Aug 30 (LD) Defense officials are investigating as to why retaliatory measures against the LTTE aerial attack on the Trincomalee Navy camp on August 26th was delayed despite radar reports of LTTE aerial activity, the �Divaina� reports. The �Indra II� radar in the Air Force Camp in Vavuniya have reportedly detected two airlifted LTTE aircrafts around 8.45 p.m. that night and the attack on the Trincomalee Navy camp occurred around 9.05 p.m. more..

Aug 30 (LD) Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh has rejected the request by political leaders of Tamil Nadu to retrieve the Kachchativu island, embassy sources say. Considering the threats of the Sri Lanka Navy on Indian fishermen fishing in the waters off Kachchtivu island, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi and opposition leader, Jayalalitha Jayaram has requested the Indian Central government to retrieve the islet. more..

Aug 30 (LD) The case of the Sri Lankan housemaid, Rizana Nafeek, who was sentenced to death will be taken up by the Dawadmi High Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today. Speaking to �Lanka Dissent�, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hussein Bhaila said that the case would taken up at 2.30 p.m. Sri Lankan time. Rizana had been arrested on 22nd May 2005 by the Police in Dawadmi, a town located 220 km west of the capital, Riyadh and charged with the murder of the infant son of her employer, left in her care. more..

Aug 30 (LD) On the special invitation of the Indian government, a group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians is to tour New Delhi in early September, embassy sources say. During the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh�s visit to Sri Lanka for the SAARC summit, a group of TNA leaders has requested an opportunity to discuss the current political situation of the North- East region of Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 30 (LD) A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army Women�s Corps, who resisted sexual harassment in the Maduru Oya Army camp has been shot, the �Ravaya� reports. Afterwards, a statement has been obtained from the victim, identified as Y.K. Sandya Kumari that she shot herself in an attempt to commit suicide, it adds. The victim has been hospitalized after being shot in the back on March 29th. The bullet has surfaced from her lower abdomen. more..

Aug 30 (LD) A group of workers in the Sri Lanka Cricket has boycotted the recently concluded ODI series between India and Sri Lanka, reports say. The boycotting comes after the complimentary tickets issued for SLC workers were issued under two categories, reports add. Those who joined the SLC during the tenure of a former Chairman were given tickets below Rs. 500 while associates of the current Interim committee chairman received tickets above the amount. more..

Aug 30 (HT) If it does not find a home in the country of its origin, Nano, might find a more welcoming foreign address. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka is readying a proposal to invite the Tata Group to set up the Nano factory in a special economic zone (SEZ) on the island nation. The proposed location is the SEZ at Mirigama, about 60 km north of Colombo and 40 km from Bandaranaike International Airport. more..

Aug 30 (AFP) Suspected Tamil Tiger guerrillas detonated a bomb in Colombo's commercial hub on Saturday wounding nearly 50 people, officials said, as government forces kept up a major drive against the rebels. The bomb was concealed under a red satin-covered roadside stall displaying fake designer watches in the busy Pettah area of the capital, a short distance from the main bus station and the railway terminal. "We received 48 people injured in the blast," more..

Aug 31 (CI) Sri Lanka A's top order, led by centurion Tharanga Paranavitana, made South Africa's first-innings total look innocuous as they ended day two of the first unofficial Test 208 runs behind the hosts. Johann Louw's patient 78 took South Africa to 459 as the lower order added 94 to the overnight total. Louw's innings lasted nearly four hours and was ended by offspinner Dilruwan Perera, who picked up 3 for 48. Medium-pacer Suranga Lakmal took 3 for 77. more..

Aug 31 (AT) The government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa buoyed by the victory in the two Provincial Council elections last weekend is well aware that the military campaign in the Tiger heartland will have to be halted or considerably slowed down in the coming eight weeks with the arrival of the pro-LTTE monsoon. Having failed to achieve the objective of taking the Tiger headquarters of Killinochchi by Election Day last Saturday, as predicted by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, more..

Aug 31 (GDI) Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe refuted the BBC Sinhala.com 'news' story which quotes a purported communication from the "Catholic Church" addressed to UN Secretary-General relating to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Wanni, accusing the website of distorting the ground reality and passing off political slant as objective reportage. more..

Aug 31 (GDI) The Government of Japan has extended further support for the de-mining activities in Sri Lanka, providing a grant assistance of US$ 1.6 Million (Approximately Rs.170 million) to FSD (Swiss Foundation for Mine Action) and DDG (Danish De-mining Group). This assistance will help accelerate the de-mining process in the conflict affected areas, particularly Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, and so that the resettlement of the IDPs will be further facilitated. more..

Aug 31 (GDI) Thousands of devotees from Jaffna, its environs and even from places outside the peninsula gathered at the Nallur Kandasami Temple in Jaffna for the 24th consecutive day to participate in the annual religious activities of the Kovil today (30). This annual festival of the most significant Hindu temple, Nalluar, will reach its culmination tomorrow, when the highest numbers of pilgrims are expected to pay their respect to the presiding deity, Lord Murugan. more..

Aug 31 (LG) The 24th commemoration ceremony of the Special Task Force (STF) war heroes will be held tomorrow at the Katukurunda Training School, with special religious ceremonies at the Jayasri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura and the Veherahena Temple in Matara to mark the event. Another religious ceremony will be held at the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy on Wednesday in connection with this event. Parents, children, widows and relatives of STF personnel killed in action are expected to take part in the ceremonies. more..

Aug 31 (LG) With repeated terror attacks on civilians and civilian targets, the authorities apparently have still not realized the need to detect and destroy lethal weapons hidden in Colombo and its outskirts. It is believed that some Tamils are forced to conceal bombs and guns in their gardens or in their ceilings. If inexpensive equipment operated by radio waves is imported to detect bombs and guns buried or stored in ceilings, we can prevent wanton killings. more..

Aug 31 (LG) Since Mahinda Percy Rajapakse scored convincing victories in the NCP and Sabaragamuwa the analyses given by pundits (who is not a pundit in this happy isle?) is that it was a mandate for war while the Rajapakse faithful encompassed it in Mahinda Chinthanaya. It was partly right but something was missing, we thought. Most of last week this conundrum engaged our thoughts but an answer was elusive. We were at the oldest waterhole for more..

Aug 31 (LG) The Batticaloa vigilance committee met the SSP Batticaloa and made representations about the activities of a gang of racketeers involved in the illegal sale of crown land in the ancient village of Thiruperunthurai, a few miles off Batticaloa Town. This village is of historical and religious significance since British times. It was from here that Colonel Johnson led his troops for the planned attack on Kandy. more..

Aug 31 (LG) Outlining the history of events that largely contributed to the ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka, reader Saybhan Samat very rightly attributes it to, inter alia, the divide and rule policy of the British Colonial administration. It is true that the minority Tamil people enjoyed a privileged position in every sphere - education, employment, trade and business etc. Key positions in the administrative setup were almost their monopoly. more..

Aug 31 (LG) Born into an affluent planting family in the North-western sea board of the country, Harold Herat chose law for his career, though his father was a foreign qualified physician. While practicing law in his home town of Marawila and nearby courts, Herat was attracted to politics. He told us how he was picked for the Nattandiya electorate in the 1977 General Election by J.R.Jayewardene, against many other formidable aspirants. more..

Aug 31 (LG) Two media men had been subjected to abusive language and attacks near the hostel of the Colombo Medical Faculty students. A camera has been robbed from a press photographer. It was the media men who went to collect some stories from medical faculty students who were attacked. Even the media men of the Sirasa telecast who went following the incident were also attacked. Their video camera too, was grabbed. more..

Aug 31 (LG) It is regrettable that Sri Lankan media has become a profession that faces serious challenges. Media men want to engage in their day to day activities freely and without fear. However, unfortunately they are unable to do their work properly as a result of the recent turn of events in which they face threats. In the back drop of this, media in Sri Lanka is considered as a fearsome occupation and Sri Lanka is criticized as the most precarious place for journalists in the world. more..

Aug 31 (LG) Lanka�s Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse has stated that it is foolish to lay down any time frame to defeat the LTTE and to bring the war to an end. He has further stated that the military operations are being carried out successfully according to their agenda. The time frame to defeat the LTTE and to end the war, was, in fact, stipulated by those on their side. It was not stated by those in the opposition. more..

Aug 31 (LG) The Sambur, Muthur and Vaharai tragedies are being repeated in Vanni. The only difference is the Internally Displaced People (IDP) from the above mentioned areas were driven into the army-controlled areas. But those vacated their residences from places like Mannar, Madhu, Vavuniya North, Vavunikulam, Vannerikulam and Akkarayankulam, Manalaru and Oddusuddan have moved towards the heart of Vanni, which is under the control of the LTTE. more..

Aug 31 (LG) That is how Justice Saleem Marsoof of the Supreme Court described the recent judgment in the Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL) privatisation case. Although not directly naming Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, the judge � during a memorial oration in Colombo for former Attorney General, the late K.C. Kamalasabayson -- said the �public officer who was found to be responsible for the loss to the State and whose actions were held to be arbitrary and more..

Aug 31 (LNP) Police probing yesterday s explosion in Colombo suspect that a bomb with a timing device had been used to trigger the blast, which injured 44 civilians. At least two of the wounded were in a critical condition and had undergone emergency surgery, hospital officials said. `All indications are that the bomb would have weighed anything between 50 to 75 grams, which made it easy to carry and also to be placed at the point of attack largely unnoticed`, more..

Aug 31 (LNP) Colombo Dockyard has secured local as well as foreign orders up to the year 2011. Its Managing Director and Chief Executive Mangala P.B .Yapa said the Dockyard discharged a major task earning international praise since its inception on 1st August 1974. A heavy workload had to be executed this year as ships are under repairs in all docks. He made special mention of repairs undertaken to several large fuel cargo vessels of the Indian Shipping Corporation. more..

Aug 31 (LNP) Sri Lanka cricket coach Trevor Bayliss termed the 3-2 Idea Cup One-Day International series defeat to India as a minor hiccup , and insisted, but for below-par batting, the hosts could have beaten the tourists considering the outstanding effort put in by their bowlers. Our bowling was outstanding throughout , he told Sunday Observer , in the aftermath of the 112-run win by Sri Lanka in the fifth and final ODI at R Premadasa International Stadium last Friday (Aug29). more..

Aug 31 (SAMN) There was no immediate reaction to the government leaflets dropped over Kilinochchi Friday urging civilians to flee the Wanni into Vavuniya without risking being caught in the fighting, military officials said. �It has only been day since the leaflets were dropped, may be in the next few days we might see an increase in the number of civilians coming into government controlled areas,� military spokesperson Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said Saturday. more..

Aug 31 (SAMN) Sri Lanka is pressing the EU for an urgent clarification regarding the cancellation of a visit to Trincomalee by a visiting EU delegation over muddled air transport arrangements. Accusing the EU Mission in Colombo of deliberately sabotaging the visit, Sri Lanka has questioned the cancellation of the Deccan Aviation Lanka flight for which the Delegation of the European Commission had paid a reservation deposit of USD 2,500. more..

Aug 31 (SAMN) The leadership battle in the crisis ridden UNP is set to explode in the coming weeks, with a rigid Ranil Wickremesinghe not expected to make any moves to please some of his party members who are demanding his immediate resignation. However, an equally adamant group � led by several seniors of the likes of Lakshman Seneviratne, Johnston Fernando, Jayalath Jayawardena and Thalatha Atukorale � has threatened to launch a campaign to ensure his removal from the party. more..

Aug 31 (SAMN) The retirement age of some 1.1 million public servants may be raised to 63 in keeping with worldwide trends and the increase in life expectancy of Sri Lankans, Pensions Director K.A. Thilakaratne said Saturday. He said the move was also aimed at preventing officials from drawing double salaries by retiring at 55 and rejoining to do state jobs, thus getting both a state pension and a state salary. more..

Aug 31 (TC) The Sri Lankan armed forces fighting on multiple fronts made three significant breakthroughs on Wednesday August 27th and Thursday August 28th in the key areas of Aalankulam, Palamottai and Ulaathuveli. These breakthroughs came in the wake of earlier successes over the past two weeks where the armed forces took places like Mulangaavil, Uyilankulam,Kalvilaan, Thunukkai and the southern and south � western environs of Thannimurippukulam. more..

Aug 31 (SL) During the debate earlier this month in parliament about the plight of the national carrier SriLankan Airlines, the usual back and forth banter between the opposition and government made it difficult to establish a clear picture of what was really going on at UL. UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake warned of another Mihin in the making, highlighting the airline's loss of Rs 5.5 billion from its passenger and cargo transportation business. more..

Aug 31 (SL) With the dust having settled in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces after a bruising electoral battle, it was back to the drawing boards for the government and opposition to map out their future political strategies even as the LTTE signalled there was still a lot more fight left in them before the President could claim 'mission accomplished.' For President Mahinda Rajapakse, the UPFA's victory was emphatic in that it not only won both provinces but more..

Aug 31 (SL) A report compiled just a week after the announcement of the provincial council elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces stated that while the UNP was in the lead in the Polonnaruwa and Kegalle Districts, the government was in the lead in the Anuradhapura and Ratnapura Districts. It was also stated that with the entrance of the UNP's two chief ministerial candidates, the UNP had received a big boost in the Anuradhapura and Ratnapura Districts. more..

Aug 31 (SL) While the APRC is set to deliver yet another report, now with the JHU, JVP, MEP withdrawing from the committee and replaced by the TMVP, minorities continue to suffer from discrimination in Sri Lanka and the war rides on with no end in sight. In this light, The Sunday Leader interviewed Rasiah Yogarajan, the national organiser of Sri Lanka's once-upon-a-time king making political party, the CWC. more..

Aug 31 (LB) An explosive expert who investigated yesterday�s Pettah bomb, cast doubts as to whether it was in fact the work of the LTTE as it was a time bomb weighing just 100 grammes. The explosion occurred at Colombo�s busiest commercial hub in the midst of the afternoon traffic rush. At least 44 people have been injured with no deaths being reported so far. The time bomb had been placed underneath a makeshift shelter of a watch repair shop along the pavement facing Olcott Mawatha in the Pettah. more..

Aug 31 (LB) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given 11 bullet proof cars and jeeps used by him to nine powerful people in his government. Meanwhile, President Rajapaksa has retained all the bullet proof cars and jeeps which were imported to transport VVIPs who attended the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo. Of the cars imported for SAARC, president Rajapaksa has retained eight brand new bullet proof Benz cars which are presently parked at Auckland House. more..

Aug 31 (LB) Despite torrential rains and efforts by the Sri Lankan Air Force to douse the fire burning at the garbage dump at Bloemendhal, it is still smouldering beneath the surface with over 500 families affected. �We had to treat 140 residents of the area for bronchitis and asthma,� said Dr Pradeep Kariyawasam, the Chief Medical Officer of the Colombo Municipal Council. �We are monitoring the situation, however there is very little that could be done by the CMC.� more..

Aug 31 (LB) Poor Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was getting drenched in a downpour at Town Hall yesterday. In other parts of the city, the seven leaders of SAARC were also complaining of rainy weather. It�s no surprise that Ahmedinejad (for one) is sick of the rain. He�s been hanging on billboards since May. But enough about the billboards - what exactly is sitting in the front garden of the UNP headquarters in Kotte? more..

Aug 31 (SO) The former military commander of the LTTE and Leader of the TMVP Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan has called upon international human rights agencies and the UN to urge the LTTE to free innocent civilians as the LTTE is now rounding up civilians to make its human shield for its last stage of the battle in Kilinochchi. The TMVP Leader also called upon human rights agencies and the UN for a strong commitment to prevent these civilians dying in the battlefronts in Kilinochchi. more..

Aug 31 (SO) The modernisation projet of the railway service will reduce the travelling time from Colombo to Matara by one and half hours. The project includes obtaining powersets, locomotive engines and upgrading the railway tracks. Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma said that under the Indian credit line twenty powersets will be added to the long distance railway fleet shortly. more..

Aug 31 (SO) The blurb 'Station to the Nation' - SLBC English Service will be re-launched with a new vision from tomorrow (1). The oldest English radio channel will offer more local material for its fast growing listenership with more credibility, program content established character, accuracy, and credible dependency for news include wide spectrum in entertainment. Effective September 1, the SLBC English Services would attain new image in Radio listening, yet maintain its rich tradition built over the years. more..

Aug 31 (SO) The Wayamba Rural Industrial festival organised by the Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion Ministry with the co-operation of the National Crafts Council, Industrial Development Board (IDB) and other affiliated institutions will be held at the Kurunegala Maligapitiya grounds from September 18 to 21. The festival which will include over 200 trade stalls is held with the objective of promoting marketing facilities for the products of handicraft artistes and small and medium scale industrialists. more..

Aug 31 (NS) The infuriated Ceylon Workers� Congress (CWC) is looking at reversing recent legislation which compels all voters to produce their National Identity Cards (NIC) at polling booths in order to cast their votes on the grounds that the decision, which was also passed in Parliament, was �grossly unfair.� CWC Vice President R. Yogarajan told The Nation that the decision was unfair since thousands of estate workers were yet to be issued with NICs. more..

Aug 31 (NS) The Convener of the Inter University Students� Council (IUSC), Udul Premaratne intends to lodge a complaint with the Humans Rights Commission this week over the violation of his fundamental rights after he was stripped of his student status. �The administration has stated that the reason for expelling me is my inability to pass at least one exam in four years. I don�t know how that is possible when it has been only three years since I entered the university,� more..

Aug 31 (NS) Government Defence Spokesman and Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, in a wide ranging interview with The Nation talked about the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election results, his reasons for leaving the UNP and the tasks taken on under his ministerial portfolio. more..

Aug 31 (NS) Where to, from here? That is the question the opposition UNP must be asking itself after yet another election defeat at the provincial council polls in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces last week. Despite the run up to the elections being marred by bloody and brutal violence, the poll itself was relatively peaceful. Indeed, most opposition parties have been muted in their criticism of what transpired on election day, focussing instead on pre-election violence, and more..

Aug 31 (Island) About half of the UNP parliamentary group is supportive of a bid to influence UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to quit the leadership to pave the way for a general revamping of the party. In a brief interview with The Sunday Island, Ms Thalatha Atukorale, MP, expressed confidence that the leader would step down to facilitate the party to elect his successor without further delay. more..

Aug 31 (Island) UNP parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena has complained to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka that while he was praying at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, he was asked to leave the sacred precincts by the army. In a petition submitted to the Commission through attorney-at-law Priyalal Sirisena instructed by Desmond Fernando, P.C., Dr. Jayawardena says that Major General Lalith Daulagalla had asked him to leave immediately as more..