Oct 18 (TN) "Tamils in Ilankai (Sri Lanka) and those displaced from here in the Diaspora are rendering great service to the promotion and continued vitality of the Tamil language. The services they render to the creation of literary work in Tamil have been commended as being better than even in India," said Mr. K. Ganesh, more..

Oct 18 (TN) Raalkuli, a Tamil village in Muttur division, south of Trincomalee town, which is separated from the mainland by Mahaweli gangai, is to get a ferry service from Tuesday after nearly ten years, residents of Ralkuli said. more..

Oct 18 (LBO) MIGA, the World Bank’s insurance arm, says it is entertaining 12 proposal from foreign investors, to fund projects worth over US$ 1 bn in Sri Lanka. “There is tremendous investor appetite since the ceasefire started and the economy is growing faster. more..

Oct 18 (LBO) The Central Bank has sought proposals from international rating advisory firms to help the government obtain a sovereign rating. So far, the bank has written to international rating agents, like Citibank and J P Morgan who currently have a local presence, about playing an advisory role in the rating process. more..

Oct 18 (TN) An unknown person has thrown a hand grenade to a van (NC GQ 3396) which had been parked near it’s owner’s house in the general area of ERAVUR, about 12 km northwest of BATTICALOA on 17 October 2003 around 1.00 a.m. more..

Oct 18 (TN) A civilian lorry that had been employed by the Army while moving from WELIKANDA to NAMALGAMA, has collided with a motorcycle (HC WP 9242 Honda) on which two foreign tourists, (husband and wife), had been traveling in the general area of NAMALGAMA, about 3 km east of WELIKANDA on 16 October 2003 around 11.15 a.m. more..

Oct 18 (TN) A hand grenade had been lobbed by two unidentified persons at three civilians while they were returning home after their days work in the general area of PANDARIKULAM, about 3 km west of VAVUNIYA on 17 October 2003 around 11.20 p.m. more..

Oct 18 (TN) One hundred and twenty four (124) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the northern province during the period between 06 October 2003 and 12 October 2003. more..

Oct 18 (TS) When Mohan Nadarajah first arrived in Canada from Sri Lanka 19 years ago, he never thought of becoming a mechanical engineer — much less dreamed of running for public office one day. The 18-year-old refugee claimant fleeing from the civil war back home was just struggling to survive. more..

Oct 18 (AP) A Tamil Tiger rebel delegation returned to the island Saturday, after discussions in Ireland with legal experts on a crucial power-sharing proposal aimed at kick-starting stalled peace talks with the Sri Lankan government. more..

Oct 18 (DM) Striking a new note for cohabitation, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told President Chandrika Kumaratunga that the government would like to have a bi-partisan dialogue and link with her and the PA on the peace process, government sources said. more..

Oct 18 (HT) The President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), V Anandasangaree, has slammed the "revival" of the Tamil Arasu Katchi (known in English as the Federal Party), as "fraudulent" and suspected that it might have been done in collaboration with the LTTE. more..

Oct 18 (AFP) A delegation of Tamil Tiger rebels returned home from Europe after several rounds of talks on a power-sharing plan intended to be part of a final peace settlement in Sri Lanka, officials said. more..

Oct 18 (TN) Representatives of the LTTE and Kinniya Muslim Jemiyathummal Ulama Council (MJUC) met in the presence of two members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) based in Trincomalee met Saturday morning at Alankerni Sithivinayagar Maha Vidiyalayam, more..

Oct 19 (TN) Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry has released 1.5 million rupees to Administrators of thirty five institutions such as orphanages, homes of the aged, children homes and women welfare centres in the northeast to purchase and supply new clothes to celebrate Deepavali (Festival of Lights) more..

Oct 19 (SL) While President Chandrika Kumaratunga mounted pressure on the government last week with several sweeping moves which pointed to a decisive political manoeuvre in the lead up to the final vote on the budget, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe prepared his own party troops for battle to meet the challenges ahead. more..

Oct 19 (SL) The dispute between People's Bank and Yashodha Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd. of local businessman Yasasiri Kasturiarachchi, which has been deadlocked for over nine years, since May 1996, appears to be reaching a settlement as the result of a report submitted in early September by a banking law expert agreed to by both parties. more..

Oct 19 (SO) The Ministry of Buddha Sasana is circulating for comments and implementation a historic report by the Presidential Commission on the Buddha Sasana which calls for, among other things, an end to the involvement of Bhikkus in politics, a strict regulation of the setting up of viharas, the rigorous enforcement of the Vinaya, and greater control over conversion of Buddhists to other religions. more..

Oct 19 (Island) Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe leaves for New Delhi today on a 2-day official visit that Colombo based diplomats regarded as "deeply significant." "It is likely that a statement spelling out plans for unfurling a regional security umbrella will be issued by India at the end of the visit," one well informed source said. more..

Oct 19 (ST) The Sri Lanka Navy yesterday accused the SLMM of jeopardizing an operation on Thursday night to round up a Tiger guerrilla arms ship. The charge, The Sunday Times learns, has been made in a report sent yesterday by Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Commander-in-Chief. more..

Oct 19 (Hindu) The LTTE has said that "Tamils are beginning to lose hope in the peace process" and cautioned that the process would be "retarded'' if the Government "delays creating environment conducive for peace". more..

Oct 19 (TN) Vadamarachchi Fisheries Co-operative Societies Federation Saturday accused the Sri Lanka Army for destroying coral reef in the northern coast to strengthen their security and safeguarding coastal resources, fisheries sources said. more..

Oct 19 (Gulf) Main opposition PA has embarked on a programme which it believes can oust the UNF government democratically out of power, before the end of the year. President Chandrika Kumaratunga's party has drawn out a strategy to achieve its target when the final vote for the annual budget is taken up on December 18 in Parliament. more..

Oct 19 (SLA) A team of Indian Cadets who arrived in the island on 15 October 2003 paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General LP Balagalle on 16th evening at the Army Headquarters officers’ mess Colombo. more..

Oct 19 (SLA) Accidental explosion of a detonator has injures a soldier in the general area of NELLIADY, about 5 km. southwest of POINT PEDRO town on 18 October 2003 around 3.45 p.m. Later, injured soldier was admitted to the PALALY Army hospital for treatments. Military Police are conducting investigations.

Oct 19 (SLA) An LTTE cadre who had been trained in the LTTE Pistol group has fled the PANKUDAVELI LTTE camp, and sought protection from troops at BLACK BRIDGE, about 14 km northwest of BATICALOA town on 17 October 2003. more..

Oct 19 (TN) "People of Trincomalee should be proud of Tamil scholar Mr.Kanagasuntharampillai who had rendered immense service to the development of Tamil language and its literature," said Dr Gerard Robuchon, a linguist and a lecturer in the Department of Modern languages of the Kelaniya University more..

Oct 19 (AFP) Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe begins an official visit to India Sunday for talks on the island's peace bid and to boost defence and economic cooperation, foreign ministry officials said. more..

Oct 19 (AFP) Sri Lanka's navy has accused Scandinavian truce monitors of jeopardising its attempt to capture a suspected Tamil rebel arms shipment, a press report here said Sunday. more..

Oct 19 (HT) Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, will be sounding out his Indian counterpart, Atal Behari Vajpayee, on the need to enter into a Defence Cooperation Agreement, when they meet in New Delhi on Monday, the Sunday newspapers in Colombo said. more..

Oct 20 (TN) The Sri Lanka Army Sunday told the Vadamaradchi north fisheries co-operatives representatives that they could deepen the 26 fisheries landing points on the Vadamaradchi coast but only under their supervision, fisheries sources said. more..

Oct 20 (TN) "If the Government of Sri Lanka fails to accept the Interim Administration proposals that we have developed with the assistance of our legal and constitutional experts and consultations with many Governments of the West, the Sri Lanka Government will have to face severe international displeasure," said Col.Karuna more..

Oct 20 (PTI) Sri Lankan navalmen continued their offensive against Indian fishermen for the third time in a week when they allegedly abducted 32 fishermen who were fishing near Kachchathivu today. According to police, the fishermen and their eight boats were abducted by Sri Lankan navalmen at gun-point to Mannar. more..

Oct 20 (AFP) Two army officers were remanded in custody Sunday for assaulting a foreign woman working for the United Nations, police said. The army major and captain were ordered to be kept in remand jail till Thursday pending further police investigations into a brawl at a night club more..

Oct 20 (Island) The government has finalised a scheme to discharge army deserters on a staggered basis. Deserters from the Gampaha district will be given the first opportunity to quit the service honourably this week, military spokesman Colonel Sumedha Perera said. more..

Oct 20 (TN) Eight veteran Tamil scholars were honored at the final day celebrations of the North East Provincial Tamil Literary Festival held Sunday at Vavuniya Irambaikulam Girls Maha Vidiyalayam with the presentation of Governor's Award-2003, sources said. more..

Oct 20 (DN) The Government will shortly introduce legislation that will require manufacturers of all mass produced consumer items like fast foods, beverages, soaps, cosmetics, sweetmeats, delicacies, pharamaceuticals and dubious herbal products etc. more..

Oct 20 (Hindu) Bilateral economic ties, the progress of the peace process and preliminary talks for further defence cooperation are among the issues to be discussed during a two-day visit by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to India. more..

Oct 20 (AFP) Kaushaliya Weeraratne and Rangana Herath took three wickets apiece as Sri Lanka “A” beat Kenya by five wickets in the opening game of their five-match one-day international series at the Ruaraka sports club here Sunday. more..

Oct 20 (LBO) Members of a committee appointed by the securities watchdog plan to propose measures that will improve the dismal corporate governance practices in listed companies. The SEC appointed committee would have its first meeting soon to discuss how it will approach the issue. more..

Oct 20 (LBO) Your chances of finding gems are higher in Sri Lanka than anywhere else in the world, because Sri Lanka has the highest density of gems to land ratio in the world. But at present gem mining is limited to certain areas in the country. Re-mining of the same land is exhausting resources in places like Ratnapura and Pelmadulla. more..

Oct 20 (TN) The people of Kaluwanchikudy in the Amparai district observed a hartal (general shutdown) on Saturday to protest an attack carried out by personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) against an innocent civilian, sources said. more..

Oct 20 (SLA) Four self-claimed LTTE cadres, one armed with a T-56 weapon stormed the houses of two civilians in the general area of KARAPOLA, WELIKANDA and robbed them of cash and jewelry worth about Rs. 21,000/= (US $ 218) on 18 October 2003 around 11.00 p.m. more..

Oct 20 (SLA) A complaint made to the AKKARAIPATTU Police on 17 October 2003 by a mother claimed that her son who was asked to surrender to LTTE has gone missing from the general area of AKKARAIPATTU since 07 October 2003. more..

Oct 20 (SLA) Two drunken men, who were asked to behave themselves in public since they have lost their own control, have tried to abuse and pelt stones at Policemen on duty in the general area of URUMPIRAI junction, about 08 km northeast of JAFFNA town on 19 October 2003 around 6.30 p.m. more..

Oct 20 (SLA) One main wheel of an Army tractor (UHA-9436) was damaged following accidental explosion of an old mine previously buried in the general area of ELUTTHUMADDUVAL, about 13 km northeast of CHAVAKACHCHERI on 19 October 2003 around 7.00 a.m. more..

Oct 20 (UNI) The LTTE has invited parliamentarians of the four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for a meeting in the rebel-held Wanni on October 22, before handing over their alternative proposals for the proposed interim council in the North-East. more..

Oct 20 (AP) A husband and wife doctor team which allegedly sold prescriptions for painkillers for $100 after performing little or no physical examination has been charged with racketeering. Dr. Dewundara Dayananda and his wife, Dr. Subadra Deandra, are each being held on $150,000 cash or surety more..

Oct 20 (AP) A soldier threw a grenade at his wife on a busy street in southern Sri Lanka on Monday, killing a 10-year-old girl and wounding 34 other passers-by, police said. The wife was in critical condition along with the other wounded in the town of Galle, 65 miles south of Colombo, hospital officials said. more..

Oct 20 (IT) Sony Entertainment Television India, along with Trans World International and PCM Sports (India), have thrown their hats into the ring along with current contenders Taj TV and World Sports Nimbus for international TV broadcasting rights for cricket in Sri Lanka more..