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Cricket returns to Sri Lanka tsunami-hit stadium
GALLE, Sri Lanka, Dec 16, 2007 (AFP) – England and Sri Lanka will mark one of cricket’s most poignant moments when they contest the third Test at the previously tsunami-ravaged Galle International Stadium from Tuesday. The stadium, situated close to the Indian Ocean in the country’s coastal south, was destroyed by the Asian tsunami in […]
Sri Lanka Tiger supremo wounded in air attack: report
Dec 16, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s elusive Tamil rebel supremo was wounded in an air strike last month by security forces shortly after his annual policy broadcast, a privately-run newspaper here reported Sunday.The Nation newspaper said Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was wounded in an underground bunker in […]
Sri Lanka talks with Russia, India on arms buys
Dec 16, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will meet with Indian and Russian delegations this week on possible arms purchases including air defence weaponry as clashes with Tamil Tiger rebels escalate, press reports here said Sunday. Defence officials from India and Russia will hold separate talks with Sri Lankan authorities on improving systems used against […]
US inflation 4.3-pct amidst fresh money printing; can it continue?
NEW YORK, Dec 14, 2007 (AFP) – The dollar rose sharply Friday as a larger-than-expected spike in US inflation suggested the US Federal Reserve may not find it so easy to continue cutting interest rates. Dealers said the latest figures showed that the Fed, like many central banks, was now caught between keeping rates high […]
Human rights violations increase in high inflation Zimbabwe: Amnesty
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 14, 2007 (AFP) – Violence and torture by Zimbabwe’s police against rights activists and opposition members are on the increase despite ongoing mediation efforts, Amnesty International said on Friday. “Organised police violence and torture has continued during the SADC mediation — in fact, the severity of beatings and torture has been increasing,” said […]
Sri Lanka eye cricket second spot behind Australia
GALLE, Sri Lanka, Dec 15, 2007 (AFP) – Mahela Jayawardene’s Sri Lanka will leapfrog from world number five to second behind Australia if they win the third and final Test against England starting here on Tuesday. A win would give the hosts a 2-0 series success and lift Jayawardene’s men past India, South Africa and […]
Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger arms dealer jailed in U.S.
Dec 15, 2007 (LBO) – A United States federal court has jailed an Indonesian arms dealer who sought weapons for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers, U.S. media reports said Saturday. Haniffa Bin Osmana, described as a representative for the Tamil Tigers was convicted of arms dealing in federal court in Baltimore. He had wanted grenade launchers […]
‘s inflation rockets to 24.1-pct amidst record money printing
Dec 15, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s country-wide inflation hit a record 24.1 percent in October 2007, following one of the worst bouts of money printing seen since the island’s central bank was created five decades ago. The Sri Lanka Consumer Price Index (SLCPI) devised a decade ago to reflect the modern spending patterns of […]
Sri Lanka stocks close lower, rupee steady
Dec 14, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks slid 0.2 percent lower Friday in wafer-thin trading ahead of a crucial budget vote and the rupee was steady against the greenback at 109.98/109.00, dealers said. The All Share Index lost 5.96 points while the Milanka index of liquid stocks fell back 0.34 percent amidst thin trading […]
Fast Cash
Dec 14, 2007 (LBO) – Western Union has rapidly expanded its money transfer network in Sri Lanka through its tie up with Aitken Spence and is eyeing a bigger share of the three billion dollar foreign remittance market. Company officials said they also want to tap the estimated two billion dollars sent to the island […]