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Sri Lankan media faces increasing harassment
March 23, 2008 (LBO) – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a media freedom watchdog, has written to Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse urging him to probe a recent spate of attacks on journalists and ensure their protection. The New Yorkbased, independent, non-profit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide, said in a statement […]
No evidence for Arthur C Clarke child sex allegations: Sri Lanka
March 23, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities said Sunday that the British-born sci-fi writer Arthur C.Clarke had been cleared of decade-old paedophile allegations before his death last week.Clarke was buried Saturday in Colombo, where he had lived since 1956.Obituary writers have resurrected the 1998 accusations that he had sex with young boys in his […]
Sri Lanka starts whale watching
March 22, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is launching whale and dolphin watching tours in the island’s Western and Southern waters in an effort to exploit a growing trend in eco-tourism, officials said. The joint venture between Walkers Tours, a unit of John Keells Holdings, and state-rn Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) is part of […]
Sci-fi visionary Arthur C. Clarke buried in Sri Lanka
March 22, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Saturday buried visionary British sci-fi writer Arthur C.Clarke amid tears and tributes from family and fans as the government ordered a minute’s silence across the island.The 90-year-old author, who died at the age of 90 on Wednesday following a brief illness, was buried in a plot owned […]
Bear Stearns staff auction off teddies, T-shirts, memorabilia
WASHINGTON, March 21, 2008 (AFP) – Bear Stearns’ go-getting investment bankers used to chase million-dollar deals, but staff at the now hard up Wall Street bank have resorted to auctioning off Bear Stearns-branded memorabilia to raise funds.Bear Stearns workers have put a range of mementos up for sale online at eBay in recent days following […]
‘s Warnapura powers team before lunch
PROVIDENCE, Guyana, March 22, 2008 (AFP) – Malinda Warnapura transported his rich vein of form into the opening Test against West Indies to race to a half-century before lunch and help Sri Lanka make a bright start.At the interval, Sri Lanka reached 85 without loss in their first innings with Warnapura unbeaten on 53 and […]
Sri Lanka Tigers sink navy craft, heavy land battles erupt
March 22, 2008 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels struck back against a mounting Sri Lankan military offensive on Saturday by sinking a naval fast attack craft, leaving 10 sailors missing, officials said. A navy craft was destroyed in a “mystery blast” caused by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the defence ministry said, adding […]
Ten sailors missing after Sri Lanka blast: navy
March 22, 2008 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan navy craft was destroyed in a sea mine blast off the island’s north-eastern coast Saturday, leaving at least 10 sailors missing, a navy spokesman said. Six sailors from the fast attack craft (FAC) were rescued by another boat patrolling the waters off the Tamil Tiger stronghold of […]
‘s Daim Zainuddin
Mar 22, 2008 (LBO) – Many East Asian Tiger economies like Malaysia are now famed for fiscal prudence, running surpluses on their current and overall budgets, and low inflation. But they were not always so disciplined. Countries like Sri Lanka are still not able to balance current spending with government revenues and the public sector […]
Warning Signs
March 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s shipping community is getting increasingly concerned over delays in upgrading Colombo port equipment, building a new birth and the opening of another entrance for navigation. Further delays could endanger Colombo’s status as south Asia’s transshipment hub especially with India expanding its own ports and building new ones to […]
Sri Lanka paddy crop under water; quality drops and high prices likely
Mar 21, 2008 (LBO) – Torrential rains lashing Sri Lanka during an ongoing crucial harvest season is likely to lower the quality of rice but keep prices high in the domestic market, an official said. “In some districts around 50 percent of the crop has been harvested and the remaining 50 percent has to be […]
Expert warns of unrest as rice price soars
LOS BANOS, Philippines, March 21, 2008 (AFP) – As the price of rice hovers near record levels, many poor countries face the spectre of riots by hungry people, according to one of the world’s leading rice experts.Key producers India and Vietnam have both curtailed exports, sending some of the world’s largest rice importers including the […]