Apr 9 (GDI) Agricultural products of Jaffna are being sold in the markets in the south as the arrangements made by the government to bring these products by ships. The arrangements have been made to distribute the Jaffna farmers� produce throughout the country, Government sources in Jaffna said confirmed. This step has brought immense benefits to the Jaffna farmers. more..

Apr 9 (ANN) Sri Lanka is a peculiar country. Although the country needs foreign exchange desperately, the earners of the same are treated shabbily by the Government of Sri Lanka and by the officials concerned. Exporters were treated with respect by the successive Governments of Sri Lanka. Various concessions were given to them since they earn valuable foreign exchange to the country. more..

Apr 9 (MoD) Eight people have been killed and 25 others injured in another terror attack on a civilian bus in Vavuniya. That dastardly claymore mine attack deliberately targeting civilians came close on the heels of the bomb blast in a bus in Ampara on April 02, which killed sixteen civilians. The LTTE is likely to step up attacks on civilians during the festive season, as it is hell bent on aggravating the difficulties of the government on the political front and triggering a backlash. more..

Apr 9 (NIP) Three refugees, who were enrolled at the Mandapam Transit Camp and quarantined on suspicion, have been identified as Sea Tigers (LTTE sea wing cadre). Sources said, the trio -Devajodeeswaran (24), Sugandan (22) and Justinraj (23) of Mannar and Jaffna - had enrolled at the camp along with refugees over a week ago. They were, however, quarantined on suspicion. more..

Apr 9 (LNP) Just days after displaying its air capabilities the LTTE has expressed willingness to resume peace talks with the government but has at the same time placed a pre-condition for such negotiations saying the now defunct Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) should be first fully implemented and future talks should be based on that agreement signed in 2002. more..

Apr 9 (LNP) The SLFP disciplinary committee has given two weeks time for ousted Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi to give explanations. Committee chairman and senior minist er John Seneviratne has sent a letter to the two members last week in this regard. The ruling SLFP decided to take disciplinary action against the two ex ministers for what the party cited as a breach of discipline by making certain statements while they were ministers. more..

Apr 9 (LNP) Former Minister S. B. Dissanayake`s second son, Taraka Dissanayake, who was notorious for getting involved in brawls in casinos and night clubs in Colombo, has turned over a new leaf after he was packed off to Australia by his father. Taraka Dissanayake enrolled at the Swinburne University in Melbourne to follow a course leading to a Bachelors Degree in Business and Aviation. more..

Apr 9 (LNP) All private bus owners have been warned that they would be fined Rs. 1,000 per day if they fail to operate their buses from today till April 18, except for two days. The National Transport Commission has made it mandatory for all private buses to continue operating without interruption except during the New Year celebrations on April 13 and 14. more..

Apr 9 (SAMN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has summoned the leaders of government political parties for a meeting today evening to seek their opinion on the SLFP proposals for the resolution of the national question. Last week, SLFP General Secretary and senior Minister Maithripala Sirisena told Parliament they would submit their political proposals on May 1, with due legal refinements. more..

Apr 9 (SAMN) Private sector employees are being exploited by their employers without end. JVP MP and President of the Inter Company Employees Union, Wasantha Samarasinghe told The Island on Friday. �Their welfare facilities are pruned down daily. They are paid lower salaries. When workers rise against injustices and voice their grievances, the employers do not respond positively. Instead they find ways and means to suppress the voice of workers,� said. more..

Apr 9 (SAMN) Civilians in Tiger-held Videthaltivu have started fleeing by sea and land to cleared areas in Mannar fearing more violence as two soldier and six Tigers were killed in the latest flare up in the north and east. "A total of 20 individuals entered the cleared areas in Pallamunai in Mannar during the last two days to escape continuous harassment and for fear of their children being forcibly conscripted by the LTTE," more..

Apr 9 (SAMN) Continuous raids will be conducted around the island to nab traders fleecing consumers and to safeguard them from illegal activities of traders. The raids will be conducted by the Consumer Affairs Authority flying squads. Raids will be conducted to nab traders selling commodities at high prices, not displaying the price index, providing false details, using faulty scales, and selling expired commodities. more..

Apr 9 (DN) The Chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake opened the newly set up �Children�s Corner� in the Victoria Park, where hundreds of children with the parents and a distinguished gathering were present. The Children�s Corner� was a creation of the Sri Lanka Insurance Ltd, as part of the April Festivities, for the benefit of the children of Nuwara Eliya and those who visit Nuwara Eliya. more..

Apr 9 (DN) The two artifacts of the national museum that were exposed to rain due to repairs of the museum�s roof have not been damaged and there is a possibility and the expertise in conserving them if needed, said Director, National Museum Nanda Wickremasinghe. She further confirmed the ancient books of the Museum were also not damaged due to rain water flowing into the museum. more..

Apr 9 (DM) Sri Lanka is to celebrate 100 years of public transport this year with the absorbing of the staff of cluster bus companies into the public sector and revamping the Sri Lanka Transport Board making it a truly public enterprise. Minister of Transport Dallas Alhaperuma told journalists yesterday that he had the support of several trade unions representing all major political parties in the country to take this step. more..

Apr 9 (DM) Seven suspects alleged to be connected with to LTTE activities were produced in the Chief Magistrate�s Court on Thursday 5.04.07. In this case known as the case of the �Sinhala Koti� (Sinhala Tigers), the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) arrested and produced Lalith Seneviratne, Nihal Senaratna, Priyankara, Udaya Tennakoon, Ajith Kumara, Sanjeewa Sudath Chaminda and Suresh Kumara reporting to Court that they were involved in terrorist activities. more..

Apr 9 (HT) Few except some marine archaeologists and professional divers know that there is a historic object at the bottom of the sea just 5 miles off Batticaloa in Eastern Sri Lanka. HMS Hermes (95), the world's first "purpose-built" aircraft carrier (the first to be built specifically as an aircraft carrier and not a converted one) lies there. more..

Apr 9 (AAP) Sri Lanka's Australian coach, Tom Moody, is no longer a candidate to succeed Duncan Fletcher in charge of England because he is returning to his home state, a British newspaper reports. The Independent said West Australian cricket officials had met Moody's salary requirements and cited Australian reports that Justin Langer had discussed his decision to quit the state captaincy with Moody. more..

Apr 9 (NIP) The Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Government of Sri Lanka, is organising a two-day awareness programme on Indo-Sri Lankan Free Trade Agreement and business-to-business meet at Hotel Taj Residency on April 16 and 17. Sri Lankan Minister for Export Development and International Trade G L Peiris will lead a delegation of leading businessmen from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 9 (BB) Sri Lanka's central bank will probably keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the highest level in Asia, judging that five increases since June may be enough to tame inflation. Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nivard Cabraal will leave the repurchase rate at 10.5 percent, according to eight of 13 analysts in a Bloomberg News survey. Four expect an increase of half a point and one expects a quarter-point rise. more..

Apr 9 (IO) Last week a Sri Lankan team celebrated for its multi-ethnic make-up beat England in the Cricket World Cup. It also became the focus for an unseemly row between the Sri Lankan authorities and the human rights group Amnesty International (AI). AI�s campaign at the World Cup, currently being played in the Caribbean, urges all parties in Sri Lanka's conflict to respect human rights under the slogan "play by the rules". more..

Apr 9 (NST) THE occurrence of two full moons next month has given rise to confusion over the correct date for Wesak Day. The New Straits Times office here has received numerous calls from Buddhist readers who claimed that the government had got it wrong when it gazetted May 1 as a public holiday to mark the religious celebration. They claimed that, based on the Chinese lunar calendar, the actual date for the celebration should be on May 31. more..

Apr 9 (RW) Representatives of INGOs, including the UN agencies and NGOs involved in rehabilitation and welfare work in Jaffna Peninsula conferred with Major General G.A.Chandrasiri, Commander Security Forces (Jaffna), and the Government Agent Jaffna Mr. K. Ganesh, CCCA Security Forces Col. CC. Perera and representatives of local NGOs at KKS on April 07. more..

Apr 9 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's tourism industry, which blossomed in the wake of a 2002 ceasefire, has fallen victim to the resumption of the country's long-running civil war, industry groups say. Authorities are hoping a targeted marketing push can lure visitors back to the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean", but with no end in sight to near-daily sea, air and land clashes between government and Tamil Tiger rebels, few expect a rush of tourists in the coming months. more..

Apr 9 (Reuters) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed concern on Monday over a sharp jump in civilian casualties in Sri Lanka's civil war after a week in which attacks on two buses killed 25 passengers. In a statement, the Red Cross called on all sides in the conflict to respect the rules and principles of international law and refrain from attacking civilians. more..

Apr 9 (AFP) Sri Lankan stepped up security over fears of bomb attacks ahead of the traditional New Year festivities this week while the military said six rebels and a soldier were killed in fresh fighting. A government soldier was killed in a confrontation with Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the island Saturday, the military said in a statement. It said three guerrillas were also killed. more..

Apr 9 (LBO) The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is having a pre-bid meeting Tuesday with private investors keen on building container terminals in Colombo�s new south port whose infrastructure work has attracted interest from 30 investor consortia, an official said. The original date for opening bids for the infrastructure work on the new port was initially extended to April 24, but now has been further extended to May 8 in light of some recent amendments to the request for proposals. more..

Apr 9 (UNI) There was no infiltration by any member of the banned militant organisation LTTE in central Tamil Nadu as the state police has been maintaining a strict vigil, IGP M S Jaffar Sait said on Monday. Talking to newpersons he said in the aftermath of the recent seizure of iron balls and explosive materials at various places in the state, meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka, the police have stepped up the vigil, particularly along the coastal districts coming under the central zone. more..

Apr 9 (LeN) UNP Kurunegala district parliamentarian Johnston Fernando says the ministers are faced with severe inconveniences due to the acts of the Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse and that they are unable to move even a step against him as he is president's brother. more..

Apr 9 (LeN) President's counsel Thilak Marapana told the Awissawella Majistrate today that the criminal investigations department has presented details against former minister Sripathi Suriarachchi to take mere political revenge. The high court judge ordered to the CID and the Attorney general's department to speedily present the charges against the parliamentarian. more..

Apr 9 (BBC) Sri Lankan bowler Chaminda Vaas has conceded his team employed gamesmanship before the final ball of their epic contest against England last Wednesday. Ravi Bopara needed three runs to win it and fast bowler Dilhara Fernando pulled out of his delivery before resuming his run, and clean bowling the batsman. A bowler has the right to test a batsman at any time," Vaas explained to the BBC's Sinhala Service. more..

Apr 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas are not a threat to India even though they posses an air wing but only an irritant, the new Indian Air Force (IAF) chief said Monday. At his first media meet after taking charge March 31, journalists asked Air Chief Marshal Fali Major if he considered the LTTE a threat to India following the March 26 air attack on Sri Lanka's main air force base near Colombo. more..

Apr 10 (AT) On Good Friday the pro-LTTE radio located at Unit 1, 19, Belmore St, Burwood, New South Wales, 2134, ran a 24-hour radiothon pleading for funds from the Tamil community. It was run by Pirbakaran, a fluent speaker who got his training in broadcasting at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Dr. S. Manmohan, the heart surgeon, was backing him behind the scene. He is a known Tiger sympathizer. more..

Apr 10 (AT) Sri Lanka�s leading menswear specialist Hameedia has gone into shades of blue for this month�s Sinhala and Tamil New Year with the theme �Dressing in Blue and Facing the South�. Based on the �Litha� ritual, all of Hameedia 16 outlets across Sri Lanka are adorned in the colours of the New Year and offer their customers a special promotion for this month�s festive season. more..

Apr 10 (AT) First they raised a battle-fit army, next they acquired sea power and now they have an air force. Much of the world learnt about the �Tamil Elam Air Force� only recently after it displayed an act of incredible audacity, using a propeller-driven four-seater aircraft to drop several bombs on the Katunayake airbase near Colombo late one evening in March, killing three airmen and injuring many people, more..

Apr 10 (GDI) A special programme under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to delimitate the continental margin of Sri Lanka, has been taken up. The project �Marine Geophysical survey project on delimitation of the continental margin of Sri Lanka (DEOCOM)� has been taken up under the requirement of timely finalization of the Sri Lanka�s claim to the Continental Shelf, to the UN Commission on the Continental Shelves. more..

Apr 10 (GDI) Heads of States of the SAARC region reaffirms their commitment to implement all international conventions relating to combating terrorism, to which the member countries are respective parties, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama said addressing presspersons today (09) at the ministry premises in Colombo briefing on the salient points of the 14th SAARC Summit held in New Delhi on 3 � 4 April 2007. more..

Apr 10 (BBC) Pro-government party leaders have expressed concern on media reports over the current situation in Sri Lanka. In a meeting held with the President, leaders of the ruling coalition raised concern that reports that are not in favour odf the government are given prominence by media groups. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has called the meeting in Temple Trees to discuss ruling party proposals to resolve national question. more..

Apr 10 (Hindu) The army and the Tamil Tigers have accused each other of "plundering" Saddam Husain village in the Batticaloa district. A Defence Ministry statement on Monday claimed that an armed gang of LTTE cadres broke into the Muslim village and looted houses on Saturday night. It said the cadres damaged an electric transformer. more..

Apr 10 (TN) Over 2,000 Tamil expatriates gathered in front of the Eiffel Tower Monday, despite the authorities� cancellation of a planned protest rally to condemn the arrests by French police of several Tamil activists for raising funds for the LTTE. The protestors gathered in nearby public places, blocking traffic. more..

Apr 10 (MN) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's statement at a book launch at BMICH must be condemned and he must withdraw it and apologise in public, Moulavi Mubarak Abdul Majeed, leader of Ulamas Muslim Party, a political movement of Muslim theologians in Sri Lanka said in a statement. Majeed said that Wickremesinghe at a book launch at the BMICH recently said that Buddhism had collapsed in Central and East Asia because Islam was propagated by use of armed force in those countries. more..

Apr 10 (LBO) Panora Corporation, a Sri Lankan computer firm, opened a 1.2 billion rupee manufacturing plant in Colombo to boost production of its own-brand computers for the local and regional markets. Running at full capacity the facility can turn out 12,000 units of computers per month. Around 200 workers currently work at the facility. more..

Apr 10 (LBO) Sri Lanka's petroleum utility will get a 33 million rupee payment this week on the expiry of its first hedging contract for imported diesel, a top official said. The utility first bought a 'zero cost collar', an options position that gave it a two dollar upside protection for 150,000 barrels diesel if diesel prices moved above 72 dollars. more..

Apr 10 (Xinhua) Sri Lankan foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama said on Monday his government is ready to start talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels. Bogollagama made the remarks while addressing reporters here on the outcome of the summit meeting of the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC) held early this month in the Indian capital of New Delhi. more..

Apr 10 (wsws) Sri Lankan Socialist Equality Party (SEP) member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran and his friend, Sivanathan Mathivathanan, disappeared from the northern island of Kayts more than two weeks ago. Despite a stream of letters from Sri Lanka and internationally demanding an urgent inquiry, the defence ministry, the military and the police are engaged in what can only be described as a cover-up. more..

Apr 10 (LBO) Sri Lanka's main port has struck a 3-year agreement with trade unions to raise the minimum monthly salary by 3,000 rupees, a senior official said Tuesday. However two interim allowances amounting to 2,250 would be taken off. "We have come to agreement with 29 trade unions to fix the minimum wage at 3,000 rupees together with a minimum increment of 200 rupees besides a range of other benefits including a group medical insurance," more..

Apr 10 (LBO) Sri Lanka's tight quantity targeting regime is paying off, and the central bank said Monday it would continue with the 'current monetary policy stance'. Perhaps fittingly, the entire April monetary statement made no reference to its policy overnight discount rate - 12.0 percent reverse repurchase rate - which had largely become irrelevant with short-term inter-bank rates now hovering around 18 to 30 percent. more..

Apr 10 (LBO) The spot dollar shot up Tuesday to 109.30 from yesterday's closing of 108.35, dealers said, while one year t-bill yields plummeted by 63 basis points. The rupee fell with heavy dollar buying by a foreign bank which had earlier brought in clients who bought into Sri Lanka government rupee bonds. more..

Apr 10 (GDI) Colombo Port had recently set a record with the arrival of six luxury passenger vessels within 48 hours. Passengers from UK, USA, Germany and France arrived at the Port of Colombo from these vessels. Maritime sources say the increased number of arrivals of passenger vessels to the Colombo Port signifies high recognition for Colombo in maritime and tourism industries. more..

Apr 10 (GDI) "One should consider the workplace as supreme and increase productivity efficiency, thus effectively uplifting quality," said the Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, today. Minister Yapa stated this attending the special event held at the premises of the Department of Government Information for the reinstitution of 16 Lake House employees whose services were earlier terminated. more..