May 8 (AT) With the publicized indications to endorse the joint mechanism soon President Chandrika Kumaratunga is heading for her biggest crisis since she took away the powers of Ranil Wickremesinghe and called for fresh elections. more..

May 8 (AT) Both of them cannot be right – the President and her hand picked Treasury Secretary. According to the President the absence of a Joint Mechanism with the LTTE will affect the tsunami reconstruction assistance to Sri Lanka – one of the main arguments she puts forward to defend the proposal for a Joint Mechanism. more..

May 8 (AT) I believe many Sri Lankans have already read about the mobile robot MURALI (Moratuwa University Robot for Anti-Landmine Intelligence) that was developed by the local researchers to detect landmines. more..

May 8 (LT) Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe says that there must be consensus within the governing parties on the Joint Mechanism before they go on to discuss with other parties. He said so at a meeting held in connection with the reorganization of the electoral bodies of the UNP. more..

May 8 (LT) The decision to launch an island wide strike by employees of Electricity Board has been abandoned say trade unions of the Electricity Board. It’s a sequel to the decision by the Government to withdraw the cabinet paper presented to the cabinet to restructure the Electricity Board. more..

May 8 (SLA) LTTE in another attempt to provoke Security forces on duty had fired around 350 rounds of T 56 gunfire over the KATTAPARICHCHAN Army detachment on 07 May 2005 around 9.40 p.m. The fire has been directed from a location approximately 400 m – 500 m away from the camp causing damages to rooftops & treetops in the area. more..

May 8 (SLA) Two civilians who escaped from LTTE clutches from the general un-cleared area have reported Security Forces entry/exit point at OMANTHAI on 07 May 2005 seeking protection. According to the victims they had been taken in to un-cleared area for work by LTTE but were compelled to under go military training later. more..

May 8 (SLA) Police on routine checking in the general area of SORIKALMUNAI, AMPARA arrested a person on suspicion when he attempted to flee on a motorbike ignoring security warnings with 02 sets of Army uniforms and 30 pouches in his possession on 07 May 2005 around 12.20 p.m. more..

May 8 (SLA) Police on routing security checking along the AKKARAIPATTU – POTHUVIL main road in the general area of AMPARA on 07 May 2005 have unearthed an anti personnel mine which was concealed and buried under a tree recklessly. more..

May 8 (AFP) India and Sri Lanka will clash in at least eight one-day internationals in August, according to a proposal drawn up by Sri Lanka’s government-run cricket board. India will join the West Indies and hosts Sri Lanka in a tri-series August 2-14 before Sri Lanka travel to India two days later for five more one-dayers, more..

May 8 (SLBC) The Human Rights Commission has expressed satisfaction over measures taken by government to rebuild tsunami affected areas and to uplift the living conditions of the victims. The Commission made the assessment based on a survey conducted by the Tsunami Disaster Committee of the commission in affected areas. more..

May 8 (ANN) One of the nice things about being back in Sri Lanka after many years of living overseas is that one finds oneself so close to India. These days one can get a direct flight from Colombo to the town of Gaya, which is just 12 km away from Buddhagaya more..

May 8 (PIS) World Bank Resident representative in Sri Lanka Peter Harrold on a visit to Puttalam district on Friday said there has to be a common mechanism to give effect to rehabilitation work for the tsunami stricken people of the North and East. more..

May 8 (PIS) President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Friday night revealed to the JVP the contents of a six-page-long Joint Mechanism or what is officially dubbed the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure, but the latter said it was opposed to it. more..

May 8 (LNP) The UPFA Government yesterday bowed down to a JVP ultimatum this week to boycott Cabinet meetings and decide on its future with the UPFA Government after a month by deferring plans to re-structure the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) into nine companies. more..

May 8 (LNP) A new World Bank report has said that there is no scientific and consultative basis for the government`s proposed coastal tsunami buffer zones and that the social and environmental impacts of the resultant massive displacement of people had not been adequately considered. more..

May 8 (LNP) Private bus owners warned of another price increase by 15 to 20 percent from July 1, based on the national fare policy, but said fares will not be increased with the recent diesel price hike which was minimal. The national fare policy is decided based on a number of factors more..

May 8 (LNP) The pioneering Sri Lankan car maker, Micro Car Co Ltd, in another significant breakthrough is offering a car that can be run on either diesel or battery power. `Micro-Trend` designed by the world-renowned Italian motorcar designer `Pininfarina` is now on the assembly line. more..

May 8 (AFP) Sri Lanka's peace bid is in tatters, the coalition government is battling a mutiny, the economy is in trouble but despite all the bad news the stock market has turned into one of the world's top gainers. The tiny exchange has been hitting new record peaks more..

May 8 (AFP) Power-hungry administrators and a lack of bench strength has left Sri Lanka's cricketing future in a mess, according to the country's celebrated former captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Ranatunga says drastic measures are needed to ensure the sport flourishes in the cricket-crazy island nation. more..

May 8 (SO) Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Ministry has made all the arrangements to commence the second phase of 1000 Tanks (Dahasak maha wew) Project this morning (May 8) on the bank of Kahatagasdigiliya Lulnewa Tank in Anuradhapura with the participation of President Chandrika Kumaratunga as the chief guest. more..

May 8 (PRIU) President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday communicated her ‘regret and surprise’ in a letter to the Leader of the Opposition Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe. The President had on 29th April invited Mr. Wickremesinghe and his UNP for a dialogue on a common program for humanitarian assistance for tsunami affected areas. more..

May 8 (Bernama) The Malasian government will allow the recruitment of Cambodians, Sri Lankans and Thais to work as house maids in the country to overcome a shortage. Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said the decision to open the door to maids from the three countries was aimed at filling vacancies left by Indonesian maids, more..

May 8 (TN) "It is meaningless to speak of a negotiated political solution and the proposed joint mechanism at a time when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is still continuing the embargo on the transportation of cement, fuel and building materials to the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district to rebuild tsunami destroyed coastal villages," more..

May 8 (TN) The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) in Sri Lanka supported by the American Refugee Committee (ARC) International has donated 100 beds for children affected by tsunami. The children are sheltered in the Children Home of the Sivananda Thabovanam, which is located in Thirukadaloor in Uppuveli area, a suburb in Trincomalee town. more..

May 8 (TN) The main opposition United National Party (UNP) will make public its position on the Joint Mechanism proposal for a working arrangement with the LTTE for post-tsunami rehabilitation of northeast only after UPFA government approves it with one voice, said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, more..

May 8 (TN) More than a week after he was abducted and murdered, the mobile phone of one of Sri Lanka’s best known political columnists continues to ring, weekend press reports said. And despite the technology which can allow law enforcement agencies to pinpoint a cellular phone’s location using its relative proximity to local base stations, more..

May 8 (BBC) President Kumaratunga said war is not the solution to Sri Lanka’s national question. A long lasting solution could only be found through negotiations with Tamil Tigers, she said. In an apparent attack to government’s coalition partner JVP, she said that it was naïve to keep arguing on certain words or phrases than trying to find a solution to the problem. more..

May 9 (TN) Malteser, a German non-governmental organization (NGO) has agreed to provide US $30K for the rehabilitation of "Anbu Illam (House of Love)," a children's home in Trincomalee that gives shelterto children who lost their parents in the war, sources in Trincomalee said. more..

May 9 (Xinhua) Sri Lankan military has lodged a complaint with the international truce monitors against the Tamil Tigers for alleged firing over a military camp, state-owned ITN TV reported Sunday. more..

May 9 (ZNS) In these still early days of my pontificate, I am glad to welcome you, the pastors of the Church in Sri Lanka, on your visit "ad limina Apostolorum" -- the first to take place since my election. I thank you for the gracious words addressed to me on your behalf by Bishop Joseph Vianney Fernando, president of your episcopal conference. more..

May 9 (Xinhua) President Chandrika Kumaratunga said Sunday that her main partner in the ruling coalition must help her to carry forward the government agenda by not blocking it. Kumaratunga admitted that her Freedom Party and the leftist JVP or the People's Liberation Front had ideological differences. more..

May 9 (AT) The main political parties as well as the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims have major differences with each other and within themselves over the proposed joint mechanism for tsunami reconstruction. more..

May 9 (AT) The President said on Sunday at a meeting held in Kahatagasdigiliya, off 35 miles from Anuradhapura that a financial crisis of the Ceylon Electricity Board – CEB has arisen due to the policies adopted after the independence. more..

May 9 (AT) The Governmenmt of Sri Lanka decided not to proceed with the Ceylon Electricity Board -CEB restructuring programme after a meeting with the Trade Union leaders. Prime MInister Mahinda Rajapakse attended the discussion and assured not to restructure the CEB. more..

May 9 (BBC) Tamil Tiger rebels have warned that any further delay in establishing a joint mechanism to reconstruct tsunami hit Tamil areas would have serious implications for the faltering peace process. They blamed President Chandrika Kumaratunga for the delay in establishing the joint mechanism in rebuilding Tsunami-hit northern and eastern areas. more..

May 9 (AP) Sri Lankan left-arm seamer Ruchira Perera and former skipper Hashan Tillakaratne joined other cricket officials on Sunday on a visit to Tamil Tiger rebel-held territory to distribute scholarships to children orphaned by the December tsunami, an official said. more..

May 9 (LNP) While President Chandrika Kumaratunga was making preparations for a meeting with foreign diplomats to brief them on the proposed Joint Mechanism between the government and the LTTE, the UPFA coalition ally JVP fired an anti-JM propaganda salvo yesterday, vowing to defeat the government plans. more..

May 9 (SLA) Policemen were compelled to open fire in the air to disperse a mob of about 400-500 LTTE-incited protesters who suddenly showed up at the SANDILIVELI roadblock in BATTICALOA on Monday (9) morning at about 9.00 a.m. to demand the removal of the roadblock after blocking traffic on the VALAICHCHENAI-BATTICALOA main road. more..

May 9 (SLA) Five LTTE remand prisoners, who were fasting inside the BATTICALOA prison demanding their release, called off their protest on 08 May 2005 around 8.00 a.m. The fast was called off after a meeting the prisoners have had with prison authorities and TNA Parliamentarians in the area. more..

May 9 (SLA) A youth, who was shot by an unidentified gunman on 07 May 2005 around 9.10 p.m. in the general area of 2nd LANE, DEHIWALA succumbed to his injuries on the same day on admission to the National Hospital COLOMBO for immediate medical treatment. more..

May 9 (SLA) Two civilians, abducted from the general area of VAIKALITHTHEVA KULAM, VAVUNIYA and detained for over six days in the un-cleared area have been released by LTTE on 05 May 2005 evening after obtaining a ransom from their relatives. more..

May 9 (LBO) Plans to lay off half the State owned bus workers got the Cabinet nod while analysts expect donors will fund the move. The Central Transport Board (SLCTB) and the cluster bus companies employ a mammoth 41,000 people, half of whom are redundant. more..

May 9 (WSWS) A recent meeting in Colombo between the representatives of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and top US officials has exposed the sham character of the Sri Lankan party’s anti-imperialist rhetoric and socialist posturing. more..

May 9 (SN) A Bodu Samuluwa (congregation) was held on 2005-05-07 at Borella Colombo-08. The march of monks and laity commenced from the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress premises, and proceeded along Baudhaloka Mawatha and arrived at the venue 4.PM. more..

May 9 (SLBC) Minister Athauda Seneviratne has directed Commissioners of Labour to take immediate measures to take legal action against employers who fail to make contributions to the EPF. The Ministry has received information that a large number of employers evaded making payments more..

May 9 (SLBC) The European Commission says that it will continue to put special emphasis on promoting trade and investment between Sri Lanka and the European Union. This will be done in the form of funding projects of enhancing the quality of Sri Lankan products and providing better access to the EU market to the Sri Lankans. more..

May 9 (LT) The second stage of the “Dahasak Maha Wew” programme, a majour development project for renovating 10,000 tanks scattered al over the country was ceremonially inaugurated at the vicinity of the Lulnewa Wewa at Kahatagasdigiliya in Anuradhapura district. more..

May 9 (LT) Mr. Ananda Sangaree, Leader of TULF met the Mahanayake of Asgiriya Chapter yesterday at Asgiri Maha Vihara in Kandy. TULF leader emphasized that a joint mechanism should not be established with Wanni tiger organization. more..

May 9 (AFP) Sri Lanka's government-appointed cricket board is determined to defeat India in the race for a new national coach by naming their choice by the end of this week, a top official said. "We will have a new man before the week ends," Jayantha Dharmadasa, the interim head of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), more..