Twenty-one rebels killed in confrontations in northern Sri Lanka

At least 21 rebels were killed in sporadic confrontations in northern Sri Lanka as government troops continued military operations to recapture rebel held areas, a military spokesman said Friday. Fighting was reported from the Welioya area, 280 kilometres north- east of the capital, in Vavuniya, 240 kilometres north of the capital, and in Mannar, 320 kilometres north of the capital, on Thursday and Friday.

Government troops used rocket-propelled grenades and small arms to attack rebel targets in the areas as rebels also carried out attacks on the forces.

The military spokesman said that no deaths were reported among soldiers, but at least 10 of them suffered injuries.

The incidents came as the government moved the majority of the police commandos deployed in the east to the front lines in the northern province in an apparent move to step up operations against the rebels.

The police commandos, known as the Special Task Force (STF), will be mainly deployed to protect villages vulnerable to rebel attacks.

Military commanders have declared that they want to recapture rebel-held areas in the north before the end of the year.

Earlier, troops recaptured rebel-held areas in the north and local elections were held. Nominations have been called for provincial elections in the east for May.

Source: earthtimes.org

STF withdrawn from 10 camps in East

Sweeping changes in Police Dept., new chiefs appointed to CID, STF

By Sunil Jayasiri

With heightened military activities in the North, the Defence Ministry has decided to withdraw the Special Task Force from more than ten camps in the East and Mannar, in order to deploy them in LTTE threatened areas in Welioya, police sources said.

A top Police official said that the Army would take over those camps in the East and Vavuniya areas. “The Ministry has decided to withdraw the STF from some camps in the Ampara and Akkaraipattu areas and deploy them in LTTE threatened villages in Welioya, including Kebithigollewa, shortly,” the police official said.

He also said that the Army would take over security in the Ampara and Akkaraippatu areas, where the STF was present. “The process will start next week,” he added.

Meanwhile, confirming the report, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the Ministry had taken a decision to withdraw STF personnel from camps certain areas in the East as well as the Vavuniya area.

“The decision has been taken in order to facilitate future military operations,” Brigadier Nanayakkara said. He added that the STF personnel would be deployed in some areas in the Welioya sector.

“Only the STF camps in some areas will be withdrawn, others in the Eastern region will remain,” he added.

At present there are several STF camps in the Mannar and Vavuniya areas in addition to those in the East. Following the recapture of the entire Batticaloa District by the military, STF personnel had taken over the control of the district in order release the Army for the operations in the North.

The STF are responsible for the recapture of the Kanchikudichchiaru area from the LTTE after launching several military operations.

Meanwhile, days after appointing ten new Deputy Inspectors General, sweeping changes have been made in the Police service, including yesterday’s removal of the STF Commandant and the CID Chief.

According to the new orders, approved by the National Police Commission, CID Chief D.W. Prathapasinghe has been transferred to Sabaragamuwa and DIG Sisira Mendis appointed as the new CID Chief. DIG Mendis will be also in charge of the Terrorist Investigation Department and the Disappearance Investigation Unit.

Deputy Inspector General Nimal Lewke, who was the STF Commandant, has been replaced by Senior DIG K.L.M. Sarathchandra. DIG Lewke will continue as DIG Operations of the Western Province.

The other new appointments are as follows: DIGs A Gunatilake as DIG Moneragala Operations Range, P. Nanayakkara as DIG North-Western Range, Puttalam, R.P.S.K. Rajapaksa as DIG Ampara, H.M.D. Herath as DIG Eastern Range Central, Batticaloa, A Jayasinghe as DIG Training and Exams, S. Michel as DIG Recruitments, W.P. Dayaratne as DIG Ombudsman, J. Abeysiri Gunawardane as Central Range, East Nuwara Eliya, U. Hewagae as DIG Crimes, Police Headquarters.

Early last week, ten SSPs were promoted as DIGs.

Source: dailymirror.lk

Lanka agrees to play ODI series

Sri Lanka has agreed to play an unscheduled five-match one-day series in Pakistan from April 23 to May 5, official sources confirmed here on Thursday.

Pakistan invited Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to play bilateral one-day rubbers after security apprehensions prompted Australia to postpone its tour of the country for a full series which was due to start from March 29.

“Talks between the Chairmen of the Pakistan and Sri Lankan boards, Nasim Ashraf and Arjuna Ranatunga, were successful and the Lankans will tour from April 23 to May 5,” a Pakistan Cricket Board source said.

Bangladesh had earlier given its nod for a one-day series from April 6 to 22.

The PCB source said venues for the series against Sri Lanka had been decided and would be announced later

Source: hindu.com

Roshan Mahanama named Match Referee for India-SA series

Sri Lankan Roshan Mahanama will be the Match Referee for India's three-match Test series against South Africa starting in Chennai next week.

Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf and New Zealander Tony Hill will officiate in the Chennai Test (Mar 26-30) while Hill will be joined by Jamaican Billy Doctrove for the second Test in Ahmedabad from April 3.

Rauf will team up with Doctrove for the third Test in Kanpur (Apr 11-15), according to an International Cricket Council (ICC) release here on Thursday.

ICC also named Chris Broad as the Match Referee for Sri Lanka's tour of the West Indies comprising two Test matches and three one-dayers.

Simon Taufel and Billy Bowden will officiate in the Test series. Taufel will stand in the entire ODI series as well along with local appointments.

Source: hindu.com

25 rebels killed in Lankan clashes

In an ongoing fierce clash between the LTTE and government forces, at least twenty five militants have been killed in the restive northern Sri Lanka.

Six militants were killed in clashes in Muhamalai and Nagarkovil in Jaffna peninsula on Wednesday, the army said in Colombo on Thursday.

In north-western Mannar, at least two rebels were gunned down in Adampan and Munakkathirichchi on Wednesday, the Media Centre for National Security said.

Meanwhile, reports received from north-eastern Welioya front said seven Tiger militants were killed during intermittent clashes with troops in Kokkuthuduvai and Andankulama.

On the Vavuniya battlefront, the army said it engaged artillery and mortar fire at “terror” locations in the general area of Arachchivankulama, killing six LTTE cadres.

As many as three militants were killed in Kallikulam in Mannar on Wednesday, the army said.

One militant was gunned down in Kirichudankulam in the rebel stronghold of Wanni, it added.

Source: freshnews.in

JVP demands disarming of TMVP

The JVP today called for the disarming of the TMVP and warned that the group would use the weapons to win the Provincial Council election in the Eastern Province.

-dailymirror

Heavy rains and floods continue

At least eight persons were reportedly killed and over 170, 000 affected countrywide from heavy floods caused from torrential rains of the North-Eastern monsoon season.

-daily mirror

Ranatunga wants Hair to umpire all matches

Controversial Australian Darrell Hair should be allowed to umpire all international matches, Sri Lankan Cricket Board chairman Arjuna Ranatunga said on Thursday.

Hair, who has fallen out with Sri Lanka and Pakistan during his career, was reinstated as a test and one-day umpire by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

The 55-year-old had been dropped from the ICC's elite umpires' panel for his role in the Oval test between England and Pakistan in August 2006.

"At the ICC meeting (in Dubai this week) we mentioned our concerns about the Darrell Hair issue," former Sri Lanka captain Ranatunga told Geo television in Lahore.

"But the important factor is if he is eligible to umpire I think he should do all matches featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, otherwise he won't be tested."

Hair called Sri Lanka's record breaking off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for "throwing" in 1995.

Pakistan became the first team to forfeit a test when they refused to return to the field after tea on the fourth day of the fourth test at the Oval because they had been penalised five runs for alleged ball tampering.

"I just hope the ICC realises the potentially explosive situation it could create by posting Hair for any matches involving Pakistan," Shaharyar Khan, head of the Pakistan Cricket Board at the time of the Oval test, told Reuters.

Source: Reuters

DishTV now in cars

Direct-to-home (DTH) major Dish TV has rolled out its on-the-move services in Kolkata, after Delhi and Mumbai.

The aim is to tap the niche, upwardly mobile consumers who could watch television while moving in a car, bus, aeroplane or train.

According to Ramesh Balinga, regional sales manager of Dish TV, “This service will be available for Rs 1,60,000, with a monthly subscription of Rs 300.”

For usage in cars, a set-top-box will be installed along with an antenna on the car. The six-inch thick antenna, instead of sticking out, will be a flat lying plate on the car. It will constantly move to align itself with the satellite.

Currently, Dish TV has a subscriber base of 1.7 lakh in West Bengal and 28 lakhs in the country.

Source: business-standard.com

Neo Sports spices up cricket

Neo Sports is poised to narrow the bridge between cricket and entertainment by announcing a bouquet of cricket based shows. These shows will commence with the upcoming India versus South Africa three-Test series, starting in Chennai on March 26.

The shows would be launched over the next one month with the first show going on air on Monday, March 24.Neo Sports will air shows that will engage the viewer on a larger level with the sport.

Dial C for Cricket a unique viewer centric interactive show, where viewers can call in to discuss the various issues of the game, player performances, match conditions etc. This show has been inspired by the blogging culture which exists and will be positioned as Your cricket blog on TV. Viewers can call to take part in various topics of discussion on cricket or ask questions about their favourite cricketer or the sport and get their queries answered by the panel of experts on board.

Baat and Bowl which would be hosted by Vineet Malhotra would take viewers up-close and personal with their cricket idols. The show would have informal interviews with the stalwarts of the game, off the field and in the studio. Sports Zone gives viewers their daily dose of sports updates. Everything that's happening around the globe in sport can be caught on this show.

Besides these shows Neo Sports has also woven the lighter side of the sport into the shows. Popular Neo Sports anchor Archana Vijaya would bring to the fore the fun aspect of the game and also give viewers a sneak peek into behind the scenes happenings of the teams. Tour Diary will see Archana following the teams at different venues across the country and cover the excitement at the stadiums, her interactions with cricketers, fans etc.

Cricket Tadka Marke as the name suggest would dish out the sport with a dash of spice. This show focuses on crazy fans, gossip about cricketers, fun trivia and other happenings in the world of cricket. The Cricket-Bollywood connection would be exposed here.

Then there are shows for the true cricket fanatic bringing those glorious old days of the past right into his living room. Encounter as the same suggests is about the greatest encounters in the history of cricket. These are classic matches, threaded with a theme, filled with insights, dramatizations, and anecdotes and behind the scenes drama. Each match is treated like a real story -- with a beginning middle and an end punctuated with its dramatic twists and turns along the way that ends in an exciting finish.

Ballebaaz showcases the best performances of Indian batsmen peppered with a unique filmy twist. The spotlight is on a great performance by a different batsman each week. Catch Dhoni's [Images] Dhamakas, Ganguly's Dadagiri, the Sabse Bada Khiladi- Sachin, Yuvi- The prince and Dravid-The Wall only on Ballebaaz.

Extra Cover will give an insight on the finer nuances of the game as well cover the fun aspect of it. It would encapsulate all aspects of the sport, from comprehensive cricket analysis and news, to lighter behind the scenes stories. The studio segment of Extra Cover will give viewers the latest updates, previews, reviews, statistics and expert opinions. Indian Test cricket legend Mohinder Amarnath and former South African Test cricketer Peter Kirsten would also be part of the show as guest panelist for the upcoming series against South Africa.

The news shows launched are:

1. Dial C for Cricket
2. Sports Zone
3. Tour Diary
4. Tadka Marke
5. Baat and Bowl
6. Encounter
7. Ballebaaz
8. Jaya He
9. The Great Indian Run Chase

Source: rediff.com