| Sunday 30 November 2008 |
|
President arrives in Rome |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Madam
Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived in Rome today
(Sunday 30) on a special visit to mark the
restoration of direct flights to Rome from
Colombo by Sri Lankan Airlines.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 28 November 2008 |
|
LTTE ban to stay in India |
| India’s ban on the LTTE will stay despite
Prabhakaran’s appeal to lift it, which was
made in his annual speech on Thursday (27).
According to a news report filed by IANS
news agency, official sources have said that
“India has no intention of lifting the ban
on Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE’s overtures to India will not find
accommodation - FM |
| Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told
Parliament today (28) that Prabhakaran’s
overtures to India contained in his latest
message yesterday will not find
accommodation.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Jail for celebrating Prabhakaran's birthday |
| A magistrate in Chennai, India Thursday
(27) jailed two lawyers K. Shankar and Muthu
Siva Kumar, said to be members of MDMK for
publicly celebrating the birthday of LTTE
Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 27 November 2008 |
|
President condemns terrorist attacks in
India |
| My Government and I hasten to condemn
most vehemently the brutal acts of terrorism
that killed more than 100 persons and
injured many more in the attacks carried out
in the Indian city of Mumbai last night.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Hindu Priest shot dead by LTTE gunmen in
Batticaloa |
| A Hindu Priest was shot dead by LTTE
gunmen at Mamangama in Batticaloa, early
this morning.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 26 November 2008 |
|
HRW mocks the liberation of East from terror |
| Human Rights Watch
doesn’t find anything positive to say about
the liberation of the Eastern Province. It
rather mocks the achievement, in fact.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Tamil Nadu opposition boycotts all-party
meeting on SL issue |
| Most of the Tamil Nadu opposition parties
Tuesday boycotted an all-party meeting
called by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to
discuss the plight of minority Tamils in Sri
Lanka, IANS reported.
[Full Story] |
|
|
No ceasefire till LTTE gives up arms -
President Rajapaksa |
| We are not ready at all to negotiate with
the LTTE until they lay down arms, said
President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a discussion
held with foreign and local religious
dignitaries at the Temple Trees.
[Full Story] |
|
|
US Charity guilty of funding terror |
| A religious charity organization in the
USA and five of its former leaders, have
been convicted of funding a foreign group
designated as terrorists by the US
Government.
[Full Story] |
|
Kilinochchi encircled by troops on three
fronts
- TIME Magazine |
| “On Nov. 15, government forces seized
Pooneryn, giving Colombo full control over
its western seaboard for the first time in
over a decade…..and the LTTE’s de facto
capital, Kilinochchi, is encircled by troops
approaching on three fronts,” states the
international magazine TIME in its Nov 20
issue reporting on Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 25 November 2008 |
|
LTTE more dangerous than Al-Qaeda, says
Indian Govt |
| The Indian Government has described the LTTE
as a lethal terrorist outfit more dangerous
than Al-Qaeda and warned Tamil Nadu
politician that any dealings with such a
terrorist groups could be deadly
counterproductive to democracy.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Fishing restrictions eased in Jaffna |
| The Government yesterday eased fishing
restrictions in Jaffna in the aftermath of
the regaining of Pooneryn.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 24 November 2008 |
|
Terrorists want to create fear psychosis, disturbances – Indian Home Minister |
| Terrorists choose targets for creating a fear psychosis, which can lead to disturbance of bigger and more complicated nature, said Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil inaugurating a two-day conference of Senior police officers in New Delhi.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Officials suspect LTTE taking jungle route to enter TN |
| A boat with bullet marks was seized at
Kambipadu near Dhanushkodi on November 19.
The spotting of the abandoned boats is
raising concern, an IB official said adding
if the LTTE had come by the boats they would
have gone into the vast stretches of
casurina jungle between Pamban and
Dhanushkodi.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 21 November 2008 |
|
AI –
Subjective and Misleading on Sri Lankan IDPs |
| Amnesty International
(AI) has failed to present an objective
analysis of the challenges and successes of
the Sri Lankan Government in addressing the
needs of Sri Lankan persons affected by the
conflict.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Security beefs up in TN to check LTTE
infiltration |
| Indian Coast Guard vessels are carrying
out coordinated patrolling to keep up
surveillance to check any LTTE infiltration
along the Tamil Nadu coast, Director General
of Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral R F
Contractor said on Tuesday.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Canadian investigators accuse TRO of working
with LTTE |
| RCMP counter terrorism investigators and
Canada Revenue Agency charity regulators
accuse the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization
of having ties to the LTTE, National Post
newspaper reported.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE holding Wanni civilians hostage -
Strategy Page |
| The LTTE decides who works for the NGOs, and
these aid organisations are persuaded, or
coerced, to do what the LTTE wants.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 20 November 2008 |
|
Govt. rejects AI charges of aid blockade |
| The Sri Lanka Government categorically
rejects the assertion made by Amnesty
International (AI) in its latest report that
it is carrying out a policy of blocking
humanitarian aid needed for the people at
present displaced in the Wanni region,
states a spokesman for the Presidential
Secretariat.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Army overruns LTTE's FDL |
| Security forces have overrun the LTTE
Forward Defence Line (FDL) at Muhamalai and
Kilali in Jaffna this morning (20), Sri
Lankan Army sources said.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Sri Lanka chairs ICT Committee of ESCAP |
| Sri
Lanka’s representative Mr. Lalith Weeratunga,
Secretary to the President, was yesterday
(19) elected Chairman of the Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) Committee of
ESCAP – the Economic & Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 19 November 2008 |
|
Central Bank forfeits TRO Funds |
| The Central Bank has forfeited a sum of
approximately Rs. 71 million which was lying
to the credit of the Tamil Rehabilitation
Organization (TRO).
[Full Story] |
|
|
SAARC officials meet in Kandy |
| The SAARC Programming Committee comprising
of senior officials of the Ministries of
Foreign Affairs of SAARC Member States will
hold its first meeting since the 15th SAARC
Summit, in Kandy, today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
USAID provides safe water to Ampara
communities |
| The United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) yesterday completed of
the Pottuvil/Ulla Water Treatment Plant and
Ulla Supply System, to give the residents of
these coastal villages safe and clean water
for the first time since the tsunami.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 18 November 2008 |
|
Heavy sea battle off Nayaru |
| The Navy destroyed 2 LTTE crafts killed 6
terrorists killed during a pre-dawn sea
battle off Nayaru, this morning (Nov 18).
[Full Story] |
|
|
President 63 today |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa turns 63 today.
He also celebrates
the third anniversary of his election as the
Head of State.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 17 November 2008 |
|
Sri Lanka establishes diplomatic relations
with Botswana |
| Sri Lanka and Botswana have established
formal diplomatic relations at
ambassadorial. The Joint Communiqué to this
effect was signed on October 27, 2008 by the
Permanent Representatives of Sri Lanka and
Botswana to the United Nations in New York.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Tea industry: FM seeks support from
importers |
| Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama met a
group of Ambassadors and diplomats from
leading countries importing tea from Sri
Lanka to seek their governments'
intervention in facilitating the activities
of the private tea companies in the market
to ensure a sustained demand for tea from
Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Saturday 15 November 2008 |
Pooneryn falls: “Lay down arms now”
-
President tells LTTE |
| “In this situation my clear message to
Prabhakaran and the LTTE is to lay down
their arms and come forward for discussions
with us forthwith”, said President Mahinda
Rajapaksa in a statement to the nation on
the success of the Security Forces in
regaining control of the A 32 Highway and
Pooneryn in the North of Sri Lanka.
[Full Story] |
|
Troops enter
Pooneryn
LTTE’s last west coast stronghold falls |
| Troops of Army Task Force 1 have entered
LTTE stronghold of Pooneryn in the North
this morning (Nov 15), making a significant
gain in the continuing operations to defeat
terrorism in the country.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 14 November 2008 |
|
President returns |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa after attending
the second Summit of the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in New Delhi
returned to the island today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Military gains with care for the displaced -
Minister Samarasinghe in Budget Debate |
| “While we make gains
militarily in combating terrorism, we are
also reinvigorating democratic
institutions…The problems posed by
internally displaced persons, their
resettlement and return, as well as the care
and welfare of ordinary civilians affected
by the conflict, ...
[Full Story] |
|
|
President holds bilateral discussions with
Nepali PM |
| On
the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit,
President Mahinda Rajapaksa held bilateral
meetings yesterday with Nepali Prime
Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
[Full Story] |
|
|
‘Tamil people my responsibility’, President
tells India
|
| Tamil people are very
much a part of his responsibilities as the
Head of State and Government and that he
would take all measures for their safety,
...
[Full Story] |
|
|
USAID completes two more vocational
education schools in East |
| The United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) yesterday completed the
final two out of a total of nine new
vocational education schools.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Japan funds rehabilitation and resettlement
projects in three districts |
| The Japanese government has provided a sum
of US$ 394,142 to implement three projects
in three Districts through its "Grant
Assistance for Grassroots Human Security
Projects (GGP)".
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 13 November 2008 |
|
Sri Lanka wholly with BIMSTEC against terrorism and organized crime - President Rajapaksa |
| “Sri Lanka wholeheartedly supports the
BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in
Combating International Terrorism, Organized
Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking as an
important and vital milestone in our efforts
on counter terrorism,” ...
[Full Story] |
|
|
Second BIMSTEC Summit begins today |
| The second Summit of the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will begin at
New Delhi today.
[Full Story] |
|
|
LTTE want ceasefire to re-group - Strategy Page |
| The LTTE wants a
ceasefire so they can rebuild their army,
and develop new guerilla and terror tactics
to regain lost territory. [Full Story] |
|
|
National Training Programme for Police, Probation & Labour Officers launched |
A National Training programme for Police,
Probation and Labour officers will be
inaugurated today at the SLFI in Colombo.
[Full Story] |
|
|
President paid courtesy call on Maldivian President |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a pay a
courtesy call on the new Maldivian
President Mohamed Nasheed during his brief
official visit to Male on November 10-11.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Tuesday 11 November 2008 |
|
Combating terrorism prominent at BIMSTEC
|
|
Combating of terrorism, transnational
organized crime and illicit drug trafficking
will feature prominently at the second
Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for
Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to be held at New
Delhi on November 13. [Full Story] |
|
|
President Rajapaksa attends Maldivian
President’s inauguration |
|
The inauguration of new Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed took
place at Male today (11).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Indian tribunal upholds ban on LTTE |
| A special tribunal headed by a Delhi High
Court judge yesterday upheld the Centre's
notification for extending the ban on LTTE
for another two years, Press Trust of India
reported.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Ultimate victory certain – Defence Secretary |
| Noting that the approach of the security
forces has been correct, the Defence
Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in an
interview with Business Today said that “in
analysis, preparation and execution of
plans, we have scored many successes and
ultimate victory is certainly within our
grasp.”
[Full Story] |
| |
| Friday 07 November 2008 |
|
A new twist - INGO vacancy ads with LTTE
obituaries |
| "Efforts to mislead Wanni youth into the
LTTE recruitment drive unraveled."
[Full Story] |
|
|
US commends Sri Lanka's war against LTTE |
| A top US military official Wednesday
commended the Sri Lankan military for its
recent successes against the Tamil Tigers,
whom Washington has designated as a
terrorist group, IANS reported.
[Full Story]] |
|
|
President congratulates new Maldivian
President |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa felicitated the
newly elected President of the Republic of
Maldives, His Excellency Mohamed Nasheed.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Budget at a glance |
| Public Servants cost of
living allowance increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,500
...
[Full Story] |
| |
| Thursday 06 November 2008 |
|
Lay down arms or be militarily defeated-
President to LTTE |
“My earnest plea to the terrorists is to lay
down arms and join the democratic process,
even at this last moment. If not, they would
be militarily defeated”, said President
Mahinda Rajapaksa on the ongoing military
operations to defeat terrorism, in his
Budget Speech to Parliament today (06).
[Full Story] |
|
|
Fuel prices come down |
|
[Full Story] |
|
|
Budget today |
| The government will present the 2009 budget
in Parliament today. This is the fourth
budget to be presented by President Mahinda
Rajapaksa after he was elected to office
2005.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Wednesday 05 November 2008 |
|
President congratulates Obama |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a message of
congratulations to the US President-elect
Senator Barack Obama has expressed great
pleasure at his success at yesterday's US
election.
[Full Story]] |
|
|
Foreign Minister underscores Indo - Sri
Lanka’s friendship |
| [Full Story]] |
| |
| Tuesday 04 November 2008 |
|
Sri Lanka condemns bomb blasts in Assam and
Pamplona |
| Sri Lanka has denounced the multiple bomb
blasts that occurred in the Indian State of
Assam as well as the car bomb explosion at
the University of Navarra in the Spanish
city of Pamplona on October 30 causing death
and injury to a large number of civilians.
[Full Story] |
| |
| Monday 03 November 2008 |
|
No end till we get Prabhakaran - President |
|
The Government will declare a ceasefire only
if the Tigers lay down weapons and
surrender, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told
India Today in an interview.
[Full Story] |
|
|
IMF commends SL’s recent economic
performance |
| The Executive Board of
the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
recently concluded the Article IV
consultation with Sri Lanka and commended
Sri Lanka’s recent economic perormance and
endorsed Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic policies
under the Ten-Year Development Plan.
[Full Story] |
|
|
Another food convoy enters Wanni |
| Twenty nine lorries carrying essential items
including flour, sugar, dhal, rice, oil and
medicine, needed by civilians in Kilinochchi
and Mullaitivu have reached Omanthai
entry/exit point this morning.
[Full Story] |
| |
