Colombo (Asiantribune.com): "There is no question of genocide against the Tamils. I have already explained this to the people of Jaffna, when I was last time there. In a meeting in Jaffna, where more than one thousand people attended and in my address, I told them that the charges of genocide is all rubbish," said V. Anandasangari, leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front.

Sri Lanka Navy thwarted an LTTE attempt to get away and destroyed four (04) LTTE boats during a fierce gun battle that erupted off the coast of Mullaithivu around 11.30 p.m. yesterday (19th January).  

The Navy's Fast Attack Craft (FACs) intercepted a flotilla of LTTE Sea Tiger boats launched from Mullaithivu which were attempting to get away and engaged them destroying four (04) LTTE boats forcing the enemy to retreat and abandon the mission

In March 1963, renowned Black American activist Martin Luther King Jr uttered those timeless words: “I have a dream”. Today, that dream has come true with the ascension of Barack Obama to the American Presidency. When Obama takes oaths today in Washington, he will enter history books as the first African American President in the country’s 233-year history. 

It is fitting that he is being sworn in as Americans celebrate Martin Luther’s 80th birth anniversary and President Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birth anniversary. Lincoln called for a Government of the people, by the people, for the people. Today, ordinary Americans - white, black, coloured, Hispanic and immigrants from all over the world - have made that a reality.

Executive Board of the World Health organisation is convening a high-level consultative meeting from 19th to 27th of January 2009 to set the world health agenda for the 62nd World Health Assembly and also to address the emerging challenges with regard to global health. In view of the present global financial crisis which has affected the member countries as well as the UN and other donor agencies, Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organisation, with the concurrence of the bureau members of the WHO, decided to hold this high level consultative meeting with financial and health experts and executive board members and the civil society with a view to find a solution to the present crisis.