting
Dec 25, 2007 (AFP) – At least 13 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed on Christmas Eve in heavy clashes with Sri Lankan security forces in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Tuesday.Six members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were killed in a confrontation in the district of Mannar on Monday while […]
Sri Lanka floods subside, 40,000 in temporary shelters
Dec 25, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s monsoon floods were subsiding but just over 40,000 people remained in temporary shelters, the disaster management centre said Tuesday.More than 210,000 people were initially affected by the floods, with 40,225 of them remaining in schools, temples and other public buildings, and receiving food from state agencies, the centre […]
Sri Lanka tsunami survivors still struggle to recover
GALLE, Sri Lanka, Dec 25, 2007 (AFP) – Graft and renewed fighting has blocked relief to Sri Lanka’s tsunami survivors with less than a fifth of money pledged properly accounted for three years later, according to watchdogs.Sri Lanka’s government claims success in rebuilding homes destroyed by the disaster, but international agencies say big problems remain. […]
Wall St. higher as Merrill unveils Singapore investor
NEW YORK, Dec 24, 2007 (AFP) – US stock markets were higher Monday morning as investors tied up their year-end positions and as Merrill Lynch announced it had won sizeable cash infusions of up to 6.2 billion dollars. Merrill, which has seen its finances stricken by multibillion dollar mortgage market losses, said Temasek Holdings Pte. […]
US Senate stays in session to block Bush
WASHINGTON, Dec 24, 2007 (AFP) – The US Senate is holding special one man sessions throughout Christmas and the New Year to prevent President George W.Bush from making appointments without the approval of the Democratic majority. With the bang of a gavel, Democratic Senator Jim Webb declared the first session open on Sunday morning before […]
China raises tax threshold to ease burden on poor
BEIJING, Dec 23, 2007 (AFP) – China has proposed lifting millions of its citizens out of the income tax net to ease the burden on low-wage earners amid rising inflation, state press said Sunday.The country is expected to raise the monthly tax threshold from 1,600 yuan (218 dollars) to 2,000 yuan and the legislature was […]
Fed money printing will not influence ECB: Trichet
LONDON, Dec 24, 2007 (AFP) – European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet pledged, in an interview published Monday, to focus on eurozone inflation, and not let interest-rate cuts in the United States and Britain distract the bank from tightening monetary policy.Speaking to the Financial Times from Frankfurt, in an interview conducted on December 13, Trichet […]
Sri Lankan or Mihin Lanka?
Dec 24, 2007 (LBO) – The big news is that the CEO of the airline with the highest number of flights out of Colombo and a major investor has been stripped of his residency permit by the government body established to encourage foreign investment. Like the Appos of yore, the VIPs have to keep up […]
Over 175,000 displaced as heavy rains lash Sri Lanka
Dec 24, 2007 (AFP) – Torrential rains have driven more than 175,000 people from their homes in Sri Lanka, authorities said on Monday.Heavy monsoon rains over the weekend made some roads impassable while nearly 2,300 houses had been damaged, the national disaster management centre said. Worst hit was the eastern district of Batticaloa where close […]