Author: lbostgadmin
‘s troubled peace bid
GENEVA, Oct 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s latest round of peace talks ended in failure in Geneva over the weekend sparking fears of renewed bloodshed in Asia’s longest-running separatist conflict.The Sri Lankan government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) disagreed on key issues that dogged the Norwegian-brokered talks even before they […]
Great Asian failures cause World Cup jitters
MOHALI, India, Oct 30, 2006 (AFP) – The failure of the four Asian teams to make the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy indicated trouble lay in store at the World Cup, experts said Monday. India joined Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the sidelines after being thrashed by world champions Australia by six wickets here Sunday […]
Peeping Toms
SYDNEY, Oct 30, 2006 (AFP) – New high-tech advances were making Internet crimes against children easier for paedophiles to commit and more difficult to detect, experts told a conference in Australia Monday.Faster broadband, DSL and cable connections have contributed to an increase in paedophile activity on the Internet, the 19th Computer Facilitated Crimes Against Children […]
Kenya tea production up, but still recovering from drought
NAIROBI, Oct 30, 2006 (AFP) – Kenya’s tea production surged eight percent in the third quarter of this year from last but remains below the 2005 cumulative total due to the lingering effects of a killer drought, officials said Monday. Production shot up between July and September to 75 million kilos (165 million pounds million […]
Still Grounded
Oct 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s first budget airlines to fly international routes are struggling to get off ground, with approvals pending from Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Meanwhile, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority denied knowledge of a government sponsored budget carrier, which according to weekend media reports, hopes to start up operations. […]
‘s Hemas Holdings to raise debt for ongoing expansion plans
October 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s conglomerate Hemas Holdings Ltd plans to raise a billion rupees in debt next year to fund expansion plans in its leisure, power, health sectors, its CEO Hussein Esufally said. The family controlled conglomerate, which has diverse interest in health and personal care, power generation and transport said its […]
‘s treasury bond yields up 1%
October 30, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s borrowing costs went up by 1-percent at this week’s bond auction, reflecting market sentiment for higher yields. The Central Bank sold a small quantity of three, four and five-year treasury bonds on Monday at yields higher than the previous auction. Treasury Bond Auctions 3-years 4-years 5-years Date […]
Sri Lanka warring parties put on notice at Swiss talks
GENEVA, Oct 28, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s warring parties resumed peace talks in Geneva on Saturday and received a stern warning that their country will lose foreign aid unless killings stop in Asia’s bloodiest internal conflict. .Updated Peace broker Norway said the international community had virtually placed the Sri Lankans on notice to show […]
Little progress on Geneva talks to save ceasefire in Sri Lanka
GENEVA, Oct 29, 2006 (AFP) – Peace brokers struggled to save Sri Lanka’s collapsing ceasefire as critical talks between the warring parties entered the second and final day Sunday in Geneva with both sides sticking to their guns.Tiger rebels said the first day’s outcome was “zero” with no agreement on addressing the urgent needs of […]
More clashes in Sri Lanka amidst peace talks
COLOMBO, Oct 29, 2006 (AFP) – At least five people were killed in clashes in north and east Sri Lanka overnight, police and defence officials said Sunday, as the government and rebel Tamil Tigers held peace talks in Geneva.Two suspected rebels were found dead after police repulsed an attack on their patrol late Saturday, officials […]
Sri Lanka peace delegates battle to keep out reporters
COLOMBO, Oct 29, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government delegates in Geneva to negotiate peace with Tamil Tiger rebels were “under a lot of stress” and wanted journalists removed from their hotel, diplomats said Sunday. Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Sarala Fernando, said she asked the Swiss authorities to evict all […]
Sri Lanka complains of Tiger “disinformation” on Jaffna access
GENEVA, Oct 29, 2006 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government on Sunday accused the Tamil Tigers of spreading “disinformation” about humanitarian supplies for the northern Jaffna Peninsula while peace talks were underway in Geneva.Reto Meister, delegate general for Asia at the ICRC, told AFP on Thursday that the “lack of a mutually agreed safe access” […]