Tag: Sri Lanka
‘s export earnings races ahead of import bill in Sept: Central Bank
November 15, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s trade deficit expanded 38.4 percent to 2,597 million dollars for the nine months to September, over the same period 2005, the central bank said Wednesday, as the island spent more to import fuel. Sri Lanka’s 24 billion dollar economy is forecasted to expand by 7.0 percent by end-2006, […]
Grid Failure
Nov 15 (LBO) – Sri Lanka was blacked out for nearly two hours Wednesday as the national grid shut down during the even peak demand hour.Power failed in most parts of the island except areas like Jaffna which is isolated from the national grid and Trincomalee in the east, residents said.Power failed shortly after 7.30 […]
Sri Lanka says four Tigers killed amid artillery duels
Nov 14, 2006 (AFP) – At least four Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in a fire fight in eastern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Tuesday as sporadic artillery duels raged elsewhere.A security force patrol confronted a group of Tiger rebels at a village in the district of Batticaloa on Monday and the four rebels […]
Britain to push Sri Lanka peace bid amid child soldier charge
Nov 14, 2006 (AFP) – A British envoy arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday in a bid to salvage a tottering peace process as the former British colony faced UN charges of recruiting child soldiers.British MP Paul Murphy held talks with Sri Lankan officials handling the Norwegian-backed peace process, officials said, adding he planned to […]
Body of slain Sri Lankan MP flown to Jaffna for cremation
Nov 14, 2006 (AFP) – The body of assassinated Tamil legislator Nadarajah Raviraj was flown Tuesday to his home constituency of Jaffna for cremation the following day.Raviraj, 44, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen as he drove to work in Colombo on Friday morning.He was the second member of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to […]
‘s economic scorecard
November 14, 2006 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund Tuesday says Sri Lanka’s economy in under siege from galloping inflation, a wider current account deficit, declining official reserves and a high debt service burden. Large fiscal deficits and a high level of public debt are sources of macro-economic instability while inflation is galloping away and […]
Energy pricing helps but better monetary policy and fiscal framework needed in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s is now experiencing stronger growth, and declining unemployment. Though oil prices are now falling, expansionary fiscal policy and accommodative monetary policy continue to destabilize the economy by pushing inflation up and putting pressure on the country’s balance of payments. The International Monetary Fund this month presented its report on this year’s Article iv […]
Eight killed in Sri Lanka in fresh violence
Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) – At least four Sri Lankan soldiers and four Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in separate violence in the island’s embattled northeast, the defence ministry said Tuesday.Three soldiers were killed when Tamil Tiger rebels detonated a bomb in the northern district of Vavuniya on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that another […]
Sri Lanka steps up security ahead of protest over assassination
Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s police stepped up already tight security in the capital Monday ahead of a mass protest over the assassination of a moderate Tamil legislator and growing rights abuses, officials said.Several major roads in the city were closed and vehicle inspections intensified as anti-war demonstrators prepared to stage a march […]
Sri Lanka faces child soldier charge as Britain tries to save peace
Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) – The United Nations accused Sri Lanka Monday of recruiting child soldiers to battle Tiger rebels as Britain moved to help save a crumbling peace process.Even as mourners protested the assassination of a moderate Tamil legislator, a top UN official issued a scathing attack on government security forces, accusing them for […]
British to push for Sri Lanka peace
Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former colonial ruler Britain will send a special envoy to the island Tuesday to help salvage a tattered peace process, diplomats said.British MP Paul Murphy will meet with Sri Lankan leaders during a three-day visit and share his experience of the Northern Ireland peace process, the British High […]
Tamil MP killed amid heavy Sri Lanka fighting
Nov 10, 2006 (AFP) – Gunmen assassinated a pro-rebel Tamil MP in the capital Colombo Friday as Sri Lanka’s warring parties fought fresh battles and faced rising international condemnation over civilian killings.“They are clearly not going to get a solution through violence,” Boucher warned.Unidentified gunmen shot dead legislator Nadarajah Raviraj, 44, and his bodyguard as […]