Jan 6 (TN) Two Tamil youths were killed in two different incidents in Vadamaradchy and Valigamam area Thursday night. Thabendran Mathan, 28, a long term employee at the Point Pedro Urban Council was abducted from his home by unknown men and was stabbed to death Thursday night, sources in Jaffna said. more..

Jan 6 (SLA) COMMENCEMENT OF SEARCH AND CLEAR OPERATIONS jointly by troops and the Police, as preventive measures to ensure security and law and order in violence-affected areas, has so far proved extremely successful as the troops detected one more claymore mine this morning (06) around 11.30 a.m. from the general area of VELAMBAVELI, more..

Jan 6 (SLA) AN UNIDENTIFIED GROUP OF TERRORISTS repeated their terror tactics once more in the general area of ABHAYAPURA in TRINCOMALEE on Thursday (05) night around 8.10 p.m. when they launched a simultaneous grenade and fire attack on the troops on foot patrol. more..

Jan 6 (SLA) A TEENAGE LTTE CADRE after he was apprehended by the Police assisted by troops on Thursday (05) evening at about 4.00 p.m. has led the troops to unearth three hand grenades, buried near AMMAN Hindu Kovil (temple) in BATTICALOA. more..

Jan 6 (ISL) According to inside UNP sources, the UNP veteran MP M. H Mohammad is very unhappy about the unofficial deal reached between the opposition leader Ranil Wicramasighe and the rebel UNP faction members. Ravi Karunanyake and Rajitha Senrathna from the UNP rebel faction last week engaged in talks in Thailand on party reforms with Ranil Wicrakamsighe. more..

Jan 6 (ISL) The Special Task Force denied the continuous LTTE charges that the organization had been supporting Karuna cadres in the Eastern province. LTTE media organization Tamilnet.com last month intensified blaming STF for Karuna's activities. more..

Jan 6 (LM) An Army should have the strength to successfully face any war situation in a country. That strength does not mean only guns, tanks and other sophisticated equipment but also manpower including courageous soldiers and efficient Commanders who could provide good leadership to them, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse. more..

Jan 6 (LBO) The state is trying to root out un-registered private contractors, liable for a tax on large construction projects since last September, to pad up collections this year. Last year, the government introduced a Construction Industry Guarantee Levy on construction projects of over Rs. 15 million, with funds routed to a state guarantee fund for the industry. more..

Jan 6 (SLBC) The Ministry of Social Services takes steps to provide relief to those displaced in Jaffna due to heavy rains and floods. Minister Douglas Devananda has directed the District Secretary of Jaffna to grant two million rupees in relief immediately. more..

Jan 6 (SLBC) The Colombo-Matara railway line is to be renovated to enable trains to travel at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The renovation work will commence next month and will be completed within six months. One hundred million dollars will be spent for this purpose. more..

Jan 6 (SLBC) It has been estimated that the expenditure for constructing the tsunami museum in Peraliya will be 100 million rupees. It will be constructed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage with the assistance of the Moratuwa University. more..

Jan 6 (TS) Mr Wjam Lakubandara, the speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, today came to Bolpur to visit Santiniketan, the land of Tagore. Mr Lakubandara, along with his wife, son and his assistant secretary Mr Neil Iddawala, will visit Visva-Bharati campus in Santiniketan on 6th January. more..

Jan 6 (LT) It is reported that the opposing group of Ranil within the United National Party has met yesterday (05) and took several decisions. The main item among these decisions is that the group lead by Mr Karu Jayasuriya should meet Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe today (06). more..

Jan 6 (AT) Greatly concerned about the passive attitude of the United States and the international community toward LTTE recently stepped up military campaign to put Sri Lanka’s democracy under siege, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera endeavored to get the attention of Washington the need to get tough with the Tiger outfit more..

Jan 6 (ANN) The Sri Lanka Inspectors’ Association yesterday (Jan 5) cautioned the national press over its coverage of the illegal detention of three policemen by the LTTE. The association president, Inspector Dale Gunaratne, urged the media not to give recognition to the so called Tamileelam judiciary and Tamileelam police. more..

Jan 6 (SAMN) President Mahinda Rajapakse is to appoint a three-member team comprising retired High Court judges to probe the recently cancelled billion-rupee deal for discarded British 30mm guns, authoritative sources said. Rajapakse has expressed serious concern over the recent media reports on the issue. more..

Jan 6 (SAMN) The UNP yesterday urged the government to quickly reappoint the Constitutional Council (CC) as certain politicians were already capitalising on the present situation by influencing transfers, promotions and appointments in the public sector and the police department. more..

Jan 6 (SAMN) Leader of the Muslim National Alliance Nazeer Ahmed has called on the Government to bring together Pottuvil, Sammanthurai and Kalmunai electorates under one administrative unit. He points out the call for a merger is reflected in the agreement signed between the MNA and the UPFA prior to the presidential election. more..

Jan 6 (LNP) A schoolboy, who was claimed to have died after falling off a cliff more than three months ago, is now believed to have been sacrificed by a group of people with the intention of obtaining a treasure in Balangoda. According to a confession made to police by one of the suspects who were arrested yesterday, the victim Prasad Madusanka had been stoned to death by the treasure hunters. more..

Jan 6 (LNP) Thousands of residents, including students, were ordered by the LTTE to gather at the playgrounds of the Trincomalee Sri Koneshwaram Hindu College yesterday morning to participate in the funeral of five students. They carried placards alleging that the students were shot dead by the army on January 2, more..

Jan 6 (LNP) A senior Prisons Board of Review member said yesterday that recommendations regarding the pardon for jailed UNP heavyweight S.B. Dissanayake could be given by next Tuesday. Under section 14 of the Prevention of Crimes Act, if a person committed to prison serves two-thirds of his/her sentence in good conduct, he/she has the right to be pardoned. more..

Jan 6 (DN) Countering allegations of failure to inquire into the recent complaint by Maharaja Group Chairman Raja Mahendran of a death threat against him, Cabinet spokesman Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said there was no formal complaint by the Chairman to Police. more..

Jan 6 (CI) Sri Lanka squandered a great chance to register their maiden victory of the series, and despite restricting New Zealand to a manageable 224 for 9, lost by 21 runs. Chaminda Vaas had set the game up beautifully with 5 for 39 from 10 probing overs, but Sri Lanka's batsmen, first choked by Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel, the SuperSub offspinner, then blasted by Shane Bond, failed to come good. more..

Jan 6 (BBC) With still no sign of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels, many people in the country fear the delay could lead to increased violence and possibly even full-scale war. Nearly 60 military personnel were killed in various incidents last month, sparking fears that the nearly four-year-old ceasefire agreement could collapse. more..

Jan 6 (Xinhua) UNP Friday urged the government to hold back elections for the local council scheduled tentatively in April until a full revision of the voters register is done. Karu Jayasuriya, the deputy leader of the UNP, told reporters that the request is being made in view of the possibility that a large number of people may be disenfranchised due to a flawed electoral register. more..

Jan 6 (AFP) A strike gripped Sri Lanka's restive port town of Trincomalee, a day after the funerals of five students allegedly killed by government forces, residents and officials said. Residents said shops and offices were shut in Trincomalee northeast of Colombo, the capital of the tropical island nation torn by ethnic conflict. more..

Jan 6 (AFP) Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that his government did not want a war with the Tamil Tigers and appealed to the rebels to be flexible, return to the negotiating table and jointly strengthen a Norwegian-backed ceasefire. more..

Jan 6 (AP) The Sri Lankan army and police said Friday they detected and defused an anti-personnel mine, an hour before it might have been used to ambush a passing military convoy. "It was a good find," said Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, the military spokesman, of the Claymore mines found near the eastern town of Batticaloa before they were detonated. more..

Jan 6 (Reuters) One person was killed and six were wounded in sporadic attacks in Sri Lanka's troubled eastern region overnight, the military said on Friday, as the government sought U.S. diplomatic help to avoid a slide back into war. more..

Jan 6 (Reuters) An armed Sri Lankan government soldier stands guard on a street as Tamil student's walks to their school in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, January 6, 2006. more..

Jan 7 (AP) Cricket selectors Friday left out injured Sanath Jayasuriya from the squad touring Australia this month for a three-nation limited-over series, the cricket board said. Jayasuriya, 36, had dislocated a shoulder during a limited-over match in August and since been in and out of the team because of recurring injuries. more..

Jan 7 (AT) A week after President Mahinda Rajapakse returned from a successful India visit, a question is doing rounds: did his entourage to Delhi have a LTTE mole? There is no clear cut answer to this engrossing question. In fact, there is neither a reaction nor a confirmation on record. more..

Jan 7 (LeN) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed this afternoon to grant a two day discussion to party rebels led by Dr. Rajitha Senaratne who have launched an inner party struggle demanding structural reforms in the party. The meeting has been scheduled for Monday (9) and Tuesday (10). more..

Jan 7 (LeN) President Mahnda Rajapaksa has cast doubts whether the widespread killings and attacks in the Eastern province are an attempt by the military to tarnish the government's image or to overthrow it. At the national Security Council meeting held early this week, the President had consulted the three service chiefs and the IGP in this connection. more..

Jan 7 (TN) Tension prevails in Anpuvallipuram and Abeyapura, suburbs of the Trincomalee town located off about 2 km northwest along Trincomalee-Kandy highway following attempts by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to set up a new sentry since Friday afternoon. more..

Jan 7 (BBC) Sinhala nationalist parties are advocating the war to be resumed against Tamil Tigers, peace activists have warned. Siritunga Jayasuriya, General Secretary of the United Socialist Party (USP), accused the JVP, Buddhist monk party, JHU and ‘certain groups’ behind President Rajapaksa of promoting war. more..

Jan 7 (Hindu) AT A critical juncture when the LTTE has been violating the ceasefire at will and trying to provoke the Sri Lankan Army into a retaliatory strike in Tamil areas, there appears to be an orchestrated campaign in Tamil Nadu in its support. more..

Jan 7 (AT) Hayleys Adventis a subsidiary of Hayleys group public company and Mountain Hawk Express the licensee of FEDEX Corporation announced the launch of an international courier service. more..

Jan 7 (LT) With the tense situation arising after members of wanni tiger organization attacked with hand grenades an Army soldier providing security to Abayapura Sinhalese village in Trincomalee, the Sinhalese residing in the village are preparing to leave Trincomalee say reports. more..

Jan 7 (Reuters) Suspected Tamil Tiger bombers attacked a naval fast attack boat off Sri Lanka's east coast before dawn on Saturday and all 15 sailors aboard were missing, military officials said. The incident just outside Trincomalee naval harbour more..

Jan 7 (AFP) A powerful offshore explosion was heard in Sri Lanka's northeastern port district of Trincomalee shortly after two naval patrol craft put out to sea, police said. The pre-dawn blast on Saturday involved at least one of the naval craft with whom radio communication had been lost, more..

Jan 7 (ISL) According to Colombo police sources, two powerful DIG’s are obstructing the arrest of a millionaire businessman in Colombo for the possessing of illegal arms charges. The millionaire businessmen has his residence in Colombo 7 and police on last Tuesday discovered parts of ammunitions and weapons inside house during a police raid. more..

Jan 7 (ISL) Lecturer of Jaffna campus, T.Ganeshalingam who was remanded for child sexual abuse and later bailed by lawyer-MP’s of the TNA is now being moved again for political action for LTTE ending his deep silence in the political field, sources said. more..

Jan 7 (ISL) Sources from Trincomalee claim that pro LTTE civil and student organizations are distributing leaflets issuing death sentence for anybody who does not participate in LTTE enforced Harthal campaign. Various leaflets had been distributed in the names of “Tamil Resurgence”, “Tamil Student Forces” warning Tamils death if fails to take part in Harthal. more..

Jan 7 (LT) A large quantity of powerful explosives was taken into custody by security forces from a bus travelling from Colombo to Mannar. The security sections believe that the explosives may have been taken to Mannar for a massive attack against the security forces. more..

Jan 7 (AT) The fragile peace that has prevailed so far in Sri Lanka is now on verge of collapsing. According to the fever pitched tense situation prevailing after the sinking of the Sri Lanka Naval craft this morning off the coast of Trincomalee, it is highly doubtful whether Government of Sri Lanka and the armed forces would continue to exercise restraint any further. more..

Jan 7 (AT) A senior State Department official is planning to visit Sri Lanka in an attempt to spur peace talks languishing as increased violence threatens a fragile cease-fire. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns intends to travel to Sri Lanka to encourage negotiations between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels, more..

Jan 7 (wsws) In a flagrant violation of basic democratic rights, calculated to inflame communal tensions, Sri Lanka’s security forces launched a massive cordon and search operation against Tamil residents of the capital Colombo on December 31. more..

Jan 7 (TN) President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse and a delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) led by its parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan began Saturday around 11 a.m. at Temple Trees at the invitation of the SL President, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. The discussion currently is in progress, government sources said. more..

Jan 7 (TN) A senior member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Kennedy, was shot and seriously injured by two unknown gunmen at the bicycle park in front of Jaffna Teaching Hospital at 10.15 a.m. Saturday, sources in Jaffna said. more..