All Blogs
Microsoft, Google gear for titanic clash
NEW YORK, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Microsoft and Google are girding for battle for supremacy over the information technology sector, a duel watched closely by others in the sector.The spectacular rise of Google in the past few years has raised questions about whether the Internet search titan is on track to dethrone Microsoft and […]
Global economy, led by China, shrugs off soaring commodity prices
LONDON, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – The prices of commodities such as oil, copper, aluminium, platinum and sugar are smashing records — and will head higher owing to fierce demand from economic powerhouses India and China, analysts say. With sizzling rates of growth in the two emerging giants, home to one third of the world’s […]
Violence kills 19 in Sri Lanka as Tigers vow to use navy
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – May 14, 2006 (AFP) – At least 19 people have been killed in fresh violence in Sri Lanka, officials said Sunday, as Tamil Tigers vowed a “war” to deploy their navy even though truce monitors say it violates a ceasefire. Thirteen of the victims were gunned down in separate incidents […]
Sri Lankan president warns Tigers as violence escalates
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has warned Tiger rebels not to take his patience for weakness and vowed to defend his country against attacks.Rajapakse, 60, said in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper he was committed peacefully to settling the Tamil separatist conflict and had ordered recent air attacks […]
Sri Lanka seeks help to identify woman suicide bomber
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Police asked for help from the public Sunday to identify a woman suicide bomber who attacked the island’s army chief killing 10 people. The police Criminal Investigations Department said in a statement that the bomber had yet to be identified contrary to earlier claims that she was a […]
Tamil Tigers dismiss calls to end navy operations
COLOMBO, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers dismissed calls by Scandinavian truce monitors to stop rebel navy missions and have threatened “war” to keep their men at sea, officials said Sunday.The LTTE’s naval wing chief, Colonel Soosai, said on the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said that the LTTE were “not prepared to relinquish […]
Annan urges Sri Lanka’s warring sides to resume dialogue
UNITED NATIONS, May 12, 2006 (AFP) – UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday made a fresh appeal to Sri Lanka’s government and Tamil rebels to end violence and resume Norwegian-brokered peace talks.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Annan, who is on a visit to Austria, was “disturbed by the news of major sea and aerial […]
Jayasuriya denies President behind Test return
LONDON, May 13, 2006 (AFP) – Sanath Jayasuriya has insisted the President of Sri Lanka played no role in his decision to end his retirement from Test cricket.The 36-year-old former Sri Lanka captain, who arrived in England on Saturday, could only watch from beyond the boundary at Lord’s while his erstwhile team-mates followed-on in the […]
‘s warring sides to resume dialogue
UNITED NATIONS, May 12, 2006 (AFP) – UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday made a fresh appeal to Sri Lanka’s government and Tamil rebels to end violence and resume Norwegian-brokered peace talks.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Annan, who is on a visit to Austria, was “disturbed by the news of major sea and aerial […]
EU criticises Sri Lanka Tigers over sea battle, warns on escalation
May 13, 2006 (AFP) – The European Union criticised Sri Lankan rebels Saturday for staging a deadly sea attack and warned that the escalation in violence could wreck any chance of returning to peace talks.The statement came two days after a Tamil Tiger suicide attack on a navy gunboat that killed its 18-man crew, dealing […]