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Sri Lankan fisherman tells of massacre on navy-held islet
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka, May 22, 2006 (AFP) – An elderly Sri Lankan fisherman described Monday how gunmen shot dead six members of his family on a navy-controlled northern Sri Lankan islet and left him wounded in both legs.The man, 61, lies on a hospital bed at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital with white bandages around both […]
UN condemns attack on aid workers in Sri Lanka
May 22, 2006 (AFP) – A United Nations agency Monday condemned the bombing of international aid agencies in Sri Lanka and said it was appalled by the continuing “despicable attacks”. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka said grenade attacks on three non-governmental organisations in the Trincomalee district Sunday injured one international staff […]
Tigers accuse Sri Lanka army of killing top operative
May 22, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels on Monday accused government forces of killing a senior field commander in the island’s restive eastern region at the weekend, a pro-rebel website said.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said their chief intelligence operative in the region — identified as Ramanan — was gunned […]
EU pushing Sri Lanka peace to critical stage: rebel political leader
KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka, May 22, 2006 (AFP) – The European Union’s “shocking” move towards blacklisting Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers will push the peace process to a critical stage, the head of the rebels’ political wing said in an interview with AFP.The EU agreed in principle late Thursday to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam […]
Problems remembering wives’ names? Then you have too many
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21, 2006 (AFP) – A prominent Malaysian cleric has warned Muslims against repeatedly marrying and divorcing for fun after reports of a man who married 30 times and has scores of children and grand-children.Harussani Zakaria, a religious leader in northern Perak state, said in a report over the weekend it was sinful […]
Bangladeshi power minister removed amid protests over shortfall
DHAKA, May 21, 2006 (AFP) – The Bangladeshi prime minister Sunday removed the power minister amid growing protests over massive power shortages across the South Asian nation which faces a federal election by early 2007.Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who heads a four-party coalition, removed Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and reassigned him as junior […]
‘ names? Then you have too many
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21, 2006 (AFP) – A prominent Malaysian cleric has warned Muslims against repeatedly marrying and divorcing for fun after reports of a man who married 30 times and has scores of children and grand-children.Harussani Zakaria, a religious leader in northern Perak state, said in a report over the weekend it was sinful […]
Top Tamil Tiger leader shot dead in Sri Lanka
May 22, 2006 (AFP) – A top Tamil Tiger field commander was shot dead in eastern Sri Lanka Sunday by an unidentified gunman, rebel and military sources said. The number two in the Tamil Tiger military wing and its chief intelligence operative in the eastern region — identified as Ramanan — was gunned down in […]
Refugees reach Tamil rebel capital after fleeing alleged massacre
KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka, May 21, 2006 (AFP) – Refugees who fled after an alleged military massacre on a northern Sri Lanka islet arrived at the inland Tamil rebel capital at the weekend, and brought their fishing boats with them.“We want to go to a fishing area,” he said. – by Ian Timberlake The 120 people […]
Sri Lanka Tigers warn against EU ban as violence escalates
May 21, 2006 (AFP) – The chief negotiator for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels warned Sunday that an imminent European ban on the group could scuttle future peace negotiations, as artillery duels continued in front-line regions.London-based Anton Balasingham said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam would retreat from talks with the government if they are […]
New firing across Sri Lanka’s de facto front lines
May 20, 2006 (AFP) – Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels traded artillery fire across a de facto front line in the island’s north Saturday, military officials said.There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side after a 30-minute exchange of fire at Muhamalai in the Jaffna peninsula, but the main entry and exit […]
Clean Closet
May 20, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s securities watchdog is in the final stages of drawing up rules to make corporate governance mandatory among listed companies from January next year, a top official said Friday. The island’s quoted companies are famous for their cronyism in board rooms and lax corporate governance. The new rules, pushed […]