More than a hundred thousand Sri Lankan civilians have escaped from a combat zone in the Vanni region in the northeast of the country, but tens of thousands more are believed to still be trapped there. Those who have left the zone are being held by the government in camps for internally displaced persons. There has been growing international concern about the fate of these civilians caught in the war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, and government forces. Representatives of four non-governmental organizations called on the United Nations to speak out on the situation in Sri Lanka and urged the Security Council to take up the matter.
Asian countries to expand their use of nuclear energy
A global ministerial conference in Beijing, China between April 20th and 22nd reviewed the status and prospects of nuclear power and discussed the necessary actions to carry forward the positive momentum that nuclear power has witnessed in recent years. Most of the expected expansion of nuclear power is concentrated in Asia, where 28 of the 44 reactors under construction are located. In this interview by Louise Potterton, Ian Facer, head of nuclear infrastructure at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, talks about Asia's nuclear energy plans.
Producer: Bissera Kostova
(duration: 14:00)