Author: lbostgadmin
Double Blow
August 18 (LBO) – Mysterious grenade attacks and pricing problems have pushed down sales of the Sri Lankan subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation, with the firm also eyeing a price hike in September to arrest losses. The fuel retailer found hand grenades in two of its fuel sheds in the heart of Colombo on Thursday, […]
Not liberal
August 18 (LBO) – Sri Lankan based gas distributor Laugfs, who wants to blend and produce lubricants locally, says conditions for entering the newly liberalized market is discriminating against domestic applicants. Last month, Sri Lanka invited new lubricant players to invest in the country, following interest from a few foreign companies, but a brand must […]
EU urges resumption of Sri Lanka peace talks
HELSINKI, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – The Finnish presidency of the European Union has called on the warring parties in Sri Lanka to return to the negotiating table after renewed fighting in the South Asian island nation. “The presidency urges the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to cease […]
US disaster aid expert in Sri Lanka to study refugee crisis in Trincomalee
Aug 18 (LBO) – The United States government’s international aid agency has sent a disaster expert to study the refugee crisis in the country’s eastern Trincomalee area, the US embassy in Colombo said Friday. œAccording to information gathered from United Nations and NGO sources, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that at least […]
Aid workers demand help for thousands as air raids continue in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – Government warplanes attacked Tamil Tiger targets in northern Sri Lanka Friday as aid workers demanded access to tens of thousands marooned by a week of fierce fighting that left 500 dead. Government troops used a brief respite in heavy battles to consolidate defensive lines in the northern Jaffna peninsula […]
Tigers name 51 children killed in air raid
COLOMBO, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels Friday gave the names of 51 school children killed in an airforce bombing of what they said was an orphanage in guerrilla-held territory. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said 51 out of 55 people killed in Monday’s air raid were children. […]
‘s answer to Wal-Mart
NEW DELHI, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – India’s biggest private company Reliance Industries said Friday it aims to launch its first store next month as part of a plan to build an Indian version of Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retail chain. Reliance, whose main business is oil and petrochemicals, has said it plans to invest […]
Crude oil slumps, dragging most commodities lower
LONDON, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – Crude futures plunged this week, in line with many commodity prices, amid evidence of an economic slowdown in the United States and a lowering of tensions in the Middle East, analysts said. But nickel prices hit a fresh historic record on keen demand, while coffee soared on concerns over […]
Troops beat back fresh attack on Jaffna forward defences
Aug 17, 2006 (AFP) – Troops killed over 50 Tamil rebels Thursday when the guerrillas staged a fresh attack on Sri Lanka’s Jaffna peninsula, officials said, a day after the president said the door was still open for peace talks. -updated- Troops beat back the attempt by the rebels to overrun their defences and killed […]
”’ monitors flee from shelling
Aug 17 (AFP) – Ceasefire monitors in eastern Sri Lanka were forced to flee after they were nearly hit by heavy shelling in clashes between Tamil Tiger rebels and security forces, an official said Thursday.The six-member team left its base in the eastern port town of Trincomalee which has been the scene of fierce clashes […]
Sri Lanka fume, India cool as South Africa flee “risky” Colombo
COLOMBO, Aug 17, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s cricket chiefs and media slammed South Africa on Thursday for pulling out of the tri-series as India looked forward to playing three matches against the hosts. The Proteas abandoned the tri-series on Wednesday, saying “the current risk to the team is at an unacceptable level” following a […]
Fate of ancient brothel hangs in the balance in China
BEIJING, Aug 17 (AFP) – A city in central China is agonizing over whether it should preserve an ancient building that once housed a brothel in case it is seen as promoting prostitution, state media said Thursday. The problem is that if the authorities at Jinggang in Hunan province decide not to save the structure, […]