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Costly Letters
Nov 17, 2006 (LBO) – Delayed tariff revisions, fuel price hikes and wage bills have driven up losses at Sri Lanka™s Postal Department, to over a billion rupees in the first six months this year. According to provisional data by the Central Bank, operating losses as at June this year was up 13 percent to […]
UAE aims to lessen reliance on Asian workers
DUBAI, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) president announced plans to gradually replace Asian workers with nationals to redress the demographic imbalance in his country, in a newspaper interview Monday. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nayhan told London-based Asharq Al-Awsat he was aware of “the seriousness of the imbalance” in the oil-rich […]
Singapore raises 2006 growth targets to 7.5-8.0 percent
SINGAPORE, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – Singapore raised its 2006 growth forecasts on Monday to 7.5-8.0 percent, a target analysts said is achievable after a better-than-expected third-quarter performance. Figures released by the MTI in its latest economic report showed third quarter growth was powered by the key manufacturing sector which surged 10.6 percent on the […]
Tigers scoff Sri Lanka aid offer as political gimmick
COLOMBO, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels Monday scoffed a government offer to send supplies to the besieged Jaffna peninsula as a “political gimmick” aimed at appeasing the international community. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they had no formal word from the government about its offer to send […]
Blast kills Sri Lanka soldier
COLOMBO, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels set off a land mine in northern Sri Lanka Monday, killing one soldier and wounding three others, defence officials said. The killings added to a weekend toll of 35 people killed according to claims by both sides. The bitter ethnic conflict between Tamil rebels in the […]
UN envoy slated in Sri Lanka over child soldier charge
COLOMBO, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lankan nationalists led by the island’s main Marxist party Monday demonstrated against a top UN envoy who accused the military of recruiting child soldiers on behalf of a Tamil rebel faction. Hundreds of protestors carried an effigy of special advisor to the United Nations Representative for Children and […]
Sri Lanka sends relief to isolated Jaffna
COLOMBO, Nov 20, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has sent essential supplies to the besieged Jaffna Peninsula amid local and international concern for half a million civilians trapped there, officials said. A government spokesman said a formal request was offered to relief agencies to support a food convoy by road to the Jaffna Peninsula, virtually […]
Concern over death threats to Sri Lanka TV host
COLOMBO, Nov 19, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main media rights group Sunday expressed concern over a death threat against a Tamil television host after a show in which he discussed the assassination of a Tamil legislator.The Free Media Movement said television talk show host J.Sri Ranga was told of the death threat after he […]
Split in main Sri Lanka opposition deepens with party convention
November 18, (LBO) – The convention of the main opposition in Sri Lanka went ahead without the rebel faction led by its deputy leader being present, deepening the divisions within the party, United National Party sources said.Three rebels last week lost a court challenge which questioned a decision by a top party body not to […]
Weekend deathtoll reaches 35 in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Nov 19, 2006 (AFP) – At least 35 people died in weekend sea, air and land battles between Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels and security forces, according to claims by both sides Sunday.The Sri Lankan navy said it killed at least 15 Tiger guerrillas after sinking three craft off the island’s northwest coast on […]