Category:
Civillian deaths by Tamil Tigers climb up
June 30, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected rebels in Sri Lanka shot dead seven civilians and security forces discovered a truck packed with powerful explosives, the country’s defence ministry said on Saturday. Tamil Tiger rebels gunned down four farmers in the eastern town of Serunuwara late on Friday, the military said. Two Tamil civilians were shot […]
‘s central bank keeps 7.5 percent growth forecast; halts release of GDP numbers
June 30, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economy would still grow by 7.5 percent this year despite first quarter growth sliding to 6.1 percent, the Central Bank has said, while a rising budget deficit pushed interest rates to new highs. Analysts also say a slowdown in reported growth numbers is inevitable partly because of statistical […]
Danger Signs
June 28 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Colombo port risks losing its status as south Asia’s transshipment hub if it does not move fast to add more capacity and make trade more streamlined, a senior Asian Development Bank official said. Although Colombo has a good reputation for reliability the country has not done enough to exploit […]
Arbitrage Fund
June 29, 2007 (LBO) – A UK-based hedge fund is entering Sri Lanka and has sought a listing in the Colombo Stock Exchange through the purchase of a listed shell company. Lionhart is expected to make a mandatory offer for the rest of the shares shortly. Lionhart Investments Limited has purchased 13,043,804 million shares of […]
Smooth Notes
June 29 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan distributor of the latest Toshiba notebook computer is relying on good after sales service and the strength of well-known distributors to maintain an edge over competition. Analysts say that the personal computer market has been improving and they predict that in time to come laptops are bound to […]
IMF chief to quit early as reform effort struggles
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2007 (AFP) – The head of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo Rato, said Thursday he will step down in October for personal reasons, casting a cloud over the major internal reform effort he launched.The IMF chief’s announcement comes as the 185-nation financial institution faces criticism that it serves the interests of wealthy […]
Sri Lanka says huge truck bomb found in eastern port town
June 29, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities Friday discovered a huge truck bomb in the north-eastern port district of Trincomalee, three days after finding a powerful mine in the capital, officials said.About 1,000 kilos (2,200 pounds) of explosives packed into a freezer truck was found at a fishing village in Trincomalee, 260 kilometres (160 […]
Sri Lanka to bring back tough law to curb media: reports
June 29, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka plans to bring back a tough criminal defamation law that was scrapped five years ago, reports said on Friday, drawing fire from media rights activists.Under the earlier law, journalists could be sentenced to two years in jail, but it was scrapped after local and international pressure. The reports […]
” in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, June 29, 2007 (AFP) – The United States has voiced concern about the fate of 355 Sri Lankans who “disappeared” in recent months amid an escalation of the island’s ethnic conflict, the government here said Friday.US ambassador Robert Blake gave a list of 355 names of people whose whereabouts were unknown, the foreign ministry […]
Seven people wounded in Sri Lanka blasts
COLOMBO, June 29, 2007 (AFP) – At least seven people, including three soldiers, were wounded in two roadside bomb attacks in Sri Lanka’s north on Friday, officials said.Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a Claymore mine at Cheddikulam in the district of Vavuniya as a civilian bus passed the area and wounded four civilian passengers […]
Britain prosecutes Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger members for helping terrorism
LONDON, June 28, 2007 (AFP) – Two men appeared in court in London Thursday accused of membership of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels, banned in Britain as a terrorist organisation. Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, also known as AC Shanthan, 50, and Goldan Lambert, 29, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court, central London, charged under the Terrorism Act 2000. […]
Upward Revision
June 29, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has raised fuel prices by around 5 percent almost two months after the last price increase, after allowing petroleum utilities to run huge losses and the national currency to come under pressure. . Standard 90-octane petrol would increase by 5 rupees to 111 while standard auto Diesel would […]