All Blogs
Sri Lanka parties urged to hold fire amid heavy civilian losses
COLOMBO, Dec 12, 2006 (AFP) – The United Nations and Nordic truce monitors on Tuesday voiced grave concern for 35,000 “desperate civilians” caught in the crossfire between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. The Tamil Tigers are fighting for independence for the island’s minority 2.5 million Tamil community in the majority-Sinhalese nation of 19.5 […]
PBJ Resignation
December 11, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s powerful treasury secretary P B Jayasundara, has sent in his resignation, the state-run Daily News reported Monday. The newspaper did not give a reason, but said Jayasundara will cease from running the day-to-day affairs of the finance ministry from December 31. Jayasundara is due to take up a […]
New Chapter
December 11, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom, is spinning off its directory publication division as a wholly owned subsidiary, the island’s biggest fixed line operator said Monday. Japans Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. or NTT controls 35.2 percent of SLT, the Sri Lankan government owns 49.5 percent and the public 15.3 percent. SLT Publications […]
‘s inflation rate rises to nearly 1,099 percent
HARARE, Dec 11, 2006 (AFP) – Zimbabwe’s inflation spiral rose to 1,098.8 percent last month, up 28.6 percentage points from October, the Central Statistical office said Monday.Last month, Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa predicted a marginal economic growth in the coming year, adding that inflation would dip to 350 percent as he presented the budget for […]
Civilian casualties pour into hospital after Sri Lanka fighting
TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, Dec 11, 2006 (AFP) – Dozens of civilians wounded in weekend shelling in rebel-held areas were evacuated Monday for treatment, officials said, as the rebels placed civilian deaths at 41. Medical sources in the Vakarai hospital inside territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) said 27 dead bodies of […]
Sporadic shelling in Sri Lanka, Tigers return dead bodies
COLOMBO, Dec 11, 2006 (AFP) – Sporadic shelling was reported across de facto front lines in Sri Lanka’s embattled northeast Monday after heavy artillery attacks over the weekend left scores dead. More than 3,500 people have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past year.The bitter ethnic conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since […]
US economic team to pressure China on exchange rates, intellectual property
WASHINGTON, Dec 10, 2006 (AFP) – A stellar cast of US economic leaders heads to China this week to press for the world’s manufacturing workshop to overhaul the desperately one-sided trade between the two nations.Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke will head the US delegation for the inaugural meeting of a […]
Susanthika Jayasinghe comes second at Asian Games 100m
DOHA, Dec 9, 2006 (AFP) – Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan won the women’s 100 metres title here at the Asian Games on Saturday.But Khubbieva, a two-time silver medallist at last year’s Asian Championships, had built up enough of a gap to hold her off while Al Ghasar came late to take third. The 30-year-old, a […]
Civilians in northeast Sri Lanka flee as death toll climb
COLOMBO, Dec 10, 2006 (AFP) – Some 3,000 civilians on Sunday were fleeing as heavy artillery duels in Sri Lanka’s restive northeast killed more than 110 people, including 41 civilians, according to rebels and security forces.More than 3,500 people have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past year. The bitter ethnic conflict that has […]
Artillery duels in Sri Lanka as Norway bid fails
Dec 9, 2006 (AFP) – Troops and Tamil Tiger rebels traded long-range artillery and mortar bombs in north-eastern Sri Lanka on Saturday, a day after a fresh Norwegian peace attempt failed, officials said. The two sides were exchanging long-range attacks in the district of Trincomalee where four soldiers and several civilians were wounded on Saturday, […]