New Delhi - Political parties and pressure groups Wednesday called a general strike in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu to protest Sri Lanka's military offensive against the Tamil rebels.

Some incidents of violence were reported as protestors blocked trains, stoned buses and ransacked a post office in different parts of the state.

At least 30 students were arrested for attempting to blockade roads in state capital Chennai where nearly 8,000 police were deployed, local police said.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday called for an end to the armed conflict in Sri Lanka that, he said, was claiming "many innocent victims". The pontiff, speaking during his weekly general audience, said he was "concerned" by the situation in the south-eastern Asian island- state, where government troops are fighting Tamil rebels.

According to United Nations officials some 52 civilians were killed during clashes on Tuesday.

An estimated 250,000 civilians are trapped in the island's north- eastern conflict zone.

Colombo  - A civilian hospital hit by repeated shelling over the past few days during fighting between government forces and Tamil rebels in north-eastern Sri Lanka has been closed and the patients shifted away to safer locations, a Red Cross spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The Sri Lankan selectors had selected Tillakaratne Dilshan as the skipper for the Tuesday’s Twenty20 match against India next week.

Middle-order hard-hitting batsman Chamara Kapugedara has been selected as the vice-captain for the match.

Controversial fast bowler Lasith Malinga has been included to the 15 man squad. Due to a knee injury, Malinga had remained out for almost a year from the team. The fast bowler played his last match in February 2008 in an ODI against Australia in Melbourne.

Colombo  - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday expressed confidence of defeating Tamil separatist rebels within days and ending the civil war they have been fighting against the government for the past three decades.

"I am confident that in a few days, we will decisively defeat the terrorist force that many repeatedly kept saying was invincible," Rajapaksa said in an address to the nation marking the 61st anniversary of the island nation gaining independence from Britain.

Colombo, Feb. 3, : Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan on Tuesday equaled the world record held for long by Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram for most One Day International wickets at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Murali took the crucial wicket of Yuvraj Singh to equal the world record.

Right handed off spinner Muralitharan needed just two wickets to surpass the Akram''s tally of 502 wickets in today's match. But he could only take one wicket in his spell of
10 overs.

He is already carrying the world record for most wickets in the long form of cricket also.