Colombo - Heavy fighting in northern Sri Lanka has left at least 120 rebels and 25 soldiers dead and 10 more soldiers missing, the Sri Lankan military reported Tuesday night.

The casualties were from fighting on several fronts in the Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts, more than 300 kilometres north of the capital on Tuesday, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Colombo - Government troops took control of a rebel-held village in northern Sri Lanka as they pressed the offensive into the the last strongholds of Tamil insurgents, the Defence Ministry said Monday.

Troops reportedly met heavy resistance as they advanced into Ampakamam village in the Mullaitivu district Monday morning, but no details of casualties were released.

The ministry said rebels had taken used the village as a command post during the government offensive.

The village is about 20 kilometres east of a key highway that army troops have retaken, military officials said.

Colombo- Fighting continued in northern Sri Lanka amid increasing casualties on both sides as government troops moved closer to strategic locations, military officials said Friday.

The army said its troops confronted rebels in several areas surrounding the town of Kilinochchi, 370 kilometres north of the capital, Colombo, on Thursday, inflicting heavy casualties among the rebels.

But Tamil rebels said the death toll among the army's soldiers had increased from 90 to 120 in fighting on Wednesday around Kilinochchi, a claim denied by the military.

Colombo - Heavy fighting raged between government troops and Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka as soldiers inched their way into rebel-controlled areas amidst mounting casualties on both sides, reports from the area said, officials and rebel sources said Thursday.

Tamil rebels claimed they killed 89 soldiers in fighting outside Kilinochchi town, 360 kilometres north of the capital, on Wednesday, but the military claimed they lost only 20 soldiers in the fighting and killed at least 27 rebels.

Colombo, Dec. 9 : During a UNDP meeting held here, experts have proposed a five-point action agenda to reduce inequalities within and between countries in Asia, which they say have contributed to social strife.

It was felt that while Asia and the Pacific is the fastest growing region in the world, the benefits of growth have been distributed unevenly, benefiting certain countries more than others.

Colombo - Tamil rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran Thursday declared that his movement was looking to renew good relationships with neighbouring India.

Prabharkan in his annual speech to mark what the rebels call a "Heroes Week" coinciding with his 54th birthday said "We wish to express our goodwill and are looking forward to the opportunity to build a constructive relationship."