Sep 11 (HT) The Sri Lankan government will get its environmental experts to study the impact of the ambitious Indian project to dig a canal linking the Gulf of Mannar with the Palk Strait, off the Tamil Nadu coast on Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 11 (USE) A Business Promotion Mission to North Carolina will be undertaken by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) comprising representatives of leading Sri Lankan apparel exporters from 13th to 15th September, 2004, to promote business with US textile manufacturers. more..

Sep 11 (SAR) Church leaders from Sri Lanka and India met at the Kerala capital, September 9, to look at the common concerns and possibilities of playing a more significant role in regional issues. more..

Sep 11 (BT) A 42-year-old Sri Lankan driver suffered severe head injury after his car collided head-on with a Nissan Safari on Al Nakel Highway near Bahrain Fort at 10.40pm on Thursday. The accident also left a Bahraini pedestrian injured. more..

Sep 11 (Reuters) The writer and director of U.S. movie "Hollywood Buddha" has apologized for offending Buddhist Thais by sitting on the head of a Buddha image for a poster advertising the movie and has promised to withdraw it. more..

Sep 11 (IL) Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that the JVP was enjoying government perks while at the same time criticizing some actions of the government in public to save themselves from the public after getting elected by deceiving the masses. more..

Sep 11 (DN) A gang of six robbers including the gang leader alleged to have been involved in a spate of bank robberies and robberies of business establishments for more than eight months in Colombo and its suburbs were arrested by Moratuwa police on Wednesday night. more..

Sep 11 (AT) The Acting Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Hagrup Haukland rejected S.P. Thamilselvan's accusation that Sri Lanka Army was involved in the attack on the Pullumulai LTTE's sentry point, on 07 September, by anouncing that there was 'no evidence' so far to prove their allegation against the Army. more..

Sep 11 (Reuters) Sri Lanka’s stalled bid to cement a lasting peace after two decades of bloody civil war is doomed to failure unless minority Tamils are granted interim self-rule, a top Tamil Tiger rebel leader has warned. more..

Sep 11 (AFP) Tamil Tiger rebels have complained to Scandinavian truce monitors that government troops attacked them and have warned the fragile peace process could collapse. LTTE said members of the security forces took part in an attack on a Tiger outpost earlier in the week. more..

Sep 12 (TN) A member of the EPDP, a paramilitary working with the Sri Lanka army, was gunned down by unidentified men in Kayts Saturday night around 7 p.m. Police in Jaffna said. The EPDP cadre was identified as Mr. P. Aruldas. more..

Sep 12 (TN) World Bank funded three-storied court complex in Trincomalee town built at a cost of about 79 million rupees is to be opened Sunday morning by the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath Nanda Silva. more..

Sep 12 (AT) The LTTE is displeased - With Arumugam Thondaman. Mr Thondaman (like his grandfather) regards himself as the pre-eminent leader of his people, a belief that is not shared by the Tigers. more..

Sep 12 (AT) The LTTE, seems to be engaged in a delaying tactics without fixing a date for their agreed meeting with the Sri Lanka Army in the Eastern district of Batticaloa to discuss the security situation, as they see no favorable situation for them in the district. more..

Sep 12 (AT) He has been variously described as “the stormy petrel”, “gad-fly” and “maverick” of Indian Politics. He would stick his neck out where weaker hearts would hardly open their eyes to. more..

Sep 12 (Rupavahini) Japan is to expedite the finalization of their loan amounting to 263.9 million U.S. dollars to Sri Lanka. The Japanese foreign minister Yoriko Kawaguchi told the visiting Sri Lankan foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar that she would instruct officials to expedite the granting of this loan to Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 12 (Rupavahini) The Maha Nayaka of the Malwatta chapter the most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera points out that he will advise the government on finding solutions to major problems of the country. more..

Sep 12 (SL) Hopelessly in the doldrums both on the economic and political fronts, the government last week moved to salvage some hope by roping in the opposition for a joint effort on the peace process but came acropper with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe once bitten, twice shy. more..

Sep 12 (SL) The nightmare the people of Sri Lanka had prior to the April 2 general election, that the Marxists led UPFA government would not only force them to face hardships, but also put them out of their very houses is now becoming a reality in Galle. more..

Sep 12 (SO) Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) leader and Parliamentarian Arumugan Thondaman said nobody could tell him where to go and where not to go. Referring to the media reports that he went to Hyderabad, India, last week to revise multi-million dollar deal with an IT Company. more..

Sep 12 (TN) Chauvinist forces in the ruling UPFA Government are saying that the offices the Liberation Tigers have constructed for rehabilitation and development efforts in Trincomalee are military camps in proximity to the government security installations, said Mr.Thurairatnesingham, more..

Sep 12 (SLA) An Ex-LTTE member and a civilian reached the VAVUNATHIVU detachment in the general area of BATTICALOA on 11 September 2004 around 7.15 a.m. seeking protection from the Security Forces. more..

Sep 12 (SLA) Naval troops on duty in the general sea area southeast of DELFT have observed two Indian fishing trawlers poaching in the Sri Lankan waters on 11 September 2004 around 9.30 a.m.

Sep 12 (SLA) The long awaited Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project, which has been recently cleared by the UPA Government, has triggered a battle for credit among political parties in Tamil Nadu. Every party in the State is claiming credit for the project, which was conceived as early as 1860 by an English Commander, A D Taylor. more..

Sep 12 (MO) THE chattering `Walking Wisden' could be on his way back to Old Trafford in a bid to set up more county cricket records. Muttiah Muralitharan didn't only bewilder players on the pitch during his brief, but sensational spells with the Red Rose side in 1999 and 2001. more..

Sep 12 (AFP) England captain Michael Vaughan said Friday's crucial Champions Trophy clash against Sri Lanka offered his side a chance to take a step towards ending a "fantastic summer" in style. England got their Champions Trophy campaign off to a winning start with a record 152-run victory against Zimbabwe at Edgbaston on Saturday. more..

Sep 12 (AT) Lanka United Nationalist Association of Canada, an association of the Sri Lankan expatriates, has brought to the notice of the Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre S. Pettigrew and Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler about the Pongu Tamil event scheduled to be held on Sep 25, by the LTTE as it would be an occasion to drum up support for the militaristic aims of the LTTE and the raising of funds for the LTTE’s war chest. more..

Sep 12 (LT) Mr. Jayanthe Wijesekera, JVP MP for Trincomalee District hoisted the lion flag amidst protest by Wanni tigers. The opening ceremony of the new courts complex was held in Trincomalee today. Wanni tigers had repeatedly protested against hoisting of the National Flag at the ceremony. more..

Sep 12 (LT) 4000 farmers’ associations are to be established throughout the country for agro-production says Mr.Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Minister of Agriculture. The Minister emphasizes that these associations are established to promote agro-production in the country and to give the local farmer a better social status. more..

Sep 12 (KT) Hopes of returning home for the 21 stranded Sri Lankan workers of Moon Garments, Sharjah, seems very distant with every passing day. Adding to their misery there is no help in sight. The factory closed down four months ago following alleged malpractices of the owner who has presumably fled the country without settling the dues and fines of the workers. more..

Sep 12 (AFP) Norway is set to make a fresh bid to salvage Sri Lanka's peace process two years after kicking off internationally-backed negotiations with hopes of ending three decades of ethnic bloodshed. more..

Sep 12 (IANS) India's navy chief Sunday began an official visit to Sri Lanka to firm up military-to-military contacts amidst growing concern in both countries about a maritime force put together by the Tamil Tiger rebels. more..

Sep 13 (TN) Hundreds of upcountry workers staged a protest campaign at George R.De Silva park in Kandy Saturday, demanding increase in salary and opposing privatization of tea estates. The protest was organized by the Union of Upcountry workers and Human Rights Development society. more..

Sep 13 (TN) "Absolutely nothing fundamental has changed on the ground. There can be absence of war, there can be prospects of peace talks, or involvement of the International community, or there can be press releases issued by Chandrika Kumaratunge. more..

Sep 13 (TN) The bodies of two men believed to be those of paramilitary cadres who were killed during an attack on an LTTE border post in Pullumalai, 65 kilometres northwest of Batticaloa, last Tuesday were found in the jungle, Police said. more..

Sep 13 (TN) Constitution is to be amended to open regional level circuit session of the Court of Appeal to hear appeals from outstations. Cabinet has given its approval to the proposed amendment to the constitution submitted by the Justice Minister, said Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva Sunday in Trincomalee. more..

Sep 13 (LBO) The Treasury Secretary said they plan to expand the role of the government because they think the private sector alone can't lead the country. But he says the state has got the help of the private sector to design a strategy that looks at promoting growth through development of productivity and small and medium businesses. more..

Sep 13 (LBO) Local financial sector, dominated by banks, has been growing at a healthy pace for decades. Over the last five years banks with their access to cheap deposits have also made in-roads to specialized areas in the financial sector like leasing. more..

Sep 13 (AT) Erik Solheim, Norway’s Special Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka is due here in Colombo on 13 September, to review the progress of the peace process, as President Kumaratunga making her full efforts to reach a consensus among the political parties in the South over the resumption of peace talks with the LTTE. more..

Sep 13 (AT) An Eelam Peoples Democratic Party stalwart (EPDP), who was a former chairman of the Athchuveli Pradeshiya Sabha - Maiyavan Chandramohan allias Arundas has been assassinated on Saturday night, in Kayts. more..

Sep 13 (AT) The Indian navy commander admiral Arun Prakash arrived in the island yesterday on an official visit. The Sri Lankan government has extended a special invitation to the Indian navy commander to visit Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 13 (LT) Immediate measures will be taken to reduce the prices of essential commodities says the Government. Currently the prices of several commodities have gone up. As a remedy for the escalation of prices the Government has decided to follow a more vigorous price control of essential items. more..

Sep 13 (Rupavahini) Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse says that the president has focused special attention on problems faced by provincial councils. He added that the chief ministers and secretaries of provincial councils have been empowered to take decisions to settle such problems. more..

Sep 13 (Rupavahini) The government has decided to import rice within two weeks to control the high prices in the local market. Minister of consumer affairs Jeyaraj Fernandopulle told Rupavahini that this measure is a short term remedy to control the rising prices of consumer items. more..

Sep 13 (HT) The Leader of the Opposition, Ranil Wickremesinge, has decided not to join President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s consultative committee on the peace process. But he has pledged unconditional support to any settlement that she may come to, in her talks with the LTTE. more..

Sep 13 (TN) Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva Sunday declared open the Trincomalee modern court complex constructed at a cost of about 79 million rupees under the World Bank funded Legal and Judicial Reforms Project of the Ministry of Justice. Trincomalee Bar Association President Mr.O.L.M.Ismail presided the opening ceremony. more..

Sep 13 (TN) TNA MP Mr.R.Sampanthan in a press release issued Monday in Trincomalee said that a meeting Ambassador J.Cofer Black, had with a group of Sri Lankan media representatives in Colombo, has "caused much concern to wide sections of the Tamil people," more..

Sep 13 (TN) A member of underworld gang was shot dead by home guards Monday early morning around 1.30 a.m at Mullipottana home guard sentry point which is located on Trincomalee-Kandy highway, about 34 km off Trincomalee town, police said. more..

Sep 13 (SLA) A suspicious Tamil person had been arrested by naval troops at LEYDEN BASTIAN gate when he was trying to enter the Harbour premises on 10 September 2004 around 1.20 a.m. The Tamil suspect was later handed over to the FORT Police station. more..

Sep 13 (SLA) One thousand three hundred and thirty eight (1338) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the northern province during the period between 02 September 2004 and 09 September 2004. more..