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EU vows more action in Sri Lanka after Tiger ban
COLOMBO, May 31, 2006 (AFP) – The European Union, which earlier in the week banned Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels, said Wednesday it was willing to take “further measures” to push the warring parties back to the negotiating table. A declaration by the EU presidency, currently held by Austria, said the ban on Tamil Tiger […]
Artillery duels along de facto front lines in Sri Lanka
May 31, 2006 (AFP) – Heavy artillery exchanges rocked northern Sri Lanka Wednesday, a day after the government ruled out military action to resolve a long-running ethnic conflict following a European ban on Tiger rebels.More than 600 people have been killed in Sri Lanka since December despite a truce arranged and put in place by […]
Sri Lanka Tigers may move funds through Malaysia, Singapore
KUALA LUMPUR, May 31, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels are believed to be channeling funds through Malaysia and Singapore to buy weapons in the region, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister said according to a report Wednesday. Mangala Samaraweera said in an interview with the New Straits Times that he had informed his Malaysian […]
Sri Lanka press polarised over European ban on Tigers
May 31, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s media Wednesday reacted to the European ban on Tamil Tiger rebels largely along ethnic lines, but all agreed that the proscription should not lead to renewed war.Newspapers intended mainly for the island’s majority Sinhalese community welcomed the European Union ban Monday on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam […]
Petroleum Politics
May 31, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister has set the stage to take back Ceylon Petroleum Corporation assets, currently vested with the Treasury. Officials from CPC will sit down with their treasury counterparts this week to push for another fuel hike to keep up with runaway world crude oil prices. Fowzie says CPC […]
‘s inflation rate climbs to 13.2% in May
May 31, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation rate for May rose as short supplies of consumer eatables like cream cracker biscuits, rice, bread, red onions, milk tea, fresh milk and dried chillies pushed prices up, the Census & Statistics Dept. said Wednesday. On a point-to-point basis inflation for May rose 13.2 percent over 9.2 […]
EU puts Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebels on terror list
BRUSSELS, May 30, 2006 (AFP) – The European Union put Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers on its list of terrorist groups on Monday, despite a warning from the rebels that the move could force them back to war.The EU ban, agreed in principle on May 18, was made official at a meeting of ministers from the […]
Bond yields rise, ahead of military unrest
May 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s bond market lost ground on Tuesday and continued to rise stealthily at this week’s auction, as the military began probing the massacre of 12 construction workers by Tamil Tiger rebels. The Central Bank sold Rs. 350 billion treasury bonds in three, four and five year maturities, after rejecting […]
Stressed-out Southeast Asians unhappy with their sex lives:survey
SINGAPORE, May 30, 2006 (AFP) – Southeast Asias have the unhappiest sex lives in the world, making love less often than people elsewhere and getting the least satisfaction from it, a global survey showed Tuesday.Mexicans scored the highest sex satisfaction levels with 74.5 percent declaring they were very satisfied, followed by Brazil at 64.5 percent […]
Rise of migrants is damaging planet: British think-tank
LONDON, May 30, 2006 (AFP) – The growing number of people who migrate from developing countries to over-populated Western states in search of a better life is damaging the planet and could be avoided, a think-tank said Tuesday.Governments and aid agencies should encourage families to stay put by tackling environmental degradation, such as the spread […]