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Sri Lanka president calls for talks to avert all-out civil war
Nov 28, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday offered fresh talks with Tamil Tigers to avert a return to all-out civil war as the top guerrilla leader wrote off the Norwegian-backed peace process.President Mahinda Rajapakse, currently visiting India, said he was ready to have direct talks with Velupillai Prabhakaran, the elusive leader of the Liberation […]
Tigers step up artillery barrage after call for separate state
Nov 28, 2006 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels stepped up artillery and mortar bomb attacks against military bases in the restive east Tuesday, a day after calling for their own independent state.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas fired at security forces in the district of Batticaloa, killing at least one soldier and wounding […]
Taiwan Connection
Nov 27, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Ports Authority has signed a terminal service agreement with Wan-Hai lines of Taiwan to increase container traffic to the island.The three-year Terminal Service Agreement (TSA) will bring in a guaranteed amount of volume for the SLPA, says Irshad Musheen Executive Director of SLPA. “We are actually pleased as […]
Audit Block
Nov 27, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s audit examiners will stop visiting government offices to carry out audit work following on a pay dispute, putting the brakes on the country’s already slow auditing process. “The most important aspect of the state audit mechanisms is the audit examination,” the Union said in a statement. “We wish […]
Global tea experts call for formal standards on world market
NAIROBI, Nov 27, 2006 (AFP) – Global tea experts meeting in Kenya Monday called for tough minimum quality standards to address the growing problem of poor tea entering the international market and depressing prices.“In targeting potential growth markets, recognition of and compliance with food safety and quality standards is essential,” said Kaison Chang, a senior […]
Tele Cash
November 27, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has raised about 40 million rupees from June-Sept by taxing foreign movies, dramas and sitcoms aired on local television stations, the finance ministry said. Introduced in June, the ministry said the levy on telecasts of foreign films, teledramas and commercials are aimed at safeguarding the local film industry […]
Dialog TV
November 27 2006 (LBO) – Dialog Telekom, the island’s biggest mobile phone operator, Monday announced plans to acquire satellite pay television operator Communiqu Broadband Networks (Pvt) Ltd and CBN Sat (Pvt) Ltd for 523.8 million rupees. Dialog Telekom, dominates the industry with over 3 million subscribers, followed by Mobitel Lanka, Celltel Lanka Ltd, Hutchinson. The […]
‘s largest palm oil firm
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27, 2006 (AFP) – Three Malaysian plantation firms will merge to create the world’s largest listed palm oil business, worth 31.4 billion ringgit (8.6 billion dollars), under an ambitious plan announced Monday.A new vehicle, Synergy Drive, will buy the assets and liabilities of Sime Darby Bhd, Golden Hope Plantations Bhd and Kumpulan […]
Sri Lanka ceasefire effectively over?
Nov 27, 2006 (AFP) – The Tamil minority of Sri Lanka must have their own independent state, rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran declared Monday, effectively ending the island’s peace process.In his annual policy speech, delivered from a secret hideout, the Tamil Tiger leader accused the Colombo government of waging military and economic war against Tamils and […]
Tamil Tiger supremo faces war or peace deadline in Sri Lanka
Nov 27, 2006 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran was to deliver a keenly-awaited address Monday to Sri Lanka’s embattled Tamil people that will help shape the course of the island’s troubled peace process.The defence ministry reports 2,018 Tiger rebels killed in the past year. His speech will come one year after he warned […]