Envoys under fire in Sri Lanka

The Italian, German and United States ambassadors to Sri Lanka were slightly injured last night when Tamil Tiger rebels shelled a delegation of diplomats.

Hospital officials in Batticaloa treated Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani and German envoy Jurgen Weerth, and said they were then evacuated to Colombo. US Ambassador Robert Blake's arm was grazed but he did not require hospital treatment.

The diplomats were on a refugee needs-assessment trip.