Jan 2 (PIS) Over 900 persons, among them five suspected hardcore LTTEers, were rounded up in a joint Army-Police swoop on suspected terrorist hideouts in the City in Phase three of operation 'Strangers Night' on Saturday. more..

Jan 2 (SLA) TWO TEENAGE TAMIL TIGERS (LTTE), who ran away from the LTTE camp in SAMPOOR, TRINCOMALEE on Sunday (01) evening surrendered to the Naval troops on duty in the general area of MUTTUR, TRINCOMALEE, around 9.30 p.m. seeking protection from the Security Forces. more..

Jan 2 (SLA) POLICEMEN AT KALLAR Police Post on the KALMUNAI - BATTICALOA main road had to retaliate with small arms fire when some unidentified Tamil Tigers threw a hand grenade at them on Sunday night (01) around 7.40 p.m. Tamil Tiger attackers fled the area when the Police began to retaliate the attack with small arms fire. more..

Jan 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka is launching a fresh publicity blitz to entice Indians to spend their summer vacation, as the tropical island struggles to fill up hotel rooms that remain largely empty following the tsunami and an outbreak of fresh violence in the northeast, officials said. more..

Jan 2 (AT) Panic has set in the East with the LTTE apparently ordering another round of ethnic cleansing of Muslims from certain areas of Thoppur and Kalmunai. Several thousand Muslims in these areas have began taking refuge in schools and mosques fearing a threat to their lives from LTTE cadres. more..

Jan 2 (LT) The JVP group of Parliamentarians has decided to bring a no-confidence motion against Deputy Committee Member of Parliament Mr Satchithanandan. They point out having being sworn in under the 6th amendment of the Constitution, he has underestimated the Constituion by participating at the funeral of Mr Joseph Pararajasingham organized in Kilinochchi. more..

Jan 2 (LT) It has reported that Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella, Kandy District Parliamentarian of the UNP is to join President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government during the next few days. Mr. Rambukwella has decided to join the Government stating that the internal strife in the UNP has made it purposeless to stay in the party. more..

Jan 2 (LT) Ven.Dhambara Amila Thero, Joint- President of National Bhikku Front and Joint Secretary of Patriotic National Movement (PNM) has been conferred with an honorary title of ‘Puravidya Visharadha’ (Archaeological Pundit) and The Chief Judicial Sanganayake of Raigama, Salpita, Hewagam and Pasyodun Korales. more..

Jan 2 (WS) Amidst reports of a possible visit by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Sri Lanka, officials attached to the Foreign Ministry told weekend Standard that the Ministry is yet to receive a request seeking approval for such a visit. more..

Jan 2 (WS) The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has taken an innovative approach by launching a source segregation project in a bid to solve the ongoing garbage crisis. The project called 'Eco-Kiosk' is a result of a solid waste management pilot project on source segregation which was initially started in 1999. more..

Jan 2 (WS) The last week of the year 2005 thus faded away. The week could be looked back on as a week of political drought as there were no major incidents in the political arena. So it was not a fruitful week. However, it is not surprising that the final days of a year pass slowly, without much happenings. more..

Jan 2 (WS) A museum will be constructed at the Sigiriya archaeological site which has already been declared a world heritage site. The museum will cost 2300 million rupees to be provided by the Japanese Government. Construction work will begin in January. more..

Jan 2 (BBC) The judiciary in Sri Lanka has ordered the police to produce a report on the possibility of releasing two suspects remanded in connection with the murder of former foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar. more..

Jan 2 (ANN) The military believes that British de-mining agency Halo Trust has to vet its workers as to ensure that it did not employ criminals or agents of the LTTE. Authorities said that undesirable elements were taking advantage of lax security procedures to enlist in the acclaimed de-mining agency. more..

Jan 2 (HT) Through out the event-filled 2005, the Sri Lankan pendulum swayed between war and peace, between hope and despair. Opportunities for national reconciliation did come, but these were not seized. The troubled island country is now stepping into a new year. But the lack of clarity continues. more..

Jan 2 (SAMN) Norwegian Minister for International Development and former special peace envoy Erik Solheim, will himself appoint a new peace envoy after consulting the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE when he visits the country later this month. more..

Jan 2 (SAMN) The military believes that British de-mining agency Halo Trust has to vet its workers as to ensure that it did not employ criminals or LTTE agents. Authorities said that undesirable elements were taking advantage of lax security procedures to enlist in the acclaimed de-mining agency. more..

Jan 2 (SAMN) Senior JHU Member Udaya Gammanpila says if Sri Lanka wanted India to play a bigger role in the peace process, the country must heal their wounds and show its gratitude to India. He said his party was very appreciative that President Mahinda Rajapakse had taken the lead in doing that by preparing to hold a Rajiv Gandhi memorial oration in Sri Lanka more..

Jan 2 (LNP) Thousands of bright students have been deprived of admission to universities, due to no fault of their own but that of a faulty computer being used by the Department of Examinations for marking of answer scripts. The Examination Department is re-scrutinizing 150,000 Bio and Physical Sciences Advanced Level answer scripts, more..

Jan 2 (LNP) President Mahinda Rajapakse in one of his first tasks in the new year, visited Sri Dalada Maligawa yesterday morning, and paid homage to the sacred tooth relic. The President and Shiranthi Rajapakse were received by Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara. more..

Jan 2 (LNP) The news that a former Navy Commander had placed an order for old cannon instead of brand new guns and settled part of the massive bill in advance is shocking. The controversial deal initiated during the UNF regime, as we reported a few years ago, ran into stiff resistance initially. more..

Jan 2 (AP) News of an earthquake in the South Atlantic Ocean sent some victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, living on the other side of the world in Sri Lanka, fleeing inland from their temporary homes on the coast. more..

Jan 2 (AP) Scores of minority ethnic Tamil families in northern Sri Lanka have sought refuge in territory controlled by the Tamil Tiger rebels, a Web site and the military said Monday, following a spate of violence that threatens the country's cease-fire. more..

Jan 2 (DN) HEALTHCARE and Nutrition Ministry yesterday stressed that the tender for the procurement of surgical gloves had been awarded by following the proper tender procedures and Government regulations. "This tender was awarded after much scrutinising by several levels committees including high level Government officials and medical consultants," more..

Jan 2 (Xinhua) Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will make an official visit to the United States from Jan. 3 to Jan. 8, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release issued Monday. During his six-day visit, Samaraweera will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, more..

Jan 2 (TN) Swim Lanka, a Charitable Trust, has laid foundation for the construction of an eight-lane swimming pool at an estimated cost of ten million rupees in Trincomalee esplanade. This will be the first swimming pool to be constructed under "Learn to Swim Campaign," after tsunami disaster. more..

Jan 2 (BBC) Five young Tamils were killed and two injured in a bomb blast in the eastern Sri Lankan town of Trincomalee. Elmo Fernando reporting from Colombo told BBC Sandeshaya that the deceased from the attack on the beach are believed to be students of two schools in the town. more..

Jan 3 (AP) When the clock strikes midnight, Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels change a note at the top of their Web site. The cease-fire agreement "enters into 1409 days today," it read Monday. What many Sri Lankans are asking, though, is when will the updates stop - and the cease-fire end? more..

Jan 3 (AT) Sri Lanka Army commander Lt General Fonseka called the Army to exercise restraint and maximum patience possible. He added that the prime responsibility and concern of the Army was meeting the aspirations of the country which is on its way to achieve peace with dignity. more..

Jan 3 (AT) Minister of Science and Technology hailed the government’s decision to increases payments for renewable energy and said it would be a great step forward to reduce foreign exchange on oil imports. Minister Professor Tissa Vitharana said that Sri Lanka is one of the countries which pay lowest charges for the alternative power resources. more..

Jan 3 (LT) Presidsent Mahinda Rajapakse asked British Cardinal McCormack Murphy Okathor to mediate to end LTTE activities committed within the UK. The president pointed out that though members of tiger organization have been banned from travelling in EU countries the tiger organization continue to collect money by extortion in the UK. more..

Jan 3 (AT) A visibly annoyed Women's Empowerment Ministry Secretary Indrani Sugatadasa yesterday called a recent Australian report on women and the post-tsunami situation in Sri Lanka as 'greatly exaggerated and very dramatic'. more..

Jan 3 (TN) The politburo of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Marxist Sinhala Nationalist Party, Monday decided to contest the forthcoming elections to local government authorities in Sri Lanka alone and not in alliance with other political parties, political sources said. more..

Jan 3 (TN) Trainee teachers at the Palaly Teachers Training college boycotted classes Monday demanding the release of fellow trainee Packianathan Kamalakannan who was arrested and being detained by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) following the claymore mine attack in Point Pedro on 27 December when twelve SLA soldiers were killed. more..

Jan 3 (LT) Wanni Tigers organization has informed families living in Jaffna and sympathetic to Tigers to vacate their native places. They have accordingly left Jaffna and moved to uncleared areas. Security forces say that the search operations conducted by the army in Jaffna town may have compelled the Tigers to take this decision. more..

Jan 3 (ISL) Asian Human Rights Commission in a special release questioned whether the President Mahinda Rajapakse can enable effective functioning of vital public institutions. more..

Jan 3 (ISL) Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wicramanayake had reiterated that his government will not exchange prisoners to secure the release of LTTE captured policemen from Mannar. A group of relatives of the LTTE captured policemen had gone to discuss the matter with the PM last week had been informed by the Prime Minister of this decision. more..

Jan 3 (ISL) The polical wing head of the LTTE, Tamil Selvan said that his organization will ensure the safetly of Tamils. “We can no longer show patience on the face of the violence let loose on Tamil people. A situation where Tamils, including children and women are killed and tortured has evolved. more..

Jan 3 (LeN) The Commissioner General of the Bribery Commission is to expand the activities of the Commission enabling the Auditor General and the Income Tax Commissioner General to have access to the investigation reports of the Commission. more..

Jan 3 (LeN) The government has named 2006 as the year of promoting moral values. The government has decided on this measure to uphold fast eroding values and ethics among people. A flag was also issued by the Cultural Ministry to mark the event. more..

Jan 3 (LeN) UNP parliamentarian Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told Lanka e News UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed for a major overhaul in the party from organization structure to leadership at a discussion held in Bangkok with himself and Ravi Karunanayake. more..

Jan 3 (LeN) The Hela Urumaya will definitely withdraw its support to the President, if he shunned the unitary state concept, policy formulator of the party, Patalee Chanpika Ranawaka warned. He reiterated JHU's stand that Norway should be chased away from the country. more..

Jan 3 (AT) The LTTE is quietly readying for an open confrontation with the Government of Sri Lanka in the Jaffna Peninsula. They have already contrived successfully to win psychologically over the Sri Lanka armed forces with their undeclared the stealth war. more..

Jan 3 (AP) A Sri Lankan army soldier stands guard at a check point in Colombo on Friday. In a sudden surge of violence, 45 soldiers have been killed and 71 more injured in December ambushes blamed on the rebels. more..

Jan 3 (SLA) LTTE cadres (Tamil Tigers) on Tuesday (03) morning, disguised themselves as those from a so-called “People’s Organization” in TRINCOMALEE forced civilians and businessmen in the area to close down shops and their business ventures to protest against an alleged ‘murder’ of five young men the previous night. more..

Jan 3 (SLA) THE ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION of a hand grenade on the beachside at TRINCOMALEE, near the library last night (02) at about 8.00 p.m. killed five young men and injured two others. Those young men, suspected to have arrived there in order to carry out an attack on the troops or the Police, were on the beach at the time their grenade went off bringing death to five of them. more..

Jan 3 (SLA) ONE T-56 WEAPON, ONE MAGAZINE, eleven rounds of T-56 ammunition and one hand grenade were among arms and ammunition recovered from an LTTE safe house in the general area of KONDAVIL, JAFFNA on Monday (02). On information received from a civilian, troops conducted a search into the house and found one T-56 weapon, one magazine, eleven rounds of T-56 ammunition and one hand grenade. more..

Jan 3 (SLA) AN ARMY OFFICER, who witnessed the murder of a civilian by an unknown gunman in the general area of MAVADIVEMBU in BATTICALOA area around 10.45 a.m. Monday (02), sustained injuries when he tried to confront the assassins who gunned down the civilian. more..

Jan 3 (LBO) Sri Lanka has partially lifted its ban on poultry imports from January so that farmers can meet production cycles, as global fears of avian influenza recede. “The ban on import of day old parent chicks has been lifted from January 01 this year, from countries free of bird flu, like India, France or the United Kingdom,” more..

Jan 3 (ISL) Parents from Sri Koneswara Hindu College and St.Joseoh’s College came critical on LTTE and their new training program for students in universities and in colleges. Sources claim that LTTE had been training students to carry out attacks against Sri Lanka Armed Personnel and later put the blame on to “People’s Forces” in Northeast. more..