Tag: lbo
Sri Lanka peace bid hits new snag
Oct 5, 2006 (AFP) – Norwegian peace brokers were Thursday struggling to get Sri Lanka’s warring parties to agree on a venue for talks, with Tiger rebels demanding Oslo and the government Geneva, diplomats said.“The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is going on the basis they want talks in Oslo because that was the […]
Sri Lanka probing foreign aid groups
Oct 5, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Thursday it was probing the activities of several foreign aid groups operating in areas controlled by both the government and Tamil Tigers rebels.“The government has reviewed the work visas of certain members of the… non-governmental organisations in view of the continuing police investigations into allegations of inappropriate […]
Sri Lanka plans to spend more and borrow further next year
October 5, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to spend more and borrow further next year as expenses for defence hardware and fuel related subsidies escalate. Total state spending will climb 42 percent to 804.6 billion rupees from 568.3 billion rupees in 2006, the government said Thursday while tabling the 2007 budget appropriation bill before […]
Funny World
October 5, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Thursday cut retail fuel prices, but raised prices for alcohol and cigarettes, as the government disclosed plans to raise defence expenses and hike overall spending by over 40 percent next year. In addition, defence spending is to climb by 45 percent to 139.5 billion rupees, with military procurements […]
Staying High
SINGAPORE, Oct 5, 2006 (AFP) – Oil prices rebounded in Asian trade Thursday, coming off near 8-month lows on continuing unrest in Nigeria and amid reports that OPEC members are ready to cut production in a bid to support the market, dealers said. At 11:25 am (0325 GMT) New York’s main contract, light sweet crude […]
Bomb defused in Sri Lankan capital
Oct 4, 2006 (AFP) – A powerful Claymore mine was found in a Tamil area of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Wednesday and defused by the bomb disposal squad, police said.More than 60,000 people have been killed in three decades of ethnic bloodshed in Sri Lanka.The mine, weighing 15 kilos (33 pounds), was discovered […]
Spin tops substance in Sri Lanka talks
October 4, 2006 (LBO) – Norway has failed to secure agreement on resuming Sri Lanka’s peace talks following the latest diplomatic move, but reports suggest a breakthrough using hi-tech.Even as Norwegian peace envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer struggled to get agreement between the government and the Tamil Tigers over a date and a venue for resuming talks, […]
Sri Lanka peace effort hits fresh snags
Oct 4, 2006 (AFP) – A renewed Norwegian bid to coax Sri Lanka’s government and Tamil Tiger rebels back to the negotiating table ran into fresh difficulties Wednesday amid disputes over the timing and venue for talks. Oslo’s special peace envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer was in fresh talks with Sri Lankan officials to try to set […]
Big Plans
Oct 04, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will flag off two new power plants in Kerawalapitiya, at least one of them run to on liquefied natural gas. But the island is still looking down the barrel of power cuts over the next two years. Sri Lanka’s energy demand is expected to grow at about eleven […]
Saudi Funds
October 03 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is in talks with Saudi Arabia to secure over 500 million dollars to expand the island’s oil refining capacity, with the state oil company hoping to fast track the project. “We are currently carrying out a feasibility study for the project and are also in talks with the Saudi […]
Hard Facts
WASHINGTON, Oct 3, 2006 (AFP) – The low-cost allure of emerging economies for Western companies is overdone once the meagre productivity of their workers is factored in, a US business group said Tuesday.The Conference Board said that fast-growing economies in China, India and eastern Europe do enjoy a comparative advantage over the United States. But […]