Aug 12 (AFP) Sri Lanka's military has been unable to push into Tamil Tiger strongholds in the north due to the threat of monsoon rains and a lack of manpower, defence officials and analysts say. The government had hoped to build on recent territorial gains in the east of the troubled island by going after guerrilla bases in the northern Wanni region, where the LTTE run a mini-state. more..

Aug 12 (AFP) At least nine people have been killed in fresh violence across Sri Lanka's northern and eastern regions where a bitter ethnic war has raged for decades, military and Tamil rebel sources said. Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a powerful land mine against a military patrol in the Jaffna peninsula Sunday, killing a soldier and wounding at least 16 others, military officials said. more..

Aug 13 (LBO) Sri Lanka's government doctors have ordered more than two hundred luxury sports utility vehicles as a scheme to give duty-slashed vehicles to state workers gets under way. So far 1,200 applications for vehicles have been processed in a scheme to give 25,000 duty slashed vehicles to senior government workers, ETV's Money Report program said, quoting a finance ministry source. more..

Aug 13 (BBC) Sri Lankan military in Sri Lanka have denied accusations that they evicted Muslim settlers in the east to expand a High Security Zone (HSZ). A spokesman for Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) told BBC Sandeshaya that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has no intention of evicting residents from Arafa Nagar. However, Muslim residents said SLA officials on Friday expanded the borders of the already established HSZ in Muttur, Trincomalee. more..

Aug 13 (HA) Aadi Amavasai, a day sacred to obsequies for the manes. This special day is dedicated to our forefathers, which is observed annually during the Tamil month of July. The new moon in the Tamil month of Aadi is observed with special prayers, poojas and offering of food to the forefathers. Amavasai is a new moon begins its new cycle. This year Aadi Amavasai was observed on August 12th 2007. more..

Aug 13 (TC) The Country is going mad with venomous hatred! Highly educated professionals and intellectuals are at each others throats over the internet. The racist gobbledygook put out against each other by those on either side of the ethnic fence makes one want to puke. One is appalled and aghast at the depths of depravity to which members of two cultured races could descend to. more..

Aug 13 (TC) Independence dawned for Sri Lanka then Ceylon on February 4th 1948. The union jack was lowered and the national flag raised at the stroke of midnight. Even as the flag fluttered proudly four young athletes carrying flaming torches entered the square and ran up the steps of Independence hall. Together they lit the lamp of freedom. The quartet comprised members of the four major communities of the Island. The sixteen year old youth representing the Tamils was Lakshman Kadirgamar. more..

Aug 13 (Hindu) Rameswaram was put on the broad gauge network of Indian Railways on Sunday. United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi dedicated the newly laid Manamadurai-Rameswaram BG line to the nation and flagged off train services from the island at a function here. The multicrore project assumes significance in view of the structural modifications made on the Pamban bridge (across the sea) for gauge conversion. more..

Aug 13 (BP) Preparations are under way in Sri Lanka to host this year's World Tourism Day on Sept 27, an international event that tourism executives hope will help offset what is shaping up as another calamitous year for the island nation's industry. This year's Tourism Day theme is "Tourism Opens Doors for Women," a campaign that highlights the industry's huge job-creation opportunities for women, more..

Aug 13 (AT) In Sri Lanka this �infantile disease� is linked with politicised religion. The resultant lethal blend has produced a malignant cancer which has been spreading. Except for a handful of hawkish profiteers who are getting well fed by the tentacles of the arms trade, overwhelming majority of Sri Lankans of all religions, ethnic and social backgrounds had enough of blood bath, suffering, loss of invaluable lives, loss of hope for a better future at least for the next generation. more..

Aug 13 (AT) Late Lakshman Kadirgamar former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka who was assassinated by the LTTE was instrumental in re-building and restoring the Jaffna library to its former glory. Former Foreign Minister devoted his time and energy in fighting the LTTE in the diplomatic front. This was disclosed in Chennai at the commemoration of the death anniversary of Late Lakshman Kadirgamar. more..

Aug 13 (LBO) If market reforms and globalization that brought prosperity to Sri Lanka's Western Province could be replicated countrywide, extreme poverty could be eliminated in a generation, a development economist said. Sri Lanka's Western Province which had seen the most market oriented reforms since 1977 and was most open to the world, had grown the fastest and had reduced poverty to 9 percent while the national poverty headcount was 23 percent. more..

Aug 13 (AT) A violent clash erupted in Oslo, on Sunday evening, between the two rival LTTE factions, where one �Selika� Ranjan (Mullaithievu) succumbed to his injuries and two other Tamils, namely Kannan and Kuhan are reported to be in serious condition in the hospital with gunshot injuries. They also, it is reported, to have sustained, lacerations due to Samurai sword cuts. more..

Aug 13 (LeN) Former President Chandrika Kumarathunga who was residing in UK arrived in Sri Lanka today (12) morning. Her arrival was anticipated for tomorrow. Lanka-e-News earlier reported that she was due to arrive in Sri Lanka since her farther S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike's commemoration would be held on 26 September. Sources close to Mrs. Bandaranaike said that she had planned to stay for a while considering a section of the SLFP had broken away from the party. more..

Aug 13 (AT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to unnamed political elements in the country not to betray their own motherland to foreign interests for the greed of power. �A virus has entered the body politic today that to resolve local problems to invite foreign powers for the greed of power,� said President Mahinda Rajapaksa declaring open Sri Lanka�s second Cancer treating hospital unit at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle. more..

Aug 13 (LBO) A senior Sri Lankan economist has called for a higher allocation of resources for less developed regions of the island and special perks like higher pay for teachers serving those areas. Nimal Sanderatne, former senior visiting fellow at the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture of the Peradeniya University, said one of the reasons for inequitable development of different regions of the country was structural. more..

Aug 13 (LBO) Despite perceptions of a lack of a 'feel good' factor steady gains are being made in living standards, Sri Lanka's central bank governor Nivard Cabraal said. "Since there are perceptions and claims that people do not feel economic development. Let me also trace a few indications," Cabraal told the members of the Sri Lanka Association of Economists at its annual sessions. more..

Aug 13 (LBO) Congestion in Asian ports like Colombo is affecting cargo flows to the United States and ship schedules with the squeeze expected to continue into the next year, a body representing major shipping lines has said. The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) has warned of increased congestion at Asian ports � notably Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Colombo � due to booming intra-Asia and Asia-Europe trade growth. more..

Aug 13 (LD) The �Bodu Bala Sena� Organization charged in Colombo today (August 13th) that the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) was using its name to carry out a poster campaign in the city, to sling mud at the Opposition Leader. The smear posters titled �Ranil, the first Opposition Leader to hijack vehicles� had not been printed or circulated by our organization, said Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, Secretary of the National Bhikku Conference, speaking on behalf of the �Bodu Bala Sena.� more..

Aug 13 (LD) Two security backup vehicles that have been detailed to former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, are still with the Presidential Security Division (PSD), it is reported. This is despite the Inspector General of Police having instructed on several occasions that the two vehicles be handed over to the security contingent of the ex-president, who arrived in the country yesterday (August 12th). more..

Aug 13 (GDI) Last night (12), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) successfully outwits an LTTE attempt to crossover their stranded cardres to Wanni area from their hideouts in the jungles of North of Trincomalee. According to the Security sources, the SLN�s Fast Attack Craft (FAC) patrolling in the Eastern seas last night around 10.30 has observed two clusters of Sea Tiger boats moving towards Pulmoddai area. more..

Aug 13 (GDI) The Medawachchiya Police seizes a large consignment of acid carried in a tipper while attempting to by-pass a police road block. The seizing took place late evening yesterday (12). The Tipper was carrying total of 3600 litres of acid in 90 cans each of forty litre in volume and labeled as �98% Sulphuric Acid�. The Police sources state that the Tipper was attempting to proceed from Medawachchiya to Vavuniya. more..

Aug 13 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that the Government is committed to make the free health service available for all walks of life. As result of this the Government has allocated a very large sum of funds for the betterment of the public health sector. President made this observation at the inauguration of the new Cancer Treatment unit constructed at the Galle-Karapitiya hospital at a cost of Rs. 500 million. more..

Aug 13 (GDI) Chairman of the Appointed Committee to probe in to grievances of victims of political violence during 2005 Presidential Election Mr. C. N. Saliya Mathew submitted the report of the Committee to President Mahinda Rajapaksa recommending payment of compensation to the tune of Rs. 6,386,500.00. to the victims. On the 24 May 2006, President Rajapksa appointed a committee to direct the authorities with a committee report of the steps that should be taken to provide compensation for the victims. more..

Aug 13 (GDI) An International Cultural Center will be established in the recently liberated Thoppigala area in the Eastern Province to facilitate the preservation of archaeological sites and objects in the region. In accordance the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has sought the cabinet approval for a project proposal in this regard. Minister of Cultural Affairs Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said this at a media briefing in Anuradhapura while more..

Aug 13 (NST) Three visually impaired Malaysians will get the gift of sight following a donation of three sets of corneas by the Sri Lankan government. The corneas were handed over by Sri Lankan senior Cabinet Minister for Port, Aviation, Irrigation & Water Management Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa to K .Sri Dhammaratana Maha Nayake Thera, Chief High Priest of Malaysia at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields. more..

Aug 13 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's rupee weakened slightly to a new all-time closing low on Monday for a third day running as importers bought dollars to settle trade bills and as brokers purchased forward dollar contracts, dealers said. The rupee ended at 111.95/112.00 per dollar, just surpassing the previous life low of 111.95/111.98 hit on Friday. The local currency has hit a series of new all time lows in recent months. more..

Aug 13 (LNP) The Government has announced an amnesty period starting from September 1 for Tiger cadres trapped in Eastern jungles to lay down their weapons and surrender to the Security Forces. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake urged the Tiger cadres to take up the offer, saying their safety would be guaranteed. The Prime Minister said the misguided LTTE cadres were also sons and daughters of Mother Lanka and it was the Government`s intention to channel their talents towards development. more..

Aug 13 (LNP) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) scoffed off rumours that their champion batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has made a request to release him from their contract for one month in order to play in the controversial Indian Cricket Leagues (ICL) Twenty-20 tournament later this year. Speaking to the Sunday Times SLC Secretary K Mathivanan said,`Sanath has not made any form of request asking SLC to release him to play in the ICL tournament. more..

Aug 13 (LNP) President Rajapakse visits the historic Nagadeepa Vihare in Mahiyangana. The Ven. Beruwala Dhammaratana thera, chief incumbent of the Vihare said the President is the first head of state to visit the temple after kings such as Dutugemunu and Kawantissa. The President pointed out that he is aware of the needs of the rural folk. He said his desire is to develop the country despite obstacles, extending relief to the people. more..

Aug 13 (SAMN) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has intensified its protest against the Government and the party is to hold seminars, demonstration and picketing campaigns in order to demand the government to reduce the prices of fuel, gas, and milk powder and to stop corruption, fraud and wastage. The party which was instrumental in bringing the present UPFA into power will hold a demonstration and a picketing campaign in Colombo Tuesday. more..

Aug 13 (SAMN) The renovation work of public roads within the estate sector commenced on Saturday (August 11) in the presence of Plantation Minister D. M. Jayarathne, several other Ministers and Advisor to President Basil Rajapaksa. The renovation of the roads began from the Loolkandura estate, the first estate in the Kandy district which is a part of the Janatha Estate Development Board at Delthota. more..

Aug 13 (SAMN) The first Devala perahera in the run-up to the Sri Dalada Maligawa Esala Perahera in Kandy begins today with the planting of Kap at the four Devales of the Maligawa. The Devala Perahera will be conducted till August 18 within the Devala precincts till the the Kumbal Perahera from August 19 to 22. The Randoli Perahera begins on August 23 and will culminate with the Maha Randoli Perahera on full moon Poya day on August 28. more..

Aug 13 (SAMN) Former Attorney General K.C. Kamalasabayson passed away Sunday morning while receiving medical treatment at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, South India. He was 58. Arrangements are being made to bring his remains to Colombo for last religious rites. Funeral arrangements would be notified later. The late Mr. Kamalasabayson was highly respected in the legal arena. He cut his teeth in the realm of law under the tutelage of legal luminaries H.V. Perera QC and E.R.S.P. Coomaraswamay. more..

Aug 13 (DN) The use of the term walawwa mentality is far too hackneyed especially, as the vast majority of Sri Lankans have voted repeatedly for the Bandaranaike family with overwhelming endorsements, Minister Anura Bandaranaike said in a letter to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. �Our family does not control the affairs of the SLFP any more. There is a new leader, a new President. The world has changed. So have we,� Bandaranaike told Wickremesinghe. more..

Aug 13 (GDI) Governments of Sri Lanka and Libya agree to setup a business council in Libya to serve the private sector efforts and to provide consular services for the increasing number of Sri Lankan job seekers. This decision was reached during discussions between visiting Sri Lanka delegation and Libyan authorities. Talks held between the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and the Trade and Investment Minister of Libya Dr. Ali Abdul Aziz Al Asawi yesterday (12), more..

Aug 13 (DN) British Police are continuing their search for 13 scouts, including several from Sri Lanka, missing following the World Scout Jamboree in Chelmsford. More than 40,000 scouts from 162 nations participated in the 12-day jamboree hosted at Hylands Park. Four scouts vanished from the site, while it is believed nine scouts never turned up to the event. The first scout reported missing was a 17-year-old girl from Zimbabwe on July 29, who disappeared from Hylands Park. more..

Aug 13 (DM) A tense atmosphere has been created in Arafa Nagar, south of Mutur after Defence authorities ordered the eviction of some 251 people in 67 resettled families in the area, reports from Trincomalee said. According to the reports the order had come on August 10 and the families are now accommodated in a school in Paali Nagar in Mutur. A local politician told the Daily Mirror these Muslim families who were from Arafa Nagar had been living as IDPs in Mutur due to LTTE harassment since 1985. more..

Aug 13 (DM) The EPDP, a party in the ruling coalition, said yesterday that it would not contest future Provincial Council elections in the East unless the government put forward a power devolution package for the resolution of the national question. Party leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda told the Daily Mirror that the Provincial Council system was an issue linked to the national question, and therefore there should be a �political package� for them to contest such an election in the Eastern Province. more..

Aug 13 (SL) Sri Lankan bowling ace Muttiah Muralitharan could taking legal against former India captain Bishen Bedi for defamation, according to his manager. The ex-India bowler was recently critical of modern spinners, accusing them of chucking, with Muralitharan bearing the brunt of his outburst in which he compared the Sri Lanka star to a "shot-putter". On Monday, Kushal Gunasekara told Indian television news channel, Headlines Today, that they had "sent a letter of demand to Bedi". more..

Aug 13 (TN) Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, former President of Sri Lanka for two terms from 1994 till 2005, returned to Colombo from UK Sunday and is scheduled to hold talks with Mr.Mangala Samaraweera, leader the Peoples Wing of the SLFP, regarding current political situation Monday evening at her Horagolla residence, media sources said. She telephoned Mr.Mangala Samaraweera soon after her arrival in Colombo and is reported have discussed her future political activities. more..

Aug 13 (RW) Since 2006, the escalating conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka has led to various disruptions in post tsunami reconstruction efforts. The conflict has displaced thousands of people from their home areas, building contractors have struggled to reach construction sites and the movement of building materials between government and LTTE controlled areas has been restricted. more..

Aug 13 (AN) A Saudi philanthropist walked into a courtroom in Hail yesterday and paid blood money on behalf of an Indian worker responsible for the death of a Sri Lankan in a road accident two years ago. �I am paying this blood money not only to help the Indian worker who is serving two years in prison but also to assist the bereaved Sri Lankan family to continue their normal life without a breadwinner,� explained the Saudi philanthropist who offered SR50,000 on behalf of the accused. more..

Aug 13 (AP) Troops killed three Tamil Tiger rebels in a gunfight and sank a rebel boat in a separate sea battle as fighting flared in Sri Lanka's northeast, the military said Monday. The fighting started late Sunday when the Sri Lankan navy found two clusters of Tamil Tiger boats � about a dozen in all � moving toward the Pulmoddai area on the northeast coast, said military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe. more..

Aug 13 (Reuters) Three Tamil Tiger rebels and a soldier were killed in Sri Lanka's northeast and the Navy sank a rebel vessel, the military said on Monday after overnight land and sea battles. The clashes on and off the coast of Pulmoddai in the northeastern district of Trincomalee were the latest in a quickening of the two-decade civil war that has killed around 4,500 people since last year alone. more..

Aug 14 (TC) Late Kethesh Loganathan was a man of action. He showed his humanity. Kethesh was a committed human rights activist. He campaigned for the rights of the Tamils within the framework of an united Sri Lanka. He cared; and was killed. Kethesh Loganathan was assassinated on August 12th 2006 in his house at night. A modest event paying tribute to Kethesh Loganathan was organized by Point Pedro Development Institute more..

Aug 14 (LBO) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Sri Lanka's state-owned petroleum firm has used a leveraged swap to hedge a small part of its oil imports during the past month with good results so far, officials said. CPC hedged has hedged 100,000 barrels of diesel for six months with a floor of 81.50 dollars a barrel and a cap of 90 dollars a barrel with Citibank, Chairman Ashantha de Mel said. more..

Aug 14 (Hindu) India and Sri Lanka are likely to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the year-end, according to P.M. Amza, Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Southern India. Addressing the members of the Consultative Committee of City Chambers of Commerce (CCCCC) here on Monday, he said the 11th round of talks would be held in Colombo shortly. more..

Aug 14 (NIP) Trade relations between India and Sri Lanka will improve tremendously after the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), said P M Amza, Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in South India. Addressing a consultative committee of city chambers of commerce in Chennai on Monday, Amza said the Indo - Sri Lankan Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) signed in 1998 has �contributed significantly� to trading between the two nations. more..

Aug 14 (AT) The ruling Norwegian Labour Party linked to agents of Tamil Tigers is making a desperate bid to whitewash what the police called a �grotesque� battle within the Tamil community in Oslo. Three Tamils were shot, stabbed and run down by a car last Sunday by a group known as �Jaffna boys�. Norwegians Against Terrorism (NAT) told the Asian Tribune that Oslo Labor party leader Jan B�hler and Yogarajah Balasingham -- a member of the Labour Party -- are now blaming the police for not taking early action to stop the violence. more..