Author: lbostgadmin
Tigers killing civilians fleeing Sri Lanka war zone: UN
February 16, 2009 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger guerrillas have prevented tens of thousands of civilians from leaving Sri Lanka’s war zone and those trying to escape have been “shot and sometimes killed,” the United Nations said Monday. Tens of thousands of civilians in the rebel-held area were experiencing serious shortages of food, medicine, and clean […]
Airwave War
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s mobile phone operators have declined to respond to accusations by newest market entrant, India’s Bharti Airtel, that they are resorting to interconnectivity sabotage, citing a gag order by the regulator. Company officials said the Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (TRC) has asked celcos not to comment on recent accusations […]
Sri Lanka tourist arrivals fall 32-pct in January
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Foreign visitors to Sri Lanka plunged 32.4 percent in January 2009 to 38,468 compared with the same month last year, the island’s tourist promotion office said, with a global economic crisis depressing leisure travel.Arrivals from Western Europe, a key generating market that is crucial to keep coastal resorts in jam, […]
Sri Lankan stocks close up
Feb 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed marginally up Monday driven by retail interest on the construction sector, as news of the war coming to a close highlighted the prospects of new development contracts, brokers said. He anticipated that the indices would try to consolidate at the present levels with investors hoping for […]
Sri Lanka ruling party wins landslide local vote: results
February 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ruling party headed for a landslide victory in local elections seen as a referendum on the government’s military campaign against Tamil rebels, official results showed Sunday. President Mahinda Rajapakse’s Freedom Alliance won 36 seats out of 58 in the Central Provincial council. The alliance also had collected nearly […]
Sri Lanka braces for bloodier Tiger battles
February 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government hoped Tamil Tiger rebels could be defeated in days, but both sides are now warning bloodier battles may lie ahead — and civilians are likely to pay a heavy price. Security forces have cornered the retreating Tigers in the north of the island after over three bloody […]
Sri Lanka Tiger chief still on island: report
February 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s elusive rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is still on the island and has been preparing his Tamil Tiger fighters to launch last-ditch counter attacks, a news report said Sunday.Prabhakaran, 54, and his eldest son Charles Anthony have blended in with about 100,000 civilians trapped in the conflict zone, the […]
Biofuels may speed up, not slow global warming: study
CHICAGO, February 14, 2009 (AFP) – The use of crop-based biofuels could speed up rather than slow down global warming by fueling the destruction of rainforests, scientists warned Saturday. Once heralded as the answer to oil, biofuels have become increasingly controversial because of their impact on food prices and the amount of energy it takes […]
No More
Feb 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Fitch Ratings has downgraded the rating of state-run mortgage lender State Mortgage and Investment Bank (SMIB) and withdrawn its rating, the firm said. The bank’s rating was downgraded to ‘BBB+(lka)’ from ‘A-(lka). The rating outlook is negative at the new level. Fitch Sri Lanka said SMIB owns 1.78 […]
Zimbabwe earns second place in hyperinflation history: economist
Feb 14, 2009 (LBO) – As Zimbabwe allowed full ‘dollarization’ of its economy and legalized foreign currencies, a top monetary economist has placed the now worthless Zimbabwe dollar at the second place in hyperinflation history. Having different currencies competing against each other is also a superior monetary regime to central banking, where a state mandated […]
”: Britain
LONDON, February 13, 2009 (AFP) – Former colonial power Britain fought off Friday angry objections from Sri Lanka over London’s appointment of a special envoy to address the humanitarian needs of the war-torn country. Britain’s Foreign Office said Thursday’s appointment of former defence secretary Des Browne was not made unilaterally and insisted discussions with the […]
Sri Lankan dies in self-immolation protest in Switzerland
GENEVA, February 13, 2009 (AFP) – A British resident of Sri Lankan origin burnt himself to death outside the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva in protest at the south Asian conflict, local police said Friday. Police were alerted by passers-by and UN security late Thursday after the man doused himself in petrol and set himself […]