Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka central bank to swap rupees for dollars
Feb 02, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank is negotiating with friendly central banks to swap rupees for dollars, to boost the country’s flagging foreign reserves and meet unforeseen outflows, officials said.Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said the first such swap deal is likely to be concluded ‘soon’ but declined to give a date […]
Most governments fail to account for spending: report
WASHINGTON, January 31, 2009 (AFP) – Eighty percent of the world’s governments fail to provide adequate information on spending to the public, often because of a lack of political will, according to a report published Saturday. The International Budget Partnership (IBP), a non-governmental organization that promotes transparency in government, said it evaluated the budgets of […]
India survive a Kandamby scare
January 31, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Thilina Kandamby smashed a solid 93 not out under pressure, but failed to stop India from posting a 15-run victory in the second one-day international here Saturday.The tourists restricted Sri Lanka to 241 after scoring 256-9 in a day-night match, which was held up for five minutes during […]
50,000 in London Tamil protest demanding ceasefire
LONDON, January 31, 2009 (AFP) – More than 50,000 demonstrators marched through London in a Tamil rally on Saturday demanding an end to the fighting in Sri Lanka.“More than 50,000 were at the demonstration,” a spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police said. “There has been one arrest for possession of an offensive weapon.” The spokesman said […]
Sri Lankan civilian deadline runs out
February 1, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels failed to let hundreds of thousands of civilians leave the island’s northeastern war zone before a government deadline, the defence ministry said Sunday.President Mahinda Rajapakse had given until Saturday night for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to allow the civilians to move to […]
‘s war raises Indian Tamil concern
CHENNAI, February 1, 2009 (AFP) – India’s large Tamil population is demanding that New Delhi ensure the safety of 250,000 of their brethren boxed into the battle zone in Sri Lanka’s north. Protesters have poured into the streets in Tamil Nadu state, home to 62 million Indian Tamils, in the past week to call for […]
” trapped civilians
February 1, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military said Sunday it would move to “liberate” civilians trapped by fighting with Tamil Tiger forces, after a deadline expired for the rebels to allow non-combatants to leave the war zone.International concern over the fate of tens of thousands of men, women and children stuck in the encircled […]
Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada protest fighting
OTTAWA, January 30, 2009 (AFP) – Hundreds of Tamils on Friday formed a human chain in downtown Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, to protest a Sri Lankan military push for victory against Tamil rebels. Toronto is home to the largest concentration of Tamils outside of Sri Lanka. Holding up banners decrying the Sri Lankan military’s latest […]
Yuvraj props up India with 66
January 31, 2009 (AFP) – Yuvraj Singh smashed a half-century to help India post a competitive 256-9 in the second one-day international against Sri Lanka here on Saturday.The middle-order batsman made an impressive 66 for his 38th half-century after his side had lost three wickets for 83 runs.He steadied the innings with an 85-run stand […]
UN urges safe passage for civilians caught in Sri Lanka fighting
UNITED NATIONS, January 30, 2009 (AFP) – UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday appealed to the Sri Lankan government and its Tamil foes to ensure safe passage for an estimated 250,000 civilians caught in the fighting in the northeast of the island country.“The Secretary General calls upon the (rebel) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), […]
Sri Lanka Tigers, Red Cross in talks to free wounded civilians
January 31, 2009 (AFP) – The Red Cross said Saturday it was in talks with Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels to release more wounded civilians trapped in the island’s embattled north.Sri Lanka’s government, which denies it targets civilians, has rejected international calls for a ceasefire and says the military is in the final phase of […]
Sri Lanka army reports lull in fighting
January 31, 2009 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan military reported a lull in fighting Saturday with cornered Tamil Tiger rebels, as the Red Cross tried to negotiate the evacuation of more civilian wounded from the conflict zone. “There have been no incidents, no casualties, no terrorist killed or military items recovered from terrorists,” in the […]