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Norway envoy holds talks with Sri Lanka PM on saving truce
Apr.19 (AFP) – Norway’s new peace envoy to Sri Lanka has held talks with Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake on moves to salvage the island’s tottering ceasefire, government officials said Wednesday.Jon Hanssen-Bauer advanced his meeting with the prime minister to Tuesday, shortly after arriving in the island amid an upsurge in violence which the Colombo government […]
Norwegian mediator ‘frustrated’ by Sri Lankan parties
OSLO, Apr.18 (AFP) – The main mediator in the Sri Lankan conflict, Erik Solheim of Norway, said Tuesday he was frustrated by the government’s and Tamil rebels’ lack of flexibility, which he said was endangering talks aimed at saving a shaky truce.“I have to admit that we’ve become a bit frustrated these past few days […]
Agonizing Wait
Apr.18 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks have asked for extra time to implement a tax on credit card transactions, as the new stamp duty law is riddled with ambiguities. A stamp duty of one percent or Rs10 for every Rs1,000 spent, has kicked in from April 4, throwing banks and credit card users off balance […]
Get on and play, Gavaskar tells cricket burnouts
NEW DELHI, Apr. 18 (AFP) – Indian great Sunil Gavaskar scoffed Tuesday at suggestions excessive cricket was burning players out, saying the hard grind was part of the honour of representing one’s country. Gavaskar, who now heads the powerful cricket committee of the sport’s world governing body, said he was shocked at players complaining of […]
Historic Highs
LONDON, Apr.18 (AFP) – World oil prices hit record peaks on Tuesday above 72.0 dollars in London and close to 71.0 dollars in New York as the market fretted over possible military conflict between the United States and Iran.The price of New York’s light sweet crude hit a historic high of 70.88 dollars per barrel, […]
Sri Lanka offers compromise to save peace bid
Apr.18 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday agreed to helicopter rides for Tiger rebels in a bid to clear the way for truce talks as peace broker Norway sent an envoy to stop the island sliding back to war.Colombo’s top official handling the peace process, Palitha Kohona, said they told Norway that the Liberation Tigers of […]
” by Sri Lankan parties
OSLO, Apr.18 (AFP) – The main mediator in the Sri Lankan conflict, Erik Solheim of Norway, said Tuesday he was frustrated by the government’s and Tamil rebels’ lack of flexibility, which he said was endangering talks aimed at saving a shaky truce.“I have to admit that we’ve become a bit frustrated these past few days […]
Gunbattle in Sri Lanka as Norway moves to save truce
Apr. 18 (AFP) – Troops found more Claymore mines in Sri Lanka Tuesday after suspected Tiger rebels attacked police and killed a constable amid moves by peace broker Norway to save a shaky truce, police said.Two bombs were found Tuesday in the northeastern Trincomalee district and defused by security forces, they said. Suspected Tamil Tiger […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank scrambles to satisfy unprecedented cash demand
Apr.17 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank scrambled to cater to an unusually heavy demand for currency notes over the April festive holiday season.Commercial bankers say they were surprised to find the Central Bank returning old currency notes sent by the banks earlier with their seals intact. “Usually Central Bank gives us machine-strapped bundles sorted […]
Loco Rent
Apr.17 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Department of Railways is planning to rent locomotives from India, Transport Minister A H M Fowzie said Monday. We can rent a one for Rs100,000 a day and earn about Rs150,000 out of it,†Minister Fowzie told LBO. We are currently discussing with the Indian railway consultancy RITES, how this […]
Bombs kills eight in Sri Lanka, Norway in fresh salvage bid
Apr. 17 (AFP) – At least eight people were killed in a wave of blasts in Sri Lanka Monday as Tiger rebels suspended their participation in ceasefire talks, military officials said.Peace broker Norway planned to send special envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer to Sri Lanka Tuesday as part of efforts to save a tottering truce and prevent […]
Child soldier killed in Sri Lanka mine attack: UNICEF
Apr.17 (AFP) – A Tamil Tiger child soldier has been killed in a Claymore mine blast in northern Sri Lanka, the UN agency for children said Monday.The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said it deplored the death of a 17-year-old fighter of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a mine attack last week […]