Nov 27 (DJ) Sri Lankan state-run oil company Ceylon Petroleum Corp., or Ceypetco said Thursday it will commission a new oil storage facility next month which will nearly double its total storage capacity. "We have just completed construction of a 250,000-cubic-meter storage tank in Muthurajawela. more..

Nov 27 (Gulf) After four and half centuries of European colonial rule, when Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, Dubai was an undeveloped emirate without even basic facilities, Indian university degrees were not recognised in Sri Lanka and Singapore leaders vowed to turn their island into a Sri Lanka, more..

Nov 27 (TN) Mr Vellupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the LTTE in his annual statement commemorating the Heroes’ Day has vehemently rejected accusations made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga that his organisation was strengthening its military power and preparing for war. more..

Nov 27 (PTI) Taking advantage of a limited period open sky policy offered by India, Sri Lankan airlines is increasing its flights to Indian destinations and raising seat capacity by 28 per cent from December 1. more..

Nov 27 (CI) Mark Butcher completed his first first-class century of the winter, as England's batsmen reacquainted themselves with the middle of a cricket ground, after a frustrating week of washouts and waiting. more..

Nov 27 (PTI) European Union Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten on Thursday called for involving the Muslim community in the Sri Lankan peace talks to resolve the ethnic conflict in the country. more..

Nov 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's feuding government leaders are showing signs that they are willing to end a power struggle that erupted earlier this month and plan to meet again next week, the cabinet spokesman said today. more..

Nov 27 (AFP) A top EU Commissioner has left here after raising Sri Lanka's peace hopes as the main political rivals sought to bury their differences that threatened to return the island to war. more..

Nov 27 (DM) Minister Kabeer Hashim yesterday criticised what he called the double standards adopted by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in regard to EU's external relations commissioner Chris Patten's two day visit here. more..

Nov 27 (AP) Talks to end a power struggle between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are progressing well, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said on Thursday. more..

Nov 27 (IL) Reports emanating from the North and the East confirm that LTTE, despite commitments made to the SLMM, continue to erect provocative billboards, LTTE cut-outs depicting Eelam maps and different structures that obstruct the passage of public roads, Army Headquarters said. more..

Nov 27 (Reuters) The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said on Thursday the island's president was jeopardising efforts to end 20 years of civil war but added he was committed to a peace process with the government. more..

Nov 27 (ABC) Sri Lankan authorities have begun investigating the drowning of 10 soldiers in the worst single military loss since a ceasefire went into effect with Tamil Tiger rebels in February 2002. more..

Nov 27 (AP) The leader of ethnic Tamil rebels said Thursday that the region controlled by his movement will declare itself independent if Sri Lanka's government does not grant autonomy to Tamil-majority areas. more..

Nov. 27 (Xinhua) Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) arrived here Thursday for an official goodwill visit at the invitation of Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Joseph Michael Perera. more..

Nov. 27 (HT) In a particularly belligerent speech to mark the LTTE's Heroes' Day on Thursday, the organisation's supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran said that the Tamil people would have no option but to secede from Sri Lanka and form an independent state of Tamil Eelam, if the leaders of the majority Sinhala community continued to deny the Tamil people their rights and stall attempts at reconciliation. more..

Nov. 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka has named a candidate to challenge Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon for a new term in a move that could rock next month's summit of the 54-member group, diplomats say. more..

Nov 28 (BS) Sri Lanka, shaped like a tear drop at the base of India, is very similar to Kerala in many respects, viz. its landscape with hills sloping down to the seashore; its crops (paddy, rubber, tea); its high level of literacy; the status of women; and the level of urbanisation. more..

Nov 28 (DN) Both President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are on the same wavelength as far as their commitment to the peace process, Minister Rauff Hakeem told Parliament yesterday. more..

Nov 28 (Island) Cabinet spokesman Minister G.L.Peiris yesterday ruled out the possibility of the UNF and the PA entering into an MoU on a range of issues, including the peace process and economy before they overcome the crisis triggered by President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s taking over of three ministries including Defence. more..

Nov 28 (IL) Vanni Rehabilitation Minister Noordeen Mashoor participated at the commissioning of two electricity supply schemes at Mullaiyoor in Koiyawaady and at Al Hijira village in Koiyawaady in the Puttalam District last weekend. more..

Nov 28 (IL) The Ceylon Electricity Board said yesterday that the islandwide two-hour power interruption in the morning was caused by a mechanical fault. It occurred at 5.30 a.m. and power was restored by 8 a.m. The CEB ruled out sabotage in the power plants or in any complex. more..

Nov 28 (IL) Sri Lanka-India and several countries in the South Asian region have introduced a new air traffic control system commencing today. Aircraft flying over areas south of the Himalayan range should follow this new system. more..

Nov 28 (Xinhua) Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said here on Friday that China firmly supportsthe efforts of Sri Lanka's leadership for maintaining the country's national unity and stability. more..

Nov 28 (Xinhua) Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held talks here Friday morning with Speaker ofthe Sri Lankan Parliament Joseph Michael Perera. more..

Nov 28 (Bloomberg) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has said she isn't confident Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will accept power-sharing even if both leaders agree on how to handle talks with rebels, her spokesman said. more..

Nov 28 (PTI) European Union today said in unequivocal terms that the international community will not tolerate any "divisive" outcome in Sri Lanka and hoped that LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's commitment to peace was "genuine". more..

Nov 28 (DM) Colombo's Chief Magistrate yesterday issued notice on the Bribery Commission to appear before court in connection with the alleged bribery case against Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau chief, Susantha Fernando. more..

Nov 28 (DJ) Sri Lanka's Board of Investment signed several agreements with foreign companies Friday, a positive development for a country that has been mired in political turmoil recently. more..

Nov 28 (Reuters) The party of Sri Lanka's president said on Friday a committee charged with resolving her power struggle with the island's prime minister was working satisfactorily and the two would meet again next week. more..

Nov 28 (PSL) Sri Lankan legislator Lakshman Kadirgamar is to run for the post of Secretary General of the Commonwealth. President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have agreed to nominate the former foreign minister for the post. more..

Nov 28 (TN) "The negotiation process needs to be revived soon. The exploration of the conditions under which the next phase of talks might take place should not be delayed under the pretext of either the political negotiations between the UNF and SLFP or the budget debate. more..

Nov 28 (IC) Mark Butcher and James Kirtley continued to be the outstanding performers as England pushed for victory in their match against a President's XI at Colombo Cricket Club. Butcher turned his overnight century into an unbeaten 151 as the tourists declared with a first-innings lead of 133. more..

Nov 28 (AP) Sri Lanka's candidate for the post of Commonwealth secretary- general, due to be selected early next month, said Friday that an Asian should get the job. "When I was in London recently a group concerned with the Commonwealth approached me and requested me to contest for the post," more..

Nov 28 (AP) Sri Lanka's candidate for the post of Commonwealth secretary- general, due to be selected early next month, said Friday that an Asian should get the job. "When I was in London recently a group concerned with the Commonwealth approached me and requested me to contest for the post," more..

Nov 28 (DJ) Sri Lanka, which is already in the process of selecting a third slot in the country's retail petroleum sector, will offer more licenses after 2009 as part of the liberalization of the sector, said a government official Friday. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) Remains of ten Army soldiers, who tragically died on Wednesday (26) while undergoing a training course in Jaffna, were airlifted to COLOMBO for post-mortem and Magisterial inquiry. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) Explosion caused by a hand grenade inside a house belonging to an LTTE cadre in the general area of MALIGATHIVU, about 21 km south of TRINCOMALEE town inflicted injuries to his wife and his son on 27 Nov 2003 around 4.00 in the morning. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) An unidentified group, suspected to be from LTTE took away grocery items worth Rs 18,799 (US$ 195) and robbed cash to the value of Rs 10,500 (US $ 109) from a shop at KINNIYA, TRINCOMALEE on 26 November 2003 around 11.30 p.m., complains the owner of the shop. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) Twelve unidentified men suspected to be from LTTE stormed the houses of two Muslim civilians in the general area of MAHAMARIKULAM, KINNIYA on 26 November 2003 at about 1.10 in the morning and threatened them to vacate their village immediately. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) LTTE, despite assurances given to Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) have put up another pandal with the LTTE emblem on 27 November 2003 in the general area of MARAVASAKULAM junction, about 8 km southwest of VAVUNIYA town. more..

Nov 28 (SLA) Shop keepers in the general town area of BATTICALOA were ordered by LTTE to be kept closed on 27 November 2003 by two motorbike riding LTTE men to coincide with an LTTE commemoration. However, shop keepers defied LTTE orders and remained open for business as usual. more..

Nov 29 (SLA) A naval troops arrested three youths (two 15 years old and one 25 years old) whilst swimming cross the lagoon in the general area of MUTTUR about 13 km south of TRINCOMALEE town on 28 November 2003 around 1430 p.m. more..

Nov 29 (SLA) One hundred and thirty five (135) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the northern province during the period between 17 November 2003 and 23 November 2003. more..

Nov 29 (SLA) A group of unknown persons had thrown a hand grenade at a Tamil person’s resident on 28 November 2003 around 2130 p.m. no damages were reported. Name of the person E.N SIVARAJA NO. 672, MURUGAPULI, NORTH BEACH ROAD in TRINCOMALEE town. more..

Nov 29 (TN) Unknown persons killed three Muslim farmers in Nadu Ootru in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district. Fellow farmers found their bodies Saturday morning in paddy fields with injuries said to have been caused by pointed weapons and reported the incident to the security forces. more..

Nov 29 (TN) Unknown persons killed three Muslim farmers in Nadu Ootru in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district. Fellow farmers found their bodies Saturday morning in paddy fields with injuries said to have been caused by pointed weapons and reported the incident to the security forces. more..

Nov 29 (TN) A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Kinniya police division in the Trincomalee district Saturday evening to defuse escalating tension caused by the killing of three Muslim farmers in Nadu Ootru Muslim village by unknown persons, Trincomalee police said. more..

Nov 29 (ST) The bullet holes in the walls at St Patrick's School in Jaffna peninsula are being covered over slowly, but it may take a little longer for the students to recover from years of war. more..

Nov 29 (EU) European Union External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten Saturday said he was not trying to replace Norway in brokering peace between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels. more..