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Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:57:50 GMT

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Location of Sri Lanka

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Fredrick played for Ceylon against India in Ahmedabad in 1965

Norton Fredrick, the Sri Lankan cricketer who played for the national All Ceylon team during the 1960s, has died at the age of 73. He died in his home town of Wattala after suffering from a terminal illness. He played for the Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club as well as nationally for the All Ceylon team, before Sri Lanka had test status.

During his national career he played against nations such as Pakistan, Australia, and India. A skilled fast bowler he spoke about his first match saying “It was a very memorable baptism for me. The match was played at the Colombo Oval – Sara Stadium. I bowled well and took a hat-trick. I still remember the three victims – R. Ramesh, V. V. Kumara and G. Thomas. I played two Gopalan games in 1964 and 1965. It was a wonderful experience. We played for the love of the game.”

During an unofficial test match against India in 1965 he set up a four-wicket win after taking seven wickets. This was the first time that the All Ceylon team had won against India. His national career was ended in 1968 after family commitments forced him to end his career.

Fredrick is survived by his wife and a son. Another son served as an army officer and died during the Sri Lankan civil war. Fredrick's death comes in the same month as Gamini Goonasena, another former Sri Lankan cricketer who died at the age of 80.

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Sources [edit]

"Former Sri Lankan First-Class Cricketer, Norton Fredrick, Dies At 73" — Bettor.com, 11 August 2011
"Norton Fredrick dies at 73" — ESPN Cricketinfo, 10 August 2011

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Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:50:29 GMT

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Crime and law

Sources [edit]

"Man charged with attempted murder in Stockwell" — BBC News Online, April 2, 2011
"Man Charged With Five-Year-Old Girl's Shooting" — Sky News, April 2, 2011

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Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:39:48 GMT

A compilation of brief news reports for Saturday, August 14, 2010 .

1 Tamil migrant boat bound for Canada sparks debate
2 South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene indicted on felony charge
3 FDA approves of 'morning after' pill

Contribute to Wikinews by expanding these briefs or add a new one.

Tamil migrant boat bound for Canada sparks debate [edit]

Hundreds of Sri Lanka Tamils seeking asylum in Canada unboarded their cargo ship that they used to sail from Sri Lanka to Vancouver. Some of the people who were on board the MV Sun Sea needed medical treatment, but officials have said that they were not aware of major medical problems.

The landing of the 490 refugees, however, has raised concerns that some onboard might have been members of the Tamil Tigers Sri Lankan rebel group. The Tigers, who fought a civil war against the Sri Lankan government for over two decades and lost in 2009, have been designated a terrorist group by the Canadian government since 2006. "Our goal is to ensure that our refugee system is not hijacked by criminals or terrorists," Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said. Toews also said that the governnment would be taking a tough line with the ship's passengers.

Sources

Jeremy Hainsworth and Rob Gillies. "Tamils cram on ship, seeking asylum in Canada" — Associated Press, August 13, 2010
Allan Dowd, Reuters. "Tamil migrant boat docks in Canada, refugee debate flares" — MSNBC, August 13, 2010

South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene indicted on felony charge [edit]

Alvin Greene, the Democratic candidate for the South Carolina US senate seat, has been indicted on a felony charge of showing pornography to a female college student. The 32 year-old Greene was arrested last November after allegedly showing a female student obscene photos on his laptop and then asking to come to her dorm room. Greene shot to instant fame after he won the South Carolina Democratic senate primary with 58% of the vote despite not campaigning or raising funds for his US senate bid.

Sources

Christopher Weber. "Alvin Greene, South Carolina Senate Candidate, Indicted on Obscenity Charge" — Politics Daily, August 13, 2010
Doug Stanglin. "Long-shot Senate candidate from S.C. indicted on felony porn charge" — USA Today, August 13, 2010

FDA approves of 'morning after' pill [edit]

The US FDA (Food and Drug administration) has approved a new, longer lasting 'morning after' pill that works for up to five days after unprotected sex. The FDA approved the pill, called ella, has stated that the birth-control pill will be prescription-only. The FDA said that the drug "is not intended for routine use as a contraceptive." The pill is made by the French medical company HRA Pharma and will be marketed in the US by Watson Pharmaceuticals.

Sources

Associated Press. "FDA OKs 'morning-after' pill that works five days after sex" — USA Today, August 13, 2010
Reuters. "FDA OKs longer-lasting emergency contraceptive" — MSNBC, August 13, 2010

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7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:57:11 GMT

India

Sources [edit]

"Magnitude 7.7 - NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION" — USGS, June 12, 2010
"Message indian.2010.06.12.193459" — NOAA, June 12, 2010
"Strong 7.7 quake hits ocean west of Indian islands" — Reuters, June 12, 2010
"Strong 7.7 quake hits ocean west of Indian islands" — Vancouver Sun, June 12, 2010
"7.7-quake hits Nicobar; tremor felt in Chennai" — The Hindu, June 13, 2010

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Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:06:59 GMT

Monday, March 15, 2010

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Percentage of ethnic Tamils in each district of Sri Lanka. Regular numbers are from 2001 census, italic numbers from 1981 census.
Image: Sadalmelik.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the chief political party of the ethnic Tamil group in Sri Lanka, has said in its manifesto for upcoming elections that it would accept a "federal structure" for the country. Since its formation in 2001, the TNA had previously aimed for full independence for Tamil regions. The party also stated it would encourage non-violent civil disobedience in support of Tamil rights.

Sri Lanka's civil war has killed up to 100,000 people, after the Tamil Tiger rebel group began its armed struggle in 1983. The TNA had widely been viewed as a political wing to the Tigers. In 2009 the Sri Lankan government launched a major military assault against Tiger militants in the north of the country, which displaced around 280,000 people and provoked international controversy. However it succeeded in defeating the rebels, and led to the re-election of president Mahinda Rajapaksa this year.

The TNA, a coalition of various Tamil parties, currently holds 22 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament but has been weakened by the defeat of the Tigers. Since its formation in 2001 it has pushed for independence for the Tamil dominated regions of the north and east, but has had to avoid any direct endorsement of separatism, which would be considered illegal.

In the new manifesto, released on Saturday, the party also said that it would begin a civil disobedience movement in the style of Mahatma Gandhi. One section said: "If the Sri Lankan state continues its present style of governance without due regard to the rights of the Tamil-speaking peoples, [we] will launch a peaceful, non-violent campaign of civil disobedience on the Gandhian model."

The parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka are due to occur on 8 April. The government are also hoping to strengthen their position, and achieve the two-thirds majority they need to enact changes to the constitution.

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Sources [edit]

"Tamils give up on independence" — Al Jazeera, March 15, 2010
Jason Burke. "Sri Lankan Tamils drop demand for separate independent homeland" — guardian.co.uk, March 14, 2010

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Votes in Sri Lankan presidential elections counted

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:25:34 GMT

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006
Image: US Department of State.

Ballots are being counted in Sri Lanka, after a presidential election was held there, the first after the Tamil Tiger rebels were defeated during a 25-year-long civil war.

The incumbent president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is expected to be in a close race against former army chief, General Sarath Fonseka; both candidates say they expect to win. There are twenty other candidates on the ballot, but none of them are expected to win.

Polls closed at 16.00 local time, or 10.30 GMT on Tuesday. There were claims of voter intimidation and sporadic acts of violence, and the BBC reports that there were some small bomb blasts. The independent operating organisation Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said it had confirmed close to a hundred violent incidents during the day, adding that it believes the number could rise to 150.

Tamil politician Dharmalingam Sithadthan, however, described the voting as "very peaceful".

Polls were reportedly busy, with stations in the capital of Colombo being filled with lines of people half an hour before polls officially opened at 07.00 (01.30 UTC).

"I have been voting at this booth for over 20 years but never saw a crowd like this," said businessman Mohamed Sallel, who had voted in the Borella district of the capital, as quoted by The Telegraph. Another voter, Doctor Nimalka Perera, gave an account of the crowds: "When I first came here, the queue was too long so I went back and came two hours later on my way to the hospital and found the line even longer."

President Rajapakse, after voting in his home constituency, addressed reporters. "We will have a great victory. We must be ready to face the challenges of reaching new heights after this vote," he said.

	I have been voting at this booth for over 20 years but never saw a crowd like this
—Businessman and voter Mohamed Sallel

Fonseka, however, wasn't able to cast a ballot, apparently because his name didn't appear on the 2008 electroral register used for the elections.

"My name is not on the 2008 register and therefore I cannot vote at this election. The government is trying to use this to mislead the public at the last minute," Fonseka stated, saying that he had filled out his voter registration forms.

Foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama, as well as other politicians from the ruling party, suggested that Fonseka might be disqualified from the elections. "We are seeking a court order on the suitability of this candidate because he is not eligible to be declared as a candidate," Bogollagama said, adding that the government wanted a ruling from the courts.

Independent elections commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake, however, remarked: "Not having one's name on the electoral list is not a disqualification."

The country's electoral rules state that if neither candidate is able to obtain half of the ballots cast in the first count, then voters' second preferences are to be used to determine the winner. Political observers commented that election was too close to call between the two.

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Sources [edit]

"Sri Lanka presidential votes being counted" — Al Jazeera, January 26, 2010
"Voting ends in Sri Lanka polls" — BBC News Online, January 26, 2010
Mel Gunasekera. "Sri Lanka's Tamils trudge to polls in first post-war election" — The Telegraph, January 26, 2010

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Sri Lankan reporter Tissanayagam released on bail

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:31:37 GMT

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Sri Lankan Tamil journalist J. S. Tissainayagam, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year, has been released on bail of Rs 50,000 (aproximately $437) by Appeal Court judges Ranjith Silva and D. S. Lekamwasam. This move comes ahead of upcoming general elections taking place on January 26th.

Jeyaprakash Tissainayagam, a Tamil, was arrested in 2008 after he wrote articles accusing the government of deliberately cutting off ethnic Tamil areas from food and other essential supplies during the latter stages of the war.

He was convicted on August 31, 2008 under Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act on charges of inciting violence and receiving money from rebel groups and sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labor.

During his trial, Tissanayagam claimed that he was harassed and threatened by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) while under detention. He has also filed a fundamental rights petition with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

International rights groups and Sri Lankan journalists have condemned the act of putting a journalist in jail for his reporting. United States president Barack Obama called him one of the "emblematic examples" of reporters jailed for their work.

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Sources [edit]

"Sri Lankan editor JS Tissainayagam gets bail" — BBC, January 11, 2010
"Tissainayagam granted bail" — Daily Mirror, January 11, 2010

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No tsunamis after two major earthquakes strike islands near India and Japan

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:32:44 GMT

Monday, August 10, 2009

Disasters and accidents

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Tsunami warnings were issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and later canceled after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands near India.

The quake struck 260 kilometers (160 miles) North of Port Blair in the Andaman Islands at approximately 1:55 a.m. local time with a depth of 33.1km (20.6 miles). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says it's likely the quake was an aftershock to the deadly magnitude 9.1 earthquake in 2004 that triggered a massive tsunami killing nearly 230,000 people.

The warnings had applied to Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The NOAA indicated the risk of a tsunami was 'moderate to high', but no waves were reported in any of the areas indicated in the warning.

"Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated. Therefore the tsunami watch issued by this center has been canceled," said the NOAA earlier in a statement on its website.

Minutes after the quake, at 2:07 a.m. Indian time, the USGS said a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck 31 kilometers (19 miles) south-southwest of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with a depth of 26.8 km (16.7 miles). However, officials in Japan put the quake at a magnitude 6.6. A tsunami watch was also issued for the area and a short time later small, a two foot rise in sea level was reported in the Tsuruga Bay area. A 10 inch rise in sea level was also reported in Yaizu City.

As a precaution, Japanese officials have shut down at least two units, reactor No. 4 and 5 at the nuclear power facility in Hamaoka to perform a safety check. Alarms inside the plant indicated a possible radiation leak inside reactor 5, but officials say no radiation has been detected outside containment. According to Japan's Trade Ministry, both reactors shut down automatically after sensors detected the quake. Area trains have also been stopped. This was the second earthquake in Japan in two days, following an earlier one that measured 6.9 near Tokyo.

There are no reports of major damage with either quake. In Japan, some windows broke and roof tiles dislodged from roofs. Spokesman for the USGS, Paul Caruso, says both quakes appear to be unrelated. Minor injuries were reported in Japan due to falling objects, but there are no reports of any deaths. Singer, songwriter and actress Jessica Simpson, who flew to Japan over the weekend, is also safe after feeling the shaking.

"Thought I was hallucinating during a 6.6 earthquake in Japan. I have never felt anything like this in my life," said Simpson from via her Twitter account.

Indonesia has also seen an earthquake, a 5.7 magnitude that occurred 74km from Wewak at 1:46 a.m. local time on Monday.

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Sources [edit]

Learn more about 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Wikipedia.

Mari Yamaguchi. "Earthquakes shake Tokyo area, Indian Ocean" — Associated Press, August 10, 2009
"Tsunami bulletin number 004" — NOAA, August 10, 2009
"Tsunami warning cancelled after quake off India's Andaman" — Reuters, August 10, 2009
Jessica Simpson. "Tweet from Jessica Simpson" — Twitter, August 10, 2009
"No tsunami has yet been observed" — Energy Bangla, August 10, 2009
Osamu Tsukimori. "Chubu Elec halts nuclear plant after Japan quake" — Reuters, August 10, 2009
Mark Tannenbaum. "Earthquake Hits Indian Ocean, Tsunami Warning Issued (Correct)" — Bloomberg, August 10, 2009
Aaron Sheldrick. "Magnitude-6.6 Earthquake Hits off Japan; Tsunami Strikes Coast" — Bloomberg, August 10, 2009
"Strong earthquake shakes Tokyo area" — Associated Press, August 10, 2009
"Two major earthquakes hit; tsunami warnings in effect" — BNO News, August 10, 2009
"Tsunami Watch Issued After 7.6 Earthquake" — Sky News, August 10, 2009
"Powerful earthquake hits Tokyo" — Belfast Telegraph, August 9, 2009
"5.7-Magnitude Quake Hits Eastern Indonesia" — wsj.com, August 10, 2009
"Magnitude 6.4 - Near the South coast of Honshu Japan" — USGS, August 10, 2009
"Ground shaking worst in Shizuoka Prefecture around 150 KM west of Tokyo" — Reuters, August 10, 2009
"Tsunami bulletin number 001" — NOAA, August 10, 2009
"Magnitude 7.6 - Andaman Islands, India" — USGS, August 10, 2009
"Tsunami Alert Page" — NOAA, As per August 10, 2009

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UN hides facts about war in Sri Lanka, says French Le Monde

Sat, 30 May 2009 14:17:20 GMT

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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French newspaper Le Monde published on Friday an article accusing the United Nations (UN) of deliberately hiding facts about civilian killings during the last months of the civil war in Sri Lanka in order to protect their own activities in the country.

According to investigative journalism by Le Monde, The UN did not publish the number of civilians killed until it was finally leaked. According to a UN confidential report, 7,720 people were killed (among them 678 children) and 18,465 were injured (among them 2,384 children) between January 20 and May 13. A UN official declared to Le Monde that his hierarchy tried to suppress these figures to remain in good terms with the government. When these numbers were leaked, Neil Buhne, the UN official coordinator in Sri Lanka, asked to be the only recipient of the figures in the future. Even the secretary general Ban Ki-moon tried to hide the numbers, according to Le Monde.

Despite the heavy bombings in the last days of the war, the 7,720 dead people are still given as an official figure which was repeated in The New York Times. According to Vijay K. Nambiar, Ban Ki-moon's chief-of-staff cited by Le Monde, the numbers could be closer to 20,000; these figures are corroborated by The Times. The paper discovered compelling evidence showing that on average 1,000 Sri Lankan civilians perished each day during the first 19 days of May. "These figures are not even complete yet. It’s going to end up way more" said a UN source.

The Times relied on aerial photographs, confidential UN documents, witnesses and independent defense experts to understand the final days in the 26 year old Sri Lankan civil war. 200,000 survivors are interned in the Manik Farm refugee camp. The camp was visited twice by The Times investigators. 3,000 wounded civilians are still missing from the last known makeshift hospital. A survivor reported hospitals were bombed by the government which claimed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were using them as hideouts. “They didn’t want anyone left to say what had happened,” say UN sources.

“We reject all these allegations. Civilians have not been killed by government shelling at all. If civilians have been killed, then that is because of the actions of the LTTE [rebels] who were shooting and killing people when they tried to escape.” said a representative for the Sri Lankan High Commission. Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara of Sri Lanka added "We have not used any shelling or mortaring, only small arms. We know how we are fighting". The aerial images taken by The Times suggest the contrary.

Le Monde also wrote that the United Nations did not help its people on the ground. Text messages sent by local employees in the war zones asked to "stop the war" and "what is the international community doing". "Hundreds of people trying to flew where caught by local dictators and beaten, without distinction of age and sex. I hear them crying." said another one. In April, Vijay Nambiar asked the locals to keep a "low profile" and play an active role in supporting the government.

The Sri Lankan government denied any wrongdoing. On Wednesday, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland cleared Sri Lanka of any alleged war crimes. Sri Lanka gained the support of China, Egypt, India and Cuba.

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Sources [edit]

Philippe Bolopion. "L'ONU a caché l'ampleur des massacres au Sri Lanka" — Le Monde, May 29, 2009 (French)
Catherine Philp. "The hidden massacre: Sri Lanka’s final offensive against Tamil Tigers" — The Times Online, May 29, 2009
Lydia Polgreen. "Aid Groups Slowly Reaching Sri Lanka’s War Refugees" — The New York Times, May 29, 2009
Human Rights Council. "COUNCIL CONCLUDES SPECIAL SESSION AFTER ADOPTING RESOLUTION ON ASSISTANCE TO SRI LANKA IN PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS" — United Nations, May 27, 2009
"Expose of the hidden massacre; 20,000 Tamil civilians killed in days" — Tamil National, May 27, 2009

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Sri Lankan president declares victory over rebels

Sun, 17 May 2009 01:59:52 GMT

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka
(Image missing from commons: image; log)

Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels on Saturday, after a civil war lasting 26 years.

"I will be going back to a country that has been totally freed from the barbaric acts of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30 long years," Rajapakse said. "My government's precise and well coordinated humanitarian operation has so far succeeded in rescuing over 210,000 civilians who were being used as human shields by the LTTE.

"We have restricted the LTTE to one square kilometre-like area, so we will mop up and seize the rest of the LTTE cadres and the leadership," the president said.

According to defence officials, Sri Lankan military forces have locked down the entire northeastern coast of Mullaithivu, where the Tigers are located, and have surrounded them in a small jungle. A statement by the Sri Lanka Defence Ministry said that the army is bracing for a mass suicide attempt against government forces.

The Tigers have refused to give up to the army. It is believed they are keeping thousands of civilians as shields. Anywhere from 30,000 to 80,000 people are estimated to remain in the war zone.

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Sources [edit]

"Sri Lanka army 'defeats rebels'" — BBC News Online, May 16, 2009
"Sri Lankan president announces end of war against rebels" — Xinhua, May 16, 2009

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Sri Lankan president promises to end war in 48 hours

Sat, 16 May 2009 02:52:31 GMT

Friday, May 15, 2009

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

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Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka, pledged to end the decades-old war against the Tamil Tiger insurgents within two days.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka
(Image missing from commons: image; log)

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vowed that within the next 48 hours, thousands of Tamil civilians will be freed from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers," a spokesman for the government said. He added the president had pledged that "all territory would be freed from the Tamil Tigers' control".

The president's comments come as the Sri Lankan army has forced the Tiger rebels, known formally as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), onto a small strip of coastline about 1.5 kilometers (1 mi) in length Thursday night. About 20,000–25,000 troops have been gathered for the final attack, and have encircled approximately 1,200–1,500 of the rebels.

The Tigers have been accused of holding civilians as human shields and shooting at those trying to flee, an accusation that they have denied. There are few impartial accounts of the fighting as the government has prevented journalists and aid workers from entering the area.

The country's government has rebuffed international worries over thousands of civilians that are located in and around the war zone that have been threatened by powerful artillery bombarding the area.

The United Nations says that a further fifty thousand are estimated to still remain in the no-fire zone. In past months, approximately 200,000 civilians have fled from the war zones, and are currently residing in displacement camps.

Sri Lankan armies are largely supported by both India and USA, in a strategic calculus aiming to erase Tamil tiger resistances, who claim communist background. Tamils 1983's resistances had start following segregation against them.

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Sources [edit]

Bharatha Mallawarachi. "Sri Lankan prez: War to be finished in 48 hours" — The Associated Press, May 15, 2009
T V Sriram. "Sri Lanka says LTTE would be stamped out within 48 hours" — Press Trust of India, May 15, 2009
"War will end in 48 hours: Sri Lankan president" — CBC News, May 15, 2009
AFP. "Le Sri Lanka mène une «guerre» contre des civils, accuse Human Rights Watch" — Cyberpresse.ca, 20/02/2009 (French)
Keith Jones. "Sri Lanka : le rôle criminel de Washington dans la guerre anti-tamoule de l’État sri lankais" — hns-info.net, 25/02/2009 (French)

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Almost 6,500 civilians killed in Sri Lanka, UN reports

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:41:13 GMT

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

...More articles here

Location of Sri Lanka

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Close to 6,500 civilians have been killed and many thousands more wounded in the past three months during heavy fighting in Sri Lanka, according to a report by the United Nations.

Earlier this year, the army launched a crackdown on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) to oust them from their territory in the northeastern part of Sri Lanka, which the rebels have occupied for several years. The rebels have now been forced back to a small coastal strip, where about fifty thousand people have been trapped after the area was evacuated of 100,000 people.

Thangamuttu Sathyamurthi, a government health official in the war zone, reported that people were dying of starvation, and that there was a large deficit of medicine and food.

According to the medical relief group Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), many of the people who had fled the conflict zone had gunshot and blast wounds.

The government has accused the Tamil Tiger rebels of using civilians as human shields, a claim that the rebels deny. The rebels have accused the Sri Lankan army of randomly shelling civilian areas.

The U.N. says that the rate of civilian deaths in the country has risen sharply. On average, 33 civilians were killed per day at the end of January. The number has now increased to an average 116 per day.

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Sources [edit]

Eranga Jayawardena. "UN says nearly 6,500 civilians killed in Sri Lanka" — Associated Press, April 24, 2009
"6,500 civilians killed in Sri Lankan fighting" — Belfast Telegraph, April 24, 2009

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Tamil protests underway in Oslo

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:30:57 GMT

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Sri Lanka

Other stories from Sri Lanka

11 August 2011: Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73
2 April 2011: Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England
15 August 2010: Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010
12 June 2010: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India
15 March 2010: Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

...More articles here

Location of Sri Lanka

To write, edit, start or view other articles on Sri Lanka, see the Sri Lanka Portal

Members of the Tamil community in Oslo, Norway are demonstrating in protest of the Sinhalese-dominated government of Sri Lanka. The protests are taking place peacefully on the grounds in front of the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament.

Tamil demonstrators at the Storting on Monday.
Image: Alejandro Decap.

The demonstrators are supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), popularly known as the Tamil Tigers. They criticised the Sri Lankan governments handling of Tamil civilians in the war zone in northern Sri Lanka and are attempting to get the Norwegian government to intervene diplomatically in the conflict to stop the Sri Lankan government from putting civilians at risk.

The peaceful demonstrations come the day after Tamil protesters stormed the Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo. In response, this morning the Sri Lankan government refused to let Norway continue its mediating role in the decades-long Sri Lankan Civil War; the Norwegian government, in response, has said its role in bringing the two sides to the table ended in 2006. The protest leaders have apologized for the invasion of the embassy.

The Norwegian government has given the demonstrators permission to demonstrate until Friday, but they are forbidden from staying all day or from camping on the Storting grounds.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared a two-day cease-fire in government operations against the LTTE, the largest group fighting against the government, on Monday for the Sri Lankan New Year, to allow civilians to leave the combat zone. Tens of thousands of civilians, many displaced by the war, are in the combat zone.

The LTTE has been campaigning violently for an independent homeland for the Tamil people in northern Sri Lanka since 1976. The Sri Lankan government has recently enjoyed a string of military successes against the LTTE, who have been driven out of all major towns they once controlled. The Sri Lankan government has stated it believes that there are now only 500 LTTE fighters remaining, intermingled with civilians in the Jaffna Peninsula.

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Sources [edit]

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

"Sri Lanka halts operations against Tigers" — Haber27, April 14, 2009
"Norway says its role in Sri Lanka Peace process ended in 2006" — ColomboPage, April 14, 2009
"Sri Lanka ends Norway peace role" — Al Jazeera, April 14, 2009
"Tamil protesters storm Sri Lankan Embassy in Oslo" — Associated Press, April 13, 2009

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Wikinews Shorts: March 5, 2009

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:33:17 GMT

A compilation of brief news reports for Thursday, March 5, 2009 .

ICC Champions Trophy for cricket may be relocated [edit]

ICC logo.
Image: ICC.

The eighth ICC Champions Trophy for cricket in 2009 involving the top eight test playing countries could be moved away from Sri Lanka due to weather concerns during the month of October. The tournament is scheduled for October 2009, which is the peak rainy season and one of the wettest months in Sri Lanka. The tournament was supposed to be played in Pakistan in September 2008 but was postponed over security issues.

The main options currently being considered are Perth, Australia, Johannesburg-Pretoria, South Africa and Dubai-Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This was confirmed by ICC's general manager, Dave Richardson. He said that the cricket tournament could be played within a 12 day window in two or more grounds that are located within a short distance to reduce travel time for the teams. He said the decision would be made during the ICC board meeting in Dubai in April.

Sources

"Champions Trophy could be relocated - Richardson" — Cricinfo, March 2, 2009
"Champions Trophy venue in doubt" — BBC Sport, March 2, 2009

US Supreme Court rules against limits on medical tort claims [edit]

Seal of the US Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in the case of Wyeth v. Levine which tested whether plaintiffs can sue pharmaceutical companies for damages caused by FDA approved medication.

The court upheld a judgment against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for US$6.7 million that had been awarded to Diana Levine. Levine, a musician, received the drug Phenergan for migrane headaches. It was improperly administered and punctured an artery. Gangrene set in and her right arm was amputated within several weeks.

The court voted 6-3 in favor of Levine.

Sources

Warren Richey. "High Court sides with musician in ruling against drug company" — The Christian Science Monitor, March 5, 2009
John Curran, Associated Press. "For one-armed woman, court victory is bittersweet" — Google News, March 4, 2009

SPL: Rangers 0 - 1 Inverness CT [edit]

The last-place team in the Scottish Premier League, Inverness CT, went to Ibrox Stadium on Wednesday hoping to avoid another loss at the hands of Rangers FC. Inverness had already been beaten by a total of 0 - 8 in their last two meetings with the Rangers, comprised of a 0 - 3 defeat at home and a 5 - 0 thumping on their last trip to Ibrox. It seemed Rangers would be in control again as they had a bevy of chances early on, including a shot from Saša Papac that was cleared by Grant Munro just before it crossed the goal-line. After thirty minutes, Kenny Miller appeared to score for Rangers, but he was adjudged to be offside and his goal was disallowed. Inverness continued to stymie the Rangers' offence into the second half. Their efforts were finally rewarded when David Weir was sent off in injury time for a hard tackle on David Proctor. Ian Black converted the penalty kick. Inverness escape the drop zone with the win and Rangers give up the lead of the SPL to Celtic FC, who defeated Kilmarnock FC by 2 - 1.

Sources

Andrew Campbell. "Rangers 0 - 1 Inverness CT" — BBC Sport, March 4, 2009
"Inverness shock Gers in injury time" — STV, March 4, 2009
"Match: Rangers vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle" — ESPN Soccernet, March 4, 2009

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Seven killed in gun attack on Sri Lankan cricket team

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:01:45 GMT

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Pakistan

Sources [edit]

Wikipedia has more about this subject:

2009 attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan

"Gunmen attack S Lanka cricketers" — BBC News Online, March 3, 2009
"Lankan players escape with minor injuries in attack" — cricketnext, March 3, 2009
"Sri Lankan cricket side shot at in Pakistan" — TV3 (New Zealand), March 3, 2009
"Lahore: Attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, 5 security men killed" — Geo TV, March 3, 2009
"Cricketers wounded in Lahore attack" — Al Jazeera, March 3, 2009
"Sri Lankan cricketers injured in terror attack" — Cricinfo, March 3, 2009
"Details of Sri Lankan cricketers injured in gun attack" — Reuters, March 3, 2009
Press Release: Haroon Lorgat. "ICC statement following terror attack in Lahore" — International Cricket Council, March 3, 2009

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English Wikinews RSS feed.

Sri Lankan cricketer Norton Fredrick dies aged 73

Sources [edit]

Man charged with two counts of attempted murder in south London, England

Sources [edit]

Wikinews Shorts: August 14, 2010

Contents

Tamil migrant boat bound for Canada sparks debate [edit]

South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene indicted on felony charge [edit]

FDA approves of 'morning after' pill [edit]

7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Nicobar Islands, India

Sources [edit]

Tamil party drops commitment to independence from Sri Lanka

Sources [edit]

Votes in Sri Lankan presidential elections counted

Sources [edit]

Sri Lankan reporter Tissanayagam released on bail

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No tsunamis after two major earthquakes strike islands near India and Japan

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UN hides facts about war in Sri Lanka, says French Le Monde

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Sri Lankan president declares victory over rebels

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Sri Lankan president promises to end war in 48 hours

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Sources [edit]

Almost 6,500 civilians killed in Sri Lanka, UN reports

Sources [edit]

Tamil protests underway in Oslo

Related news [edit]

Sources [edit]

Wikinews Shorts: March 5, 2009

ICC Champions Trophy for cricket may be relocated [edit]

US Supreme Court rules against limits on medical tort claims [edit]

SPL: Rangers 0 - 1 Inverness CT [edit]

Seven killed in gun attack on Sri Lankan cricket team

Sources [edit]