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By Wajid Ali Syed – Washington Correspondent for Asian Tribune

US lawmakers are weighing the possibility of providing emergency aid to Pakistan with the Omaba administration as concerns about the country's stability increase, said Democratic majority leader in the US House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer. He did not give further details on how much assistance was being considered, but he said "we are very concerned about what is happening in Pakistan."

Carl BildtSri Lanka says no visa application received for visa to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to visit Sri Lanka. It also pointed out that Sri Lanka did not even receive any official notification about the proposed visit of the Swedish Minister. In a statement, Sri Lanka has clarified that no formal application for visa to Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to visit Sri Lanka was received by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Stockholm. The statement by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said that the allegation of visa being denied is baseless and it also pointed out that an invitation had been extended by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, to his Swedish counterpart to visit Sri Lanka in early May.

By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune

Mahinda RajapaksaSri Lanka leadership is understood to have assured India of its serious intention to provide political package to the Tamils and thus bring them into the mainstream of the island nation. Informed sources said the assurances came at the highest level. While the broad contours of the Colombo plan for ethnic Tamils remains still wrapped in mystery, with all the focus geared towards relief and rehabilitation of thousands of displaced families, indications are that there would be something more than the 13th amendment on the table

The UNHCR, the UN refugees’ agency has airlifted 3000 family size tents yesterday from its stockpiles in Dubai and also 103 metric tons of aid. UNHCR says so far it has airlifted 5000 family tents and a large consignment of relief items. A statement released by the UNHCR was highly critical and said, "As tens of thousands of civilians continue to make their way out of the conflict zone, UNHCR is responding to the deepening emergency unfolding in Sri Lanka’s north. So far, we have confirmed that some 160,000 people have been displaced by fighting into the government controlled areas, of which, more than 140,000 are being accommodated in 32 sites in Vavuniya, another 11,000 in Jaffna and some 5,000 in Trincomalee." The statement further reveals that according to the reports of the UNHCR staffs on the ground, "the present situation in the north is critical. The conditions at the sites have reached breaking point, placing severe strains on the humanitarian services available. People without shelter are staying out in the open in the blazing sun and sweltering heat."

"As you all know we are poised on the threshold of defeating terrorism and embarking on an era of lasting peace and security for all our people…The dire warnings by some of our friends in the international community of a blood bath, if the security forces entered the NFZ, did not come to pass." So said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama making a presentation on the progress of operations to rescue civilian hostages and the related humanitarian situation to visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Colombo this morning.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa , with reports indicating the possible threat of Swine Flu in the Asian region, has ordered the Health Ministry Officials to take swift measure to prevent the virus entering the country. He also instructed to take adequate measures to quarantine all the foreign objects that are imported to Sri Lanka, including plants and crops arriving from suspected locations of having been effected. Furthermore, President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting with the Secretaries of the Ministries this afternoon (28), instructed that measures be taken to ensure that disabled person have access the premises of all Government Institutions.