Sep 8 (TF) The assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka on 12 August 2005 is a serious blow to the stalled peace negotiations and to Tamil-Sinhalese reconciliation. Kadirgamar, an Oxford educated Christian Tamil from Jaffna, the Tamil heartland, was more than a token Tamil in an otherwise Sinhalese-led government. more..

Sep 8 (LBO) The Asian Development Bank’s growth projection for Sri Lanka for 2005 edged down marginally to 5.1 percent from the 5.2 percent forecasted in its April Development Outlook Report. Growth for 2006 was also revised down from 5.8 percent to 5.5 percent, more..

Sep 8 (PTI) The tsunami last year might have caused greater destruction to Tamil Nadu coast had it not been for Sri Lanka, according to a post-tsunami survey report by Indian Department of Ocean Development. more..

Sep 8 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday rejected plans to hold talks aimed at preserving a strained truce at the island's international airport, in a fresh blow to efforts to break a weeks-long deadlock. more..

Sep 8 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka's leftist party JVP or the People's Liberation Front has agreed to go soft on some of the hard-line points in their deal with the ruling party's presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. more..

Sep 9 (RW) A new 700 meter bridge over Arugam Bay and new vocational schools funded by the United States is to benefit thousands in the tsunami-devastated East. USAID awarded a contract worth US$ 33 million for a program of large-scale infrastructure. more..

Sep 9 (TN) Thirteen persons rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy when Indian boatmen left them on a sandbank in Mannar Sea were produced in Mannar Magistrates' Court by Talaimannar Police Wednesday. Talaimannar Police submitted report to court stating that of the thirteen persons, eleven are genuine refugees and the rest two youths were not, more..

Sep 9 (TN) Two Sri Lankan armed personnel were killed, five Special Task Forces soldiers and five civilians were injured in two separate clashes when unidentified gunmen attacked STF soldiers and policemen who were monitoring the Batticaloa - Kalmunai Road in Manmunai, 7 km south of Batticaloa between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. Thursday. more..

Sep 9 (TN) Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse instructed the authorities to take immediate steps to permit duty free imports of Dates by private sector, to avoid shortages during the forthcoming Ramazan fasting period, which is due to commence on 4 October. more..

Sep 9 (NST) MALAYSIA last night stormed into the final of the Asian Women's Netball Championship and kept alive their hopes of a berth in the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year. They stunned defending champions Sri Lanka 63-56 in their semi-final at the Toa Payoh Hall in Singapore. more..

Sep 9 (AT) The World Energy Council (WEC) is holding its Executive Assembly in Colombo from 4th to 9th September. WEC is the foremost global multi-energy organization in the world today. Its 95 member committees represent most of the largest energy-producing and energy-consuming countries and developed, developing and transitional economies. more..

Sep 9 (AT) Information gathered from Tamil escapees reveal that there are more than 5000 Tamils languishing in the torture cells run by the LTTE. These cells are in the Vanni region in the Northern Province and in the Trincomalee,, Batticaloa, Amaparai districts in the eastern province. more..

Sep 9 (AT) The sixth Asia Open Source Software Symposium was inaugurated last Wednesday with the participation of delegates from 19 countries in the Asian Region, coinciding the National Free and Open Source Software Week 2005 (FOSS) at Trans Asia Hotel. The symposium continues up to 11. more..

Sep 9 (AT) In the latest round of the feud between the two Dissanayake brothers, Saliya, the rebel who has decided to back Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse defying his brother, S. B. Dissanayake, the chief Organiser of the UNP, told the Asian Tribune: “Winning Hanguranketha (his UNP brother’s electorate) for the Prime Minister Rajapakse in the forthcoming presidential election is a piece of cake!” more..

Sep 9 (AT) The Connaissance Holdings, controlled by Sri Lanka’s ‘wonder boy’ Dhammika Perera will seek to further expand their properties and are undaunted by the turbulent political environment in the country. more..

Sep 9 (LBO) Dairy firm Kotmale Holdings, is taking on the competitive milk powder players in a big way, by launching its own brand priced at a substantial discount. Kotmale, which raised Rs. 125 million through a private placement recently, dived into the milk powder business, more..

Sep 9 (CI) Jeevan Mendis (95) and Gihan de Silva (74) powered Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI (SLC) to 412 gaining a lead of 217 in reply to Bangladesh's first innings of 195. Bangladesh were 31 for 1 at the close, still trailing by 186 runs when play resumes on the third and final day tomorrow. more..

Sep 9 (TN) Sivaperakasam Mayuran a student of Jaffna Hindu College secured the First place Island wide in the G.C.E (Advanced Level) Examination results (Maths Division) released on 07.09.2005. The results were on Z 'score' basis where he obtained 3.4102 more..

Sep 9 (TN) Head of LTTE Vavuniya district Political Wing, Mr Gnanam, and SLMM members met at the Puliyankulam offices in the LTTE controlled region Friday to discuss issues related to the recent escalating violence and the safety of LTTE political cadres in the district, sources said. more..

Sep 9 (TN) While the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE are yet to agree on the venue acceptable for both parties for direct talks, the Norwegian Government is to send Major General (ret’d) Trond Furuhovde, former Head of SLMM, as special representative of the Royal Norwegian Government. more..

Sep 9 (TN) Vilvarasa Gopal (47), a member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at 11.40 am Friday in Thirunavatkulam in Vavuniya district, police in Vavuniya said. Gopal was working inside his residence when he was killed. more..

Sep 9 (SLA) Two suspected Tamil youths were arrested during a search subsequent to an explosion of a hand grenade thrown by an unidentified Tamil Tiger at troops on duty in the general area of TYRE JUNCTION in TRINCOMALEE on 8 September 2005 around 8.00 p.m. more..

Sep 9 (SLA) Troops on duty in the general area of KALLIYANKADU, BATTICALOA, have narrowly escaped death when a hand grenade lobbed by an unidentified LTTE cadre exploded close to them on 8 September 2005 around 7.40 p.m. more..

Sep 9 (SLA) Before 24 hours lapse after the Tamil tigers gunned down two Police Constables in KATTANKUDY yesterday (08), another soldier of the Sri Lanka Army fell prey to two LTTE pistol men today (09) around 11.15 a.m. in the general area of VAVUNIYA Town. more..

Sep 9 (LBO) The government is to set up another registration system for tsunami victims at the cost of US$ 1.2 million, to track aid delivery better. The computerised centres will be located in Presidential and district secretariats to register and collect data on the nearly one million tsunami affected people in Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 9 (SN) SRI LANKA UNITED NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA [SLUNA] are organizing a special multi-faith meeting on Saturday, 10th September to commemorate the life of the Late Honorable Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka’s distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs, more..

Sep 9 (PRIU) At a ceremony at President’s House yesterday (7th September) 700 young graduates selected from all Provinces were given their official letters of appointment by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. more..

Sep 9 (wsws) The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) announces that its general secretary Wije Dias will stand as its candidate in the upcoming Sri Lankan presidential election. Dias will run on a socialist program to defend the interests of working people more..

Sep 9 (LT) Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Mr Mangala Samaraweera said that Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities have rallied round Mr Mahida Rajapakse and his victory is imminent in the forthcoming Presidential elections. more..

Sep 9 (LT) There are only political Bhikkus in Jathike Hela Urumaya says the UNP. In a media meeting held yesterday Mr. Mahinda Wijesekera, Parliamentarian of the UNP said the UNP was happy that the JHU did not join the UNP. more..

Sep 9 (LT) It has been reported that all political offices of wanni tiger organization in government controlled areas in the North and the East have been withdrawn. All those who manned the offices have been recalled to Kilinochchi and even the tiger flag in the offices have been removed say these reports. more..

Sep 9 (AT) Declaring that Sri Lanka’s separatist Tamil Tiger outfit, the LTTE, “is not the sole representative of the Tamil people” and endeavoring to change the mindset of Washington insiders saying that Tamil dissidents who express independent opinions outside the framework laid down by the LTTE are brutally eliminated, more..

Sep 9 (PIS) The LTTE has warned that SLFP Presidential Candidate Mahinda Rajapakse’s decision to agree to the conditions of the JVP and the JHU in relation to the P-TOMS deal and the peace process, proved once again that the Tamils were being pushed towards gaining their rights on their own. more..

Sep 9 (BMJ) Health authorities in Sri Lanka have said that imported injection syringes might have triggered an outbreak of meningitis in patients who had received spinal anaesthesia in four hospitals in the country. more..

Sep 9 (SAMN) The petition filed by 39 JVP MPs, challenging the Post Tsunami Operations Management Structure, entered into between the Ministry of Rehabilitation and S. Rajan of the LTTE, is to be argued before the Supreme Court on Monday next. more..

Sep 9 (SAMN) Rupees 1.3 million should not have been spent to prepare plans for the new Provincial Council building at Kundasale, said Cental Provincial Council JVP member S. Wickremaisnghe yesterday addressing the monthly meeting of the council. more..

Sep 9 (LNP) JHU heavyweight Champika Ranawaka says the JHU will not give in to the UNP/LTTE psychological warfare during the forthcoming presidential elections. He said `They are carrying out a campaign with a message that those who vote for Mahinda would be killed. We ask them not to terrorise the people but come clean. more..

Sep 9 (LNP) Out of 204,030 candidates who sat the Advanced Level Examination this year 116,506 students qualified for university entrance. However, the country`s university system can accommodate only 16,292 of them due to the lack of adequate facilities. more..

Sep 9 (DN) Mahinda Rajapakse as the President of Sri Lanka will have to give the highest priority to solving the ethnic conflict, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) said yesterday. more..

Sep 9 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election is likely to be held between November 16 and November 21, a source at the island's elections secretariat said on Friday. more..

Sep 9 (AP) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels fatally shot a military intelligence operative in a northern Sri Lankan town on Friday, the Defense Ministry said. M.P.M. Mohammed, who worked for the army's intelligence wing, was cycling to his home in the town of Vavuniya when two suspected rebels fatally shot him, more..

Sep 9 (AP) The World Health Organization said yesterday that tsunami-hit Sri Lanka is safe for tourists and that the disaster had not created any health hazards. "The tourists should come, they should not worry because all health measures have been taken," more..

Sep 9 (Reuters) Concerned about violence straining Sri Lanka's 3-1/2-year truce with Tamil Tiger rebels, peace mediator Norway said on Friday it would send a special envoy to the island to try and ease tensions. more..

Sep 9 (AFP) Sri Lanka called for a review of the peace process aimed at ending the island's three-decade-old ethnic conflict, seeking a greater international role in supplementing Norway as peacebroker. more..

Sep 9 (IANS) Tamil Tiger guerrillas must talk to the government in Colombo so as to resume the country's stalled peace process, the European Union (EU) says. At the same time, a possible ban on the LTTE because of continuing acts of violence more..

Sep 9 (ANN) A Singapore-based professor and expert on terror issues was arrested for traveling around Maluku without proper research documents, a senior police officer revealed on Thursday. Rohan Kumar Gunaratna from Sri Lanka, was arrested by an antiterror police unit on Monday more..

Sep 9 (AFP) Sri Lanka's moderate Tamils expressed fears for the island's already faltering peace bid after the prime minister pledged a U-turn in power-sharing with minorities if he was elected president. more..

Sep 10 (CI) Half-centuries by Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed helped the Bangladeshis salvage a draw against a Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI in a three-day practice match at the Colombo Colts grounds. This was Bangladesh's only warm-up game before the first Test against Sri Lanka, more..

Sep 10 (LBO) Top international credit rating agencies fly into Sri Lanka, as the country pushes ahead to secure a sovereign rating before end November, officials said Friday. Officials from Fitch Inc of USA are currently in the country talking to government representatives including the Central Bank. more..

Sep 10 (LM) The decision which the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will take with regard to the upcoming presidential poll will be very significant because it will be a decision that will safeguard the dignity and honor of the Muslim community, said party national leader Rauff Hakeem. more..