Jan 29 (AFP) A deal between the government and Tamil rebels to hold peace talks brought an immediate de-escalation of violence in Sri Lanka, but permanent peace is not even on the agenda for next month's showdown. The Norwegian-brokered breakthrough for the first face-to-face meeting in three years won international applause from the United States to Japan. more..

Jan 29 (Reuters) Fighting in Sri Lanka's strife-torn north and east has fallen off since the government and Tamil Tiger rebels agreed last week to hold fresh talks in Geneva, but peace still appears a long way off. Each side accused the other of attacks within hours of the deal on Wednesday, more..

Jan 29 (AP) Sri Lankan troops came under attack twice in the rebel-dominated Jaffna peninsula, leaving one soldier wounded despite an agreement to halt violence ahead of peace talks, a military official and a pro-guerrilla Web site reported today. more..

Jan 29 (IANS) Norway will soon name a new special envoy for Sri Lanka ahead of peace talks scheduled in Geneva, most likely on Feb 21-22, between Colombo and the LTTE. But Norwegian minister Erik Solheim, who won a few pats after making the two sides to agree to meet in Switzerland, will remain in overall charge of the faltering peace process he has helped to resurrect. more..

Jan 29 (AFP) Sri Lankan security forces and Tamil Tiger rebels have continued to engage in tit-for-tat attacks, police said, but the daily death toll has dropped sharply following a deal to revive peace talks. Gunmen from the LTTE opened fire at troops and police in the northern peninsula of Jaffna on Saturday, more..

Jan 30 (TN) 2948 places of worships of all faiths have been destroyed in the island due to two-decade-old war and tsunami disaster in the year 2004, according to the report prepared by the Resettlement Ministry. A sum of Rupees 2538 million is needed for the reconstruction of these places of worships, more..

Jan 30 (BBC) Community leaders in Trincomalee have agreed not to erect any new religious structures in public places. In a meeting held on Saturday with IGP, nearly 200 representatives of all three main communities have pledged not to harm the fragile peace in the town by creating fresh controversies. more..

Jan 30 (AT) Poverty, lack of common facilities and knowledge based economy are common features in most villages of Sri Lanka, but some villagers have hidden hands to assist them to improve their day to day life. more..

Jan 30 (AT) Peace has been defined as�freedom from war, cessation of war�with honor or at any cost, a treaty between two powers at war, freedom from civil disorder, quiet tranquility, in a state of friendliness. The peace that our nation is searching for has been called by one or more of the several definitions that seem connected, but more..

Jan 30 (WS) Tamil National Parliamentarian N. Raviraj, now almost a national figure having participated in many TV debates on the ethnic question in an interview with the Weekend Standard early this week sounded much optimistic of finding a solution to the problem, despite the daily dose of increasing violence. more..

Jan 30 (WS) I was much entertained last week by an interview given by Sajith Premadasa. I had long known that the young man was high in the league of practical politicians, and an accomplished orator in Sinhala, like his father, but I had never really thought of him as a subtle exponent of the English language. more..

Jan 30 (LT) The fault is not in negotiations or wars but how they are implemented said Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, Co-President of Patriotic National Movement (PNM). He said this at an opening ceremony of the first library of the �Danethsara�, a library project held at �Samathi� tsiunami housing complex yesterday. more..

Jan 30 (CI) Racist crowd taunts at Australian grounds this summer have increased to include Sri Lanka, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The paper also said John Rhodes, the ICC's regional security chief, was punched by a spectator at Melbourne's Telstra Dome as the behaviour of supporters comes under even heavier scrutiny following derogatory remarks made to South Africa's squad throughout their tour. more..

Jan 30 (Reuters) There's very little of Sri Lanka in Kilinochchi. At first glance, the dusty town of about 150,000 looks like most others on the Indian Ocean island, with shops, small houses and government buildings lining the main street. But buses and trucks maintain a steady, slow pace through Kilinochchi, instead of tearing down the highway and changing lanes at will. more..

Jan 30 (AT) Colonel Karuna, Leader of the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), yesterday announced a unilateral cessation of their "self-defence campaigns against the Tamil Tigers" to enable President Mahinda Rajapakse to negotiate a permanent peace settlement for the Tamils and Tamil-speaking people in particular and to Sri Lanka in general. more..

Jan 30 (AP) An explosion rattled a strategic causeway in a rebel-held area of northern Sri Lanka on Sunday, a police official said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion in Elephant Pass, a narrow isthmus linking the rebel-dominated Jaffna Peninsula with the main body of the island. more..

Jan 30 (SLBC) Minister of Power and Energy W.D.J Senevirathne says the objection raised by the public against the setting up of the Norochcholai thermal power plant is now receding. Awareness programmes for representatives of the people, voluntary organisations, public employees and students in the area are now effective. more..

Jan 30 (ANN) The LTTE has warned the Muslims over the presence of an armed Muslim group in the Muttur The Island has learned. This comes in the backdrop of two killings in the government controlled Muttur on Jan 24 night and the following morning. The LTTE has accused the armed Muslim group of carrying out the killings and intimidating the Tamil civilian population. more..

Jan 30 (SLA) ONE MORE HAND GRENADE thrown by an unidentified man at the house of a civilian, named R.B. BALASUBRAMANIYAM CHANDRAKUMAR of KADIRASAN road in VAVUNIYA on Saturday (28) around 8.50 p.m. inflicted injuries on three civilians. Those three victims, SIROSA DEVI (36), SUREJA (14) and THAMILSELVAM (12) who received injuries were rushed to the VAVUNIYA hospital. more..

Jan 30 (SLA) LTTE CADRE escaped from SAMPOOR LTTE camp and surrendered to Security Forces at MARATHADIYA roadblock, TRINCOMALEE, on Friday (27) morning. According to the surrendee he was abducted by LTTE men from VALACHENAI and took him forcibly to the SAMPOOR LTTE camp. more..

Jan 30 (ISL) In a move to placate JHU party supporters, Ven Athuraiya Rathana thero while addressing JHU supporters in Kurunagalla indirectly accused President Mahinda Rajapakse as a �coward and a boneless leader� for the decision to hold peace talks in Geneva. more..

Jan 30 (ISL) I welcome your engagement in a debate despite your polorized views and undisputed loyalty towards the LTTE, limited understanding of the meaning of National Liberation struggle and your inability to make objective analysis with an open mind. Your engagement is welcome as a process to democratize our society. more..

Jan 30 (ISL) Australia is the new home of the elite Tamils who sought refuge in that country in large numbers following the racial riots in Sri Lanka. Unlike the thousands who sought refuge in Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland, the Tamil Diaspora Down Under are highly educated, well-placed professionals and people of considerable wealth, influence and consequence. more..

Jan 30 (LM) Outspoken New Left Front leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara is tipped to be the UPFA's Mayoral candidate for Colombo at the upcoming local government elections scheduled to be held in April. Mr. Nanayakkara told that his name had been proposed at a UPFA discussion recently. more..

Jan 30 (LeN) Sources close to the President have indicated that a cabinet reshuffle is on the cards in February paving the way for the JVP to enter the Cabinet. It is reported that five Ministerial posts are to be offered to the JVP. Earlier the JVP adopted a hard-line stand that it would not accept any ministerial portfolios despite being a partner of the government. more..

Jan 30 (LeN) UNP parliamentarian Susantha Punchinilame, frustrated over no change at the top in his party and was planning to join the government as a Minister has left for Madagascar in desperation over the weekend. An agreement had been reached to offer him the Deputy Minister post of Plantation Industries and he had visited Temple Trees to take oaths in the post on Friday, but had been turned back stating that the decision had been reversed. more..

Jan 30 (LeN) The Bribery and Corruption Commission has decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the ruling given by the Appeal Court upholding the order of the High Court clearing former Minister of charges of bribery leveled against him. more..

Jan 30 (ANN) Talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE are to be held in Geneva in mid-February, according to reports. Some might say that President Mahinda Rajapakse backtracked because he was insisting that he would not agree to talks being held in a European country. more..

Jan 30 (PIS) A drastic drop in violence has been noted over the past five days since the Government and the LTTE agreed to resume the talks on the Ceasefire Agreement in mid-February, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Hagrup Haukland said. more..

Jan 30 (PIS) The French governmental TV watchdog authority Conseil superieur de l�audiovisuel (CSA) has revealed in its January 2006 report, published on Thursday that it had asked the French Public prosecutor�s office to look into the activities in France of Tamil Television Network, the Sri Lankan cable TV network broadcasting on French soil. more..

Jan 30 (SAMN) Steps are to be taken to develop Kiralakele natural sanctuary close to the Matara town, in keeping with recommendation of the Southern Development Authority. The Authority will implement the project with the support and collaboration of the private sector. more..

Jan 30 (SAMN) The Sri Lanka Transport Board will start the Kandy town bus service from today providing a better service to hill country commuters. Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie told the Daily News that the Kandy town new bus service would have about 17 buses within the city limits fulfilling a long felt need. more..

Jan 30 (SAMN) Three hundred factories are to be set up in all divisional secretariats under a programme launched by the Ministries of Industrial Development and Investment Promotion. This is in keeping with the Government policy of establishing more factories in rural areas, Industrial Development Minister Kumara Welgama said. more..

Jan 30 (LNP) Around 35 to 40 street children, who were begging from motorists, stopping for traffic signals on the City`s highways, were taken into custody through a city wide police dragnet. At the Duplication Road, Liberty Plaza Roundabout traffic signals, several minor females along with mothers cradling infants were roped in on Saturday (28). more..

Jan 30 (LNP) The JVP is under heavy pressure to reverse its decision to contest the forthcoming local government polls on its own. The JVP is expected this week to summon a Central Committee meeting to discuss the issue. This comes in the backdrop of a meeting at Temple Trees where senior JVP and ruling party representatives discussed the issue. more..

Jan 30 (LNP) The Weligama police, over the weekend, arrested a four-member gang led by a person dubbed as `Punchi bin Laden`, wanted in connection with a spate of armed robberies. The arrests were made following a tip-off received by Sagara Liyanage, Officer-in-Charge of Weligama police. more..

Jan 30 (DN) ADVANCED Level students in the Kalutara district will have a separate institute to continue their higher studies. This is the first time such an institute has been opened in the district managing educational needs of the students. Similar institutes will come up in Colombo and Gampaha, said Western Province Chief Minister Reginald Cooray. more..

Jan 30 (CO) The Centre has stepped up security along coastal areas to prevent entry of terrorist elements into the country, Union Minister of State for Home S Regupathy said here today. Asked about reports of infiltration through sea, particularly into Tamil Nadu and Kerala, he told reporters that the government had strengthened coastal areas. more..

Jan 30 (HT) One of the most contentious issues in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is the question of indigenousness. Which community is indigenous and which is not? Are the Sinhalas the only indigenous people or the first to arrive in the island? more..

Jan 30 (HT) The LTTE has suggested February 15 and 16 or 21 and 22 as dates for the proposed talks with the Sri Lankan government in Geneva. The talks will focus on the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), the Tamil daily Sudar Oli says quoting LTTE sources. more..

Jan 30 (HT) The proposed talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE on the smooth implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) in Geneva in mid-February is unlikely to be smooth despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa's recent conciliatory moves. more..

Jan 30 (AFP) Sri Lanka, one of the world's top exporters of tea, sold a record 308 million kilos of the commodity to overseas buyers last year, a brokering house said. The tea exports in 2005 were 2.83 percent higher than in 2004, maintaining a small but steady increase seen in the past three years, more..

Jan 30 (BBC) Aid agencies who have been operating in Sri Lanka for decades say the upsurge in violence in the north and the east in recent weeks is hampering relief work and putting aid workers in peril. Nearly 80 Sri Lankan security personnel and about 50 civilians have been killed in the last two months, prompting fears that another full-scale war is not far off. more..

Jan 30 (ANI) Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi will begin a five-day goodwill visit to Sri Lanka from today, amid persisting concerns in India over the ongoing ethnic conflict in the neighbouring island-nation. The visit is being described as a "goodwill trip" aimed at strengthening bilateral and defence ties. more..

Jan 30 (IANS) Ahead of crucial peace talks scheduled in Geneva, the Sri Lankan government has told breakaway Tamil Tigers leader Karuna to halt attacks on his former comrades. Although Colombo maintains officially that it has nothing to do with the "Karuna faction", informed sources in Sri Lanka said the message had gone to the group, more..

Jan 30 (AP) Tamil Tiger rebels have trained more fighters for their "Sea Tiger" naval force, sparking yet more fears that a fraying government-rebel truce may snap, a defense analyst and pro-rebel Web-site said. "If they (the rebels) believe in the cease-fire and the upcoming peace talks, there would have no need to increase the strength of their Sea Tigers cadres," more..

Jan 30 (Reuters) Violence has fallen dramatically in Sri Lanka since Tamil Tiger rebels and the government agreed last week to hold new talks, international truce monitors said on Monday, but rogue elements could still destroy a fragile peace. more..

Jan 31 (CT) The Reverend Dr Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), has written a letter to the president the Honourable Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. In the letter Rev Kobia expressed that he was �dismayed and concerned� about the �recent lethal escalation of armed violence� that has been occurring in the Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 31 (NP) Immigration authorities have deported a high-ranking Toronto gang figure who came to Canada 17 years ago as a refugee and promptly embarked on a life of crime and violence. Jeyaseelam Thuraisingam was the leader of the Seelapu gang, one of several Sri Lankan Tamil street gangs that Toronto police and Canada Immigration have been working to dismantle since 2001. more..

Jan 31 (BBC) Police in Sri Lanka have violated the basics of criminal law on investigating alleged fraud in "Helping Hambantota" bank accounts, Supreme Court said. Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva said the police seem to have worked under political influence as there was no written evidence against the then Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..