Category:
EU divided over Kosovo independence, Russia opposes
MOSCOW, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Russia angrily condemned Kosovo’s declaration of independence on Sunday and while many major powers are expected to recognise the fledgling state, even the European Union is divided. The foreign ministry said it “could set an unmanageable precedent in the conduct of international relations, the established global order of sovereign […]
‘s electricity pricing: slab or low-user?
Feb 18, 2008 (LBO) – The rather unusual step taken by the CEB to actually follow the law and make available for comment its proposed tariff has stirred up significant interest. This short contribution will not address all the issues pertaining to the tariff revision, but simply seeks to shed some light on one key proposal: […]
Sri Lanka tv newsman stalked by mystery gang, says watchdog
Feb 18, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan journalists who expose government corruption are being subject to harassment and intimidation, the Free Media Movement said. The latest incident was an attempt to intimidate Susil Kedelpitiya, the news director of the popular Sinhala TV channel Sirasa, it said in a statement. Kedelpitiya has complained to police that […]
Weekend battles kill 51 in Sri Lanka: defence ministry
Feb 18, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting raged in northern Sri Lanka on Monday, the defence ministry said, reporting that 49 Tamil Tiger rebels and two soldiers were killed in weekend battles. Fresh clashes erupted along the frontlines in the north of the country on Monday, the ministry said, after a surge of violence on […]
Sri Lanka says Kosovo independence a threat to world peace
COLOMBO, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Sunday that Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia could set an “unmanageable precedent” and threaten world peace. The Sri Lankan government, which is battling separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, reacted swiftly against Kosovo’s independence, which it said was a violation of the United Nations charter. “This action […]
Germany reels over fat cat tax probe
BERLIN, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Germany braced Sunday for more fallout from the worst tax evasion scandal in its history, exposed by a mysterious informant who reportedly took a five-million-euro award and now says he fears for his life.The German government said it paid the unnamed whistle-blower to hand over Liechtenstein bank details on […]
Laws hamper media coverage of Maoist story
RAIPUR, India, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – As the state at the epicentre of India’s Maoist insurgency battles the rebels, journalists say they too are finding themselves branded as outlaws.A law passed by Chhattisgarh state in 2005 made it a crime to “assist in a meeting” with a member of a banned organisation, or to […]
High inflation oil-subsidizing Iran to spend US3bn importing fuel
TEHRAN, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) – Iran’s parliament on Saturday approved a three-billion-dollar spending plan to fund diesel and petrol imports during the next Iranian year, the official IRNA news agency reported.MPs approved a budget allowing imports worth up to 30 trillion rials (3.2 billion dollars) in the new year beginning on March 20. Iran […]
Sri Lanka military claims 20 Tiger rebels killed
Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan forces killed at least 20 Tamil Tiger guerrillas in clashes in the north of the island at the weekend, defence officials said Sunday.Government forces backed by war planes attacked Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) along the front lines in the north on Saturday, an official said. He […]
Transition
Feb 17, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s NDB Bank has announced that its Deputy Chief Executive Officer Eran Wickramaratne will succeed Nihal Welikala as the Chief Executive from April 1 after the latter’s retirement. Both are former officers of the Citibank NA, Colombo. Wickramaratne joined NDB in April 1999 and has been closely associated with […]
Sri Lanka dragonflies draw eco-tourists
Feb 16, 2008 (LBO) – An insect with large multifaceted eyes and two pairs of transparent wings on an extended body is luring tourists to Sri Lanka and helping a specialist eco-travel firm earn big bucks. “We had people coming into Sri Lanka just to see dragonflies,” Jetwing Eco Holiday’s chief executive Gehan de Silva […]
Arabian Luxury
Feb 16, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s State Engineering Corporation (SEC) has clinched a deal to build a $125mn luxury housing project in Qatar, construction minister Rajitha Senaratne said. . SEC will send 1,600 workers to Qatar to build the 345 urban villas and also ship locally made inputs like wall and floor tiles, electrical […]