More than 50 combatants of the separatist LTTE and the Sri Lankan army have been killed in fierce fighting in the north of the country, reports <STRONG>Sutirtho Patranobis</STRONG>.

Ahead of his proposed visit to India, the new Nepalese PM Prachanda has said that the historic 1950 Indo-Nepal trade and transit treaty needed to be reviewed.

The fighting between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE intensified in the last 24 hours with more than 40 combatants killed in scattered battle across the north, reports <STRONG>Sutirtho Patranobis.</STRONG>

At least 11 LTTE cadres and three security personnel&nbsp;have been killed in clashes between the Tamil Tigers and the army in the restive northern Sri Lanka.

Five people, including two children,&nbsp;have been&nbsp;killed when Sri Lankan security forces shelled a village in the island's rebel-held north.

At least 44 persons, including two children, were injured in an explosion in the crowded Pettah market area, reports <STRONG>Sutirtho Patranobis</STRONG>.

Government forces and Tamil separatists were locked in heavy combat in northern Sri Lanka with at least 26 rebels killed in fresh fighting, the defence ministry said Thursday.

Suspected Tamil Tiger guerrillas detonated a bomb in Colombo's commercial hub on Saturday wounding nearly 50 people, officials said, as government forces kept up a major drive against the rebels.

Suspected Tamil Tiger guerrillas set off a powerful blast in Sri Lanka's main commercial hub on Saturday, wounding 45 people, officials said, as government forces kept up a major offensive against the rebels.

A powerful bomb ripped through a busy commercial area of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo on Saturday, wounding 45 people, police and doctors said.