‘s threadbare truce, toll 44

July 31, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops and Tiger rebels Monday fought their bloodiest ground battle since a 2002 truce, with the military reporting at least 44 combatants killed, but monitors said it was still not full-scale war.More than 60,000 people have been killed in the three-decade-old Tamil separatist conflict. The army’s ground offensive […]

And FYI

July 31, 2006 (LBO) – Indian oil retailer Lanka IOC Monday raised fuel prices across the board by 5.00 rupees a litre to keep pace with galloping crude oil prices, its Managing Director said. Effective from midnight: ¢ Petrol 90 costs 98.00 rupees (from 93.00 rupees) ¢ Petrol 95 costs 101.00 rupees (from 96.00 rupees) […]

Northern Lights

July 31 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has called for interested investors to set up a power plant by end this year, to supply electricity to Jaffna in the island’s war torn north. The 35 megawatt power project will be on Build Own and Operate basis, under a power purchase agreement signed with state utility the […]

‘s consumer prices ease in July to 14.7%

July 31, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices for July eased marginally to 14.7 percent, the Census & Statistics Department said Monday, as a drop in vegetable prices helped offset hikes in rice, bread and jam. Prices of sugar, garlic, tamarind, red onions, eggs, coconuts and most varieties of vegetables, helped inflation ease up […]

Sri Lankan ‘miracle of Lebanon’ returns home penniless

TYRE, Lebanon, July 30, 2006 (AFP) – Vasanthi Darmadasa was sweeping her employers’ garden when her life changed.An Israeli bomb came thundering out of the sky, destroying the house and killing everyone there — except her.“I was thrown to the ground by the shockwave. I didn’t feel anything in my legs and I did not […]

‘s Infosys story

BANGALORE, India, July 30, 2006 (AFP) – Twenty-five years ago, with an investment of just 250 dollars, a tiny software company took shape in a one-bedroom apartment in the western India city of Pune.Today Infosys Technologies has revenues of 2.1 billion dollars and employs 58,000 people in more than two dozen countries, ranking as India’s […]

Sri Lanka steps up attacks amid fears for threadbare truce

July 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Sunday intensified artillery and mortar bomb attacks against Tamil Tigers and captured an area where the guerrillas had blocked an irrigation canal, a minister said. Backed by artillery and four days of air strikes, security forces moved to the Maavilaru water reservoir, Policy Planning Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. […]

” returns home penniless

TYRE, Lebanon, July 30, 2006 (AFP) – Vasanthi Darmadasa was sweeping her employers’ garden when her life changed.An Israeli bomb came thundering out of the sky, destroying the house and killing everyone there — except her.“I was thrown to the ground by the shockwave. I didn’t feel anything in my legs and I did not […]

Local Brands

July 29, 2006 (LBO) – Sales of locally assembled computers rose 20 percent to 11,202 units for the three months to March, though established brands continued to increase their presence in Sri Lanka, an industry report said Saturday. Locally assembled brands such as Panora and Kobian dominate the desktop market, with the latter launching a […]

Tired of the beach? Latvians offer abuse, insults as a tourist lure

LIEPAJA, Latvia, July 29, 2006 (AFP) – Some countries will do anything to attract tourists. In Latvia, they have pristine beaches, architectural pearls, verdant countryside and excellent cuisine, but why bother when you can have abuse and insults — even get shot — in a former KGB prison? On a hot July day, about 20 […]

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