India says no military solution to Sri Lanka conflict

June 22, 2008 (AFP) – India has signalled to Sri Lanka that it wants to see an end to the island’s military campaign to help solve the decades-old Tamil separatist conflict, diplomats and officials said Sunday.In closed-door talks over the weekend with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and top officials, India’s National Security Advisor M.K. […]

Oil Row

June 19, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has ordered a local unit of Indian Oil Corporation to sell diesel on par with state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation or face sanctions, after the Indian firm raised diesel prices in response to a new tax. Lanka IOC raised the price of diesel by 20 rupees to 130 rupees […]

” countries for journalists

BELGRADE, June 17, 2008 (AFP) – The International Press Institute has highlighted the oppressive conditions for media in a number of countries, including Zimbabwe and Russia, officials said. The IPI board “unanimously” voted to keep Ethiopia, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe on its “watch list” of countries where press freedom has significantly deteriorated, […]

French charity seeks international probe into Sri Lanka massacre

June 17, 2008 (AFP) – A French charity demanded on Tuesday an international probe into the execution-style killing of 17 of its employees in Sri Lanka in 2006 after denouncing local investigations.Paris-based Action Against Hunger, or ACF, asked the French government and the European Union, among others, to set up an international panel to probe […]

Sri Lanka govt muzzled media during EU visit: rights group

June 13, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government pressured independent newspapers not to publish critical stories during a visit by a European Union delegation to the island earlier this week, a media rights group said. The statement said that journalists working for several newspapers told Reporters Without Borders on condition of anonymity that during […]

Arbitrage

June 10, 2008 (LBO) – Laugfs Auto Gas, a Sri Lankan gas distributor that started conversion of vehicles to run on auto gas, said that it was timely for owners to covert to gas because it is now almost 50 percent cheaper than petrol.“Liquid petroleum gas has always been cheaper than petrol and we believe […]

Sliding Up

June 06, 2008 (LBO) – Chevron Lubricants Lanka has raised prices of its products following sharp increases in the prices of crude and base oil, a senior company official said Friday. “With rising petrol and diesel prices, people are finding it difficult to maintain their vehicles and so tend to postpone service decisions.” The two […]

Oil Block

June 5, 2008 (LBO) – Cairn India Limited, a unit of Cairn Energy plc of the UK, has won an offshore exploration block in Sri Lanka’s Mannar basin beating two other players, the island’s petroleum minister A H M Fowzie said. The firm has made more than 30 oil and gas discoveries in India during […]

Well Well

SINGAPORE, June 3, 2008 (AFP) – Oil prices eased in Asian trade Tuesday on continuing concerns over global energy demand, dealers said.“On the supply side, we are urging all oil producing countries to open oil markets to foreign investment, which would support faster and more efficient growth,” he said in a speech in the oil-rich […]

State Fat

June 01, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to market price energy and consumers are now not only paying for the rise in international prices, but also for the high expenditure involved in operating the public sector, a think tank has said. Referring to official statements that the fuel import bill this year may be […]

Sri Lanka needs better peace proposals: minister

May 31, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs peace proposals acceptable to the main political parties and the Tamil speaking community to put pressure on the Tamil Tigers to resume peace talks, a senior government minister has said. The proposals would also assure Tamils that their aspirations and grievances will be addressed by any future […]

Canada-based Sri Lanka Tiger suspect gets student award

OTTAWA, May 30, 2008 (AFP) – A Canadian suspected of using his studies as a cover for terrorist activities was awarded a 5,000 dollar prize for his entrepreneurial talent by a Canadian university, The Globe and Mail reported Friday.Suresh Sriskandarajah, 26, was arrested in August 2006 in Ontario at the request of US authorities who […]

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