Jan 19 (CI) Kumar Sangakarra, the Man of the Match in Sri Lanka's VB Series victory over South Africa yesterday, hopes to build on the win and dispel doubts about his team's credibility. Speaking to BBC Sport, Sangakarra was relieved that Sri Lanka could get over South Africa. more..

Jan 19 (BBC) Human Rights Watch (HRW) say that Tamil Tiger killings of political opponents reached the rate of one per day by June 2005. Issuing its world report for 2006 on Wednesday, HRW says that this "alarming rate" owed to to the killing of "particularly of Tamils in opposition to the LTTE". more..

Jan 19 (ISL) We have to, with much respects to the office-bearers and members of the Jaffna University Student’s Union state that their decision to stop continuing with their daily classes, (we presume they mean lecturers), “their studies at the university and other educational activities provided by the university until normalcy prevails in the region,” is most unfortunate. more..

Jan 19 (ISL) The head of the Monitoring Mission Haugruf Haukland had stated at Kilinochchi yesterday evening that the attack on their Batticaloa office was not carried out by the Army nor the LTTE. While the SLMM claimed that they were aware who were behind the incident, they would not divulge the information to the media for some mysterious reasons known only to the SLMM. more..

Jan 19 (AFP) Ethnically divided Sri Lanka was in talks with the chief negotiator of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Martin McGuinness, in a bid to learn from the Northern Ireland peace process, officials said. McGuinness held talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday, officials said, adding that the visitor had also made a presentation to cabinet ministers on his experiences. more..

Jan 19 (BBC) Wijesoma who was serving the Upali newspaper group immortalised the cartoon character "Punchisingho". Journalist Lucien Rajakarunanaike called Wijesoma as a "cartoonist who excelled Collette". Wijesoma first joined a newspaper as a proof reader in Times of Ceylon. more..

Jan 19 (ISL) LTTE continuous attacks on Muslims and inciting Tamil Muslim riots in East had led to a massive shortage of staff at the Akkaraipattu district hospital. The patients are going through immense agony as doctors and nurses leaving the hospital premises early evening fearing LTTE attacks and communal tensions. more..

Jan 19 (ISL) LTTE senior leader and a former EROS commander V. Balakumaran speaking at memorial meeting in the memory of ten LTTE fighters who died in Bay of Bengal 13 years ago said that “Tamil Eelam ships” will sail in international waters without interference of foreign navies in a near future. more..

Jan 19 (AT) The leaders are not born; they were created by their actions not inaction. Say for example, SJV Chelvanayagam was made as a great leader by his action and he cared for the people till his death. A.Amirthalingam was right time at the right place to be a leader. Tamil people had faith on him. It is his inaction that caused him dearly. more..

Jan 19 (PTI) India is negotiating a cap on the quantity of pepper imported from Sri Lanka under the Indo-Sri Lankan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to prevent flooding domestic markets with cheap imports. New Delhi is negotiating a Tariff Rate Quota with Sri Lanka, expected to be firmed up in a month, more..

Jan 19 (AT) Lions have come forward to build a resident school in Sri Lanka. The Lions of District 306B2 of Colombo has decided to go ahead with the charitable hands to fulfill their aim to serve underprivileged children. The proposed school will provide all educational facilities, free of charge. more..

Jan 19 (AT) European Union has called that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to sign a human rights declaration. The EU also has come forward to bring the two parties the negotiation table. more..

Jan 19 (LT) UNICEF says they are making a great effort to get the police officers who are being detained by the tiger organization released. The three police officers were abducted by members of wanni tiger organization when they entered un-cleared areas in Mannar to arrest a British paedophile on the 10th September, last year. more..

Jan 19 (Xinhua) The government aims to raise 100 million US dollars by selling three-year bonds to nonresident Sri Lankan next month, local media said Thursday. The government in its budget for 2006 said that it would sells bonds with maturity period of three to five years to Sri Lankans living abroad and Sri Lankan residents whose earnings are in foreign currencies, more..

Jan 19 (SLA) IN WHAT WAS ADJUDGED A SHAMEFUL AND DESPICABLE CRIME, an LTTE terrorist, mingling with the public, threw a hand grenade at a Woman Police Constable (WPC) returning after traffic duty in the BATTICALOA town this morning (19) around 8.25 a.m. more..

Jan 19 (SLA) WITHIN A SPAN OF FIFTEEN MINUTES, Tamil Tiger terrorists once again opened fire at Air Force personnel on Wednesday (18) night at TRINCOMALEE causing injuries to one Airman inside an Air Force vehicle. more..

Jan 19 (SLA) OVER THE YEARS, A PUSH BICYCLE TO A JAFFNA civilian remains one of the best modes of transport, if not the best and closest to his heart since the hardy gravel and tarred roads in the peninsula serves the most suitable surface for its wheeling. more..

Jan 19 (LBO) Sri Lanka Telecom will leverage its connection to the recently commissioned SEA ME WE-4 (South East Asia Middle East Western Europe) undersea cable to explore business in the region. more..

Jan 19 (AT) Even after receiving a ransom of Sri Lankan Rupees 3 crore and 25 lakhs (32.5 million), LTTE has not released Dudley Ariyadasa of Akkarapattu, in the Amparai district. According to an information, Dudley - 28 years, father 3 children is the son of Ariyadasa, a leading liquor agent and a hotelier in Akkaraipattu. more..

Jan 19 (LeN) Newly appointed post of Executive Chairman of UNP Mr. Karu Jayasuriya urge President to take immediate action to stop the political harassment sending a letter. His letter as follows. This communication is addressed to you to draw your personal attention to certain discriminatory transfers that are taking place more..

Jan 19 (LeN) The JHU yesterday called for the resignation for the Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara if he was in capable of controlling unruly TNA MPs in Parliament, in the wake of disruptive back-to-back TNA led protests in the House. The party also said the government should make clear its stance on the recent spate of attacks against the security forces by the LTTE. more..

Jan 19 (LeN) The TNA and Up-country Tamil MPs disrupted Parliament for a second day running yesterday, and with the debate on the extension of the State of Emergency scheduled for today have threatened to continue with more such unruly behaviour. more..

Jan 19 (LT) All parties have vehemently condemned the disruptive activities carried out by the Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarians in the House. They stress the protest campaigns inside the Parliament should be performed in a civilized manner. But they point out the behaviour of TNA MPs during the past three days is very hideous. more..

Jan 19 (LT) It is learnt that a Non-Government Organisation called ‘Visit Lanka” which has not been registered in Sri Lanka has received millions of dollars as Tsunami relief funds from the Dutch Government. It is revealed that a deposit over Dollars one million has been credited to an account by the name of ‘Visit Lanka’ in a private bank. more..

Jan 19 (PIS) Sinn Fein Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness yesterday urged the parties to the conflict in Sri Lanka to do their best to prevent the collapse of the Ceasefire and to begin negotiations for a durable settlement, noting that in their own experience an armed struggle cannot go on for years with loss of life. more..

Jan 19 (SAMN) At least seven people including women and children were drowned yesterday when a ferry carrying a CTB bus capsized in the Yan Oya, police said. They said the tragedy occurred around 3.45 pm when a bus plying between Pulmuddai and Trincomalee was crossing the Yan Oya in a ferry. They said among the victims were two women and three children. more..

Jan 19 (SAMN) President Mahinda Rajapakse has rapped Deputy Justice Minister Dilan Perera over his recent criticism of the JVP’s decision to move a no-faith motion on Deputy Chairman of Committees M. Sachchithanandan, a CWC National List MP. Rajapakse is believed to have summoned Perera to Temple Trees where he was bluntly told not to criticise the Marxist party. more..

Jan 19 (SAMN) The Colombo Municipal Council has spent Rs. 73.2 million to purchase 18 vehicles. Seven of these vehicles are now in use. These include 2 Toyotas, 15 Toyota coronas and a van. The Island on making inquiries found that these vehicles had been directly imported from the Toyota Company in Japan. more..

Jan 19 (LNP) Around 10,000 students have qualified for admission to popular schools according to the cut off marks, for last year`s Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, released by the Education Ministry on Monday. Based on the cut off marks the qualified students will be admitted to popular schools before February 1, this year. more..

Jan 19 (LNP) Police yesterday claimed the prevailing security situation in Colombo and its suburbs necessitated police searches of public and mercantile establishments. Defense Ministry Secretary H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya told the 'Daily Mirror' that public places where people gathered, like shopping complexes, hotels and luxury apartment blocks should be subjected to thorough search operations. more..

Jan 19 (LNP) As per the instructions issued by President Mahinda Rajapakse and according to the policies in the `Mahinda Chintana` transparency would be the key in all activities of the newly set up Ministry for Promotion of Botanical and Zoological Gardens, said Minister Bandula Basnayake. more..

Jan 19 (DN) The unruly behaviour of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs continued for the second day yesterday forcing Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to adjourn Parliament after only 20 minutes of sittings. However, despite TNA protest, four important Bills were passed. Parliament commenced sittings at 9.30 am and adjourned at 9.50 am. more..

Jan 19 (Xinhua) The government announced here Thursday that it would adhere to its "one China policy." Government spokesman and Information and Media Minister Anura Yapa told reporters Thursday that "we will continue with the policy of recognizing the People's Republic of China as a sovereign state and Taiwan as one of its provinces." more..

Jan 19 (BBC) Norwegian peace envoy Eric Solheim has played down hopes that he will be able to achieve a major breakthrough in talks in Sri Lanka next week. Mr Solheim is due to meet President Mahinda Rajapakse and Tamil Tiger rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. more..

Jan 19 (AFP) The arrival of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in small groups, which began on January 12, continued with 15 more refugees from Mannar area landing here today. With this, a total of 68 refugees have arrived here. Intelligence sources say the refugees are fleeing the Island mostly due to the fear that war could break out any time. more..

Jan 19 (AAP) A WORLD-renowned infertility expert who migrated from Sri Lanka with his family as a nine-year-old has been appointed Victoria's next governor. Monash University's Professor David de Kretser, who is also foundation director of the men's reproductive health centre Andrology Australia, today reflected on at his life's journey that culminated in today's announcement. more..

Jan 19 (UNI) The Lankan government today welcomed the coming visit by LTTE's London-based chief negotiator and political advisor Anton Balasingham to Wanni, as a positive move to break the prolonged deadlock between the parties and to advance the Norwegian-brokered peace process. more..

Jan 19 (Dawn) The time is 7.30 pm. It is an evening with a cup of tea and the television. A group of eager youth affiliated to the LTTE’ media unit sit around waiting for the beginning of the transmission. Talk ceases as the channel begins airing its programmes for the day. more..

Jan 19 (CI) When the interim committee for cricket was appointed by the sports minister in March last year, the significant changes they were expected to introduce a proper management system to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and to look at the long-term development of cricket in the country. Adel Hashim, secretary of the interim committee, spells out the challenges that lie ahead. more..

Jan 19 (CI) Sanath Jayasuriya, the veteran opener, has returned to Sri Lanka's squad for the remaining VB Series matches in Australia after recovering from a shoulder injury, the selectors announced on Thursday. Jayasuriya will join the squad in Sydney and is available for selection for the third game, KM Nelson, a Sri Lankan selector, told AFP. more..

Jan 19 (Reuters) Peace talks in Sri Lanka next week will seek to strengthen a battered ceasefire between Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces but no major breakthroughs are likely, broker Norway said on Thursday. "I think it's very important to play down the expectations," more..

Jan 19 (AFP) Sri Lanka vowed "every endeavour" to end a deadlock in peace moves and said next week's visit by a top Norwegian envoy could help bring Tiger rebels back to the table amid a lull in violence. more..

Jan 19 (Reuters) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels ambushed an army truck with a fragmentation mine in eastern Sri Lanka on Thursday, killing four people and injuring more than 20 in a fresh threat to a last-ditch peace effort. more..

Jan 19 (AP) The Sri Lankan president was to plead with opposition parties Thursday to support a resumption of peace talks with the Tamil rebels, officials said, as the country slides closer to civil war amid spiraling violence. more..

Jan 19 (AP) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels exploded anti-personnel mines twice in eastern Sri Lanka on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 25 others, the Defense Ministry said. Twenty soldiers and police and one civilian were injured when suspected Tigers triggered a mine against their truck in Batticaloa, more..

Jan 19 (AFP) Four people were killed and 40 wounded in bomb attacks in Sri Lanka as Colombo vowed "every endeavour" to revive peace moves, while a top Norwegian envoy played down hopes of a breakthrough. Government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva said Colombo was "positive" that Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim, more..

Jan 20 (LeN) Responding to a 'Lanka e News' query about the staging of a continuous protest in Parliament, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian H.K.Sivajilingam said the parliamentary sittings had been suspended until February 1st and the session scheduled for tomorrow too had been abrogated due to the protest. more..

Jan 20 (LeN) Additional Colombo magistrate Mohammed Irshadeen today granted permission to the Criminal Investigations Department to record a statement from Prince Columms, who is accused of plotting to kill the Head of the Maharaja media network, Killi Maharaja. more..

Jan 20 (LeN) Two of the three justices of the Supreme Court nominated to hear a petition against former President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday informed the Court that they withdraw from the bench for personal reasons. more..

Jan 20 (Reuters) Sri Lankan fishermen collect fish from a boat at a fishing harbour in Trincomalee, eastern Sri Lanka, January 19, 2006. more..