Air Force bangs at LTTE's Sea Tiger nerve centre - Mullaithivu

Air Force fighter jets pounded one of the nerve centers of sea tiger Wing at Kaivelikulam North West of Puthukkudiyiruppu this afternoon (Saturday the 26th of January).

According to the Air Force sources, fighter jets have carried out air sorties at 1.05 p.m. targeting a covert meeting of sea tiger leaders and the attack has been carried out on real time ground intelligence, the sources further added.

Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080126_04

Prabhakaran In India To Recuperate From Wounds?

Rumours of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supremo V. Prabhakaran having crossed the Palk Straits to India to recuperate from wounds sent the Tamil Nadu police into a tizzy Friday.

The state police's anti-extremist wing - the 'Q' Branch - refused to comment on the rumours that said Prabhakaran may have been seriously wounded and moved to Tamil Nadu.

There were enough indications here that the law and order machinery was pressed into service to check all hospitals across the state for persons with unexplained wounds.

Meanwhile, fishermen belonging to Rameshwaram, 600 km south of here, are on an indefinite strike to demand removal of floating mines in the expanse of water separating India from Sri Lanka.

Fishermen's associations have threatened to block roads from Feb 1 if their charter of demands, including for immediate release of 12 of their comrades allegedly held by the Sri Lankan navy, is not met

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http://newspostindia.com/report-33407

India not playing any military role in Sri Lanka: envoy

India does not play any military role in the Sri Lankan conflict, the country's envoy to the US has said, while hailing New Delhi's role in the "political context".

"In the current military campaign there has been no role of India. But in a political context it has been a very positive role they have played and we are very appreciative of that. And from understandable reasons India does not get involved in the military campaign," Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke said in response to a question from PTI.

He was speaking here at a discussion on the "Ceasefire Agreement, the Peace Process and the International Community".

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/

Batti polls: Nominations period ends

The submission of nominations for municipal and urban council polls in the Batticaloa district concluded yesterday, the Elections Commissioner’s office said.

The polls, to be held on March 10, will elect representatives for nine local bodies.

Around 61 nominations lists have been submitted by six political parties and independent groups.

Nine nominations lists have been rejected, elections officials said. The United People’s Freedom Alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, National Development Front, National Congress, Eelam Democratic Front and the Tamil Eelamakkal Viduthalai Pulikal are among the parties contesting the poll.

The UNP will not contest. The Government decided to hold elections in the East after liberating the Eastern province from the LTTE.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/01/26/pol03.asp

'Karuna' given 9 month sentence in UK

Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, better known as Colonel Karuna, was sentenced Friday morning (25) at Isleworth Crown Court in West London. Muralitharan, who broke away from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2004, taking with him what has been described as the best fighters in the terrorist outfit, was arrested recently in London on charges of holding false identity documents.

The British Foreign Office said in December that it had told the Sri Lankan government of its "concern" at how Col Karuna had acquired a diplomatic passport under a false name.

Extracted from,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&

Lanka should remove defence system in Palk strait: MDMK

MDMK leader Vaiko on Friday demanded that the Centre ask the Sri Lanka government to remove the underwater defence system set up across the Palk strait on the International Maritime Boundary Line.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a copy of which was made available to the media, Vaiko said the system would damage and destroy the fishing boats of Indian fishermen.

He said the Sri Lankan navy had communicated to the Indian Navy to inform Tamil Nadu fishermen not to venture out for fishing between Kachatheevu and Neduntheeve in the Palk strait, as mines had been placed.

Read more,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Lanka

Lankan trade team to visit Qatar next month

A Sri lankan trade delegation comprising representatives from the construction sector will visit Doha early next month.

Speaking to Gulf Times yesterday, Sri Lankan Ambassador S B Atugoda said at least 25 members, representing various sectors of the Lankan construction industry, will accompany the delegation. The visit is at the initiative of the Chamber of the Construction Industry (CCI), Sri Lanka.

The CCI comprises at least nine organisations representing sectors and professionals such as architects, consultants, quantity surveyors, valuers, town planners, transport, economy, banking and insurance.

In recent times CCI has sent delegations to a number of Middle East countries including Qatar. The visit is the fourth by a Sri Lankan trade delegation in recent months, according to a Lankan embassy official.
The delegation will hold talks with representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) besides officials of companies engaged in the construction industry in Qatar.

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http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no

APRC proposals an important step, says Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has described the “proposals” submitted to him by the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) on measures for the full implementation of the provisions of the Constitution for a political solution to the ethnic question as an “auspicious and important initial step.”

Receiving the proposals from APRC Chairman Thissa Vitharana on Wednesday, Mr. Rajapaksa said the government and the political parties that supported it undertook the responsibility to fully implement the proposals. He said they all had a responsibility to ensure the rights of all people to enjoy freedom without fear irrespective of race, religious, political and other differences.

He called on all parties to shed narrow differences and come together with due consideration for the people, to provide a suitable political solution to the political issue, while looking at a different solution to the problem of terrorism.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/25/stories/2008012555991600.htm

SLC offers to host Asia Cup

Sri Lanka has approached Pakistan with an offer to host the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament as violence continues to wrack the country, the island's cricket chief said today.

The six-nation limited-overs tournament is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in June, but instability following last month's murder of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has put sporting fixtures under threat.

“We have written and asked Pakistan if we can host the Asia Cup,” Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Arjuna Ranatunga said on the sidelines of a news conference to promote tourism.
“It's a sensitive issue, but we will understand if Pakistan refuse us,” said Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 World Cup.

Defending champions Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are due to take part in the tournament, the continent's premier One-Day International event.

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http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=5&theme=&u

8 countries ban poultry imports from India

The bird flu outbreak in West Bengal is now taking a toll on the country's poultry exports. Till January 24, eight countries had officially stopped import of poultry products from India.

While UAE, one of India's largest clients, continued its ban on Indian poultry products, imposed following the outbreak in Manipur in July 2007, the countries to have imposed a fresh ban after the West Bengal outbreak are: Oman, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Bhutan, Kuwait and Bahrain.

It was just after November 8 when India informed the world organisation for animal health, OIE, that the country was free of H5N1 virus after the Manipur outbreak, that most of these countries had lifted their previous ban.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/

LTTE silent after the X-ray Base attack

Army Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara says that the LTTE areas were in deep silence and no incidents were reported after the Air Force attack on the clandestine X-ray Base.

In response to a question posed by Lanka-e-News, the Army Spokesman said that the LTTE radio communication too were silent today.

The shops in Kilinochchi were closed today since two more air attacks were launched to Kilinochchi after the major attack on 11.15 AM.

However, Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya said that information so far had not proved Prabakaran was in the attacked X-ray Base.

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http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=5275

Group of youth hacked to death by LTTE terrorists

Police have found several bodies of youth dumped in a swamp at Hijrapura on the Horoupathana - Kebithigollawa road by suspected LTTE terrorists this evening, January 24.

Police said the victims are believed to be a group of civilians who had gone searching for their cattle.

The victims were apparently hacked to death, the sources added.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080124_06

Ban parties openly supporting LTTE: Congress

Expressing concern over reported rise in LTTE activities in Tamil Nadu,the Congress on Thursday asked the State Government to ban political parties and organisations which were openly supporting the proscribed outfit.

Participating in a discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the assembly, C Gnanasekaran (Cong) cited reports that 102 LTTE cadre had infiltrated into the state during the last two years and cases had been filed against 40 of them under the National Security Act.

Recalling the recent arrest of LTTE intelligence wing leader Thambidurai Parameswaran and others, who allegedly attempted to procure arms and material for the LTTE, he questioned the "inaction" of the state's intelligence.

He said the LTTE should be viewed in two phases -- before and after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The scar over Rajiv Gandhi's assassination still remained among Congressmen, he said and urged the Chief Minister to take steps to extradite LTTE chief V Prabhakaran, the prime accused in the case, against whom a non-bailable warrant was pending.

Stating that the LTTE had also killed several Tamils, Gnanasekaran wondered how some parties and organisations in the state were openly supporting the outfit.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200801241750.htm

Lankan maid commits suicide at Dubai airport

A Sri Lankan woman committed suicide at the Dubai International Airport recently by hanging herself.

Her young children, who are in shock, are now waiting anxiously for the remains of their mother to reach them.

Kala Sangarapillai, 30, who was working as a housemaid in Kuwait and was on her way to Sri Lanka via Dubai to see her family when she allegedly hanged herself in the ladies restroom at the Dubai airport three weeks back.

An official from the General Department of Forensic Science of Dubai Police said, “The Sri Lankan woman hanged herself from the ceiling of the airport’s ladies restroom and was found by the cleaners. The body of the victim is still in the police mortuary.”

He added that the body would be handed over to the authorities concerned after getting approval from the Dubai Public Prosecution on completion of all legal and administrative procedures.

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http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/