over 40 LTTE cadres killed during last 72 hours

The LTTE terrorists continue to suffer heavy loses as the security forces at Northern, Eastern and Wanni fronts are further consolidating their defences using novel anti-terror tactics.

According to the latest information received by the radio monitoring elements of the security forces at least 40 LTTE cadres, including 7 very senior cadres were killed during last 72 hours.

According to the latest information the self styled "Colonel" Nagulan, the person in charge of LTTE's Charles Anthony band; "Major" Maniwannan Master, the LTTE's intelligence coordinator for Batticaloa and; LTTE female cadre Mala, a senior member of LTTE's Sothiya band were also among the dead LTTE cadres.

Two photographs taken of themselves with terror chief V. Prbakaran were also found with two dead LTTE cadres. The bodies were later handed over to the ICRC.

Meanwhile, naval officials rejected the LTTE's claim that 35 naval personnel were killed during the battle as weird exaggeration.

According to the naval sources only four naval personnel were killed and four others were injured.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070525_03

‘Lanka’ Sunday edition temporarily suspends publication

The ‘Lanka’ newspaper Sunday edition has been temporarily suspended publication due to a financial crisis beyond its control, co-editors of the paper Tissa Nihal Wickramasinghe and Dharma Sri Kariyawasam announced in a joint statement issued yesterday.

The statement added that the financial crisis which occurred due to lack of large-scale capital investment adequate advertising and a printing press of its own aggravated due to the inflationary situation which occured in the country during the past few months.

However, since necessary steps were being taken to overcome this situation, the management has decided to resume publication of the paper soon.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/05/25/news31.asp

LTTE had come so close to the Indian border to attack the Sri Lankan Navy

The Indian Navy has strengthened patrolling along the International Maritime Border Line in order to prevent any "spill-over impact" in the aftermath of LTTE's attack on a Sri Lankan naval base at Delft Island.

"The Navy has already moved its war ships towards the northern direction of the IMBL off Rameswaram coast," a top official of the IB told PTI.

The Delft Island is the nearest inhabited island from Rameswaram coast and just a quarter nautical mile from the border.

"A ship is moving from south towards north and we are closely watching the developments. Patrolling has been strengthened to prevent any spill-over impact (of yesterday's incident)," he said.

It was for the first time that LTTE had come so close to the Indian border to attack the Sri Lankan Navy, he said.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200705251858.htm

parliament in uproar over security situation

Sri Lanka's parliament was in uproar on Thursday as the main opposition demanded a debate on the island's security situation.

Parliamentary officials said the session was adjourned twice in the pre lunch period as the main opposition United National Party (UNP) asked that parliament have a debate on what they termed the country's grave security situation.

Ramalingam Chandrasekeran, the deputy chairman of committees (the third highest position in parliament) who was presiding parliament adjourned the sessions when the UNP and the government MPs started shouting.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe argued that holding a debate on the situation was an urgent matter.

But the Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle argued that such a debate cannot be granted as the house was discussing another adjournment issue.

Read more,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-05/24/content_6147263.htm

Trade between Pakistan, Sri Lanka to touch 1 bn dollar in next 5 years: High Commissioner for Pakistan

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is rapidly growing and will reach one billion dollar mark in the next five years, High commissioner for Pakistan to Sri Lanka Shahzad A. Chaudhry said.

Speaking at a programme organized by the National Chamber of Exporters in Colombo the other day, he said there is a sharp increase in bilateral trade after signing of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries in 2005.

According to a message received here, he said trade, which was around 35 million dollars before signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), now crossed 200 million dollar mark.

Read more,
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9577&Itemid=2

FM on a visit to Iran tomorrow

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama and Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development A.H.M. Fowzie, will undertake a two-day official visit to Iran from tomorrow (25th).

During this visit the two Ministers will call on Iranian President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and will also meet his Iranian counterpart Mr. Manouchehr Mottaki.

Minister Bogollagama will be inaugurating the Sri Lanka Iran - Business Council on Sunday 27th May 2007 at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Tehran. The objective of the Sri Lanka - Iran Business Council is to attract prospective investors to promote tea and other products as well as tourism in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, as a country in the Indian Ocean and Iran, in the Persian Gulf region are conducive for improvement of bilateral relations and co-operation in the economic field and other areas of bilateral interest.

Read more,
http://www.lankamission.org/other%20pages/News/2007/May/2007-05-24
FM%20on%20a%20visit%20to%20Iran%20tomorrow.htm