Aug 27 (SAMN) We do not mind whether the elections are in 2005 or 2006. We have already selected our candidates and all the constituent parties of the government have pledged support. We are ready to face election this year and we are very much confident of winning. more..

Aug 27 (ANN) SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem must be a worried man. He is coming under pressure from many a quarter over issues ranging from frivolous to serious. His biggest trouble, however, is likely to be the newly formed Muslim Alliance, ‘United Muslim Ummah’ (UMU), whose goal is to bring all Sri Lankan Muslims under one banner. more..

Aug 27 (SAMN) The principal aspirants to the highest office in the land should state their policies on vital matters affecting the whole country. However, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has not said anything with regard to any vital issue upto date. This is not an acceptable situation, said Prof. G. L. Peiris at a media briefing more..

Aug 27 (SAMN) People on the streets of the capital Colombo yesterday welcomed the Supreme Court judgment maintaining that a presidential election should be held this year. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva yesterday decided that the second term of President Chandrika Kumaratunga ended in 2005. more..

Aug 27 (LNP) Thirty one (31) undergraduates, including two female students, of the Ruhuna University, were hospitalised following a mini battle between two rival student groups in the wee hours of yesterday. More than 60 Science union undergraduates assaulted the members of Students Council around 1.00 a.m. yesterday. more..

Aug 27 (LNP) Police investigations are continuing into the recent abduction of billionaire Vavuniya businessman Kugadasan, who was kidnapped by suspected LTTE operatives, and subsequently released after payment of a ransom. more..

Aug 27 (AFP) Sri Lanka's media and political parties called for fair and peaceful elections in the conflict-torn island after a court ordered President Chandrika Kumaratunga to step down this year. more..

Aug 27 (DN) THE Presidential candidates in the forthcoming election, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe were given a warm welcome by their Parliamentary colleagues yesterday as Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle conveyed the Supreme Court decision to Parliament. more..

Aug 27 (AFP) President Chandrika Kumaratunga who steps down in December came to power promising to scrap the very office which she fought to cling to after 11 turbulent years dominated by a tortuous peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels. more..

Aug 27 (Gulf) With a host of international hotel groups ploughing millions of dollars into new developments, Sri Lanka's hospitality sector seems to be right on track to becoming a world class tourist destination after being ravaged by the tsunami in 2004. more..

Aug 27 (MO) Barely a few hours after the Supreme Court ruled that the next presidential election should be held before the end of this year, President Chandrika Kumaratunga met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse -- her party's presidential candidate -- to map out strategy for the forthcoming election. more..

Aug 27 (GT) The government has appointed C R Jayasinghe as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India. He succeeds Mangala Munasinghe. The appointment came into effect yesterday. Meanwhile, the national daily newspapers have given wide publicity to Sri Lanka’s new Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaiake’s visit to India and more..

Aug 27 (GT) Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) member Champika Ranawaka has said that by deciding to hold peace talks with the LTTE without taking action against them for the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, the government is insulting the late foreign minister. more..

Aug 27 (IANS) The Sri Lankan government wants Western diplomats based in Colombo to stop interacting with Tamil Tiger guerrillas in protest against the assassination of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. more..

Aug 28 (TN) Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner of Elections has summoned Returning Officers and Assistant Commissioners of Elections of twenty-five electoral districts for a conference on August 30 Tuesday morning at his office in Colombo to finalize arrangements to hold the presidential election. more..

Aug 28 (TN) The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are to announce their decision during the first week of September whether to field their own candidate or to support one of the two main political parties in the forthcoming presidential election which is widely expected to be held in November second week, political sources said. more..

Aug 28 (TN) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has organized a one-day seminar to raise concerns over the Sethusamudram Canal Project (SSCP) creating much discussion and debate among environmental groups, buisness community, government officials and the general public. more..

Aug 28 (TP) If there is a need to reduce migration to the Middle East by Sri Lankan workers in search of jobs and a better life, the only choice left to the government is to develop the economy and provide those jobs here, according to Ms Mary Sheehan, local Chief of International Organisation for Migration (IOM). more..

Aug 28 (Reuters) Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe promised peace, equality and jobs on Saturday to launch a campaign a day after the Supreme Court ordered a presidential election this year. more..

Aug 28 (AP) Sri Lanka's cricket coach Tom Moody has urged his players to take the upcoming series against Bangladesh seriously, despite their opponents having little success since joining the ranks of test playing nations. more..

Aug 28 (AT) A Tamil para-military group has claimed that they have arrested two LTTE killer squad operatives, namely Kandiah Sasikumar (22) and Kathamuthu Nallathamby 40, on Thursday at the Katunayake international airport, while they were waiting for their prey - the arrival of six ENDLF cadres from Chennai. more..

Aug 28 (AT) Though the astrologers had assured that the inauspicious spell haunting President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 2005 will disappear after April the stars above decided to end her raja yoga the constellation of astrological forces that crowned her head – bringing her down to earth with a thud. more..

Aug 28 (AT) The private celebrations of the LTTE following the killing of Lakshman Kadirgamar have now reached a new level with either Tamil politicians cooking up excuses for the killing or pro-LTTE spokespersons publicly gloating over the death of the late Kadirgamar. more..

Aug 28 (AT) Amidst allegations of the LTTE killing the Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told the Asian Tribune: “Kadirgamar could have been less of an impediment in the peace effort.” Reflecting the LTTE antagonism to Kadirgamar he added: “He seemed to be a man in the Sinhala nationalist line like the JVP.” more..

Aug 28 (AT) Accepting the binding decision of the Supreme Court President Chandrika Kumaratunga has pledged to ensure free and fair election in the country, especially in the North and East, states a media release issued by Presidential Media Unit. more..

Aug 28 (AT) In an election, simple arithmetic reigns supreme. The winner of the coming elections will be either Mahinda Rajapakse or Ranil Wickremesinghe and neither can win without some backing from the North and the East. Mahinda Rajapakse if he is serious about becoming the President will have to come to an alliance with the JVP; more..

Aug 28 (AT) Monitoring LTTE 'professional' lobby in the United States has several tasks. Understanding the misinformation, distortion of facts and half truths of the professionals who represent LTTE front organizations in the US that endorse Tiger agenda, is said to be most vital. more..

Aug 28 (AT) The ruling given by a unanimous decision of a five-judge Bench of Supreme Court to hold the presidential election this year (and not next year, as argued by President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s lawyers) has thrown the political scenario and the peace process into a spin, according to political analysts. more..

Aug 28 (LT) He will dedicate himself to establish law and discipline in the country and through that he hoped to bring about development and prosperity said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. He said this addressing the SLFP Bala Mandalaya of Martara District held at Uyanwatta esplanade. more..

Aug 28 (LT) As a result of wrong political decisions during the past Sri Lanka lost 80,000 lives and Rs.80,000 billion said opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. When he was the Prime Minister he was able to get Rs.45,000 billion from Tokyo donor summit and a disaster management programme was presented to the Parliament but was not accepted more..

Aug 28 (HT) A top Sri Lankan foreign affairs commentator has proposed that Sri Lanka should consider signing a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with China and Pakistan if India does not enter into one with Sri Lanka, despite the offer of attractive concessions by the island country. more..

Aug 28 (Reuters) Displaced four times by Sri Lanka's two-decade civil war with the Tamil Tigers, 22-year-old Nirmalashanthi Vijayakanth is ecstatic to finally settle into the first home she can call her own. more..

Aug 28 (TN) Two children, a six year-old-boy, a nine-year-old girl and a 28 year old woman were injured when unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade into a house in Thimilathivu, a suburb of Batticaloa, Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. The six-year-old boy, Navaratnarajah Jegatheeswaran (Vinoth) is transferred to Colombo Hospital in serious condition from Batticaloa Hospital, more..

Aug 28 (LT) “Samanala Thatu” directed by Mr. Somartna Dissanayake won award for the best film at International film festival held in Mexico. Nine countries had presented films for this festival. Films from Denmark, Brazil, Canada, Italy and France had entered for the final round and “Samanala Thatu” was able to secure the first place. more..

Aug 28 (TN) Rear Admiral Wasantha Karanagoda, Eastern Commander is to be promoted as Vice Admiral and appointed as the Chief of Sri Lanka Navy Monday at a ceremony to be held in the President's House Monday. more..

Aug 28 (LT) A special discussion presided by Commissioner of Elections is to be held in Election Commissioner’s office on Tuesday. The Presidential election is schedule to be held this year according to the decision given by the Supreme Court. more..

Aug 28 (AT) A well-attended massive protest against LTTE terrorism was held on Saturday starting from 11.00 am at Yonge and Bloor intersection in Toronto, Canada. Posters and banners decorated with anti-LTTE slogans condemning the political killings and child recruitment for war and demanding Canadian authorities to ban LTTE activities in Canada were displayed by the protesters. more..

Aug 28 (KT) IT’S only understandable that after the assassination of foreign minister Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka has toughened its stance on the peace process with the Tamil Tigers. The government has rejected an offer by the LTTE to hold peace talks in Oslo, Norway. Colombo has emphasised that it’s not interested in Oslo talks. more..

Aug 28 (ANN) Last Monday’s removal of Overall Operations Commander (OOC) Colombo, Maj. Gen. Vajira Wijegoonewardene signalled that the government would not sanction what well informed sources termed as a sizeable anti-insurgency operation in response to the recent assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar at his private Buller’s Lane residence. more..

Aug 28 (PIS) The Centre for Policy Alternatives has condemned the killing of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar as a brutal and cowardly act and said it was a grim reminder that the three years following the ceasefire agreement have not gone beyond the state of a `negative peace’ or what is called a `No War No Peace’ syndrome. more..

Aug 28 (PIS) Britain’s Charity Commission, a state arm monitoring charitable institutions, is disowning responsibility for a Tiger guerrilla front organization channelling millions of rupees to Sri Lanka after its precursor was banned. more..

Aug 28 (PIS) Norway is making frantic efforts to scuttle Sri Lanka’s new diplomatic initiative to have the international community crack down on the LTTE, highly reliable sources said.Norwegian diplomats are hastily contacting European capitals to stop them taking any action against the Tigers. more..

Aug 28 (LBO) Government announced a Rs. 10 a day subsidy to trishaw owners to help them whether the rising fuel prices and fulfilling a budget promise that according to analysts benefits the middle class. more..

Aug 28 (Xinhua) President Chandrika Kumaratunga left for China early Sunday on a five-day state visit at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, said the presidential office in a press release. more..

Aug 28 (UNI) Notwithstanding the fact that the focus in Sri Lanka is now on the Presidential election, the Kumaratunga government has indicated it would pursue the stalled peace talks with separatist Tamil Tigers "more vigorously" Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike , more..

Aug 28 (IE) The foreign office in Colombo confirmed that I was the last journalist in the world to have interviewed Sri Lankan foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar at his official residence, two weeks before he was shot dead. I had made the realization myself, the evening of his assassination, and raced for my notebook to find two prophecies: one hopeful, the other eerie. more..

Aug 28 (SN) Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri is retiring later this month, but is likely to continue as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Sandagiri, during a recent visit to the Elara base in the Jaffna peninsula, indicated that he would be stepping down at the end of this month. more..

Aug 28 (SO) The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (RRR) has identified 62 bridges to be rehabilitated in North and East at a cost of Rs.4 billion. This rehabilitation project will be implemented under the Rehabilitation of Bridges in the North and East Project, more..

Aug 28 (SAMN) Constitutional amendments to make health a fundamental right for the people are being drafted by the Law and Society Trust in association with the People’s Movement for the Rights of patients and other health action groups. more..

Aug 28 (SAMN) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this week slammed various Foundations that have sprung up to steal votes from different electoral constituencies in the intra-party battle for the preferential vote and said that the party does not recognise them." more..