Sep 30 (TN) Tension prevailed in Akkaraipattu Thursday after several shops in the Tamil division of the southeastern town were smashed up in the early hours of Thursday morning. "Sri Lanka Police stood by doing nothing while some thugs attacked the shops. The attack is aimed at instigating a violence between Muslims and Tamils. more..

Sep 30 (TN) Minister of Finance Dr. Sarath Amunugama is scheduled meet with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to apprise him of the economic policies of the Sri Lanka Government and, to discuss matters related to further broadening and deepening the US-Sri Lanka bilateral economic relationship. more..

Sep 30 (SLA) Hundreds of Muslim civilians, affected by prolonged LTTE atrocities in the general area of THIRUKKOVIL, about 35 km east of AMPARA showed up openly against LTTE during small hours on Thursday and launched an agitation campaign, demanding an immediate stop to continuing LTTE harassment. more..

Sep 30 (SLA) Four armed men, suspected to be from LTTE have shot dead a civilian in the general area of AIYANKERNI, ERAVUR late night on 29th September 2004 after the victim failed to identify another man wanted by his suspected LTTE assassins. more..

Sep 30 (SLA) Two suspected LTTE cadres on a white-coloured van have abducted a civilian from the general area of NIRVELI, about 8 km south of PALALY in JAFFNA on 26 September 2004 around 11.00 a.m. according to a complaint made to the Police on 30th September 2004. more..

Sep 30 (SLA) Twenty two civil-clad LTTE cadres on a private bus sans prior approval obtained from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) for their passage reached the KALLAR roadblock in the general area of SERUNUWARA on 29 September 2004 around 2.00 p.m. more..

Sep 30 (KT) Heaving a sigh of relief and embracing each other amidst tears of joy, the 22 stranded Sri Lankan workers of Moon Garments finally flew to Colombo yesterday evening. The girls continued to live in the factory premises in misery for over four months without money, water, electricity, and depleting food provision more..

Sep 30 (Hindu) THE OBSESSION OF Velupillai Prabakaran's LTTE with being the "sole representative" of the Tamils of Sri Lanka has rendered the ceasefire virtually meaningless for Tamils. Taking advantage of the concessions granted to it in the February 2002 ceasefire agreement, the LTTE immediately set out to liquidate all Tamils it perceived as its opponents. more..

Sep 30 (F2F) Anticipating massive job losses in the domestic garment manufacturing industry that was created to exploit the textile quotas, Sri Lanka has approached the US and the European Union (EU) with a suggestion to extend the textile quota regime under the Multi Fibre Arrangement (MFA) by two years, more..

Sep 30 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's economic growth slowed to 5.2 percent in the second quarter of 2004 because of a punishing drought and a slowdown in factory output of export goods, the Central Bank said on Thursday. more..

Sep 30 (LBO) A twelve year snapshot of spending patterns exposed to the rupee devaluation show that tourists are actually spending less than what they used to back in the days of 1992. In real terms, the twelve year stretch only posted a 38 percent growth in average spend, making it a gain of less than two dollars each year. more..

Sep 30 (LBO) Singapore is set to become the biggest foreign investor in Sri Lanka over the next few years as the country moves to end a decades-long ethnic war. A shopping mall, hotel and residential complex called Havelock City planned by Shin Kwan Group at a cost of $150 million will kick off a new round of investment by Singapore companies this year. more..

Sep 30 (SLBC) A two member delegation of the South Indian Federation of Fishermen's Societies (SIFFS) is now in North on a goodwill mission in the wake of agitation by fishermen of Mannar. The conflict in the northern seas between Fishermen of Sri Lanka and India is a result of heavy competition for fisheries in the sand banks off the island.

Sep 30 (Reuters) Stocks rose on Thursday, pushed up by heavy retail buying in a handful of select shares including rubber exporter C.W. Mackie and Co Ltd , brokers said. The key Colombo all-share index rose a provisional 0.54 percent or 7.78 points, to 1,450.81. The bourse has gained more than 36 percent so far this year. more..

Sep 30 (AT) The movement against the controversial Rs.2000-Crore (approximately 1.09 USD) Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) is fast gaining momentum with a newly formed public-spirited outfit deciding to launch a massive protest against the scheme in Tamil Nadu on October 12. more..

Sep 30 (DN) New Left Front Leader Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne yesterday called for the establishment of a Peace Deployment Council. Asked about his views on the proposed Advisory and Reconciliation Council, he told the Daily News that a Deployment Council would be a better option. more..

Sep 30 (KN) President Kumaratunga on Wednesday appealed to the leaders and representatives of South Asian governments, civil society and International organisations to prioritise child protection and welfare to protect future generations from sexual abuse that leads towards the worst kind of exploitation. more..

Sep 30 (AFP) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has accused Tiger rebels of killing their opponents despite a ceasefire and warned that the government will not tolerate the murders. The LTTE had continued "serial killings" despite a truce brokered by Norway and put in place in February 2002, more..

Sep 30 (TN) The political division of the Liberation Tigers for the Batticaloa-Amparai District said in a press note Thursday that it handed over to their parents two under age youth who had left their homes to join the LTTE. more..

Sep 30 (IT) BBC has appointed appoints Dumeetha Luthra as its new Sri Lanka Correspondent. Luthra has already joined her new post in the Sri Lankan capital. Prior to that she was the news correspondent in Baghdad. Luthra began her career in BBC in 1995 as a producer. more..

Sep 30 (BBC) Famous Sinhala cinema actor and producer Gamini Fonseka passed away Thursday at his residence at Ja ela at the age of 68 years. Gamini was the most important and versatile actor of the Sinhala screen. The Sakviti of Sinhala cinema managed to conquer the commercial cinema and the art film with equal ease. more..