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WHO accuse tobacco industry of continuing misleading labels
MANILA, May 30, 2006 (AFP) – The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday accused the global tobacco industry of continuing to use misleading labels to lure millions of people, including children, to take up smoking.On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, WHO said it would focus on the “tobacco industry’s lies” and the great variety […]
Military option rejected as donors warn Sri Lanka against war
May 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president Tuesday ruled out military action against the Tamil Tigers as international donors warned the two sides to halt a slide back to war and police found the bodies of 12 victims of an execution-style massacre.In what Western diplomats here saw as a last ditch attempt to stall […]
12 Sri Lankan workers killed execution-style
May 30, 2006 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels lined up and shot dead 12 construction workers in an execution style massacre in the island’s restive eastern province, the military said Tuesday.A total of 14 construction workers from the majority Sinhalese community had been taken away by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels on Monday, military spokesman […]
Donors warn Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers
TOKYO, May 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s key foreign aid donors warned the government and Tamil Tiger rebels Tuesday that they must take steps to end growing unrest or risk losing international support. Donors led by Japan pledged 4.5 billion dollars in 2003 as an incentive for the island to end three decades of […]
‘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 […]
Sri Lanka to raise import tariffs for wheat to prop up rice prices
May 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to raise import tariffs on wheat to encourage paddy sales and shore up prices, treasury secretary P B Jayasundara said Tuesday. The government recently slapped a 15 percent import duty on wheat flour and six-percent duty on imports of wheat grain. “We are planning a further upward […]
Sri Lanka ships more goods in April; trade deficit widens
May 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s trade deficit – the broadest measure of international trade – expanded during the four-months to April to 1,057 million dollars, on costly oil import bill, the Central Bank said Tuesday. However, the deficit was somewhat contained as Sri Lankans residing abroad sent home 221 million dollars – up […]
Sri Lanka’s Lanka Orix Leasing gets A (lka) rating
May 29, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s pioneering leasing firm Lanka Orix Leasing Company has secured an ‘A (lka)’ credit rating from Fitch Ratings Lanka. Part Japanese owned, LOLCs credit outlook is stable, the rating agency said Monday. “The rating takes into account the less diversified funding sources available to specialised leasing companies such as […]
‘s Lanka Orix Leasing gets A (lka) rating
May 29, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s pioneering leasing firm Lanka Orix Leasing Company has secured an ‘A (lka)’ credit rating from Fitch Ratings Lanka. Part Japanese owned, LOLCs credit outlook is stable, the rating agency said Monday. “The rating takes into account the less diversified funding sources available to specialised leasing companies such as […]
Pitter Patter
May 29, 2006 (LBO) – The International Finance Corp, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group Monday launched a 10 million dollar technical assistant fund to uplift Sri Lanka’s small and medium sector. Dubbed the SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility or SEDF, the multi-donor assistance programme will cover Sri Lanka and Maldives over a […]