” over refugee killings

Nov 9, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government Thursday expressed “regret” over the killing of some 65 civilians in an artillery blitz on the rebel-held east of the island, but blamed the Tamil Tigers for using human shields.Government defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the military had targeted two Tamil Tiger artillery positions in Wednesday’s attack […]

Sri Lankan government under fire over refugee carnage

Nov 9, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government came under international criticism Thursday after killing 65 refugees and wounding hundreds of others in an artillery blitz of the rebel-held east of the island.Nearly 3,300 people have been killed in fighting in the past year despite a 2002 truce in Sri Lanka’s separatist conflict. Nordic monitors […]

’07 Budget gap at 5% of GDP

November 8, 2006 (Dow Jones)–The Sri Lankan government expects the budget deficit to narrow to 5 percent of gross domestic product in 2007 from an estimated 9 percent this year due to higher tax collections and increased borrowings, the deputy finance minister said. “A key focus will be the small and medium scale industries.We plan […]

Sri Lankan branded tea exporter Imperial Teas eyes regional subsidiaries

Nov 08 (LBO) – Sri Lankan branded tea exporter Imperial Teas may look at setting up subsidiaries in countries like China and even Kenya, to develop its brands and manage its supply chain.The company commissioned a study by MTI Consulting to develop a game plan for expansion and jumpstart almost stagnant growth over the past three […]

Duped

Nov 8, 2006 (AFP) – C. Sathishkumar was one of thousands of Sri Lankan youngsters who invested in an Internet promotion to evaluate products online in return for quick cash — and like the others, he lost all his money.Police said this week that the scam, allegedly run by two Indians from a firm named […]

‘s farmers brace for new WTO era

HANOI, Nov 8, 2006 (AFP) – Vietnam’s WTO accession will impact on the 70 percent of its people who work in agriculture by securing key export markets but also threaten them with much tougher competition at home, experts say.“Vietnam’s joining the WTO is necessary and will help the country develop its agricultural sector more quickly […]

Sri Lanka among thousands abuse Malaysian visa deal: reports

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8, 2006 (AFP) – A visa-on-arrival deal aimed at attracting tourists to Malaysia had allowed thousands of foreigners to overstay in the country, reports said Wednesday.Under a move introduced on September 1, Malaysia has allowed tourists from 24 countries to apply for a visa upon arrival, for a fee of 100 ringgit […]

Shells fired at Norwegian observers in Sri Lanka

Nov 8, 2006 (AFP) – Norwegian observers in Sri Lanka were fired on by government forces during attacks on Wednesday which killed at least 65 civilians and injured about 300, Norwegian Aid Minister Erik Solheim told Norway’s NRK broadcaster. The conflict has killed more than 60,000 people since 1972, with rebels fighting for a separate […]

Refugee camp bombing kills 65 in Sri Lanka

Nov 8, 2006 (AFP) – At least 65 civilians were killed and about 300 injured Wednesday when government forces shelled a refugee camp in eastern Sri Lanka, Tamil rebels and medical sources said.The bodies of the victims were brought to the Vakarai hospital inside the rebel-held part of Batticaloa following heavy artillery duels, while the […]

SLT TV

November 6, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom, the island’s biggest fixed line operator, said Tuesday that they are doing a due diligence study on cable television operator Grant Communications (Pvt) Ltd. The company, which controls 85 percent of Sri Lanka’s fixed-line telecommunications market, has applied for a ˜non-voice’ license from the telecom regulator and […]

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