Sri Lanka warns US over allegations in WikiLeaks cables

December 21, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Tuesday warned the United States to exercise “circumspection” in diplomatic cables after a message released by WikilLeaks suggested Colombo had colluded with murderous paramilitary groups. External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris told US Ambassador Patricia Butenis that leaked US cables contained “glaring instances of allegations totally unwarranted by […]

Chemical Move

Dec 20, 2010 (LBO) – Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) has opened an office in Sri Lanka to which it supplies ethylene and polyethylene products mainly to the plastic industry, company officials said. QAPCO’s global marketing network comprises of 28 offices and six regional warehouses. “We’ll be marketing low density polyethylene to the Sri Lankan industry,” […]

Sri Lanka rights probe urged by US lawmakers

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2010 (AFP) – Dozens of US lawmakers on Friday urged a global probe into alleged rights violations by Sri Lanka in the last stages of its civil war, saying Colombo’s own efforts do not ensure accountability. In letters to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 17 senators and 30 members of the House […]

Sri Lanka denies move to ban national anthem in Tamil

December 13, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka denied on Monday plans to outlaw the singing of the national anthem in Tamil after the main minority party raised strong objections to the mooted ban. The status quo will remain, said public administration minister John Seneviratne, who is in charge of managing the code of conduct for […]

Sri Lanka Tamils concerned over national anthem report

December 13, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamils expressed concern on Monday over a media report suggesting that the government was set to ban singing the national anthem in their language. Language and discrimination were key issues used by the Tamil Tiger separatists to gain popular support for their campaign. The main Tamil party, the […]

December 9, 2010 (AFP) – A six-year-old girl found at a house in Colombo is believed to have been sold by a hospital worker soon after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Sri Lankan child protection authorities said Thursday. Staff at the National Child Protection Authority went to the house after neighbours complained that the girl […]

Ukraine to attend Nobel ceremony after public pressure

KIEV, December 9, 2010 (AFP) – Ukraine will send a diplomat to the Nobel peace prize ceremony for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiabo, a foreign ministry official said Thursday, after Kiev initially joined a boycott led by China. Ukraine will send the first secretary of the Ukrainian embassy in Norway to the ceremony on Friday, […]

Sri Lanka slain customs officer given integrity award

Dec 10, 2010 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan customs officer who was gunned down after he exposed corruption in the customs service was posthumously awarded the National Integrity Award by the corruption watchdog Transparency International. “Corruption is deep rooted in human greed. The temptations and opportunities for corruption are greater today than ever before. Faced […]

Fuel Switch

Dec 09, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is looking closely at using liquefied natural gas (LNG) for power generation and transport, according to a note by the island’s petroleum and power ministries. LNG is cheaper than diesel and LPG and also cleaner, producing less harmful emissions, and its high purity results in higher thermal efficiency […]

Opening Shot

Dec 08, 2010 (LBO) – Shares of Sri Lankan liquid petroleum gas supplier Laugfs Gas, sold at 23 rupees in a public offer, opened higher but came under selling pressure, brokers said. The firm offered 75 million ordinary shares at 23 rupees to raise 1,725 million rupees, and 52 million non-voting shares at 15 rupees […]

Nineteen countries decline Nobel ceremony invite: organisers

OSLO, December 7, 2010 (AFP) – Nineteen countries will shun Friday’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Institute said, following Chinese pressure for a global boycott. “You only have to look at the figures. The vast majority of countries invited will be represented,” Nobel Institute director Geir […]

Sri Lankan migrants held in Thailand

BANGKOK, December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Thai authorities said Wednesday they had arrested 45 migrants from Sri Lanka in the latest of a series of crackdowns in recent months. Sri Lanka’s crackdown on the Tamil Tigers, which ended a lengthy civil war last year, has resulted in a flood of people seeking asylum in other […]

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