Colombo - Government troops have taken control a strategic town in northern Sri Lanka after weeks of heavy fighting around the area as the army continues its advance into rebel-held areas, military officials said Wednesday.

Paranthan a town located 385 kilometres north of the capital, was taken by troops on Wednesday evening as Mi 24 helicopters provided air support to advancing troops.

There were no details of any rebel casualties.

Colombo - The Sri Lankan government has offered a relief package to the public amidst pressure from opposition parties to reduce fuel prices and lower the cost of living.

The government has reduced fuel and gas prices with immediate effect and offered incentives for garment, tea and rubber exporters as well as the tourism industry as part of the economic measures.

Colombo - The Sri Lankan government has offered a relief package to the public amidst pressure from opposition parties to reduce fuel prices and keep the cost of living low.

The government reduced fuel and gas prices with immediate effect and offered incentives for garment, tea and rubber exporters and tourism as part of the measures.

The two main opposition parties in Sri Lanka - the United National Party and the Marxist JVP has been carrying out a strong campaign to reduce fuel prices after the Supreme Court ruled to reduce patrol prices by 22 rupees per litre (about 20 US cents).

However, petrol prices were reduced by just 2 rupees per litre and diesel and kerosene by 10 rupees per litre.

Colombo  - A suicide bomber killed at least eight people, including six paramilitary guards, and injured 17 on the outskirts of Colombo Sunday, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Colombo  - A suicide bomber killed at least five paramilitary guards and injured 10 others on the outskirts of Colombo Sunday, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The suspected Tamil rebel attacked detonated himself at a paramilitary guard post located in Wattala, 10 kilometres north of the capital.

The incident came hours after the Sri Lanka navy destroyed a Tamil rebel boat and killed at least four rebels off the northern coast, a navy spokesman said.

Colombo - Sri Lanka held remembrance ceremonies in various parts of the island nation to mark the fourth anniversary of the devastating tsunami on Boxing Day,
2004, that claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced more than half a million people..

An island-wide two-minute silence was observed Friday morning as friends and relatives of those killed in the worst natural disaster in the country's history gathered in coastal areas to mark the event.

A train engine caught in the tsunami has been repaired and was put into service for the first time in four years for a trip to the southern tourist town of Peraliya, 100 kilometres south of the capital, Colombo, in time to mark the two-minute silence. More than 1,000 people were killed when the train was swamped by the tsunami.