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Sri Lanka, rebels trade charges after civilian massacre
May 15, 2006 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government traded charges with Tiger rebels on Monday over the killing of 13 Tamil civilians at the weekend, amid escalating violence in the restive northern region.Another bomb went off in the northern peninsula of Jaffna on Monday but there were no casualties, military officials said. Security had […]
Foreign loans, overseas remittances, keep Sri Lanka floating
May 15 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s balance of payments (BOP) has recorded a 150 million dollar surplus for the three months to March, the Central Bank said Monday as it maintained key interest rates for the fifth straight month. The balance of payments is a record of the island’s total payments to foreign countries, including […]
India’s Rahul Gandhi seen stepping into spotlight after mother’s win
NEW DELHI, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – The clamour is growing for Rahul Gandhi, scion of India’s most powerful political dynasty, to step into the spotlight after steering his mother Sonia Gandhi to a landslide by-election win.“Son Rises,” said the Times of India in a headline after Sonia racked up a record 417,000-vote victory margin […]
Sri Lanka likely to maintain key interest rates, despite deteriorating security situation
May 14, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank is likely to maintain its policy rates for the fifth straight month amidst a possible bottoming out of inflation, analysts said Sunday. “The present uncertainty (in the security situation) would keep the authorities away from any downward revisions…It’s too early to look at any upward revisions […]
”s win
NEW DELHI, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – The clamour is growing for Rahul Gandhi, scion of India’s most powerful political dynasty, to step into the spotlight after steering his mother Sonia Gandhi to a landslide by-election win.“Son Rises,” said the Times of India in a headline after Sonia racked up a record 417,000-vote victory margin […]
Microsoft, Google gear for titanic clash
NEW YORK, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Microsoft and Google are girding for battle for supremacy over the information technology sector, a duel watched closely by others in the sector.The spectacular rise of Google in the past few years has raised questions about whether the Internet search titan is on track to dethrone Microsoft and […]
Global economy, led by China, shrugs off soaring commodity prices
LONDON, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – The prices of commodities such as oil, copper, aluminium, platinum and sugar are smashing records — and will head higher owing to fierce demand from economic powerhouses India and China, analysts say. With sizzling rates of growth in the two emerging giants, home to one third of the world’s […]
Violence kills 19 in Sri Lanka as Tigers vow to use navy
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – May 14, 2006 (AFP) – At least 19 people have been killed in fresh violence in Sri Lanka, officials said Sunday, as Tamil Tigers vowed a “war” to deploy their navy even though truce monitors say it violates a ceasefire. Thirteen of the victims were gunned down in separate incidents […]
Sri Lankan president warns Tigers as violence escalates
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has warned Tiger rebels not to take his patience for weakness and vowed to defend his country against attacks.Rajapakse, 60, said in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper he was committed peacefully to settling the Tamil separatist conflict and had ordered recent air attacks […]
Sri Lanka seeks help to identify woman suicide bomber
May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Police asked for help from the public Sunday to identify a woman suicide bomber who attacked the island’s army chief killing 10 people. The police Criminal Investigations Department said in a statement that the bomber had yet to be identified contrary to earlier claims that she was a […]
Tamil Tigers dismiss calls to end navy operations
COLOMBO, May 14, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers dismissed calls by Scandinavian truce monitors to stop rebel navy missions and have threatened “war” to keep their men at sea, officials said Sunday.The LTTE’s naval wing chief, Colonel Soosai, said on the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said that the LTTE were “not prepared to relinquish […]
Annan urges Sri Lanka’s warring sides to resume dialogue
UNITED NATIONS, May 12, 2006 (AFP) – UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday made a fresh appeal to Sri Lanka’s government and Tamil rebels to end violence and resume Norwegian-brokered peace talks.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Annan, who is on a visit to Austria, was “disturbed by the news of major sea and aerial […]