Colombo - Troops in northern Sri Lanka located an airstrip used by Tamil rebels, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said Friday.

The airstrip was near a major irrigation tank in Iranamadu, of the Kilinochchi district, 370 kilometres north east of the capital, he said.

The Defence Ministry said troops reported the strip was 300 metres long and 15-20 metres wide.

"What we see here is more or less a conventional airstrip but adequate for a shorter liftoff," a military official was quoted by the ministry as saying.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially announced the dates of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. SLC announced that Team India will land in Sri Lanka on January 26 to play a series of 5 ODIs and a Twenty20 international match – the first ODI will be played on January 28 in Dambulla.

Another ODI will be played at Dambulla on 30 Jan, while the remaining matches will be played in Colombo on February 2, 5 and 8. The Twenty20 international will be played in Colombo on Feb 10.

Colombo - Another town held by Tamil rebels in the northern part of Sri Lanka was captured Thursday by advancing government troops after heavy fighting, a military spokesman said.

Troops took control of Dharmapuram town, 395 kilometres north-east of the capital, on Thursday afternoon and were continuing their advance into the last stronghold district of the rebels, he said.

Colombo- The Sri Lankan government sharply criticized comments made by the German Ambassador Jurgen Weerth at the funeral of a slain newspaper editor, a foreign ministry official said Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona on Tuesday summoned Weerth to express the government's "displeasure," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Karachi. Jan. 14 : The itinerary of the Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan has been revised again.

According to the new schedule of the two - phased tour, the first two of the three one-day internationals will now be played in Karachi on January 20 and 21.

The third one-day will be in Lahore on January 24.

"The change has been made in the schedule on the request from Sri Lanka Cricket," The News quoted a Pakistan Cricket Board official, as saying.

New Delhi, Jan 14 : Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda today urged Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni to provide expert help to Sri Lanka in strengthening the tourism sector.

Moragoda, who called on Soni here today, said: "Sri Lanka wants to learn from India how tourism related issues are dealt at the State and community level. Sri Lanka is involving private sector in tourism related activities and wants to develop new tourism related products to attract more tourists."