Category: Politics
Sri Lanka troops near Tiger stronghold amidst heavy fighting: military
November 7, 2008 (AFP) – Intense battles gripped Sri Lanka’s northern Wanni region as government forces stepped up pressure on the Tamil rebel political capital, the defence ministry said Friday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Scores of rebels were killed and many more wounded […]
Sri Lanka president asks Tigers to respond to peace overtures or be crushed
Nov 06 (2008) – Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa called on Tamil Tigers to immediately lay down arms and enter the democratic mainstream and warned that if not they would be crushed militarily.“Terrorism has got to be destroyed,” he told parliament delivering a speech to present the government budget for 2009. The security forces were […]
US presidential election results (Update II)
WASHINGTON, November 5, 2008 (AFP) – Here is a tally of preliminary results in the US presidential election, based on projections by US networks. At 0214 GMT, with results given in 27 states, Obama had 175 and McCain had 81 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House, out of a […]
”
CHICAGO, November 5, 2008 (AFP) – US President-elect Barack Obama said Tuesday that a new dawn of American leadership was at hand and stressed the shared destiny of the United States and the rest of the world. “It’s been a long time coming. But tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this […]
‘s first black president
WASHINGTON, November 5, 2008 (AFP) – Americans elected Democrat Barack Obama as their first black president Tuesday, in a transformational election which will reshape US politics and reposition the United States on the world stage.With a stunning grassroots political movement, powered by massive multi-million dollar fundraising, Obama first beat Hillary Clinton, and the Democratic Party’s […]
Sri Lanka steps up air strikes after sea battle
November 2, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military stepped up air attacks against Tamil Tiger rebels in the island’s north after a sea battle left heavy casualties on both sides, officials said Sunday.War planes hit a suspected training base for Tamil Tiger guerrillas at Iranamadu, just south of the guerrillas’ political capital of Kilinochchi, on […]
Sri Lanka sea battle claims heavy casualties
November 1, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy and Tamil Tiger rebels fought a fierce sea battle off the island’s northern coast Saturday, and heavy casualties were expected on both sides, the two said.The latest sea battle came as Tigers were defending their main northern political capital of Kilinochchi against a ground offensive by security […]
Sri Lanka troops capture key Tamil Tiger coastal base
October 30, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops on Thursday took control of a key rebel-held town on the island’s northwest coast through which the Tamil Tigers have smuggled weapons, the defence ministry said. The pro-rebel Tamilnet website said one boy was killed on Thursday by government shelling in Mullaittivu. It also said the military […]
Rights groups slam media controls in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, October 31, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has the lowest press freedom rating of any democracy and has been the first to use anti-terror laws to prosecute journalists, international rights groups said Friday. Five organisations, including the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said journalists and media institutions seeking to report independently on the island’s […]
Sri Lanka business chambers urge unity among politicians
Oct 29, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s top business chambers have called for political unity to back government efforts to devolve power to minority Tamils and defeat Tiger rebels. The call came in a statement which also urged the government to do more to help civilians displaced by fighting between government forces and Tamil Tigers. […]
Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger aircraft in night raid
Oct 28, 2008 (LBO) – Power to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo was cut Tuesday night after Tamil Tiger guerilla aircraft dropped bombs in the north eastern Mannar area of the island, the military said. Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said Tamil Tiger aircraft had dropped two bombs near the Mannar area police headquarters around 10.30 p.m. […]
Sri Lanka reassures India over Tamils
NEW DELHI, October 26, 2008 (AFP) – A senior Sri Lankan minister on Sunday held talks with the Indian foreign minister over the safety of the island nation’s minority Tamils as its conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels escalates. Sri Lanka’s Tamils share close cultural and religious links with the 55 million Tamils in the southern […]