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Crisis-hit Maldives vote again
MALÉ, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives Saturday began voting in a run-off presidential election held under intense international pressure to elect a new leader and end months of political unrest.Polling booths across the Indian Ocean archipelago opened at 7:30am (0230 GMT) with the 239,000 electorate given eight and a half hours to choose […]
Sri Lanka rejects international war crimes probe
COLOMBO, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – A top minister rejected pressure Saturday for an international probe into alleged war crimes at the end of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, saying the government would “definitely” not allow one.“Why should we have an international inquiry?We will object to it … Definitely, we are not going to allow it,” […]
” on rights: Cameron
COLOMBO, November 16, 2013 (AFP) – Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron urged Sri Lanka Saturday to move “further and faster” to address allegations of war crimes, saying the issue would remain high on the international agenda. “The Sri Lankan government needs to go further and faster on human rights and reconciliation,” Cameron told a press […]
Mauritius pulls out of hosting 2015 CHOGM: PM
PORT LOUIS, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – The prime minister of Mauritius said Friday his country was withdrawing as host of the next Commonwealth summit as a result of his decision to boycott this year’s meeting in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka has been accused of widespread human rights abuses against its Tamil minority as well as […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves at US$7.0bn in September
Dec 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves eased to 7.0 billion US dollars in September 2013 from 7.5 billion US dollars in August, official data showed. This year Sri Lanka has to repay about 500 million US dollars to the IMF which are made directly out of foreign reserves of the Central Bank. […]
Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.3-pct
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed lower in a broad sell-off with consumer goods and diversified stocks losing ground, brokers said. Ceylinco Insurance closed 69.60 rupees higher at 1,333.20 rupees and Ceylon Tobacco Company closed 5.00 rupees higher at 1,055.00 rupees. Dialog closed 10 cents higher at 9.10 rupees and Sri Lanka […]
Maldives president leaves country on eve of crucial polls
NEW DELHI, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – The president of the Maldives has left the country on the eve of national elections that have been delayed three times, his spokesman said Friday, leaving a leadership void amid a constitutional crisis.Mohamed Waheed, who took office after a contested transfer of power last February, left for Hong […]
Cameron visits Sri Lanka former war zone
COLOMBO, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron made an historic visit Friday to Sri Lanka’s former warzone, stealing the spotlight from a Commonwealth summit after the host, President Mahinda Rajapakse, warned against passing judgement on his country’s past. Only hours after the summit opened in Colombo, Cameron flew into the northern […]
Sri Lanka President says Commonwealth should not be judgmental
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the Commonwealth should not be a judgmental or punitive body at a meeting of heads of governments of member countries in Colombo.The Commonwealth meet had been clouded over war crimes allegations against Colombo over the last stages of a civil war which ended in […]
Rajapakase seen as hero at home, despite foreign critics
COLOMBO, November 15, 2013 (AFP) – Mahinda Rajapakse may be a pariah for some of his Commonwealth peers, but for many of his fellow Sri Lankans he is a national hero who ended four decades of bloodshed.The combative Sri Lankan president has long battled allegations that his troops killed some 40,000 civilians in the closing […]
Calls for travel and food freedoms at Sri Lanka Commonwealth meet
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – The Commonwealth was home to half the world’s hungry and their pain can be eased by freeing access to food, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot said at a summit meeting in Sri Lanka, while a top official called for greater travel freedoms.The Commonwealth is made up of countries in the […]
Sri Lanka exports up 11-pct in September
Nov 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports rose 11 percent to 890 million US dollars with apparel exports surging 27 percent to 386 million US dollars amid a recovery in US and European markets, the Central Bank said. Apparel exports rose 30.7 percent to the US and 27.7 percent to the EU. Rubber product […]