Author: lbostgadmin
Australia intercepts new refugee boat
SYDNEY, April 25, 2009 (AFP) – A boat carrying more than 50 refugees was intercepted Saturday off Australia’s coast, little more than a week after an explosion on another vessel killed five people, the government said.The boat carrying 54 passengers and two crew was stopped in international waters by border patrol officers following a tip-off […]
White House urges immediate Sri Lanka ceasefire
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2009 (AFP) – The White House on Friday urged an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and voiced deep concerns over alleged violations of international humanitarian law.It was the first statement by President Barack Obama’s White House on Sri Lanka as concerns grow for the fate of thousands of people trapped in a […]
Sri Lankan envoy rejects calls for humanitarian pause
GENEVA, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva on Friday rejected calls for a humanitarian pause in the Tamil conflict, saying temporary ceasefires did not work. “The largest number of civilians who have come out (of the conflict zone) came out not during the humanitarian pause, not as […]
UN humanitarian chief to press Sri Lanka on civilians
April 25, 2009 (AFP) – The UN’s humanitarian chief was due in Sri Lanka Saturday as international concern over civilians trapped in the island’s war zone fuelled a White House call for an immediate ceasefire.John Holmes’ three-day mission will focus on pushing the government to facilitate humanitarian missions in and around the conflict zone and […]
Sri Lanka hospitals overwhelmed by wounded civilians: MSF
April 25, 2009 (AFP) – The flood of wounded civilians from the conflict in Sri Lanka is overwhelming doctors and nurses in hospitals near the war zone who said Saturday people risk dying from lack of proper attention. A British surgeon working for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Paul McMasters, said his team in the state-run […]
Text News
April 25, 2009 (LBO) – Dialog, Sri Lanka’s largest telco, has made available news from the government’s department of information through its popular short message service (SMS), the company said.“Access to information plays a key role in the development process of a country and we believe that educating and informing its people is the first […]
Fair Play
April 25, 2009 (LBO) – Bunker prices in Colombo port have fallen following a court verdict that ended an effective monopoly on ship fuel held by Sri Lanka’s biggest conglomerate and opened up the market.Shipping lines said price differences with competing ports had also narrowed sharply after the market was liberalized with more suppliers competing […]
Indian officials head to Colombo for talks on civilians
NEW DELHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – Senior Indian officials were due to fly to Colombo Friday to press the Sri Lankan government to protect tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the war, the foreign ministry said. “The only lasting solution will come from political efforts to address the real concerns of the Tamil […]
Sri Lanka approves electricity improvement project
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government said the Cabinet has approved a foreign aid funded project to expand and improve electricity services, especially to the poor, and support renewable energy. Media minister Anura Yapa said the Asian Development Bank is giving a loan of 164 million dollars for the project with the […]
Sri Lanka aviation policy mulls further opening
April 24, 2009 (LBO) – A new Sri Lankan aviation policy aims to encourage investment and open the sector up for more carriers, ground handling and caterers as the economy recovers from war and the market grows, officials said. “If there’s a big growth, with the recovery of the global economy and an end to […]
Sri Lanka army says Tamil Tiger leader trapped
KILINOCHCHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers is trapped in a small strip of coastal jungle in the northeast and leading his last remaining fighters, a top army commander said Friday.Journalists flown to Kilinochchi were shown a large haul of mortars and small arms said to have been captured […]
Sri Lanka clears Tamil editor over Tiger air attacks
April 24, 2009 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan court on Friday released a Tamil newspaper editor who had been detained over alleged links to Tamil Tiger air attacks in the capital, an official said.Nadesapillai Vidyatharan, who edits the Sudar Oli daily, was detained in February under anti-terrorism laws, but police told the Colombo Fort Magistrate […]