Author: Mel Gunasekera
Sri Lanka counts cost of war with new budget
Nov 6, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is expected to unveil its biggest ever war budget this week, as a government military campaign to crush the Tamil Tiger rebels takes a heavy toll on the island’s balance sheet. The government plans to increase defence spending by 20 percent to a record 1.45 billion dollars in […]
Who is Thamilselvan?
Nov 2, 2007 (AFP) – The political head of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels who was killed in an air strike on Friday was the guerrillas’ public face for scores of visiting dignitaries and media personnel.“It is always wrong to place us on a par with international terrorist acts that bring harm to innocent civilians […]
Sri Lanka rebel suicide squad, planes hit air base
Oct 22, 2007 (AFP) – An elite Tamil Tiger suicide squad backed by light aircraft on Monday attacked a key Sri Lankan military base in an unprecedented ground and air assault, killing at least five soldiers. The rebels said 21 members of their “Black Tiger” unit and two light aircraft struck the Anuradhapura air base […]
Sri Lanka placed third in Twenty20 by online punters
Sept 17, 2007 (AFP) – Ricky “Punter” Ponting’s Australians are strong favourites in the online gambling world to win the ongoing Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa.Australian paceman Brett Lee, who claimed a hat-trick against Bangladesh on Sunday, remains favourite with the ball, with paddypower.com rating him at 11-1 and popular Sri Lankan paceman Lasith […]
Maldives battles with rising drug abuse among young
VILINGILI ISLAND, Maldives, Sept 4, 2007 (AFP) – The Maldives, known as a holiday haven for the rich and famous, is grappling with a growing drug abuse problem among its young people including pre-teens.Around 20 percent of the island nation’s residents under the age of 15 are using banned substances, according to the National Narcotics […]
Maldives tourist paradise flourishes at 35
KURUMATHI ISLANDS, Maldives(AFP) – Sabrina Chang decided this year to treat herself to a fancy vacation, opting to stay in a thatched bungalow over a lagoon in the Maldives where a swim with exotic fish is as common as taking a stroll. The Maldives is celebrating the 35th anniversary since its first two resorts opened […]
Maldives strongman wants to rule on into fourth decade
MALE, August, 2007 (AFP) – Asia’s longest serving leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, says he wants to be the first directly elected president of the Maldives after winning a landslide victory for his political reform package.However, the country has yet to stage a multi-party election.Gayoom has previously been the sole presidential candidate nominated by a 50-member […]
Maldives president claims referendum victory, appeals for unity
MALE, Aug 19, 2007 (AFP) – Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Sunday claimed victory in a referendum on how the Indian Ocean atoll nation should be governed, saying it was a mandate for his reform proposals. The Maldives consists of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered 850 kilometres (550 miles) across the Equator. Only 200 […]
Sri Lanka set for record growth despite conflict
July 29, 2007 (AFP) – The recent escalation in fighting in Sri Lanka has not derailed the nation’s economy, with the island on track to record its fastest growth in nearly three decades, according to the central bank. Conflict between government troops and Tamil rebels has claimed more than 5,200 lives since late 2005, with […]
‘s boutique hotels suffer the ravages of war
SIGIRIYA, Sri Lanka, July 1, 2007 (AFP) – Britney Spears, Paul McCartney, Sting and Paul Simon have all travelled to Sri Lanka for a big-bucks taste of tropical luxury.“The rich will not want to come if Sri Lanka has an image of a cheap destination,” Jinasena said. But an escalating war with Tamil Tiger rebels […]
Red Cross workers killed in Sri Lanka despite security pledge
June 3, 2007 (AFP) – Gunmen claiming to be police have abducted and shot dead two Red Cross employees in Sri Lanka barely a week after the country pledged greater security for aid workers, the charity told AFP Sunday.The Geneva-based charity said the bullet-riddled bodies of S.Shanmungaligam and K. Chandramohan were discovered late Saturday in […]
Sri Lanka – Belgian tyre giant looks to roll faster
May 31, 2007 (AFP) – One of the world’s biggest solid tyre makers is trying to double its turnover and turn Sri Lanka into a key exporter of rubber products. “People keep asking us if its safe to live here, invest here and I say ‘yes’.We have had no problems. There are always risks associated […]