President meets Pope

President meets Pope


President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI when he visited the Vatican this morning (December 1) and appraised the Pope about current developments in Sri Lanka, especially the clearing of the Madhu Shrine from terrorists, restoring it and making it possible for the faithful to worship there.

Pope Benedict expressed a keen interest in the developments in Sri Lanka and the measures taken by the Government to provide humanitarian assistance to those who have been temporarily displaced and restore democratic freedoms. The Pope also expressed concern about the spread of terrorism in the region and the need for a more concerted effort internationally to eliminate terrorism, wherever it may occur.


Later, President Rajapaksa met with the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and briefed him about the successes in the military operations in the North and told him how the LTTE is holding civilians as buffers in areas they control. The President also assured him that all possible measures are being taken to ensure the safety of civilians.

China assures full support to Pakistan

China assures full support to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): China has assured full moral, financial and material support to Pakistan in the wake of situation arose after terrorist attacks in Mumbai (India). China in a message to Pakistan’s top slot said that the country would assist Pakistan in any situation to overcome the problems and challenges being faced by it.
The Chinese leadership is in constant contact with Pakistan to know the nature of assistance the latter requires and ensure its immediate availability.
However, according to officials sources, Pakistan is self-sufficient in defence and it is impossible for any state of the world to harm the country.
They said Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force are well equipped to protect the homeland.

Pakistan president Zardari assures India of full cooperation in investigating Mumbai terror attacks

President Zardari assures India of full cooperation in investigating Mumbai terror attacks

President Asif Ali Zardari has assured India of Pakistan’s full cooperation in investigating the Mumbai Terror attacks. But let the evidence come to light and investigation take its course, he said. Speaking at Karan Thapar’s ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme, Zardari said there was miscommunication with India over sending ISI Director General to India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during a telephonic talk with him yesterday, had requested for sending “Director”.
“There was a miscommunication... We had announced that a Director will come from my side.. That is what was requested by the Prime Minister and that is what we agreed,” he said.
“It is too early for the Director Generals to meet at the moment. Let the evidence come to light, let the investigations take its course. Then perhaps there is a position where the Directors General could meet,” Zardari said.

Source: High Commission office in Colombo

Good relations with India in Pakistan’s interest: Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi

Good relations with India in Pakistan’s interest: Foreign Minister Qureshi

Indian government has yet not provided any evidence to Pakistan regarding the Mumbai incident
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday that good relations with India is in the interest of Pakistan. In an interview with CNN, he said “The government feels good neighborly relations with India are in the interest of Pakistan”.
“Pakistan has said the premier intelligence agency will cooperate with India in probing the Mumbai incident as our hands are clean we have nothing to hide and nothing to be a shamed of”, the Minister said
Shah Mahmmood Qureshi said Pakistan itself is the victim of terrorism and both the countries can jointly defeat menace of terrorism.
To a question the Minister said Indian government has yet not provided any evidence to Pakistan regarding the Mumbai incident.
Qureshi said Pakistan would take action against a groups or individuals if Indian government provided proof or evidence against them.

Sri lanka journalists team leaving for Pakistan on a special media tour

A team of Sri Lanka journalists leaving for Pakistan on a special media tour

A team of Sri Lanka journalists comprising seven journalists left for Pakistan yesterday (30thNov.) evening.
This tour has been organized by Pakistan High commission office in Colombo in Sri Lanka.

This media group will visit cultural, historical and tourist places ,media instutets in Pakistan. And they will meet and discuses VIP’s of chamber of Commerce, political field and government officers in Pakistan.
Our special correspondent Mr. Chandana Wijekoon (picture) is accompanying in this tour. The reports submitted by him will be made available for our www.newsonline24.blogspot.com readers.

Today is World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day

Today(1st December) is the World AIDS Day, a day especially set aside for awareness creation on what is arguably the world's deadliest disease.
This is also an occasion to remember the victims of AIDS and to educate the general public on the causes of the disease as well as methods of prevention.

The World AIDS Day also focuses on generating a more understanding and sympathetic society regarding victims. It is estimated that over 33 million people live with HIV/AIDS the world over, with 90% of reported cases being in developing countries. Over 2.1 million children under the age of 15 are said to be living with HIV/AIDS. It is also estimated that at least 4000 Sri Lankans live with AIDS

President mahinda rajapaksa arrived in ROME

Sri Lanka President arrived ROME

President Mahinda Rajapaksha arrived for oneday visit to Rome in Italy on 30th. SriLankan Ambassador Mr.Hemantha Warnakulasooriya welcome President and Madam Shiranthi Rajapakshe at Fumicino Intenational Airport. Foreign Minister Mr.Rohitha Bogollagama, Mrs.Warnakulasooriya also in the pictures

Presidnet meet XVI Pope Benedict

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to meet XVI Pope Benedict at the Vatican today (01) at 9.00 pm Sri Lankan time during the brief visit to Italy.

H.E. The President will leave on a four day official visit to Turkey afterwards.(PIX: Sudth Silva)

USA extended the ban on LTTE

USA extended the ban on LTTE

US extended the ban on LTTE for five more years since it considers it as a terror organization.US first banned LTTE in 1997 and it was extended in 2003 for fivemore years until 2008. US State Department has informed the Colombo US ambassador that the ban will be effect until 2013.India also banned LTTE for two years recently.

TMVP boycotts All Party Conference

TMVP boycotts All Party Conference

Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TMVP) has decided to boycott future meetings of All Party Conference in protest of the rapid increase of killings in the Eastern province charging that the government is responsible for the situation.

TMVP Secretary E. Kaileswararajah has informed this decision i writing to the Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee Thissa Vitharana.

Previously Karuna Amman participated in the deliberations of the All Party Representative Committee but the TMVP says that his future participations will not be party representation.

Maharashtra Chief minister also resign

Maharashtra Chief Minister also resign

Vilasrao Deshmukh said he was awaiting a Congress party decision. His deputy, RR Patil, has already resigned.

Correspondents say there are calls for more resignations amid questions over whether all the gunmen have been found.

Attackers with guns and bombs targeted multiple locations from Wednesday, killing at least 172 people.

On Monday, Mumbai began to return to normal with markets and schools open and heavy traffic on the streets.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief minister resign

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister resign

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday to own up moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror siege that killed at least 183 people.

"Patil tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the morning owning up moral responsibility for the Mumbai attack," Patil's aide said.

"He has gone by his conscience and decided to step down," the aide said.

Patil, who was also the state Home Minister, had drawn flak for his remark that "small incidents like this do happen in big cities," a reference to the Mumbai terror attack that began on Wednesday and went on till Saturday.

Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil resigns

Indian Home minister Shivraj Patil, under tremendous criticism over a spate of terrorist attacks in the country since last year, has resigned from his post in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes. Patil has said that he felt obliged to take "moral responsibility" for the brutal attacks in Mumbai, an official government source said.

Finance minister P Chidambaram will take over as the new home minister and the finance ministry will now be under the direct charge of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

National Security Advisor Narayanan also resigns

India’s National Security Advisor, M.K. Narayanan handed in his resignation today following the lead of Minister of Home Affairs Shivraj Patel. Both faced heavy criticism for the handling of the Mumbai terrorist situation as well as previous terror attacks hitting a string of major Indian cities.

Sri lanka Army captured kokavil

Sri lanka Army captured kokavil

After 28 years Army gained full control over this area
Troops of Sri Lanka Army 57 division today (Dec 1) reached long awaited milestone on1 their march into terrorist dens in Wanni with the liberation of the Kokavil town.

According to the battlefield sources, troops launched an offensive early last morning extending their forward boundaries towards east of the A-9 (Jaffna-Kandy) road. Infantrymen of the 57 division first reached the A-9 at a location few kilometers north of the Kokavil town and then turned the thrust southwards destroying all remaining LTTE strongholds down to Mankulam.

This is the first time after 28 years Army gained full control over this area, the sources added.

Floods subside in Jaffna; Security forces lend humanitarian assistance

Floods subside in Jaffna; Security forces lend humanitarian assistance

Heavy floods that affected the Jaffna peninsula last week have started subsiding. Sea transport that was suspended due to the adverse weather conditions is expected to resume today. According to official reports, 118,273 people belonging to 32,026 families have been displaced by floods.

The worst affected DS divisions are Jaffna, Uduvil, Delft, Kopay and Karaveddi.

"To provide immediate relief services Rs 11 million has been allocated. The Ministry is ready to provide further assistance if required" said, Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

The Sri Lanka Army on the instructions of Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, continues to provide assistance to those affected. As the floods are subsiding the Road Development Authority with the assistance of the Army has started repairing the Pannai coastway that connects Kayts Islands with the mainland.

Meanwhile, a boat service is being operated to transport people between the islands and the inland.

Presidnet Zardari calls Prime Minister Manmohan, assures Pakistan’s cooperation

Presidnet Zardari calls Prime Minister Manmohan, assures Pakistan’s cooperation

President Asif Ali Zardari called the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on telephone Friday and condemned the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Talking to the Indian Prime Minister President Asif Ali Zardari said that he was appalled and shocked over the tragedy, which he said had opened up his own wounds as Shaheed Mohtarma Bhutto had also fallen prey to the militants and terrorists.

He said that non state actors wanted to force upon the governments their own agenda but they must not be allowed to succeed.

The President said, “We should not fall into the trap of the militants.”

The President said the government will cooperate with India in exposing and apprehending the culprits and the master minds behind the attacks.

President Asif Ali Zardari also conveyed to the Indian Prime Minister his heartfelt condolences and of the people of Pakistan over the loss of innocent lives in the attacks and urged him to convey his feelings to the members of the bereaved families.

Sourse: High CVommission of Colombo

President Zardari rejects claims of Pakistan’s involvement in Mumbai terrorist attacks

President Asif Ali Zardari rejecting the claims of Pakistan’s involvement in Mumbai terrorist attacks, said Friday Pakistan could neither gain anything not the democratic government believed in such tactics.“Currently, India was also facing security challenges on domestic front”, the President said while talking to German Ambassador Dr. Michael Koch, who called on him here.

President Zardari condemned the incident and informed the Germany envoy that he had spoken to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh over telephone to offer Pakistan’s assistance in the investigations, according to a foreign office statement issue here.

The German Ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s efforts and sincerity towards normalizing relations with India and in this regard referred to the President’s courageous interview to the Indian media as well as the mature and constructive statement of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is in India, in the wake of Mumbai terrorist incidents.

The President informed about Pakistan’s efforts towards building bridges with Afghanistan and in this regard highlighted his upcoming visit to Afghanistan and visit to Turkey to attend the trilateral Summit.

The President and the German envoy exchanged views on the state of bilateral relations, terrorism and extremism in the region and Pakistan‑India relations.

In the context of terrorism, the President reminded that the roots of the current situation lay in the efforts of some countries to militarily defeat the Soviet forces in Afghanistan without an exit strategy.

He emphatically mentioned that the germs of terrorist elements were not produced in security agencies’ labs in Pakistan but they were created overseas and transferred to this region.

The President expressed profound gratitude for Germany’s support at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum, IMF’s financial plan for Pakistan and the understanding that German Government has displayed towards Pakistan’s difficulties.

He mentioned that opting for the IMF package was an extremely difficult decision for the government under the prevailing circumstances. The people of Pakistan have high hopes with the democratic government and needed something tangible for themselves, he added.

The President said that he though inherited the economic problems but these were now his problems and he was fully resolved to solve them.

He mentioned that unlike other parties the Pakistan People’s Party was the voice of the voiceless people, which constituted 86% of Pakistan’s population.

People are in dire need of instant gratification from democracy which he realizes and was fully committed to bring prosperity to the people. His initiative of Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum (FDPF) is a manifestation of his efforts to that end.

“In his concept, FDPF is to become a more encompassing forum”, the President said and added it is his intension to get India and some other regional countries also on board in the larger interest of security, stability and prosperity of the region.

The President also informed about his plan of national reconciliation, which included his interactions with the people of FATA and Balochistan. He was confident to achieve this objective.

Pakistan to send ISI chief to India

Pakistan to send ISI chief to India

Pakistan has nothing to hide, says Pakistan PM Gilani

“Preliminary investigations point towards Karachi”

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday extended Pakistan’s support to India in jointly combating extremism and terrorism and offered to send its intelligence chief to help with Mumbai investigation. Prime Minister Gilani telephoned his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh and strongly condemned the acts of terrorism in Mumbai.

The Prime Minister expressed sympathy on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan with Indian Prime Minister, Congress leader Ms. Sonia Gandhi, people of India and the families of those who lost their near and dear ones in “the unfortunate incidents of barbarism.”

Gilani termed the incident “inhuman and condemnable from all aspects.”

He said Pakistan too was a victim of terrorism and appreciated the fact that Indian Prime Minister was the first one to telephone him after the Marriott hotel blast.

“Dr. Singh told the Prime Minister that preliminary reports point towards Karachi and stressed the need for increased intelligence sharing and cooperation in order to evolve a joint strategy against terrorism and extremism,” a press release from the PM House said.

Dr. Singh requested the Prime Minster to send DG ISI to India for exchange of information in this regard.

The Prime Minister accepted the request and said that after working out modalities by both the governments, the ISI chief will visit India at the earliest, the press release said.

The Prime Minister also extended his government’s full support for jointly combating extremism and terrorism and also offered help in investigating the incident.

Inter-Services Intelligence chief coming to India at the earliest

Inter-Services Intelligence chief coming to India at the earliest

In a move that unambiguously signalled its eagerness to defuse the tensions with India over the Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan on Friday took the extraordinary decision to send the head of its Inter-Services Intelligence to New Delhi at the earliest for “an exchange of information” about the attacks.

The Director-General of the ISI is a serving Lieutenant-General in the Pakistan Army. The office is presently held by Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

He took charge of the ISI last month after a reshuffle in the top echelons of the Army. His visit would be the first by the head of Pakistan’s top intelligence agency to what it has historically projected as dushman humsaaya, Urdu for “enemy neighbour.”

Endgame in Mumbai, death toll could be 200

Endgame in Mumbai, death toll could be 200


Even as the special forces and the police succeeded in freeing 200 people who were holed up inside the Oberoi and Trident Hotels for the third day, four Israeli and United States nationals held hostage in a south Mumbai Jewish religious centre were found dead when commandos stormed the building late on Friday evening.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi reiterates Pakistan’s cooperation to investigate Mumbai terror attacks

Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi reiterates Pakistan’s cooperation to investigate Mumbai terror attacks

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday reiterated Pakistan’s cooperation to India for investigating the Mumbai terror incidents.Addressing at India Women Press Corps here Friday night, he said Pakistan had offered cooperation to India at all levels including sharing of information between intelligence agencies of both the countries to counter menace of terrorism.

He said it is a difficult moment for India but there is a need to avoid blame game of the past. “We should demonstrate statesmanship to wriggle out of this situation,” he added.

Qureshi said both countries had passed sixty years in acrimony and confrontation which caused loss to both countries.

Expressing sympathies on behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan to Indian side, he said Pakistan wanted to strengthen institutional arrangement of anti‑terrorism mechanism by sharing the information.

Pakistan was ready to cooperate with India

It had also offered establishing hotlines between Chiefs of Intelligence Agencies and National Security Advisers as terrorism was not a Pakistan’s problem only. “It is regional and global curse,” he added.

Foreign Minister said : “In this situation, I understand compulsions of the Indian government including holding elections and others but at this stage we should not give value judgment or jump to the conclusions,”.

“We should not give knee jerk reactions,” he said adding in the past insinuations on Samjhauta Express blasts were also witnessed. Later, an Indian army serving officer Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit was named as one of the accused in the Samjhauta blasts case.

He said cities of Pakistan also witnessed to such barbaric acts and Pakistan was dealing them on daily basis.

Negative elements were present in both the countries, he said adding there were incidents of terrorism in Pakistan, but Islamabad did not involve in blame game.

He said present elected government had adopted a zero‑tolerance policy towards these elements and Pakistan’s security forces were engaged in eliminating them.

To a question on Indian Prime Minister’s request to send ISI Chief to India to share information on Mumbai blasts, he said Pakistan was ready to cooperate with India in this regard.

He said he would discuss with President Asif Zardari about this matter and whatever was required, would be considered.He said India could trust Pakistan and Islamabad was keen to move forward sincerely in sharing information on this account.