Jordan govts and trade chambers sign new deals ahead of G11 summit

Heads of state and representatives of 11 developing countries meet in Jordan on Saturday to draw up a platform of cooperation with the G8 industrialised nations and bolster multilateral trade.

King Abdullah will open the summit which will be attended by the presidents of Georgia, Croatia, Sri Lanka and El Salvador, the vice president of Honduras and the prime ministers of Pakistan and Morocco, officials said.

Ahead of the summit Jordan signed cooperation agreements with Georgia, El Salvador, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

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We were kidnapped by LTTE: Fishermen

Eleven Indian fishermen, who returned last night after having gone missing for 74 days, said they were kidnapped by the LTTE at sea on March 6, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police D Mukherjee said today.

During interrogation, the fishermen revealed that they were kidnapped by the outlawed LTTE, Mukherjee told reporters here.

The fishermen were brought today from the coastal villages in Ramanathapuram district where they had landed yesterday. They also met Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at the Secretariat today.

"Their statements confirm my earlier statement that they were kidnapped by the LTTE," Mukherjee said.

Karunanidhi has announced a solatium of Rs 10,000 each to help them meet their immediate requirements, official sources said.

The fishermen had ventured into the sea for fishing off Kanyakumari coast on March 6 and had gone missing since then. The DGP had disclosed on April 27 that the LTTE had abducted them. (Agencies)

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Sri Lanka to advertise for foreign coach

The Sri Lankan cricket board is looking to hire another foreigner to replace outgoing coach Tom Moody.

SLC secretary Kangadaran Mathivanan on Friday said the post will be advertised on Saturday and the board expects to have a list of candidates by next week.

Moody, credited with guiding Sri Lanka to the World Cup final in the West Indies last month, will take over as coach of Western Australia — his home state — after the current three-match limited-over series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Sri Lanka lost the World Cup final to defending champion Australia, which won the title for an unprecedented third time in a row.

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Sirisena Coorey slams Ranil to step down immediately: Also reveals a 'two step' formula for the ethnic problem

A former UNP government Cabinet Minister and party stalwart B. Sirisena Coorey has slammed the leader of UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe saying that he should step down from the party leadership immediately.....

"The current leader of the UNP Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe must resign immediately for the stability of the party and to stop it from being destroyed" said the former Sri Lankan Minister, who is also the current Chairperson of the Premadasa Centre, Colombo, in a special interview with the Asian Tribune.

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President holds talks with Pakistani, Afghan leaders

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday participated in the opening ceremony and sessions of the World Economic Forum near the Dead Sea in Jordan.

The President met Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Amman yesterday, where the two leaders discussed bilateral and trade links. Investment opportunities in both countries were also discussed. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Petroleum Minister A.H.M. Fowzie also participated.

President Rajapaksa also held talks with Afghan President Hameed Karzai.

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