Nov 9 (TN) Norwegian Special Peace Envoy, Mr Eric Solheim, who arrived in Sri Lanka Tuesday morning, met with a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by Senior M.P Joseph Pararasingham at the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, political sources in Colombo said. more..

Nov 9 (PRIU) Sri Lanka will be the cynosure at World Travel Market (WTM) when the world’s biggest travel and tourism event opens today in London as the country has the biggest contingent from the industry. more..

Nov 9 (MG) The parliament is to pass a new bill on Animal rights and interests soon. Accordingly animal slaughtering in Hajj period might be prohibited under this new law, Kandy Muslim Business society strongly warned the process of certain elements striving to successfully pass the bill. more..

Nov 9 (MG) It is reported that all necessary initiatives are underway to establish a well-equipped hospital in Puttalam .In keeping with the long felt need of the area Muslims, Jamaethe Islami Puttalam branch goes ahead with the process. The estimated fund has been allocated by Baithuz zakath Institute of Kuwait. more..

Nov 9 (Reuters) Stocks edged higher on Tuesday as small investors picked up select hotel and healthcare stocks in the hope of turning a quick profit, brokers said. The key Colombo all-share index rose a provisional 0.14 percent, or 2.08 points, to 1,463.27 points. more..

Nov 9 (Reuters) The rupee ended flat on Tuesday on higher call money rates and lower importer demand for dollars to settle trade bills, dealers said. The rupee closed at 104.40 against the dollar after touching 104.30 during intraday trade. That compares to Monday's close at 104.42. more..

Nov 9 (LT) JVP says that the fact that Anton Balasingham’s statement to Tamil Net, an LTTE owned web site, that the LTTE is not bound by the proposals made at Oslo and Tokyo conference held respectively on 25th November 2002 and O7th July 2003 has not been subjected to reasonable consideration among the public. more..

Nov 9 (USE) The United States announced that the 2006 U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery has opened, with registration for those seeking to win a chance to immigrate to the United States open until January 7, 2005. more..

Nov 9 (AT) Sri lanka Army reports that the vehicle of the Brigade Commander for Kalkudah came under pistol and hand grenade attack from unidentified men near Jetty Camp, Valaichchenai on Monday morning at while the vehicle was proceeding towards Valaichchenai. more..

Nov 9 (PIS) The forthcoming visit of the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson and other key Norwegian facilitators, including Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Special Envoy Erik Solheim, have helped to revive hopes of a resumption of the long-stalled peace process. more..

Nov 9 (Reuters) Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana has retired from international cricket after missing out on selection for a training squad for next month's tour of New Zealand. more..

Nov 9 (LBO) The government wants private sector workers to compensate for work benefits and has increased the income tax on company maintained cars. If you’re thinking of asking your boss for a car the next time you sit down to discuss a raise, think twice more..

Nov 9 (LBO) The government is trying to access US$ 248.0 mn from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) to finance a cluster of development projects valued at US $ 977.7 mn. The government is hoping to partially finance a cluster of 12 projects more..

Nov 9 (DN) Colombo South Teaching Hospital which was hit by a doctors strike yesterday morning returned to normal by noon following with a settlement reached between the doctors and the Director General of Health Services. more..

Nov 9 (AN) Special peace envoy of Norway Erik Solheim and LTTE's London-based chief negotiator and political advisor Anton Balasingham arrived in Sri Lanka early this morning to kick start the fresh bid to resume the stalled peace talks. more..

Nov 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has nominated its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the party's candidate for the next presidential election, Xinhua reports Tuesday. more..

Nov 9 (AFP) A Norwegian peace envoy has kicked off a fresh initiative to save Sri Lanka's faltering peace process as the rebels' chief negotiator returned from London to join crisis talks, officials said. more..

Nov 9 (AFP) Sri Lanka said it faced a foreign exchange crisis triggered by rising global oil prices and the ethnic conflict that has slowed aid flows. Taxes of 10 to 20 percent would be imposed on imported processed food, fruit, vegetables, perfumes, footwear, ceramic ware and household appliances to tackle the crisis, more..

Nov 9 (LT) Former Minister S.B Dissanayaka who was taken into custody in connection with collection of wealth in unlawful manner was produced before Colombo chief Magistrate Court. Officials of the Bribery Commission say that the Commission has decided to sue him in the future. more..

Nov 9 (BBC) Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakim says the Norwegian peace delegation is not optimistic of restarting the peace talks between the government and the Tamil Tigers. more..

Nov 10 (TN) Mr. Ramalingam Shanmugalingam (69), also known as 'AppuArchie', a San Diego, California based Tamil activist who campaigned for the Tamil cause with his writings died Monday after suffering a heart attack. Mr Shanmugalingam transcreated Tamil poems in English and was a prolific writer and Internet activist for more than a decade. more..

Nov 10 (TN) Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government has appointed a two member committee to study and submits it recommendations regarding the proposal made to upgrade the Trincomalee Urban Council (UC) to a Municipal Council in the Town Gravets Divisional Secretariat Division at Trincomalee district more..

Nov 10 (TN) Mr.S.Karunakaran (43), father of four children, and a native of Trincomalee, currently residing in Valvettithurai (VVT) in Jaffna district is reported to have disappeared while fishing in VVT Athikovilady sea area, civil sources said. more..

Nov 10 (Rupavahini) Jathika Hela Urumaya M.p. The Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera reiterates that prompt action should be taken against Patalee Champika Ranawaka for acting as the secretary of the party without the knowledge of the supreme Sangha council. more..

Nov 10 (Rupavahini) President Chandrika Kumaratunge reiterates that institutions which are vested with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country should act in an independent manner. She added that it is difficult to prevent crimes if the police and judiciary are politicized. more..

Nov 10 (IO) There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “If you want to be happy for a lifetime, grow a garden.” There is a lot of truth in the tried and tested philosophy of this saying. And now we ask the question: can flowers and plants and the verdant green of the environment help the mentally sick towards recovery? more..

Nov 10 (AP) Tamil Tiger rebels have recruited more than 3,500 child soldiers since signing a cease-fire with the government in 2002, despite pledges to stop the practice, an international human rights group said. more..

Nov 10 (BBC) The Tamil National Alliance says that the Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim who visited Sri Lanka on Tuesday was not optimistic about restarting peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers. more..

Nov 10 (LBO) The Agriculture and Livestock Ministry will scout for young couples next year, to man a series of government sponsored new generation farming communities. Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake told reporters Tuesday that the project is still at a very initial stage, more..

Nov 10 (IL) There is much hype made about the proposed coal power plant and the Upper Kotmale Hydro power project. But sadly many seem to have forgotten about yet another vital power plant: the proposed 300 MW Kerawalapitiya power plant, which is also very much behind schedule, a senior CEB engineer said. more..

Nov 10 (TP) GOVERNMENT Minister Douglas Devananda, an arch foe of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, has been provided with tighter security following LTTE threats on cadres of the EPDP (the party led by Devananda), party sources told the Daily Mirror. more..

Nov 10 (SLBC) Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena yesterday released former UNP Minister S.B. Dissanayake on bail in relation to an investigation by the Bribery Commission officials. more..

Nov 10 (TN) Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr.Jan Peterson accompanied by his deputy Mr.Vidar Helgessen and special envoy Mr.Erik Solheim is due to hold talks with President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday evening regarding the resumption of peace talks with LTTE, more..

Nov 10 (Reuters) Sri Lanka stocks ended slightly higher on Wednesday as investors bought hotel shares, betting higher tourist arrivals this year would boost their earnings, brokers said. The key Colombo all-share index rose a provisional 0.85 percent, or 12.45 points, to 1,475.72 points. more..

Nov 10 (Reuters) Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will be able to bowl his controversial "doosra" under a recommendation from an ICC committee. The delivery, a leg spinner bowled from the front of the hand, was outlawed as illegal by the ICC last May after a report concluded Muralitharan bent his arm during delivery. more..

Nov 10 (TN) “The objective before us is to make our own constitution on the basis of our sovereignty, which is inalienable. We have the right to do it. The signing of the ceasefire agreement between the leader of the Tamil nation and the Prime Minister of the Sinhala nation proved that there are two states on this island”, said Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, more..

Nov 10 (TN) Mr.Harim Peiris, Advisor to President, Wednesday held a conference in the circuit bungalow of the Vavuniya district secretariat with the Government Agents of the districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya and political activists of LTTE more..

Nov 10 (AFP) Sri Lanka's star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will know next week if he is sufficiently recovered from a shoulder surgery to resume his international career in New Zealand early next year, officials said. more..

Nov 10 (MG) The political analysts said that there is a silver lining in the cloud of future peace process of Sri Lanka. They are view of that the recent tour of Tamil chelvan with his LTTE colleagues to European countries and Anton Balasingam arrival even amidst heavy odds are clear signs for a good peace environment. more..

Nov 10 (Strategiy) Following the announcement of a near doubling of profits for the year 2003/2004, SriLankan Airlines is continuing its staged growth in all areas. Airline management has revealed plans to expand IT capabilities, airport facilities and catering and cargo divisions, more..

Nov 10 (Reuters) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka raised its overnight repurchase and reverse repurchase rates by 50 basis points on Wednesday after holding them steady for 12 months, the central bank said. more..

Nov 10 (SLA) Police had managed to arrest two LTTE female cadres who had attempted to abduct a child from the general area of MUTTUR jetty in MUTTUR on 09 November 2004. The victim, a teenager D. BRINDA (14) of UPPUVEL CEMETERY ROAD, AMBUWELIPURM is an EX-LTTE child soldier who was in the organization in 2003 more..

Nov 10 (SLA) Two unidentified gunmen on motorbike have shot dead a Muslim civilian resident in the general area of KATUWANVILA, WELIKANDA on 9 November 2004 around 8.00 p.m. after he was called out by his killers. more..

Nov 10 (SLA) Naval troops on duty had observed Indian fishing trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters on 08 November 2004. Naval troops have observed the presence of approximately 800 hundred Indian fishing trawlers engaged in poaching in the general sea areas of north-west of THALAIMANNAR, west of ELUVATIVU, ANALATIVU and west of TALAIMANNAR. more..

Nov 10 (SLA) The annual Katina ceremony at the historic Naga Viharaya in Jaffna town got under way recently with the participation of a number of Buddhist monks headed by temple’s incumbent, Ven. Meegahajandure Gunaratana Thera. more..

Nov 10 (AT) Political parties in Denmark are urging the Government to proscribe foreign terrorist organizations including the Sri Lanka’s Tamil separatist outfit - LTTE. In the interest of the country, political parties have urged that Denmark has to come up with its own proscribed foreign Terrorists list similarly to that that of Great Britain, more..

Nov 10 (AT) The stage is already set and the key players are almost back in their bases and now another round of shuttle diplomacy is about to take off in the island republic of Sri Lanka - another attempt to reconvene the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, more..

Nov 10 (AT) Sethusamudram ship canal project is going to have a Suez Canal connection and thereby become a truly Suez Canal of South Asia. India has decided to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Suez Canal Authority for technical help to the Sethusamudram venture, particularly in relation to dredging. more..

Nov 10 (AFP) Sri Lanka’s truce with Tiger rebels has brought fear instead of the expected peace dividend because of the continued forced recruitment of thousands of child soldiers, a rights group said. more..

Nov 10 (PRIU) Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka launched the first local language computer keyboards in a ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday in order to promote the use of ICT in Sinhala and Tamil. more..