England hopes alive after win over Bangladesh

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 11, 2007 (AFP) – England thwarted another strong challenge from Bangladesh’s spinners to register a much-needed four-wicket win in a World Cup Super Eights match here on Wednesday. Mushfiqur Rahim (seven) also failed to live up to the expectations as Bangladesh were struggling at 65-6 before Hasan and Mortaza gave the total […]

Sri Lanka troops take key highway from Tigers

COLOMBO, April 12, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan forces have captured a strategic highway in the island’s restive eastern province which was under Tamil Tiger control for 15 years, the defence ministry said Thursday.Troops took control Wednesday of the A-5 road linking the town of Chenkaladi and Badulla in the central part of the island, […]

Seven villagers shot dead in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, April 12, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels Thursday shot dead seven villagers of the majority Sinhalese community in northern Sri Lanka on the eve of the traditional New Year, police said.Gunmen from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) raided the village of Avarantalawa in the district of Vavuniya where heavy fighting […]

Sri Lanka uses anti-terror laws to crush media: rights group

April 12, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is using tough anti-terror laws to suppress democratic dissent and journalists who expose human rights abuses, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) charged Thursday. New measures introduced in December were being deployed against those who question the government’s handling of the separatist war with the rebel Liberation […]

” against Tigers

by Stefan Smith BATTICALOA, Sri Lanka, April 12, 2007 (AFP) – Tensions are running high in Sri Lanka’s east as government troops fight what they insist is the “climax” of a battle to clear vast jungle areas of Tamil Tiger rebels. Still trying to recover from the 2004 Asian tsunami, the eastern coastal town of […]

‘s Tamil Tigers using satellite illegally: Intelsat

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka have been illegally using a satellite of US giant Intelsat to beam their radio and television broadcasts overseas, the company said Wednesday.The issue was also taken up by Sri Lanka at a meeting of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization in Paris last month, […]

Sri Lanka call rates hit 50% amidst festival drawdown

March 11, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inter-bank call rates hit 50 percent Wednesday even as the monetary authority pumped billion of rupees into the banking system to make-up for a seasonal cash draw down from the system.Sri Lanka’s money supply usually zooms in April during the island’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year as government […]

Crash Cash

April 11, 2007 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan brewer whose truck was involved in a fatal bus-truck crash on Tuesday, is offering cash to accident victims, an official said Wednesday.Local brewer, Lion Brewery Ceylon Ltd, is offering to pay 125,000 rupees (1,200 dollars) to relatives for each of the victims who died, while those who […]

Dope Deals

April 10, 2007 (LBO) – Heightened security in the country has allowed authorities to nab more drug dealers and abusers last year with arrests climbing 69 percent, Sri Lanka’s anti drug authority said. “Each ‘flavour’ gives a different feeling and hallucinations.” In 2006 the drug related arrests had increased to 47,000 and 34,000 related to […]

World Cup is too long, says Hayden

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 11, 2007 (AFP) – Australia opener Matthew Hayden said Tuesday that the World Cup is too long and called for the marathon tournament to be trimmed. “It’s too long. It’s too long for everyone,” said Hayden with another 18 days still to play in the 47-day marathon competition. World Cup holders Australia […]

Bangladesh still have work to do, says Whatmore

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 11, 2007 (AFP) – Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who has masterminded memorable Caribbean World Cup wins over India and South Africa, is adamant that there is still plenty of work to do to finetune the Asian Tigers.The burly Australian is used to upsetting the world order of international cricket – in 1996, […]

Sri Lanka v New Zealand head-to-head record

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 10, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka v New Zealand head-to-head record ahead of their World Cup Super Eights match at New Queen’s Park here on Thursday: Total meetings: 65 Sri Lanka wins: 28 New Zealand wins: 34 Tied: 1 No Result: 2 Last 10 meetings 26/12/2004: Auckland New Zealand won by […]

Page 2695 of 3390