Nov 10 (PIS) Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem said his talks with the Norwegian Peace Envoy, Eric Solheim, were neither optimistic nor pessimistic. "Solheim and I had a cordial discussion on the ongoing Peace talks. I, on behalf of the SLMC put forward our proposals. more..

Nov 10 (PIS) Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen who is due in Sri Lanka today in the latest phase of Oslo'speace mission, will carry a message from President Chandrika Kumaratunga to the LTTE leadership, officials said yesterday. more..

Nov 10 (IANS) Monks will use information technology tools like the Internet to spread Buddhism in Muslim-dominated countries of Southeast Asia. The decision was taken at an international meet of Buddhist youths in Bihar's Bodh Gaya, one of the world's most sacred Buddhist spots. more..

Nov 10 (IANS) Twelve Indian fishermen on board two trawlers have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for trespassing into its waters. The arrests, made in the northwestern Mannar district Tuesday, came in the wake of protests by hundreds of local fishermen demanding action against poaching by Indian fishermen. more..

Nov 10 (SN) The expertise convention of North East Sinhala Organization (NESO) was organized by the Sinhala Weera Widahana Organization held in the B.M.I.C.H yesterday at 5.00 PM under the topic “Jathiya Vikineemata Nowa Rakeemataya….”. more..

Nov 10 (LT) The Office of the Commissioner of Elections states that no presidential election will be held next year. According to the Office of the Commissioner of Elections no money has been allocated for an election in the budget. more..

Nov 10 (LT) University Grants Commission has taken steps to update the university courses according to the need of the job market. Accordingly, the courses in all universities will include English Language and IT as new subjects in addition to the subjects in Arts, Commerce and Accountancy. more..

Nov 10 (DN) The Agriculture, Lands and Irrigation Ministry has fully completed the renovation of 543 tanks throughout the country under the first phase of the UPFA Government's ambitious "Dahasak Maha Wev Project' (Thousand Tanks) implemented to complete the renovation of 1000 tanks before the end of this year. more..

Nov 10 (ANN) The joint Indo- Sri Lanka statement issued after the visit of President Chandrika Kumaratunga to New Delhi and the proposed Defence Co-operation Agreement together with complementary agreements such as on Pallaly Airport are being hailed in all quarters here, except by the LTTE. more..

Nov 10 (IANS) As Norwegian peacemakers prepare to meet Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran Thursday, it is clear the Western world's patience with Sri Lanka's guerrillas is running thin. more..

Nov 10 (AP) Norway's foreign minister arrived Wednesday for meetings with Sri Lanka's president and the reclusive head of the Tamil Tiger rebels to urge the two sides to resume talks on a permanent end to the country's two-decade civil war. more..

Nov 10 (HT) A leading English language daily 'The Island' has suggested that Sri Lanka should use the United States to checkmate India in case the latter makes use of Colombo's growing dependence on it to limit its foreign policy options. more..

Nov 10 (TP) Sri Lanka's ambassador in Doha, A L Mohammed Yoosuf, met noted Islamic scholar, Dr yusuf Al Qaradawi, here on Monday and urged him for help in securing the release of a Sri Lankan hostage in Iraq. more..

Nov 11 (TN) Hundreds of employees of North East Department of Health Services Wednesday noon held a one hour demonstration at the junction along Inner Harbour Road in Trincomalee that leads to the office of Provincial Governor more..

Nov 11 (TN) Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) has launched a project to provide dry rations and other relief supplies to flood victims in all the eight districts in the northeast province in collaboration with the respective Government Agent and other local non-governmental organizations, more..

Nov 11 (IC) Sugath has been telling me about Sri Lanka's tradition of cave temples. At Dambulla, in the first century BC, King Valgambahu took refuge from his enemies in the natural caves high in the hills. more..

Nov 11 (Rupavahini) Customs superintendent of the revenue monitoring force, Sisira De Silva said that the 3800 mobile telephones were found packed in 13 boxes. The consignment having imported into the country from Singapore and Bangkok through express post. more..

Nov 11 (Rupavahini) Associations of private bus operators have come out against the wildcat strikes launched by the Ceylon private bus owners association, putting the public into much difficulty. The operators also held demonstrations at Gunasinghepura in the Pettach and opposite the transport ministry today. more..

Nov 11 (LBO) Shopkeeper P M Wanshantha says schoolboys from as young as eight years old flock to his shop for hair gel sachets everyday, as staying 'cool' suddenly becomes a lot cheaper. Gels, shampoo and toothpaste sachets, are flying of shelves and driving mass market sales, where affordability is key, more..

Nov 11 (LBO) October tourist arrivals show Europeans trickling into to the warm beaches of Sri Lanka for a sizzling winter vacation. “Arrivals from Europe are increasing from October because it’s the start of winter,” said the Tourist Board announcing a 19.1 percent increase of month-on-month arrivals in October. more..

Nov 11 (Reuters) Muttiah Muralitharan will be able to bowl his controversial "doosra" under a recommendation from an ICC committee. The decision prompted former Sri Lankan test player Aravinda de Silva to predict 32-year-old Muralitharan, would end up taking at least 700 test wickets. more..

Nov 11 (NK) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured that India will not do anything that would go against the welfare of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Singh gave the assurance to MDMK leader Vaiko who met him to register his party's protest against the proposed Indo-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation Agreement. more..

Nov 11 (LT) The President has to take the full responsibility if the police and the judiciary are corrupt as she claims said Prof. G.L.Peiris addressing a media meeting. Prof. Peiris said the President has held office fourteen years, she as the President appoints all senior judges and the Department of Defense comes under her purview. more..

Nov 11 (LT) Jhonston Fernando, former minister of the UNP government and five others were ordered to appear before Kurunegala Chief Magistrate Sumudu Premachandra for breaking in to the residence of former minister Jayarathne Herath and damaging property during the period of the General Election. more..

Nov 11 (Reuters) Sri Lanka is exploring a host of new options to forge lasting peace with Tamil Tiger rebels after two decades of bloody civil war, but a deal may still be some way off, President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Wednesday. more..

Nov 11 (BBC) Appointing a commission to investigate the murder of JVP founding leader is not the government’s top priority, says the JVP. JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that the party is instead doing its utmost to continue his policies to serve the nation as the late leader would have expected. more..

Nov 11 (BBC) The Main opposition, UNP says that it would not tolerate playing around with the constitution. GL Peiris, spokesman for the UNP speaking to the press told that “If the constitution needs to be changed the procedures are spelled out in the constitution itself. more..

Nov 11 (LT) Mr.Mervin Silva, Deputy Minister of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment submitted his resignation to the President yesterday stating that he was resigning to pave the way for an impartial inquiry that is to be held regarding allegations that he had created a nasty incident in a night club. more..

Nov 11 (LT) Investigations regarding assets undeclared by S.B.Dissanayake have been completed by the Commission of Bribery and Corruption and now have been handed over to courts and former minister and National organizer of the UNP Mr. S.B.Dissanayake says he is a happy man. more..

Nov 11 (AT) At a time when the Tamil speaking people are in a favorable position to regain their political, social, economic and democratic rights, therefore it becomes the duty of the media to report factually, authentically and disclose views, constructive opinions and criticisms, more..

Nov 11 (AT) For the first time since Norway started peace facilitation in Sri Lanka, top Norwegian peace mediator criticised the LTTE for ceasefire violations, negative interpretation of the Oslo declaration and child recruitment. more..

Nov 11 (LBO) The Central Bank plucked up the courage to raise benchmark interest rates up by 50 basis points with immediate effect, putting an end to Sri Lanka’s 12 month honeymoon of low interest rates. more..

Nov 11 (TN) Upcountry Tamils, many of whom still live in lands owned and controlled by their employers, face "dismal prospect" of being thrown out of their lands within the next decade as a result of the "menacing rise of racism" in the country, Mr. M. Sivalingam, more..

Nov 11 (TN) "President Kumaratunga has sent no new message through the Norwegian Foreign Minister. She has only reiterated her stand that there should be talks on a permanent political solution. We have conveyed a message to her on how to take the peace process forward. more..

Nov 11 (AFP) Sri Lanka's cricket governing body welcomed the new bowling rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC), saying the decision will finally end the controversy over Muttiah Muralitharan's action. more..

Nov 11 (LT) Tiger organization has questioned the President of Kopai College of Education about the visit of the Governor of the Northern and the Eastern Provinces to Jaffna. The students' faction of the tiger organization had earlier warned that it would protest the visit of the Governor. more..

Nov 11 (JT) The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday ordered a Japanese employee of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Tokyo to pay a 150,000 yen fine for a traffic accident she caused in 2002 on her way home from escorting a Sri Lankan Cabinet minister to a hotel. more..

Nov 11 (PSL) President Chandrika Kumaratunga today wished the Hindus of Sri Lanka on their premier festival ‘Deepawali’. Hinduism is the religion practiced by around 15% of the country’s population and most the followers belong to the Tamil speaking community. more..

Nov 11 (PSL) President Kumaratunga received Foreign Minister Jan Petersen of the Royal Norwegian Government at President's House on Wednesday 10th November 2004. The President expressed her appreciation to the Norwegian Foreign Minister for paying his second visit to Sri Lanka this year more..

Nov 11 (wsws) A high-level Norwegian delegation led by Foreign Minister Jan Petersen arrived in Sri Lanka this week as part of international efforts to save the country’s tottering peace process. more..

Nov 11 (PIS) It is generally agreed that almost three years of peace has not delivered any concrete peace dividend to the Tamils in the north-east. But on the positive side, one can say that, this period has seen some interesting ' adult political education' in the Tamil polity. more..

Nov 11 (Hindu) The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary, Vaiko, today urged the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, not to enter into any defence cooperation agreement with Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 11 (Reuters) By abducting children or threatening their families, the rebel LTTE have recruited thousands of child soldiers in Sri Lanka since active fighting ended in 2002, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. more..

Nov 11 (Gulf) A pro-Tamil guerrilla political party has denied claims made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga that the LTTE were not willing to return to the negotiating table and instead blamed the president for delaying talks. more..

Nov 11 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa tonight sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to secure the immediate release of 12 fishermen and their three boats from Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 11 (AP) Norwegian envoys held a key meeting Thursday with the reclusive Tamil Tiger chief to bring the rebels and Sri Lanka's government closer to resuming stalled peace talks aimed at ending a two-decade civil war. more..

Nov 10 (DN) The Leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Mahanayake Thera was firm that it would not in anyway support the Opposition United National Party's bid to remove the Chief Justice. more..

Nov 11 (HT) In an editorial to mark Diwali, a Tamil daily has portrayed the LTTE Supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, as Lord Krishna who is all set to liberate the Tamil people from the thralldom of the modern-day "Narakasura", namely, the Sinhala-dominated Sri Lankan state. more..

Nov 11 (AP) The chief of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels sent a message to the country's president Thursday offering ways to revive stalled peace talks aimed at ending a two-decade civil war, officials said. more..

Nov 11 (AFP) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said they conveyed a secret message to President Chandrika Kumaratunga through peace broker Norway on ending a 19-month deadlock on negotiations. more..