Aug 26 (TN) The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has imposed new restriction on fisheries societies in the Vadamarachchi division in Jaffna district on deepening about 21 fisheries jetties, said Valvettithurai Fisheries Co-operative Society. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) A 22-year old female LTTE cadre, who surrendered to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in the general un-cleared area of PUDUKUDIRIPPU, MULLAITTIV reached the OMANTHAI Entry/Exit point on 25 August 2004 around 2.30 p.m. in order to proceed home to re-unite with her parents. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) A group of five LTTE cadres in the company of the Sri SLMM officials and Norwegian diplomats arrived at the OMANTHAI Entry/Exit point on 24 August 2004 around 10.45 a.m. in order to go into cleared areas to receive medical treatments. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) A teenaged female LTTE cadre, trying to get a National Identity Card (NIC) on production of a forged birth certificate was taken into custody by the Police at NIC office on 24 August 2004 in the company of another elderly woman. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) A group of eighty two civil-clad LTTE men after reaching the VILGAMVEHERA roadblock on Tuesday (24) evening at about 6.40 p.m. proceeded towards KINNIYA across THAMPALAGAMUWA. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) The Prison Officer, who fell victim to gunfire following the shooting incident inside the AKKARAIPATTU court on Tuesday (24) succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Wednesday (25) night at about 7.45 p.m. more..

Aug 26 (SLA) A delegation from the Japanese Non-Governmental organization, JICA, dedicated to promote health interests among north-based civilians met Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna Major General Sunil Tennekoon at his office in Jaffna on Tuesday (24) morning. more..

Aug 26 (PSL) Representatives of Foreign Missions and International Donor Agencies met at the President’s Office in Colombo on Tuesday 24th August in response to President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s appeal for urgent assistance for victims of the ongoing drought in the country. more..

Aug 26 (LT) In developing a country scientifically the cooperation of the rural masses should be obtained for otherwise they would even act to topple the government said Mr. Luxman Kadirgamar, Minister of Foreign Affairs. more..

Aug 26 (LT) The first stage of the UPFA programme to give employment opportunities to the unemployed graduates will be launched when the first batch will receive their appointments on the 1st September. The second batch will be taken in on the 18th September. more..

Aug 26 (LT) The Police Headquarters has planned a special program to be launched Island wide to arrest criminals. The Police Headquarters say that special police teams for this purpose will be deployed as units. more..

Aug 26 (DN) Employees of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) have received a big bonanza in the form of a 70 per cent salary increment following the upgrading of the SLTB to A category by the Public Enterprises division of the General Treasury. more..

Aug 26 (CI) Fearless, uncomplicated and enthusiastic, Lasith Malinga - the "pocket rocket" of Sri Lankan cricket - is jobless, and homeless too. Speaking exclusively to Charlie Austin, with Ajit Jayasekera, the team manager, as an interpreter, Malinga talked about his remarkable rise: more..

Aug 26 (PIS) Everybody wants peace. There is none that does not abhor war and destruction. Even those who denounce and ridicule those who seem to be making campaigns for peace a profitable business, do not desire an armed conflict. more..

Aug 26 (AFP) Tamil Tiger rebels rejected government allegations that they were engaged in gun-running in violation of a truce deal. The LTTE told the Norwegian-led SLMM that they had only carried out a naval exercise, the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said on Wednesday. more..

Aug 26 (Gulf) Tamil guerrillas have decided to boycott an ongoing regular meeting with the military in eastern Sri Lanka on the grounds that the military continued to support the renegade regional military wing leader, Karuna's group as it carries out attacks against their cadres. more..

Aug 26 (TN) Sri Lanka Telecom Thursday decided to withdraw its case against the Indian ship accused of severing the island's main link to the internet after conclusive evidence that the vessel had nothing to do with the damage caused to submarine fibre optic cable landing point last Saturday night. more..

Aug 26 (HT) The Sri Lankan government said that the LTTE was testing its patience by going on a killing spree, but assured that this would not result in war because it hoped to rein in the rebel group by other means. more..

Aug 26 (AFP) Sri Lanka warned Tamil Tiger rebels that they were testing the limits of the government's tolerance with their stepped-up attacks against political rivals. Government spokesman Mangala Samaraweera said the Tiger killings undermined the Norwegian-backed process aimed at ending three decades of ethnic bloodshed, but added that the government was keen to avoid a return to war. more..

Aug 26 (TN) Major General Sunil Tennekon, newly appointed Jaffna area commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Thursday said problems confronting the people of Jaffna district could be solved when the current peace process progresses towards reaching a permanent solution, during a discussion at the Jaffna district secretariat presided by Government Agent Mr.S.Pathmanathan, more..

Aug 26 (Xinhua) A team from the US Department of Energy will visit Sri Lanka in the near future for discussions on port safety with the concerning authorities in the country, the US embassy here said on Thursday. The US team will meet with officials of Sri Lanka Port Authority, the Sri Lankan Navy, Customs and the Harbor Police. more..

Aug 26 (SLBC) The Jathika Hela Urumaya is now meeting Colombo-based diplomats to explain its stand on religious and ethnic problems in the country. The party said that it wants to counter the misconceptions on the proposed Anti Conversion Bill and LTTE terrorism. more..

Aug 27 (Rupavahini) There has been an immediate and encouraging response to President Chandrika Kumaratunge's appeal for drought assistance from foreign countries and international donor agencies. more..

Aug 27 (Rupavahini) Indian government extends fullest cooperation for the government's tank reconstruction project. Tamburuboowa Wewa at Kotavehera in Kurunegala is to be reconstructed at a cost of 525 thousand rupees with Indian assistance. more..

Aug 27 (NW) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) has restored fully the internet services pertaining to its dial up internet, dedicated to internet, ADSL and e-mail services, a news release from Sri Lanka Telecom said. SLT Chief Marketing Officer Kapila Chandrasena conveyed his company's regret for the inconvenience. more..

Aug 27 (TN) The Vavuniya campus of the University of Jaffna will re-open from 1 September, officials said Thursday. The campus has been troubled by student unrest since June. It was shut down on 22 July, a day after protesting students locked up non academic staff inside the only building the campus has in Vavuniya town. more..

Aug 27 (TN) About one hundred internally displaced families (IDP) who have been refused permission to resettle in their homes and do cultivation in their agricultural lands in high security zones in Valigamam north in Jaffna district are to file fundamental rights violation applications in the Supreme Court. more..

Aug 27 (LBO) The precious stones from the isle of Serendib go back a long way, but this Christmas the Ceylon sapphire will make its 21-century debut into the world of high fashion. The Ceylon sapphire has a world renowned name of its own – Princess Diana wore a blue Ceylon sapphire in her engagement ring and, so they say, the Queen of Sheba. more..

Aug 27 (IL) The country’s pre dominant Muslim political party yesterday vowed to spearhead a campaign in helping all respective political parties reach a consensus on vital matters concerning the peace process, so that peace talks could resume soon. more..

aug 27 (NT) IN the face of continuing unrest in the South Asian nation of Sri Lanka, the US officials are calling on the Sri Lankan government and opposition LTTE to turn away from violence and return to peace negotiations as laid out in a cease-fire agreement reached in 2002. more..

Aug 27 (SLA) Naval troops on information received, arrested three men with gelignite capsules from the general area of PODUWAKATTU, about 05 km north of KUCHCHAVELI on 26 August 2004 around 2.30 p.m. more..

Aug 27 (SLA) Naval troops on duty in the general area north of URUMALAI, TALAIMANNAR have observed about fifty Indian fishing trawlers were poaching in the Sri Lankan seas during small hours on 26 August 2004.

Aug 27 (SLA) A Cementing bonds of goodwill and co-existence between troops and members of the civil society is certainly a positive step taken in right direction, aimed at fostering relations among civilians that contribute to peace-making in the long run. more..

Aug 27 (TN) For sea faring residents and fishermen from the town of Valvettiturai located in the northern shores of Jaffna, temples dotting the town's landscape provide solace and protection from the dangers that accompany their trade. more..

Aug 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s leading business chamber urges upward revisions to local fuel and electricity prices to absorb rising international rates. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce met on Thursday to discuss the impacts of increasing international oil prices on the back of a prevailing drought in the island. more..

Aug 27 (PRIU) Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said the IOR-ARC could assist in establishing a sharing approach of globalization with the villager. “As such it could work together with a view to achieving economic and social emancipation" for those in the region,” he said more..

Aug 27 (PRIU) It is to be recalled that the UPFA was formed with the explicit intention of arresting the peace negotiations carried on between the UNF Government and the LTTE. It specifically attacked the UNF peace agenda on the basis that it was betraying the country by giving into the LTTE demand for a separate State in the North-East. more..

Aug 27 (SLBC) Cabinet spokesman Minister Mangala Samaraweera says the government will launch several programmes to provide relief to the people within next few months. Accordingly, a self employment project will soon be carried out to provide self employments to 110,000 Samurdhi recipients. more..

Aug 27 (SLBC) The National Thalaseamea Society has been established. The society was officially launched at a ceremony held last evening at the Medical Research Institute in Colombo. Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has been named as the special advisor to the society. more..

Aug 27 (SLBC) Jaffna area commander of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Sunil Tennekon, said yesterday problems confronting the people of Jaffna district could be solved when the current peace process progresses towards reaching a permanent solution. more..

Aug 27 (Reuters) Stocks rose nearly 1 percent on Friday as investors looking for quick trading opportunities picked up select stocks, brokers said. "Penny stocks still continue to be bought by retailers and we saw some big sellings as well," said one broker. more..

Aug 27 (Reuters) The government's first-half revenue rose to 143 billion rupees from 136.7 billion rupees in the same period in 2003, the central bank said on Friday. Total January-June spending was 227.4 billion rupees, up from 206.3 billion rupees in 2003. more..

Aug 27 (CI) Sri Lanka's cricketers and the cricket board have joined an island-wide relief campaign to help drought victims in the rain-starved north-eastern provinces of the country. The failure of the last monsoon and the ensuing drought has left 20,000 families in desperate need of drinking water and essential foods. more..

Aug 27 (N24) Despite controlling the five-match one-day series 3-0, Sri Lanka hope to continue their winning sequence in the fourth match against South Africa on Saturday and carry the confidence into the ICC Champions Trophy next month. more..

Aug 27 (AT) War is certainly not a chosen option of the Government. LTTE should understand that the Government is exercising restraint and patient for the sake of Peace. Government so far has remained independent without any commitment to any groups that opposes the Tamil rebel out fit - announced Cabinet Spokesman of the Sri Lanka Government. more..

Aug 27 (Reuters) The Sri Lanka rupee slightly weakened on Friday as pressure on the currency from importers wanting dollars to settle bills increased, dealer said. The rupee closed at 103.08 against the dollar after staying at 103.05 levels during the week. more..

Aug 27 (DN) President's Counsel Daya Perera, Senior Counsel for the former UNP Co-operative Minister A.R.M. Abdul Cader, who is in remand custody in connection with criminal misappropriation of Rs. One million Samurdhi Funds, produced ten affidavits obtained from Trustees of ten Mosques in the Kandy District more..

Aug 27 (NW) The Patriotic National Movement in a letter signed by several of its members including JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday called on Norway to withdraw from its role as facilitator in the Sri Lanka peace process. more..

Aug 27 (NW) Signalling a dangerous crime trend with the rising cost of living, a woman in Mount Lavinia was in for a rude shock on Wednesday when a man pointed a knife at her only to steal two loaves of bread she was taking home. more..

Aug 27 (NW) Cabinet has decided to call for an immediate report from Police chief Indra de Silva regarding his action to reduce the security of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse without any orders and the alleged police assault on Trade Union protesters, more..