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How the UN’s new Human Rights Council works
GENEVA, June 19, 2006 (AFP) – The new UN Human Rights Council, which started its first-ever session here Monday, is made up of 47 nations who pledged before they were elected to respect international human rights standards.The body aims to be more effective than the widely-criticised UN Commission on Human Rights, which was disolved in […]
Fuel Buddies
June 19, 2006 (LBO) – Clubbing with big brother Emirates Airlines to get bulk fuel discounts and hedging oil prices on future markets has helped SriLankan Airlines to shave 11 million dollars of its energy bill, its Chief Executive said. Emirates, the largest Arab carrier that owns 43.6 percent of SriLankan, is also lending a […]
Media blitz against child sex tourism in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, June 19, 2006 (AFP) – The United Nations agency for children Monday announced the launch of a media campaign to discourage the sexual exploitation of Sri Lankan children by tourists.“A child who is a victim of sexual abuse may suffer serious, lifelong or even life-threatening consequences,” said UNICEF senior programme coordinator Yasmin Ali Haque.UNICEF […]
’s tourist board chief prevented from leaving the country
June 19, 2006 (LBO) – The chairman of the Sri Lanka’s tourist board was prevented from leaving the country at the Bandaranaike International Airport early Monday morning, an official said. Immigration officials had stopped Udaya Nanayakkara from leaving Sri Lanka on a complaint from the Bribery Commission, Controller of Immigration P B Abeykoon said. Nanayakkara […]
Bald Spot
June 19, 2006 (LBO) – A new securities law giving legal muscle to companies who raise debt by securitising the assets are likely to come through this year as part of a government lending agreement with the Asian Development Bank. Securitisation process which uses future cashflows to back a debt instrument, has been carried out […]
Outback PC
June 19 (LBO) – Intel Corp together with Sri Lanka’s ICT Agency will soon pilot a rugged alternative to the conventional PC for rural areas, running on a car battery if electricity goes out. The dust resistant, low power demand Intel model called a ˜Community PC’, developed and just rolled out in India, could find […]
Joint Force
FRANKFURT, June 19, 2006 (AFP) – Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia and German rival Siemens said Monday they would merge their telecoms equipment and network activities in an attempt to close the gap on market leader Ericsson. Nokia and Siemens said in a joint statement they planned to set up a 50-50 joint venture, to be […]
‘s new Human Rights Council works
GENEVA, June 19, 2006 (AFP) – The new UN Human Rights Council, which started its first-ever session here Monday, is made up of 47 nations who pledged before they were elected to respect international human rights standards.The body aims to be more effective than the widely-criticised UN Commission on Human Rights, which was disolved in […]
Bangladesh garment workers to stage fresh protests for wage hikes
DHAKA, June 19, 2006 (AFP) – Bangladesh garment workers will stage a series of mass protests this week to demand a 30 percent salary hike amid continuing unrest, officials said Monday. The planned demonstrations follow rioting last month in which 16 factories were torched and hundreds ransacked by employees. At least two people were killed […]
Sri Lanka invites Tigers to talks after bloody weekend
June 19, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Monday invited Tamil Tiger rebels to negotiate peace and save their collapsing ceasefire as two more soldiers were killed in a weekend of violence that left over 50 people dead. Defence officials said security forces Monday found the bodies of two soldiers shot dead by Tamil Tiger guerrillas […]