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Le Divorce
Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Monday ordered the breakup of the restive Northeastern Province, a massive administrative region claimed by Tamil Tiger rebels as a separate state.The creation of the province was a key Tamil demand accepted by a 1987 peace accord that gave limited authority to minority Tamils in the […]
Warner Music sees Asia as the driving force mobile music growth
SINGAPORE, Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – Asia is now the driving force behind demand for mobile music services which will make up for lost revenue by telecom firms in their voice-only services, a US recording label Warner Music said Monday.South Korea and Japan dominate the mobile music market and Asia Pacific holds the largest market […]
Choices: Geography or ideology?
October 16, 2006 (LBO) – “While the JVP supports a vibrant free market economy to generate growth, we are completely against an unbridled, uncontrolled open economy, which in the long run would cause immense harm to our economy. We believe in an economic model based on the successful models of India and China.” (Somawansa Amarasinghe’s […]
Sri Lankan war plane crashes
Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan war plane crashed Monday shortly after take off on a mission to attack Tamil Tiger rebels, official sources said adding that pilot ejected and there were no casualties on the ground.The Israeli-built Kfir jet crashed shortly after take off from the main Katunayake airbase which is located […]
Suicide bombing kills over 100 in Sri Lanka
Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka suffered its worst ever suicide attack on Monday when suspected Tamil Tiger rebels detonated a truck packed with explosives next to a convoy of sailors, killing at least 102 people and wounding 150 more.More than 60,000 people have been killed in the three-decades-old conflict for a Tamil homeland […]
Japan envoy in talks with Sri Lanka govt amid more violence
Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – A Japanese peace envoy opened talks with Sri Lankan leaders Monday as the international community stepped up pressure to salvage peace talks many fear have been doomed by an upsurge in violence.More than 60,000 people have been killed in the three-decades-old conflict for a Tamil homeland on the Sinhalese-majority island.Yasushi […]
’s central bank governor recruits more assistants
October 16, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has promoted four senior staff officers to the post of Assistant Governor from Oct. 11, the bank said Monday. Those promoted are: • H N Thenuwara • Uthum Herath • Anila Dias Bandaranaike • D S Wijesinghe The bank is in the process of selecting candidates […]
Sri Lanka central bank talks up rupee, as the currency comes under renewed pressure
October 15, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank is talking up the rupee ahead of market opening on Monday, as the currency came under heavy pressure, despite falling oil prices. Analysts estimate that the central bank has spent close to 150 million dollars in the past few weeks defending the rupee. The rupee floated […]
Latin soap operas winning TV hearts around the globe
CANNES, France, Oct 15, 2006 (AFP) – True love is making a comeback on the television screen, winning the hearts of audiences around the globe.It’s also making big bucks for some of the world’s leading programme makers, contradicting playwright William Shakespeare’s famous observation that “the course of true love never did run smooth”. The staple […]
” deals: analysts
HARARE, Oct 15, 2006 (AFP) – Zimbabwe, shunned by the West, is trawling ever wider for alternative business partners, but analysts say much-trumpeted deals with its new friends are unlikely to yield meaningful benefits to the country.The state-run Zimbabwe Central Bank summoned reporters to a press conference last week to attend the signing of a […]