Apr 4 (SLA) A group of eleven Sri Lankan refugees, who had been dropped by an Indian dhow at 7th SAND BANK in TALAIMANNAR have been arrested by naval troops on 02 April 2005 around 7.00 a.m. Interrogations have revealed that they had paid Indian Rs. 3000/= per head to an Indian dhow for their passage from India. more..

Apr 4 (SLA) Three suspected armed LTTE men, who had reportedly abducted and detained four Sinhalese civilians from the general area of PAHALA YAKKURE, NUWARAGALA, DEHIATTAKANDIYA after they had entered a forest in IHALA YAKKURE. more..

Apr 4 (SLA) Policemen on duty at a roadblock in the general area of KATTANKUDY, BATTICALOA on 2nd April 2005 around 8.00 p.m. were compelled to arrest a seventeen-year old boy who claimed that he was being abducted for conscription to the LTTE. more..

Apr 4 (SLA) An LTTE pistol man in broad daylight gunned down Director of the Ministry of Vocational Training, headed by Hon. Minister DOUGLAS DEVANANDA, on Monday (04 April 2005) at about 12.25 in the afternoon while he was visiting the Technical College at KATTANKUDY, BATTICALOA on official duty. more..

Apr 4 (AT) Indian Coast Guard reports that it has rescued five Sri Lankan fishermen as their boat was adrift after engine failure. The rescue took place some 200 nautical miles off Chennai on Sunday. more..

Apr 4 (KNT) To celebrate its 5th anniversary, ECOCLUB, www.ecoclub.com, the international ecotourism club, has just held its first annual Ecolodge project competition, the "ECOCLUB Ecolodge Award 2004". ECOCLUB Members were asked to choose by email vote from project proposals submitted by Ecolodges around the world. more..

Apr 4 (HT) India's state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is on the threshold of an opportunity to help Sri Lanka put its ailing power sector back on its feet. The NTPC may play a pioneering role in Sri Lanka's power sector if it finally swings a project to build, own and operate three 300 MW power plants, and is able to use low sulphur coal as the fuel. more..

Apr 4 (TP) Most people say they are unhappy with the government according to a random email poll conducted by The Sunday Times FT to assess the ruling UPFA’s performance one year after securing won power on April 2, 2004. more..

Apr 4 (TP) The government on Friday was planning to urge a fresh trial in the case where three Sri Lankans have been sentenced to death by the Saudi Arabian High Court after being found guilty of criminal offences, a newspaper said. more..

Apr 4 (Xinhua) Ruling coalition partners must iron out differences within the government and stop attacking each other, a senior government minister has said. Anura Bandaranaike, minister of investment promotion, said Saturday that the SLFP and the leftist JVP must refrain from attacking each other. more..

Apr 4 (SLBC) Consumers in large numbers are now converging on Colombo and other major cities to purchase their requirements for the forthcoming New Year. The public as well as private sector training establishments have stocked essential items to meet the demand with extended business hours. more..

Apr 4 (SLBC) Ministry of Social Welfare points out the need to prepare a special directory of non governmental organisations. Secretary to the Ministry Seetha Rajapakse says the government faces various difficulties in emergency situation in dealing with the NGOs due to lack of proper information regarding them. more..

Apr 4 (SLBC) The government is considering a compensation payment to public sector employees affected by tsunami. Minister Amarasiri Dondangoda said that they were unable to take a final decision in this regard since the authorities had not yet received a detailed report of government servants who were affected by the disaster. more..

Apr 4 (DN) President Kumaratunga said yesterday that the semi-privatisation of AirLanka (SriLankan) was one of the most successful partnership ventures entered into by any Government in the history of Sri Lanka. "It was a difficult and controversial decision to sell AirLanka which was gasping for breath with six of its fleet of nine lying in an unusable condition". more..

Apr 4 (AP) Sri Lankan tourism officials expect the number of Chinese traveling to this island nation to triple this year because of new direct air links to China and aggressive advertising, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board said Monday. more..

Apr 4 (AP) Sri Lanka's Roman Catholic Church has declared a week of mourning for the death of Pope John Paul II, a senior official said Monday. Catholics, who make up a small minority in this overwhelmingly Buddhist nation, have been asked to fly the Catholic flag at their homes and businesses, and church bells will toll three times a day this week, more..

Apr 4 (AP) At least 65 tsunami victims, including 25 children, were hospitalized in Sri Lanka after eating uncooked grain at a refugee camp, officials said Monday. The tsunami survivors in eastern Muttur, complained of dizziness and vomiting, said M. Shukri, director of the Muttur hospital. more..

Apr 4 (LNP) Several UPFA Chief Ministers Saturday faulted the JVP for resisting the four percent BTT increase on `non essentials`, like liquor and cigarettes, gazetted with effect from April 1. more..

Apr 4 (LNP) The Sports Ministry will seek legal assistance to bring in normalcy to the crisis ridden Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) following the Court order restraining the Sports Minister and the Ministry Secretary from taking further steps with regard to SLC until April 12. more..

Apr 4 (IPS) It's a hundred days since Asia's devastating Dec. 26 tsunami and communities across the region are trying to rebuild and heal. In the face of tragedy, Sri Lankans have always looked towards religion as an antidote to the battered national psyche. more..

Apr 4 (LM) The Norwegian-led SLMM knew about the Tiger airstrip and what the LTTE was planning to do way back in April last year or even before. However, they did not do anything until the LTTE acquired aircraft and the issue got fully blown up with the recent findings. It is not clear if the SLMM is doing anything about it right now. more..

Apr 4 (AP) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels shot dead a government official Monday amid escalating violence in Sri Lanka's volatile east, the military said. T. Kailanathan, 55, a director at the Ministry of Vocational Training, was having lunch when suspected guerrillas opened fire in Batticaloa, said military spokesman Brig. Daya Ratnayake. more..

Apr 5 (AFP) Umpires became sightscreens as New Zealand batsmen faced up to Sri Lankan slinger Lasith Malinga for the first time on the opening day of the first cricket Test on Monday. The 21-year-old firebrand, who only took up cricket four years ago, proved such a handful for the New Zealand batsmen with his unorthodox square-arm delivery, more..

Apr 5 (PTI) The MDMK leader Vaiko today said that there was no possibility of a defence pact between India and Sri Lanka. Talking to reporters here, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured him that the centre had not taken any decision on the matter. more..

Apr 5 (TN) Thousands of people wept, prayed and said goodbye Sunday packing chapels and towns across NorthEast and the rest of Sri Lanka to remember the life of Pope John Paul II, the priest from Krakow who lead the resurgence of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland and the world. more..

Apr 5 (PRIU) Over the past month President Kumaratunga was keenly following the reports about the Pope John Paul’s failing health. On Sunday morning when she learnt of his passing away she was truly saddened, and said he had a great life and now his physical ordeals have come to an end. more..

Apr 5 (PRIU) The 30th International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) International Conference begins in Colombo today. The four day conference is being hosted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 5 (AFP) The government has decided to re-open the Kabool Lanka textile mill in Thulhiriya and Kabool Lace factory in Matthegama in early May, Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Investment Promotion Dr.U.Vidanapathirana told reporters. more..

Apr 5 (BBC) A man wielding a sword has killed a woman and injured at least three other people during a service at a church in southern Germany. Police said they found "grisly" scenes, including severed limbs, at the scene of the attack in Stuttgart. more..

Apr 5 (LBO) Sri Lankan shippers say the Colombo port is getting too expensive, eroding any cost competitiveness they have for their products in the international market. The shippers, who are mainly Sri Lankan exporters say Sri Lanka is the fourth most expensive port to ship from of the terminal handling charge more..

Apr 5 (BBC) The Secretary to the Ministry of Sports takes control of all movable properties belonging to Sri Lanka Cricket. The Appeal Court has given a ruling to this effect and that the secretary can now transfer all movable properties to the Interim Commitee appointed by the Minister of Sports. more..

Apr 5 (TN) Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), under its integrated development programme with the funding of Norwegian TRO Monday morning handed over fishing crafts with outboard engines and fishing gear including nets and other accessories to 35 beneficiaries. more..

Apr 5 (Reuters) Sri Lanka was hit by a nationwide power cut on Monday, just weeks after the state-run electricity utility warned of possible blackouts unless the government helps settle its debts and ups tariffs. more..

Apr 5 (LT) It is reported that the portfolio of Power & Energy is to be taken away from the present minister Susil Premajayantha to be given to some body else. It is also reported that Mr. Susil Premajayantha had asked the President to relieve him from the subject of power and energy as he was under stress more..

Apr 5 (LT) Certain policies of the SLFP should be refashioned keeping with the current needs and trends say Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Minister of Buddha Sasana and National Security. He made this statement addressing a meeting of the Kalutara District SLFP ‘Asana Bala Mandalaya’. more..

Apr 5 (LT) A special discussion was held on the Government’s plan to reconstruct Ceylon Electricity Board and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. Minister of Power and Energy Susil Premajayantha, Secretary of the Treasury P.B. Jayasundara and from the JVP Mr. Nandana Gunatilleke, more..

Apr 5 (LT) A large number of political parties are contemplating the possibility of forming a “Progressive People’s Alliance” consisting of members of all political parties with a leadership that could take the country on the correct direction. more..

Apr 5 (AT) “If the UPFA Government did not take over the reigns of power one year ago, the UNF Government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe would have paved the way for the division of the country,” declared Wimal Weerawansa Member of Parliament and the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP. more..

Apr 5 (AT) A large number of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) customers have still not received their 2004 telephone directories, due to mishandling of delivery by a private courier service. "We had entrusted the delivery of the telephone directories to a private courier service, but they have not done their job properly. more..

Apr 5 (AT) A powerful political leader, who served as a minister for more than 17 years along with his politico wife, who is a councilor of the North Central Provincial Council have jointly warned the Leader of the Opposition that they would work against him to see that he is defeated in the next Presidential election. more..

Apr 5 (SAMN) The US Embassy in Colombo announced Monday that effective immediately Sri Lankans travelling to the United States will be eligible to receive multiple entry visas valid for a five year period. more..

Apr 5 (SAMN) Another baby "81 case" is reported from the Galle district. A mother who gave birth to a premature child at the ‘tsunami’ hit Mahamodara hospital in Galle on November 25 is battling to secure the custody of the child from the hospital authorities who are refusing to accept the woman as the mother. more..

Apr 5 (SAMN) More than six hundred containers containing tsunami relief are yet to be cleared from the port of Colombo. These containers, with food and other essential items, were not released at the right time from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority due to political pressure. more..

Apr 5 (LNP) Acknowledging that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Disaster Management was to undertake an overseas tour later this month, its head, Mahinda Samarasinghe, UNP MP, said that it wouldn't be what he termed as all-paid vacation. more..

Apr 5 (LNP) The Engineering Faculty of the University of Peradeniya was closed until further notice by the vice-chancellor of the University. The vice-chancellor, Prof. Kapila Gunasekera took the decision due to a tense situation in the campus following a clash between the Engineering Faculty students and those of the Arts Faculty. more..

Apr 5 (SLA) A Sri Lanka Navy inshore patrol craft, with a representative of the SLMM and seven sailors aboard, came under a rain of LTTE bullets on Tuesday morning at about 9.52 a.m. while the craft was engaged in its routine patrol in the general sea area of UPPARU, south of TRINCOMALEE Harbour. more..

Apr 5 (SLA) EPDP office at KARATHIVU junction in the general area of AMPARA came under suspected LTTE hand grenade attack on 04 April 2005 around 7.40 p.m. According to an eyewitness, two unidentified LTTE suspects on a speeding motorbike, have fled the area towards SAMANTHURAI after throwing the hand grenade at the EPDP office. more..

Apr 5 (SLA) A father of two children was the latest Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) supporter to fall victim to LTTE pistol men on Tuesday afternoon at about 2.45 p.m. no sooner than he has stepped out of a cinema theatre in the heart of BATTICALOA town. more..

Apr 5 (LT) A discussion of the party leaders of the UPFA was held in the off ice of the Prime Minister in the Parliament today. The discussion held with the chairmanship of Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse was held at 10.00 a.m. today. more..