India slashes customs duties on 4800 items from SAARC

India has scrapped import duty on more than 4,800 items from four neighbouring countries and reduced customs tariff on these products from Pakistan and Sri Lanka as part of efforts to boost trade in South Asia.

"The import duty has been reduced from 16-40 per cent to zero level on items like meat, fish, milk, dairy products, and dry fruits from the neighbouring least developing countries (LDCs) - Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives," a Finance Ministry official said.

However, the duty rates on these items have been reduced to 12-20 per cent on goods imported from Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The new rates come into effect from January 1.

All pharmaceutical products and drugs can now be imported at 10 per cent duty from LDCs, as against 12.5 per cent duty earlier. However, tariff on drugs has not been cut in case of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a Finance Ministry notification said.

Read more,
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14584102

Sanath Jayasuriya goes to Texas

Just what is Sanath Jayasuriya doing in Plano, Texas?

The 38-year-old cricketer from Sri Lanka is visiting USA to help a Texas based non-profit organization raise money for a new community center in Garland.

Helping Hands Inc., founded in 2003 by Kaushalya Siriwardana, is involved with constructing community centers around the world for homeless, orphaned and neglected children. The group has started centers for homeless children in Kurunegala (Sri Lanka), Madoor and Wardha (India).

Helping Hands is now trying to develop a multicultural center that will provide a wide range of programs for children in Garland and other North Texas communities. The programs include after-school recreation; tutoring for the SAT and the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills; a food pantry; and classes for exercise, first aid and foreign languages.

Read more,
http://www.dreamcricket.com/dreamcricket/news.hspl?nid=8245&ntid=4

CFA abolished!

It has been reported that the cabinet that met today has decided to abrogate ceasefire agreement.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake has proposed that the CFA should be abolished to

the cabinet meeting that met today presided by President Mahinda Rajapakse and it has been approved by the cabinet.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/index.htm

Terror bomb blast in Colombo kills four including two schoolchildren

Four people including two schoolchildren and a mother were killed when LTTE terrorists carried out a cowardly bomb blast targeting civilians and an army bus in Colombo this morning (January 2). One soldier who was traveling in the bus was also killed in the explosion. The terrorists triggered off the claymore bomb right opposite the Infant Jesus Roman Catholic church at Slave Island around 9.30.a.m.

According to the defence sources, the bomb was apparently placed under an external unit of an air conditioning unit of Hotel Nippon. The explosion was triggered off as the army bus and another public bus were passing the location. The bus was carrying unarmed soldiers who are undergoing specialized treatments for various illnesses.

According to the sources in the National Hospital Colombo, 24 people including 14 civilians and 10 soldiers suffered injuries in the incident. Four of the injured are in serious conditions, the sources added.

Meanwhile, two victims who died in the brutal bomb blast have been identified as schoolchildren. Pathum Dissanayake , a 19 year old student of Ananda College , Colombo and Malitha Lasindu Bandara , a 16 year old student of Asoka Vidyalaya , Colombo were killed in the incident.

Read more,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080102_08

LTTE facing manpower and ammunition shortage: Official

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is wilting under pressure due to a sharp decline in recruiting cadres and acute shortage of arms and ammunition, a top government official has said.

"Faced with a severe shortage of ammunition and dwindling numbers due to growing losses and sharp drop in recruitment, the LTTE is struggling to hold their positions," Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

He said bulk of LTTE cadres were deployed across the Jaffna frontline, where skirmishes take place almost every day.

"On the Vavuniya front basically the fighting is taking place in the jungle, while Mannar is a open territory.

Read more,
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/LTTE-facing-manpower-and-ammunition-shortage

LTTE attempting to set up base in TN: Jayalalithaa

AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Sunday said the security situation in Tamil Nadu was turning out to be 'alarming' as "the LTTE is now attempting to establish a base" for its operations in the state due to it's military setback in Sri Lanka.

There was an 'alarming situation' in the state, where all political parties except the AIADMK were "prepared to roll out a red carpet" for the banned organisation, she told reporters here at the party headquarters.

"Given the Centre's support for the state government here, only God can save Tamil Nadu," she said.

The banned outfit was looking for a base in the state as it was becoming weak in Sri Lanka following attacks by the military and also since the Tamil Nadu Government was "weak and there is no maintenance of law and order," she said.

"Only I, a popular strong political leader, fully oppose the LTTE, while every party of any consequence is ready to welcome it to Tamil Nadu," she claimed

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200712310342.htm

SLC chief Ranatunga plans more India-Lanka Tests

Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) newly-appointed chairman Arjuna Ranatunga on Wednesday said he is keen on increasing the frequency of Tests against India and will take up the matter with BCCI.

"I have just taken over. I am going to hold a meeting with the CEO OF SLC Duleep Mendis and other officials and work out the possibility of having regular exchange programmes regarding cricket matches with India," Ranatunga told.

He said it will be on the lines of regular cricket fixtures that India has with Australia and Pakistan.

The 44-year-old Ranatunga said he was keen that the two Asian nations play regular Test matches.

He said after discussing the matter with the cricket board officials of the Island country on the programme he will hold talks with the BCCI officials and put forth the views of the SLC.

Read more,
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1142776

Airtel set to start Sri Lanka operations

Come 2008 and the burgeoning Sri Lankan mobile phone sector will be seeing a prominent fifth player — the Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel.

With an investment of $200 million, Bharti Airtel Lanka (Pvt) Limited would begin its service in the island ‘early next year‘, its CEO Amali Nanayakkara said.

"We are in the process of setting up the network, and getting the necessary approvals from the regulatory authorities. The process, which began in the middle of the current year, should be competed by early 2008," Nanayakkara said.

Asked if Bharti Airtel Lanka had run into any problems, as the services were yet to start though the investment was announced with much fanfare in mid 2007, she said there were no problems.

Read more,
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/business/2007/

Emirates to start deal renewal talks with SriLankan

Two top executives of Emirates are due in Colombo on Wednesday to negotiate with government officials the renewal of the Dubai-based airline's management contract for SriLankan - the country's flag carrier, a Colombo newspaper reported.

The talks have dragged on for about 18 months but became complicated some days ago when Colombo revoked the work permit of SriLankan airline's British chief executive officer Peter Hill, an Emirates man, in a row over seats for President Mahinda Rajapakse and his entourage on a London-Colombo flight.

Read more,
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/12/31/10178532.html

UNP parliamentarian T. Maheswaran shot dead- Colombo

UNP parliamentarian T. Maheswaran was shot this morning (January 01) by unknown gunmen, news sources report. According to Colombo national hospital sources, Mr. Maheswaran has received serious gunshot injuries.

Speaking exclusively to defence.lk, Director of Nation Hospital - Colombo, Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said, the medical staff is at full thrust attending to save the parliamentarian. Two other people also injured during the incident were admitted along with the Mr. Maheswaran, hospital sources reveal.

Latest information revealed that Mr. Maheswaran has succumbed to wounds while undergoing intensive medial treatment few minutes ago, at around 10.35a.m.

According to available information, unknown gunmen have shot Mr. Maheswaran inside the Kotehena Sivam Kovil.

Mr. Maheswaran is a former Minister and a UNP parliamentarian.

Extracted from,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080101_02
Photo,
http://www.lankaenews.com/Sinhala/files/2080Maheshwaran_J.jpg

Sri Lanka rebel chief could be dead in 6 months - army

Sri Lanka's army chief said the leader of the country's Tamil Tiger rebels could be dead within six months and the military's aim is to kill 10 rebels a day, a newspaper report said on Sunday.

Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka was quoted by the state-run weekend paper Sunday Observer as saying the security forces have occupied Tamil Tiger forward defence lines and surrounded the northern rebel held Wanni rebel base.

"The LTTE could not prevent losing their remaining 3,000 cadres and there is no assurance that the LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran would survive for the next six months as the Sri Lanka Air Force plans to attack all the LTTE bases," Fonseka said.

The full name for the rebels is Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"Our daily target is to kill at least 10 LTTE terrorists and for the last few months over 500 LTTE ... have been killed by the armed forces," Fonseka said.

Read more,
http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-31173820071230

India a major factor in Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa

India is 'a major factor' in any resolution of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict and Sri Lankans must realise this, says Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Asked about India's role in finding a solution to the dragging conflict, Rajapaksa told the state-run Sunday Observer: 'India is a major factor and we have recognised it from the very beginning.

'Lots of people talk about the international community but we believe that India is the major factor in our problem.

'We have to realise the importance of India because it is becoming a superpower,' he added.

Read more,
http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20071230/88808.htm

33 terrorists killed, 38 wounded: SLA overruns LTTE stronghold- Mannar

Latest reports state, at least 33 terrorists were killed and 38 wounded yesterday (December 29) when security forces made decisive in-routes towards non-liberated Parappakandal area.

"Troops advanced into Parappakandal West in the non-liberated areas of Mannar, 800 metres forward and took control over a total area of one square kilometre at the moment," Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara was cited speaking to media.

According to military, six soldiers who sustained injuries during the confrontations were admitted to general hospital at Mannar, for further medical attention.

Meanwhile, reports on pro-LTTE news portals monotonously lamented that only three LTTE terrorists were killed in their consecutive defeat within a week at Wanni defences. Earlier, security forces overran Uyilankulama and Thampanai LTTE defences on 22nd December, added defence sources.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20071230_02

Berghof chief asked to leave

Hot on the heels of SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill being sent packing, the head of the controversial Swiss and German funded NGO, the Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies, had been asked to leave Sri Lanka by tomorrow, an immigration official said. He said Berghof director Norbert Ropers had been given about 20 days notice that his visa would not be renewed on security grounds.

Recently, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna had made some critical statements against Berghof Foundation, the German based NGO, that came into the country to promote "good governance". The Sunday Times contacted the Defence Ministry several times to ask why Dr. Ropers was being asked to leave the country, but no clear answer was given.

Lakshman Hulugalla, chief of the Media Centre for National Security was contacted by us on Friday and he promised to explain the position yesterday but did not do so. Like the Foundation he headed, Dr. Ropers also had courted controversy. In May this year he was pulled up by the Parliamentary Select Committee probing activities of NGOs for failing to appear before the Committee despite having received three letters to do so.

Read more,
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071230/News/news0001.html