Mar 7 (TS) On Friday, I ruined Rita Karakas' morning. I updated her on Abilass Jeyarajah, the tsunami baby. Karakas, who heads Save the Children Canada, already knew about the Sri Lankan baby who was swept from his home by the devastating waves of Dec. 26, more..

Mar 7 (LNP) The Grid Connected Small Power Developers have expressed their displeasure over non implementation of the budget proposals effective from January this year. The government, in its last budget, proposed to pay a 6 US Cent per unit of power generated by the small power developers in order to encourage their generation capacity. more..

Mar 7 (Bernama) The Sri Lankan government Monday came under increasing pressure to demand that the World Bank withdraw its country director for "inappropriate" statements over disbursement of tsunami aid in Tamil rebel-held territory and urged the global institution that he be removed. more..

Mar 7 (TN) A group of fifty Sri Lankan Tamil refugees abandoned on a sandbank in the seas off Thalaimannar were assaulted and robbed of all their belongings and savings by five armed men, the victims told Mannar courts Monday. The armed men had stripped and molested the women in the group at gun point. more..

Mar 7 (TN) Residents of Alikambai, an ancient tribal village in Amparai coast, from a community of 231 families were delivered relief supplies including clothing Sunday by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO which works exclusively in the NorthEast, sources said. more..

Mar 8 (TN) The LTTE Monday evening lodged a complaint with the SLMM in Jaffna that a group of Sri Lanka Policemen had forcibly entered its Kodikamam Political Office Monday morning around 10.45 a.m. and conducted search operation without informing the SLMM, sources said. more..

Mar 8 (PRIU) The European Union’s Commissioner for External Relations Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner was at President’s House this afternoon. She expressed her commiserations to President Chandrika Kumaratunga on the recent natural disaster. She said her previous visit to Sri Lanka 20 years ago was a pleasant experience. more..

Mar 8 (BBC) The fisher community had not even received the basic help to restore their life since the devastation of the tsunami says Pauline E Tangiora, the coordinator of World Forum of Fisher People [WFFP]. more..

Mar 8 (BBC) The World Bank says that it has no intention of giving funds directly to Tamil Tigers. In a statement issued on Monday the WB said that it does not "and have not disbursed any funding directly to the LTTE, and there is no intention to change this policy". more..

Mar 8 (RW) The government has announced a plan to rebuild tsunami-affected houses, proposing a 100m buffer zone in the south and a 200m buffer zone in the north and east. Some exceptions apply. Progress on the construction of transit camps is slow with difficulties in identifying land acceptable to communities. more..

Mar 8 (HT) The feud between the LTTE supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, and the breakaway group led by Col Karuna, seems to be intensifying in eastern Sri Lanka. On Saturday alone, eight people were gunned down and four wounded in separate incidents. more..

Mar 8 (Hindu) The World Bank in Sri Lanka is in the midst of a controversy over remarks attributed to its Country Director, Peter Harrold, on the status of the LTTE. The Sunday Times, in a report published on March 6, quoted Mr. Harrold as referring to the LTTE-controlled areas as a "kind of unofficial state." more..

Mar 8 (AT) Sri Lanka’s first super luxury mixed property development project - Premier Pacific Pinnacle situated in heart of the Colombo city will open for public from 18th of this month. Chairman of Premier Pacific International Limited Nimal Perera says the residential and commercial complex can face any type of earthquake. more..

Mar 8 (AT) President Chandrika Kumaratunga pointed out that the resilience of womenfolk becomes more evident in the face of a disaster or a challenge. She emphasize that she believes the strength of mind and courage displayed by women in Sri Lanka at this tragic moment helped their families overcome the ordeals. more..

Mar 8 (LT) Mr. Peter Harold, representative of the World Bank in a statement says he never used the words “unofficial state” in his statement to Sunday Times. He emphasizes that if the recording is played again it would be clear that he had used the words “LTTE administered areas” and this was an official introduction. more..

Mar 8 (LT) A special discussion between Norwegian Ambassador Hans Braska and Jayanthe Dhanapala, chief of the Peace Secretariat of the S.L Government was held today (07) at 2.00 p.m. Views on matters that have arisen as a result of the document prepared to establish a joint mechanism between GOSL and Wanni tiger organization had been discussed. more..

Mar 8 (RW) Christian Aid supports nine partners in Sri Lanka and we are establishing temporary local offices to support their work. Most partners continue to provide essential relief items as they begin longer-term work. more..

Mar 8 (LBO) National carrier SriLankan Airlines is starting off a daily return service from Colombo to New York's JKF Airport this month, its CEO said Monday. The daily return service which starts on March 27, is done through codesharing with its technical partner Dubai's Emirates Airlines, more..

Mar 8 (SAMN) Top civil servant and a former Secretary to the President K. H. J. Wijayadasa, the first Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority said Monday that he agreed with President Kumaratunga's move to demarcate a coastal buffer zone of 100 metres in the Western and Southern coasts and 200 meters along the Northern and Eastern coasts. more..

Mar 8 (TN) Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.Manickavasagar Ganesharajah Monday refused bail application for the third suspect Mr.Nimal Dissanayake, Assistant Commissioner of Lands of the Trincomalee district secretariat, in connection with the alleged theft of 12 of the 37 generators more..

Mar 8 (SAMN) The Harbour Police Monday informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate that a laptop computer and a digital camera sent to an NGO as tsunami aid and which were in the custody of the Social Welfare Department had gone missing. more..

Mar 8 (LNP) A gang of ten, suspected to be members of the Colombo underworld was arrested by the special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Kandy DIG Headquarters. Three of the gangsters, according to police, are from Kandy. more..

Mar 8 (LNP) An agreement was finalised yesterday between the Government, the European Union and the United States to extend the southern highway up to Batticaloa. The highway originally meant to reach only up to Matara, will be extended to Batticaloa by a EU-US joint venture, more..

Mar 8 (TN) USAID funded program for youths on Non-Violent skills training conducted by the Eastern University and the Centre for Non-violent Communication at the Trincomalee campus concluded Monday and the participating youths were awarded certificates at an event held at the Trincomalee Hall Monday evening, civil sources said. more..

Mar 8 (TN) A Sri Lanka army soldier wanted in connection with poisoning seventeen commando trainees with C-4 explosive in Kokkuveli near Vavuniya last month was found dead Monday evening in the jungles in Omanthai, 18 kilometres north of the northern border town, Police said. more..

Mar 8 (SLA) Another former PLOTE member, set to go abroad on Wednesday (09) was gun done by LTTE pistol men early this morning at about 5.10 a.m. (08 March 2005) while he was awaiting a COLOMBO bound bus at a bus halt in general town area of BATTICALOA. more..

Mar 8 (SLA) A 27 year old youth who does not support LTTE was shot and killed at close range last night at about 8.00 p.m. while the youth was in the general area of TALAWAI, ERAVUR. The victim has been abducted and shot dead by three suspected LTTE gunmen for reasons best known only to them. more..

Mar 8 (SLA) A civilian, abducted and subsequently fired upon by LTTE WANNI faction cadres while the civilian was in the general area of KARUWANKERNI, VALAICHECHENAI has escaped from LTTE detention and reached the Police seeking protection on Monday evening (07 March 2005). more..

Mar 8 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Commercial Bank is studying options to enter India's market while expanding operations in Bangladesh after a strong showing by its overseas arm in 2004. "We are extremely keen on entering the Indian market, and we are looking at every opportunity. We will most certainly take this step in the near future," more..

Mar 8 (IANS) The objections of environmentalists notwithstanding, an ambitious project to dredge a canal between the southern tip of India and Sri Lanka to save ships a 400 km detour could finally take off. more..

Mar 8 (LNP) The JVP yesterday said that it did not wish to get dragged into a debate over 'ridiculous statements' made by the TNA about its past. JVP Group leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday said that he did not wish to speak on matters relating to the Courts more..

Mar 8 (SAMN) The JVP-led All Ceylon Transport Workers Union (ACTWU) asked the Transport Minister to take strong legal action against corrupt cluster bus companies and union officials who are trying to sabotage the centralization of the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB). more..

Mar 8 (LNP) Setting aside the Police Chief`s recommendation, the Supreme Court yesterday directed the police department to effect the promotions of the acting Senior DIGs before April 25. Earlier the Police Chief Chandra Fernando had recommended a formal interview by the National Police Commission (NPC) before the promotions were granted. more..

Mar 8 (RC) “You have to see the damage to appreciate the tasks ahead; words cannot describe what the tsunami left behind,” said American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha Evans on the final day of her three-day visit to the tattered shores and recovering communities of tsunami-impacted Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 8 (PIS) There was a time when Sri Lanka scarcely got any attention from the international media. During that period the country was portrayed by the international media, when something was deemed worthy of reporting, as fighting a forgotten war. more..

Mar 8 (WPM) Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is in the process of finalising the contract lot no 1 designated for preliminary works at the 150MW Upper Kotmale project, after the run-of-river scheme was finally approved subject to a stringent environmental management programme. more..

Mar 8 (DPA) There are still empty seats in the classrooms of the temporary schools erected hastily after the tsunami hit Sri Lanka's coasts two months ago. Not only did thousands of students die, hundreds others who survived, aren't showing up for classes. more..

Mar 8 (WP) More than two months after the tsunami that killed his wife and two young children, A.L.M. Thaseem rarely leaves his chair. But it is not despair that traps him in his heavily damaged home, listlessly scanning newspapers in the heat. It is simply that he has nothing else to do. more..

Mar 8 (BBC) Lancashire seamer Sajid Mahmood claimed three wickets as England A continued their dominance over Sri Lanka A, who closed 245 behind at 179-6 on day two. David Harrison made the first breakthrough for the tourists in the second over, before Mahmood captured his three victims within six overs. more..

Mar 8 (KT) TWO long months after the Boxing Day tragedy, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar visited New Delhi last week to thank India for her speedy post-tsunami relief work and assistance. Men and material at the country’s disposal were dispatched in a flash. more..

Mar 8 (IB) Sri Lanka want to stage the 10th South Asian Games, the biggest extravaganza in South Asian sports, from April 18 to 28 next year. Hemasiri Fernando, the President of South Asia Olympic Council, sent a letter to Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) seeking to know Bangladesh's view in this regard, a BOA official said on Monday. more..

Mar 8 (Gulf) More than 30,000 people in Sri Lanka died during last December's tsunami and tens of thousands more lost their homes and livelihoods. However, for some the tidal waves that destroyed so much of the island's south and east coasts are not a source of misery. more..

Mar 8 (Gulf) Tamil Tigers have complained to Kofi Annan that a UN report accusing their organisation of recruiting child soldiers was "inaccurate". They blamed the government for trying to thrive on this issue instead of finding a political settlement to the ethnic conflict. more..

Mar 8 (DN) The Education Ministry has initiated special action to address issues connected with the quality development of education in the North and East Province. Action has been taken regarding the appointment of 193 Sinhala medium volunteer teachers in the North and East Province and the provincial authorities have been alerted of this action, the Ministry said. more..

Mar 8 (LM) Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem today impressed upon a high ranking European Union official the need for the International Community to emphasise to the LTTE that Muslims have their own separate political identity and they must be recognised as a principal stakeholder. more..

Mar 8 (LM) Over 2000 Tsunami victims in Maruthamunai, launched a mass protest today morning demanding solutions with regard to their permanent re-settlement. Sources from the area told Lanka Muslims that the protestors are now sitting on the main road, brining transport and other day to day activities to a standstill. more..

Mar 8 (Reuters) Furious at deadly ambushes in Sri Lanka's restive east and what they say is a measly share of tsunami aid, Tamil Tiger rebel envoys head to Europe this week to lobby governments to lean on President Chandrika Kumaratunga. more..

Mar 8 (AFP) Three men were shot dead as the death toll from a fresh wave of violence in Sri Lanka rose to 10 amid fresh diplomatic moves to end a deadlock in the island's peace bid, officials said. more..

Mar 8 (CP) The national intelligence agency is considering whether to recommend that the Tamil Tigers be formally outlawed as a terrorist group. Jim Judd, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told a Senate anti-terrorism committee Monday that it's a tricky call. more..

Mar 8 (AP) Gunmen shot and killed two ethnic Tamils in eastern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the latest in a string of assaults that have threatened a fragile cease-fire between the Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces, the military said. The military blamed the insurgents for the killings. more..