Jan 11 (SLA) One Policeman was injured when unidentified Tamil Tigers threw a hand grenade and fired a few small arms rounds at a Police roadblock near the 3rd mile post, SELVANAYAGAMPURAM in TRINCOMALEE on Tuesday (10) around 7.25 p.m. The injured Policeman was admitted to hospital for medical treatment. more..

Jan 11 (SLBC) Chairman of the Road Development of Authority M.B.S. Fernando says construction in the first phase of the Southern Lanka Highway is expected to be completed by the year 2009. Under the first phase, a four lane roadway from Kottawa to Dodangoda will be constructed. more..

Jan 11 (LBO) Shell Gas Lanka Ltd Tuesday announced it will reduce supplies because the government did not allow them to increase retail prices to offset escalating production costs amid losses that amounted to over Rs. 790 million. "We reluctantly and regretfully have decided to curtail supply of domestic gas cylinders to mitigate mounting losses," more..

Jan 11 (LT) President Mahinda Rajapakse at the Cabinet meeting requested the non-cabinet and deputy ministers to step down from their portfolios voluntarily. The Cabinet meeting which was attended by a few non-cabinet ministers was held at Temple Trees yesterday. more..

Jan 11 (LT) Tiger organization carries out attacks on security personnel and positions to tell the international community that the situation was bad for them and they needed help says SLMM chief Hagrup Haukland in an interview with Reuters adding that they are “a barbaric way to inform the world community how bad things are and that they need help." more..

Jan 11 (LT) Members of the High Court Judges’ Association met President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday with their representations relating to the difficulties in the judicial sector. Promotional procedures and security of High Court Judges and providing escort to them were presented. more..

Jan 11 (LT) The government has already taken measures to combat bird flu if it ever enters the shores of Sri Lanka says Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Health. The decease has not entered Sri Lanka though drugs worth Rs.38 million capable of treating 1000 patients are already is stocks says the Minister. more..

Jan 11 (wsws) Sri Lanka is rapidly descending once again into civil war. More than 100 people have been killed in ambushes, clashes and assassinations since Mahinda Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) won the November 17 presidential election. more..

Jan 11 (AN) “We implore the President and all leaders of political parties and the leader of the Tamil Tigers to take immediate steps to stop this spiral of violence which has struck the country.” With these words, 22 Christian leaders – 13 Catholic bishops and nine Protestant pastors – ended their open letter made public on 9 January. more..

Jan 11 (LM) The weeklong ‘hartal' which had all but crippled the town of Trincomalee, had been slightly relaxed on Monday (09), to enable people purchase essential items. The whole town was congested with people thronging the streets to make their purchases. The common market was the most crowded place, with a traffic jam to boot. more..

Jan 11 (LM) President Mahinda Rajapakse, in his Haj message, appeals to the Muslims in Sri Lanka, and on pilgrimage in Mecca, to pray for patience, peace and solidarity in Sri Lanka. Following is the complete text of the President's message. more..

Jan 11 (PIS) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed serious concerns over the volatile situation in the country and urged both the government and the LTTE to put an end to the escalating violence and immediately return to the negotiating table. more..

Jan 11 (AFP) Elite police commandos search a car near the Sri Lankan parliament. Tamil civilians backed by Tiger rebels stepped up demands for the withdrawal of troops from Sri Lanka's embattled regions, more..

Jan 11 (SAMN) The Government of Japan has provided Japanese Yen 5.811 million yen (approximately 5,000 million rupees) towards provincial road improvement project. The rehabilitation work commenced on January 7, a press release issued by the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said yesterday. more..

Jan 11 (LNP) In the aftermath of a spate of killings in the North-East and fears of war, US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead yesterday warned the LTTE that if it chose to abandon the search for peace, the Sri Lankan military would emerge 'stronger, more determined and capable'. more..

Jan 11 (LBO) Telecom operator Suntel, has launched a broadband internet card aimed at laptop users who opt for high bandwidth connectivity. The private wireless local loop operator is using CDMA (code division multiple access) technology, to enable users to access surf from over 500 towns island wide. more..

Jan 11 (LNP) Owners of 818 properties, including business premises, within the Colombo Metropolitan area are faced with losing their properties unless all overdue rates, amounting to 250 million rupees, are paid, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Jayantha Liyanage said yesterday (10). more..

Jan 11 (LNP) Yatiyantota Police, within half an hour of the alert by Avissawella Police, arrested two suspects who were alleged to have robbed Rupees five lakhs (Rs. 500,000) of Maha Oya Estate`s payroll. On a complaint by the Superintendent of Mahaoya Estate, Dehiowita more..

Jan 11 (LNP) An announcement will be made in parliament next Tuesday regarding the future of jailed parliamentarian S. B. Dissanayake. Deputy Speaker Geethanjana Gunawardane told party leaders at a meeting yesterday the decision would be announced in consultation with Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara. more..

Jan 11 (DN) The JVP has requested the Government to ensure that all new recruitments of Public Service non staff grade management assistants and Grama Niladharis are done according to the marks obtained at a competitive examination conducted by the Department of Examinations as set out in Public Administration circular nos. 15/90 and 15/91. more..

Jan 11 (CI) These are woeful times for Sri Lanka. Fresh from losing - no, being trounced in - two ODI series, they were served their latest humiliation by Victoria, who raced to a thumping seven-wicket win at the Central Reserve. Heavy rain reduced the match to a 40-over match which transformed from sluggish - Sri Lanka subsided for 120 - to sloggish when Victoria romped home with more than 15 overs to spare. more..

Jan 11 (AFP) Tamil civilians backed by Tiger rebels stepped up demands for the withdrawal of troops from Sri Lanka's embattled regions, the guerrillas said, after the US warned them against returning to war. The LTTE in a statement posted on their website said thousands of minority Tamils staged a rally in the north-eastern district of Trincomalee Tuesday to demand a military pullout. more..

Jan 11 (AP) Sri Lanka is considering the purchase of Chinese-made guns for its navy just days after an explosives-laden boat slammed into a patrol craft, killing 13 sailors, a news report said on Wednesday. The report follows the strongest-ever warning by United States that the Tamil Tiger rebels resist any resumption of their armed struggle for a separate homeland, more..

Jan 11 (HT) The Norwegian Minister for International Development, Erik Solheim, who looks after the peace process in Sri Lanka also, is hoping to meet the elusive LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran when he visits the island in the last week of January. more..

Jan 11 (TW) Restraint, so far, on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka following the sinking of the Dvora with the loss of 13 navy personnel last week is to be commended. Likewise the President’s repeated statements that he and his government are committed to the peace process and cease fire and that his patience should not be seen as weakness. more..

Jan 11 (Reuters) Troops found a boobytrapped fragmentation mine in Sri Lanka's far north and suspected rebels lobbed grenades at army bunkers, the military said on Wednesday, as fears mounted that a devastating civil war would resume. more..

Jan 11 (GI) Muslims greet each other as they celebrate the Eid al-Adha festival in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, 11 January 2006. About 7.5 percent of Sri Lanka's population are Muslims more..

Jan 11 (Reuters) Unidentified men kidnapped two Sri Lankans working for a Danish mine clearing charity in the north on Wednesday, the charity said, while the army said it had foiled an ambush amid rising fears of a return to war. more..

Jan 12 (Xinhua) President Mahinda Rajapakse has pledged to grant ten million rupees (around 100,000 US dollars) each to sports men and women who will win gold medals in the Olympic Games. The government has decided to present cash awards ranging from 100,000 rupees (around 1,000 dollars) to 500,000 rupees (around 5,000 dollars) more..

Jan 12 (LT) Army intelligence sources sources say that political wing of the Wanni Tigers organization for Batticaloa Ilanterian alias Marshall has been summoned to Kilinochchi and detained under house arrest. He has thus been put in house arrest on charges of raping women Tiger cadres and other women and misappropriation of money. more..

Jan 12 (ISL) In the aftermath of the Tsunami, there have been a number of independent reports of large-scale destruction of the LTTE’s infrastructure, their maritime capabilities and immense human loss. more..

Jan 12 (ISL) Asian Human Rights commission had expressed its concern over the 20 reported disappearances reported in December last year. “The BBC Sinhala Service revealed today a report by the Human RightsCommission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) stating that enquiries are ongoing regarding 20 complaints of forced disappearances that are alleged to have taken place during the month of December 2005. more..

Jan 12 (ISL) The pro LTTE mouthpiece Tamilnet.com flouting all ethics of journalist is continuing its disinformation campaign on Northeast. An LTTE sponsored group in its effort to stir communal violence between majority Sinhalese soldiers and majority Tamil civilians concocted a latest story of a woman being forcefully taken away by the Army in its yesterday report. more..

Jan 12 (ISL) In a counter-effective plan to challenge the LTTE fascism in Trincomalee, two Sinhalese communalist groups calling “Sinhala Resurgence” and “ Sinhala Liberation” had called for three days of Harthal in Trincomalee. The groups had also distributed leaflets similar to the ones distributed by the LTTE agents warning whoever hesitating to comply with their Harthals. more..

Jan 12 (BBC) The US looking at the Tamil National question from an Al Qaeda mind set is not very helpful says R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group. Speaking to sandayshaya on recent comments on LTTE perpetrated violence by the US ambassador Jeoffrey Lunstead, Sampanthan said that violence is not something that happens from one side. more..

Jan 12 (AI) Amnesty International is appealing to all parties to halt the killings, abductions and “disappearances” being reported daily from the north and east of Sri Lanka. Over one hundred people including around 40 civilians and 60 security forces personnel have been killed in a month of bloodshed. more..

Jan 12 (BBC) The number of people fleeing villages is on the increase says RG Dharmadasa reporting from Trincomalee. After the killing of a farmer identified as Dhanapalsinham Tamil villagers specially women and children were seen leaving there homes. more..

Jan 12 (ISL) The propaganda secretary of the JVP attacked Ranil Wicramasighe for not criticizing the LTTE movement for the recent attacks. He also mocked the UNP leader claiming that the UNP leader is suffering from the inferior complex to blame the JVP for the LTTE attacks. However, he clearly failed to state the reason for the JVP silence regarding the ongoing LTTE attacks. more..

Jan 12 (AT) "If the military occupation of the North East is ended, and GOSL renounces State Terrorism, there would be peace in not only the North and East but also the whole of Sri Lanka. It is essential that foreign governments such as the US, India, and Britain identify that 'terrorism problem' emanates from the 'state'. more..

Jan 12 (AT) "It is the bounden duty of the international community to bring about a reasonable solution to us. If the international community fails in its obligations, then we will without fear or remorse rally round our Leader. We have nothing to loose by our decision. more..

Jan 12 (LeN) 'Lanka e News' reports with disgust and dismay an incident where Sri Lanka's President, Commander in Chief His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa threatening 'The Sunday Leader' Lasantha Wickrematunga with death. more..

Jan 12 (LeN) The President has set in motion a political project to strengthen the government ranks by reshuffling the cabinet within the next two months. The President strongly hinted at these moves at yesterday's Cabinet meeting. more..

Jan 12 (LeN) Western Province Chief Minister Reginald Cooray and Sabaragamiwa Province Chief Minister Maheepala Herath have been deprived of the privilege entitled to parliamentarians to import a duty free vehicle. The duo were elected to Parliament but resigned their seats to contest the Provincial Council election and became Chief Ministers. more..

Jan 12 (LeN) LTTE media spokesman Daya master alleges that the government is unwilling to go to Oslo in order to isolate the Tamil Diaspora of the European Union countries from the LTTE. He was responding to 'Lanka e News' query as to why the LTTE insist on Oslo as the venue for the peace talks. more..

Jan 12 (LeN) A party cannot be reformed by threatening and chasing away those in the party, Assistant General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attnayake said. He was responding to a query made by 'Lanka e News' as to the position of the reforms of the party. more..

Jan 12 (SLBC) A parallel runaway to the existing one will be built at the Bandaranayke International airport . A committee has been appointed to study the project and make recommendations. Director general of the civil aviation authority HMC Nimalsiri says the committee has paid particular attention to the geographical factors. more..

Jan 12 (SLBC) The ministry of power and energy makes preparations to expand the new small scale power generation programme using parts of trees as the source of energy. Minister W.D.J.Senevirathne says the objective of the programme is to increase the country's power generating capacity. more..

Jan 12 (Xinhua) Twenty hospitals are being upgraded to ensure treatment if a bird flu outbreak occurs in Sri Lanka. "These improved hospitals with isolation units will be ready by the end of this month to face any eventuality," epidemiologist Nihal Abeysinghe was quoted as saying. more..

Jan 12 (ANN) When one deals with an erring child, one has to be soft and mild. But being soft and mild doesn’t pay in dealing with grown up men unleashing unbridled terror. In dealing with them, one has to speak the language they understand most. more..

Jan 12 (LBO) European Commission (EC) pledges more aid for Sri Lanka, if peace prevails. A statement from the EC’s Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner on Thursday, said the benefits of European aid and trade were dependent on peace. more..