Author: lbostgadmin
Sri Lanka offers compromise to save peace bid
Apr.18 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday agreed to helicopter rides for Tiger rebels in a bid to clear the way for truce talks as peace broker Norway sent an envoy to stop the island sliding back to war.Colombo’s top official handling the peace process, Palitha Kohona, said they told Norway that the Liberation Tigers of […]
Historic Highs
LONDON, Apr.18 (AFP) – World oil prices hit record peaks on Tuesday above 72.0 dollars in London and close to 71.0 dollars in New York as the market fretted over possible military conflict between the United States and Iran.The price of New York’s light sweet crude hit a historic high of 70.88 dollars per barrel, […]
Get on and play, Gavaskar tells cricket burnouts
NEW DELHI, Apr. 18 (AFP) – Indian great Sunil Gavaskar scoffed Tuesday at suggestions excessive cricket was burning players out, saying the hard grind was part of the honour of representing one’s country. Gavaskar, who now heads the powerful cricket committee of the sport’s world governing body, said he was shocked at players complaining of […]
Agonizing Wait
Apr.18 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks have asked for extra time to implement a tax on credit card transactions, as the new stamp duty law is riddled with ambiguities. A stamp duty of one percent or Rs10 for every Rs1,000 spent, has kicked in from April 4, throwing banks and credit card users off balance […]
Sri Lanka blasts kill eight as Tigers suspend peace talks
Apr.17 (AFP) – At least eight people were killed in two separate mine blasts in northern Sri Lanka Monday, hours after Tiger rebels announced they are suspending participation in peace talks, the military said.The latest deaths raised to 64 the number of people, mostly police or troops, killed in bomb attacks in the past week […]
Child soldier killed in Sri Lanka mine attack: UNICEF
Apr.17 (AFP) – A Tamil Tiger child soldier has been killed in a Claymore mine blast in northern Sri Lanka, the UN agency for children said Monday.The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said it deplored the death of a 17-year-old fighter of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a mine attack last week […]
Bombs kills eight in Sri Lanka, Norway in fresh salvage bid
Apr. 17 (AFP) – At least eight people were killed in a wave of blasts in Sri Lanka Monday as Tiger rebels suspended their participation in ceasefire talks, military officials said.Peace broker Norway planned to send special envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer to Sri Lanka Tuesday as part of efforts to save a tottering truce and prevent […]
Loco Rent
Apr.17 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Department of Railways is planning to rent locomotives from India, Transport Minister A H M Fowzie said Monday. We can rent a one for Rs100,000 a day and earn about Rs150,000 out of it,†Minister Fowzie told LBO. We are currently discussing with the Indian railway consultancy RITES, how this […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank scrambles to satisfy unprecedented cash demand
Apr.17 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank scrambled to cater to an unusually heavy demand for currency notes over the April festive holiday season.Commercial bankers say they were surprised to find the Central Bank returning old currency notes sent by the banks earlier with their seals intact. “Usually Central Bank gives us machine-strapped bundles sorted […]
Blasts dim Sri Lanka peace hopes amid fresh attacks
Apr.16 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday wounded two soldiers with a landmine attack in Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna peninsula, the defence ministry said, the latest in a series of blasts which have killed 55 people in the past week. The government’s top peace negotiator said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have […]
Sri Lanka peace hopes dim as Tigers suspend Swiss talks
Apr. 16 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tiger rebels Sunday suspended their participation at Swiss talks on saving their troubled truce, dimming prospects for peace as the death toll from landmine attacks in the past week rose to 55. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said in a letter to peace broker Norway that they […]
Mines found in Sri Lanka ahead of talks
Apr.15 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops arrested a man trying to plant two Claymore mines near a military checkpoint Saturday as peace broker Norway announced a five day delay for truce talks. The mines were found along the main highway in the north of the island at Omanthai, a military official said. The arrest came […]