Aug 26 (LT) Issuing a communiqué after the Supreme Court decision about the presidential election, the Political Bureau of the JVP says it would apprise the Nation about the moves it would take in a few days. more..

Aug 26 (LT) All those who endeavoured to get the presidential election held this year; specially those who participated in ‘Janabala Meheyuma’ and a million signatures programme should be thanked for getting the Supreme Court to give a decision in favour of it said Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, presidential candidate and leader of the UNP. more..

Aug 26 (LT) Wanni tiger organization has asked the SLMM to mediate in getting two Army camps in Jaffna removed. The request has been made at a discussion held between the tiger political wing leader and Hagrup Haukland, Head of SLMM. more..

Aug 26 (LT) The country needs a leadership that properly evaluates Western forces said Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, Parliamentarian and co-president of National Patriotic Movement (PNM). He said this at a seminar held in Kalutara. more..

Aug 26 (ANN) The government has agreed to resume peace talks with the LTTE but on condition that it will be held in Sri Lanka and the Cease-fire Agreement reviewed. Government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva, told Thursday's cabinet press briefing that they are agreeable to the resumption of peace talks but in Sri Lanka and not in Oslo as requested by the LTTE. more..

Aug 26 (ANN) In Sri Lanka, traffic jams are worsening by the day. Apart from a few repairs to damaged roads, major road building projects have not got underway and any solutions to worsening traffic jams are unlikely to be offered in the near future. more..

Aug 26 (PIS) Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike yesterday put his foot down against Norway—sounding more on the lines of slain Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar-- and warned the facilitator had far exceeded its role of “post box” in the country’s peace bid. more..

Aug 26 (PIS) The President and the General Assembly of the United Nations paid tribute to the memory of the late Lakshman Kadirgamar, former Minister of Foreign Affairs at a meeting of the UN General Assembly on 24th August, and conveyed condolences to the Government and people of Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 26 (PRIU) President Kumaratunga has decided to forego her entitlements such as Pension, official residence, maintenance allowances for the residence and all stipends to meet utility bills such as electricity, water etc. more..

Aug 26 (SAMN) The UNP was a party which was quite open about its policies on privatisation and a liberalised economy and they privatised 46 public enterprises in the 17 years they ruled the country. But the People’s Alliance with no policy framework regarding privatisation did one over the UNP in privatising 47 public ventures, from 1994 to 2000, more..

Aug 26 (SAMN) The government yesterday informed Parliament it was ‘trying to restrict the necessity to print money’, through the sale of public enterprises. Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama yesterday told the House that the sale of shares of the Ceylon Hotels Corporation (CHC) was effected to reduce inflation. more..

Aug 26 (LNP) A planned escape from the Mahara jail, by 25 remand prisoners, was foiled by alert guards on Wednesday night, resulting in the transfer of 16 hardcore prisoners being immediately transferred to Welikade. more..

Aug 26 (LNP) UNP`s Kegalle District MP Mano Wijeratne yesterday presented his marriage certificate to Parliament while raising a matter of privilege over harassment caused to him at a security checkpoint in Colombo. more..

Aug 26 (DN) The Sri Lanka Geological Information Technology Association in collaboration with the Surrey University of England, an affiliate of the Satellite Technology Institute, has taken preliminary steps to launch the first satellite in Sri Lanka, more..

Aug 26 (GT) Doubts have surfaced about whether the talks between the government and the LTTE will take place shortly as stated by the Norwegian embassy with Minister Mangala Samaraweera telling the media on Tuesday that the “story” of the LTTE coming to talks was “mere speculation”. more..

Aug 26 (CI) Hashan Tillakaratne, the former Sri Lankan Test captain, has claimed to have been humiliated after being suspended from his position as executive director of Cricket Aid pending a disciplinary inquiry. "After sacrificing 18 years of my life for cricket this is the reward I get," said a furious Tillakaratne while addressing the media. more..

Aug 26 (ANI) Sri Lanka's newly appointed Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, will meet External Affairs Minister K.Natwar Singh over a working lunch at the Hyderbad House here this afternoon and will call on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at 7.30 p.m. more..

Aug 26 (IANS) A Sri Lankan think tank has demanded a 'fundamental review' of the Norwegian-brokered peace process in the wake of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar's assassination. The Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) also described the three-year-old peace process as flawed and urged facilitator Norway to redesign it. more..

Aug 26 (AT) The Supreme Court has instructed the Commissioner of Elections to hold the presidential elections between October 28 and November 22 this year. The Court, upholding the petition filed by Dr Omalpe Sobitha Thero, general secretary of the JHU, ruled that the second term of President Chadnrika Kumaratunga would complete on December 22, 2005, more..

Aug 26 (AFP) Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ruled that President Chandrika Kumaratunga's final term expires in December, ending the controversial leader's 11-year reign and clearing the way for elections before November 21. more..

Aug 26 (HT) Settling the heated political and legal controversy over the next Presidential election in Sri Lanka, the country's Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Commissioner of Elections to hold the election in October-November 2005, and not in November 2006, as proposed by the incumbent President, Chandrika Kumaratunga. more..

Aug 26 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Friday ruled a presidential election was due in 2005, handing a victory for the political foes of outgoing President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who wanted to stay in power for another year. more..

Aug 27 (wsws) It is now two weeks since Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was shot dead by a sniper at his private residence in Colombo late in the evening of August 12. As far as the Sri Lankan media and political parties are concerned, there is no doubt that the LTTE carried out the murder. more..

Aug 27 (TN) Election Commissioner Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Friday resumed discussions with his officials to prepare for the next presidential election, which is to be held before the end of this year according to the ruling of the Supreme Court delivered Friday morning. more..

Aug 27 (TN) Trincomalee District Tamil Students Forum (TDTSF) has called Tamil speaking students for a token boycott of classes on Monday in protest to the presence of Sri Lanka Army troops in large number surrounding schools in the Trincomalee town thus violating the ceasefire agreement. more..

Aug 27 (TN) Members of the Sri Lanka Army Intelligence Unit stationed in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district are reportedly harassing the residents whom they consider supporters of LTTE, human rights activists have complained to civil authorities. more..

Aug 27 (AFP) India said yesterday relations with Sri Lanka were in "excellent shape", after holding comprehensive talks with the country's new foreign minister, Anura Bandaranaike, who was on his first official visit abroad. more..

Aug 27 (BBC) The UNP said that it was delighted with the Supreme Court decision as it was a victory for democracy. Speaking at press conference Leader of the opposition Ranil Wickramasigha thanked Parliamentarian Rev. Omalpe Sobitha for petioning the supreme court for a clarification of the timing of the presidential election. more..

Aug 27 (LT) It was reported that 4 girls were abducted by the Wanni Tigers at Delft Island. Having informed by the parents of the girls the police with the assistance of SL Navy has chased the Tiger cadres but the SLMM has intervened. more..

Aug 27 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka's main opposition party hailed Friday's court ruling on the date for the country's next presidential election, while the ruling party said it would accept the ruling. Supreme Court ruled that the country's next presidential election must be held within 2005. more..

Aug 27 (AT) President Chandrika Kumaratunge has decided to rescheduled her state visit to China at last minute. According to Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry sources, President Kumaratunge has abandoned her Shanghai visit and cut short the one week state visit to six days. more..

Aug 27 (GDN) A SRI LANKAN mother is appealing for help after a road accident left her unemployed and severely injured.The former housemaid is in need of funds to cover her medical and living expenses as she waits for the impending court hearing against the teenager who failed to stop as she tried to cross the Budaiya Highway. more..

Aug 27 (AN) Sri Lankan expatriates in the Kingdom yesterday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to hold presidential elections this year and said they were happy that the verdict not only upheld the constitution of the country but also respected the democratic values of the nation. more..

Aug 27 (LBO) Maliban will hire fresh staff for its factory, after close upon 600 workers walked out on their jobs when union strikes and work stoppage failed to solve their troubles. The country’s oldest and second largest biscuit manufacturer, Maliban was plagued by union agitation for three weeks until early August. more..

Aug 27 (AFP) Norway, the mediator in a tense peace process aimed at ending ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, warned its citizens Friday to exercise care when travelling to the island. “Norway is playing an active and controversial role in the Sri Lankan peace process. There is a growing tendency to portray Norwegian involvement in a negative light,” more..

Aug 27 (AFP) Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu Friday said Bangladesh were an improving side and deserved respect in the international arena. “Over the years they have shown potential and are improving. We will play our normal game and give our best,” Atapattu said ahead of the two Tests and three one-dayers between the South Asian teams. more..

Aug 27 (TN) World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Mercy Corps (MC), which has its headquarters in USA jointly, donated about 1.1 million rupees worth tools of trade (TOT) for 142 tsunami affected persons in six Grama Niladhari (village level) divisions in Nilaveli more..

Aug 27 (TN) Unidentified persons riding a white van without number-plate kidnapped two civilians from Batticaloa in Colombo Thursday night around 11:00 p.m. The victims, Mr. Kandiah Sasikumar, 22 and Mr. Kathamuthu Nallathamby, 40, were kidnapped on Colombo-Negombo road when they were on their way from Banadaranaike International Airport more..

Aug 27 (LBO) Two doves freed at the launch of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse's presidential election campaign Friday were killed instantly when they flew into a ceiling fan, police said. The two birds were freed as a sign of peace shortly before the Premier arrived at a public stadium in the southern town of Matara, more..

Aug 27 (LT) Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said that the UNP is obstructing the government’s efforts to restore the Sri Lanka Transport Board. When the relevant draft of the Bill was taken up for debate in parliament yesterday the UNP and TNA protested it saying that the opposition MPs had not received copies of the draft. more..

Aug 27 (LT) Masses should be vigilant of those who make use of noble concepts such as media freedom; democracy etc. to defend terrorism emphasizes the JVP in a communiqué. Those who shed tears over an incident where a person who claimed to be a journalist of ‘Sudaroli’ but was unable to prove his identity was handed over to the police were mum when tiger terrorists murdered the Tamil journalist Jelangi states JVP statement. more..

Aug 27 (AT) According to the elections law the presidential elections should be held after 4 to 6 weeks subsequent to submitting nnominations and therefore the date for the presidential elections should be between 15-22 November, a senior official of the Elections Secretariat revealed to the 'Divaina'. more..

Aug 27 (LM) The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), jubilant over its FR petition victory after today's Supreme Court determination that the second presidential terms ends this year, is now busy arranging meetings with presidential candidates of the two main political parties to put forward pre-conditions for extending its support. more..

Aug 27 (LM) The SLFP Presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse launched the campaign for the forthcoming Presidential Election from Uyanwatte stadium, Matara yesterday. The event took place at Matara SLFP convention attended by a large number of SLFP stalwarts and supporters. more..

Aug 27 (PIS) THE LTTE are considering the Government's call for having the CFA talks in Sri Lanka positively, Northern sources said. The LTTE hierarchy is willing to have the talks on the CFA with the Government in one of the areas which come under their control, sources said. more..

Aug 27 (TP) Qatar Airways has rejected reports that it had plans to take over SriLankan Airlines, the country’s national carrier, or any other airline. “There is absolutely no truth in that. We are not interested in any other airline, but we concentrate in our own airline. We had many opportunities to take over other airlines, but we do not have such interest,” more..

Aug 27 (GG) Hope and help came to tsunami-affected Sri Lankans this summer, thanks to support and donations organized by a local family. Asitha Jayawardena, a spring graduate of Mason City High School, was able to take $5,152 to the city of Galle to aid relief efforts. more..

Aug 27 (Gulf) The mother of the Sharjah slasher has appealed to the authorities to have mercy on her son. Jude Perera, 28, a Sri Lankan, was sentenced on Monday to six months for every offence and fined Dh500 for each of the four offences by the Sharjah Sharia court. more..

Aug 27 (TOO) The Sri Lankan School Muscat has felicitated the students who obtained 4 As and 3As at the A/S and A/L examinations. The principal congratulated all those who did well in the examination, and made special mention of 13 students who obtained 100 per cent in their subjects units. more..

Aug 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka's tiny stockmarket broke records on Friday, as investors toasted a Supreme Court ruling that a presidential poll will take place this year, brokers said. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sarath Silva unanimously decided that President Chandrika Kumaratunga's second and final term of office ends on December 22, 2005. more..