May 4 (HT) The SLMM has categorically denied the oft-repeated charge made by a section of the media and Lankan opposition parties that its suggestions of measures to avoid clashes between the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sea Tigers are undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. more..

May 4 (Reuters) Representatives of peace-broker Norway and biggest aid donor Japan arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday for talks with the government and Tamil Tiger rebels as part of international efforts to get stalled peace talks back on track. more..

May 4 (IL) The government should agree to the removal of High Security Zones (HSZ) in the North, only if the LTTE agrees to disarm and let the Sinhalese and Muslims who were chased away by them be allowed to resettle in those respective areas in the North and East, the JVP said yesterday. more..

May 4 (AFP) Sri Lanka ripped through New Zealand's top order when play finally got underway in the rain-ravaged second and final cricket Test here. Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas grabbed two wickets and new ball partner Prabath Nissanka one more..

May 4 (AFP) The London-based chief negotiator of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels is due here for talks on the future of their stalled peace negotiations with the government, diplomatic sources said. more..

May 5 (TN) Mail is not delivered to a third of the families in the Kilinochchi district, even a half-mile beyond the Kilinochchi town, and immediate action is needed to restore mail delivery, the district’s government agent, Mr. T. Rasanayakam, told Minister for Mass Communication, Mr. Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, more..

May 5 (TN) Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to make a special statement on the peace talks and the current security situation of the country in parliament on May 6. A full debate on PM's statement will be followed thereafter, parliamentary sources said. more..

May 5 (Hindu) Sri Lanka is set for a phase of intense diplomatic efforts to break the de-escalation deadlock between Colombo and the LTTE and bring the Tigers back to the negotiating table. more..

May 5 (Island) David Kilgour, Canadian State Secretary for Asia-Pacific has urged the Tamil community in Canada to persuade the LTTE to return to the negotiating table since Canada, home to over 200,000 Canadians of Sri Lankan origin having the largest Tamil Diaspora, could play an important role in the process. more..

May 5 (Gulf) The Norwegians monitoring a 14-month ceasefire between the Sri Lanka government and Tamil militants have asked that certain areas in the island's eastern seas be reserved for the militants for training exercises and firing practice. more..

May 5 (TN) Sri Lanka’s District Governor and Deputy Secretary to the Treasury of the Sri Lankan government, Mr.N. Pathmanathan appeared as the chief guest at the Trincomalee Rotary Club's twenty fourth Charter Day celebrations. more..

May 5 (TN) The TNA parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan addressing a meeting at Pulmoddai, a traditional Muslim village about 70km north of Trincomalee district, Saturday said that a lasting political solution could be found for the northeast problem only by ensuring equal rights and privileges to Muslims living in the province. more..

May 5 (TN) Hundreds of civilians Monday morning picketed the entrance of Jaffna Fort preventing Sri Lanka Army soldiers and Police from clearing the area outside the Jaffna fort in preparation for relocating the Jaffna garrison of the SLA. more..

May 5 (SLA) A political opponent forcibly taken away from the general area of KETAPOLA junction, KANKESANTHURAI by two LTTE men while he was on a bus traveling to URUMPIRAI from JAFFNA on May, has been assaulted and relieved of his money and personal belongings worth over Rs. 85,000 (about US $ 868) after he was taken to the LTTE political office at NALLUR. more..

May 5 (SLA) Information received from civilians confirmed that some members of the LTTE political wing had abducted three civilians on 02 May around 4 p.m. from the general area of ARIYAMADAM, about 4 km north of JAFFNA town over a dispute between two sports clubs. more..

May 5 (SLA) A complaint received by the KANDALADIUTTU Army detachment on 03 May around 11.15 a.m. from a leader of a fishing team in the general area of KANNIYA, about 10 km northwest of TRINCOMALEE, claimed that one of their fishing boats with several items, had been forcibly taken away by LTTE while it was at sea. more..

May 5 (SLA) A combined patrol of the Police and the Army came across a motor bicycle, alleged to have been used by a burglar who was found fleeing when the combined troops were closing in on the general area of PATTYADICHENAI, about 1 km. southwest of KALKUDAH on 03 May 2003 around 8.30 p.m. more..

May 5 (PSL) Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, the Secretary to the President is on leave with effect from April 30, 2003, prior to his retirement. W J S Karynaratne, Additional Secretary to the President has been appointed Acting Secretary to the President. more..

May 5 (DOI) US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on May 12 and 13 at the invitation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. She is part of the delegation of Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visiting Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka more..

May 5 (DOI) The Kukule Ganga Hydro Power Station (KGHP) will be commissioned in September this year, Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya said on Saturday after an inspection tour of the project site. more..

May 5 (DOI) Sri Lanka has earned a revenue of US $ 220 million from tourism last year and with the peace initiative, the nation is expected to earn more at the end of this year. more..

May 5 (DN) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has informed the Government to provide immediate relief measures to 8000 people displaced as a result of the Muttur incident. more..

May 5 (DM) A triple killing in Naula and one each from Point Predro and Deyiandara were reported over the weekend. At Nauala a grandmother and her two grandchildren were hacked to death on Friday night at their home in Lihiniyagoda. more..

May 5 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's central bank could lower key interest rates to support the economy on Friday after a monthly policy meeting, most dealers said, but some thought it might keep rates unchanged for fear of fuelling inflation. more..

May 5 (Reuters) Sri Lanka stocks rose to a fresh 3-˝ month high on Monday on gains in a top blue chip which announced the issue of bonus shares as brokers said the market was watching developments in the island's peace process. more..

May 5 (Gulf) It will not be long before Sri Lankans in the UAE are able to send their children to an exclusive school catering to a Sri Lankan syllabus. Currently there are no Sri Lankan schools in the country. Sri Lankan children are enrolled in schools that follow the A-level curriculum. more..

May 5 (BBC) The Tamil Tiger rebels have been accused of carrying out attacks on their political opponents under the cover of the country's ceasefire agreement. The killing of a local EPDP leader in the northern Jaffna region on Saturday took the total number of politicians and army informants killed over the last year to 11. more..

May 5 (AP) The Tamil Tigers rebels' chief negotiator held an emergency meeting with Norwegian envoys Monday on reviving stalled peace talks between the guerrillas and the Sri Lankan government. more..

May 5 (Reuters) Progress was being made on repairing Sri Lanka's ruptured peace bid, mediator Norway said on Monday, but it was too early to say when talks would resume and how much a major donor conference in Japan would be affected. more..

May 5 (AP) Daniel Vettori scored a defiant 55 Monday before his run out and collision with Marvan Atapattu ended New Zealand's innings at 305 on the third day of the second cricket test against Sri Lanka. more..

May 5 (SA) New Zealand's Daniel Vettori and Marvan Atapattu were being treated for injuries after colliding during the second Test here on Monday. Vettori suffered an ankle injury and Atapattu had bruises on the right side of the face after the Sri Lankan crashed into Vettori while trying to run him out. more..

May 5 (BBC) Progress has been reported in attempts to repair Sri Lanka's peace process after the Tamil Tigers' chief negotiator flew to the island for emergency talks. London-based Anton Balasingham met Vidar Helgesen, deputy foreign minister of peace mediators Norway, at Colombo airport. more..

May 5 (AFP) Defence Minister Tilak Marapone Monday denied reports that he sought "divine intervention" to strengthen his security. Marapone said in a statement he did not need added protection and that the only evil influence on him was the "publication of this sort of scurrilous matter." more..

May 5 (AFP) Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who is due to start an official visit here Tuesday, will face protests from relatives of Sri Lankans imprisoned in the tiny atoll nation, organisers said. more..

May 5 (HT) The peace process took a new turn on Monday, with the EPDP, an ex-Tamil militant group which is now a parliamentary party opposed to the LTTE, asking the government for permission to carry weapons if the state failed to get an undertaking from the LTTE that it would not attack and kill political opponents. more..

May 6 (UNI) Twentysix fishermen and 15 mechanised boats, captured by their Sri Lankan counterparts, were today released by the island nation's Navy. While 17 fishermen and six boats reached the shores of Rameswaram, the others reached Mandapam area this evening. more..

May 6 (Hindu) As diplomatic efforts to break the de-escalation deadlock continued, the chief negotiator of the LTTE, Anton S. Balasingham, today arrived in Sri Lanka to hold talks with his leader, V. Prabakaran, and the central committee of the rebel leadership. more..

May 6 (Island) The indictments on the accused in the lorry-bomb attack on the Sri Dalada Maligawa at dawn on January 25, 1998 were served by the High Court Judge of Kandy D. S. C. Lekamwasam, yesterday. Three of the four accused were present in the High Court of Kandy. more..

May 6 (BL) Pepper prices recovered on Monday after sharp fall during the weekend by over Rs 500 a quintal. Ready pepper prices fell by Rs 500, while futures slid by Rs 525 to Rs 885 on increased availability and lack of demand both from domestic and foreign market during the weekend. more..

May 6 (BS) India and Sri Lanka have agreed to exchange germplasm of selected plants and increase mutual co-operation in agricultural research. Under this accord, India will get germplasm of some medicinal and aromatic plants from Sri Lanka. Scientific literature pertaining to these plants will also be shared by the two countries. more..

May 6 (LBO) Tapping into a niche market of Buddhist pilgrims, the Tourism Ministry is launching plans to package Vesak as an annual event in the industry calendar. In an organised promotion, travel and tour operators are being approached to design new packages for this clientele that will offer them discounted rates, special airfares and accommodation and tours. more..

May 6 (LBO) Traditional festivals this April saw the poultry industry doing more business than they bargained for, with monthly demand shooting up by over 1000 tonnes for frozen chickens. Industry sources say that the demand reached such a high, that there was a shortage of 2 mn birds in the market. But this is expected to ease in the next few months. more..

May 6 (Reuters) Sri Lanka stocks hit fresh 3-˝ month highs on Tuesday, boosted by expectations of solid corporate earnings and hopes a peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels could be restarted. The key Colombo all-share index finished up 1.37 percent, more..

May 6 (SLA) On information received from civilians a combined Army and Police team has taken a boat containing explosives into custody from the general sea off VELVEDDITTURAI, about 5 km. west of PONIT PEDRO on 05 May 2003 around 2.30 p.m. more..

May 6 (SLA) A hand grenade has been hurled by an unidentified person at the residence of a soldier in the general area of PUTTUR, about 3 km. southwest of BATTICALOA on 05 May 2003 around 9.30 p.m. while the soldier was at his home on leave. more..

May 6 (SLA) Two LTTE cadres on bicycles had attempted to provoke a soldier in the general area of SITTANDY, about 24 km. northwest of BATTICALOA on 05 May 2003 around 10.00 a.m. by knocking their bicycles against the soldier who was on picket duty. more..

May 6 (SLA) Troops on routine patrol have observed a weapon training session being conducted for a group of youths in the general area of MALLIKAITHEVU, about 21 km. south of TRINCOMALEE on 05 May 2003 around 6.30 p.m. more..

May 6 (Gulf) The Norwegians monitoring the ceasefire in Sri Lanka have come under increasing fire from two minority Tamil organisations for ignoring the killing of soldiers and Tamil political activists. more..

May 6 (DOI) The Agriculture and Livestock Ministry has implemented a Rs.100 million development project to improve dairy production with the intention of making the country self sufficient in milk within the next few years. more..

May 6 (DOI) The Sri Lanka Police under the concept of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday launched the restructured Police Website www.police.lk) bringing the people closer to the Police. more..