COLOMBO - SRI Lankan troops advanced on Saturday on the military headquarters of the Tamil Tigers, a day after capturing the rebels' de facto political capital in the north of the island.

The defence ministry said forces were moving towards Mullaitivu, the jungle district along the northeastern seaboard, where the Tigers are known to have their main military facilities.

CHICAGO - PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama urged congressional leaders on Saturday to move quickly on an economic recovery plan, even as some Republicans are saying they want more time to review the details.

Mr Obama said Congress should pass an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan designed to create 3 million jobs. The Democratic president-elect has not announced a final price tag on it, but aides said the cost could be as high as US$775 billion (S$1.1 trillion).

GAUHATI (India) - INDIA'S prime minister demanded on Saturday that Pakistan hand over suspects in the Mumbai attacks - raising again an issue that has heightened tensions between the longtime rivals.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated that India does not want war with Pakistan 'but it must hand over the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks.'

THE body of Mr Teo Sze Siong, who died in the Santika Club fire, was at the Police General Hospital mortuary for two days when his two elder brothers went to claim it at about 1.40pm on Saturday.

The two men, who refused to talk to the media, were accompanied by Mr Teo's three colleagues and good friends from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).