Associated Press, Fri December 26, 2008 02:58 EST . Colombo (dpa) Sri Lanka - held remembrance ceremonies in various parts of the island nation to mark the fourth anniversary of the devastating tsunami on Boxing Day, 2004, that claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced more than half a million people..

M. A. Phakurdeen Addalaichenai group correspondent  

A series of ceremonies are being organised by Departments, INGOs and organisations in Ampara District to commemorate the 4th Anniversary of Tsunami which has been declared as National Safety day by the Government. 

A Mass Awareness Rally on multi hazard awareness organised by the Department of Disaster Management and Human rights with the assistance of Sri Lanka Red Cross Society along with four other INGOs at Kalmunai will be the main feature of the ceremony of the District on the day.

8 hours ago

COLOMBO (AFP) — Government forces on Friday wrested control of a strategic town after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels that left at least 40 people dead, the defence ministry said.

Security forces entered the town of Mulliyawalai near Mullaittivu, the main military headquarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the defence ministry said.

"Troops are now engaged in a fierce gun battle with the LTTE in the area," the ministry said in a statement. It said the Tigers had suffered heavy losses but did not give details of the latest fighting.

The Government yesterday admitted that there would be a delay in capturing the LTTE administrative capital of Kilinochchi owing to several civilians still remaining in the outskirts of the town.

"The year 2009 will be the year when our motherland would be finally liberated from the LTTE," President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The President was speaking on victories achieved this year and goals for the new year to a gathering of religious dignitaries, intellectuals, professionals, politicians, artistes and others at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday (Dec. 22nd).

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Wednesday sought to assure India that the relief and rehabilitation measures for the Tamils displaced in the ongoing heavy fighting in the country's embattled north were in full swing.

Tuesday, 23 December 2008  

The "Gaalu Samaya" carnival will be held in Galle under the patronage of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa from today until December 26.

Soldiers belonging to the 58 – 2 brigade of the Sri Lankan armed forces have succeeded in battering through Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the area of strategic Kunchuparanthan that is also known as Sinnaparanthan.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday completed its largest delivery of food to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Wanni region of northern Sri Lanka since humanitarian convoys began delivering food in October.

(Colombo-Lankapuvath) Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya Prof. Sarath Amunugama said that one of the main objectives of a University is to focus on development and improve the knowledge of every citizen.

COLOMBO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's government troops who are on the forward march in the island's north have captured a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) airstrip, defense officials said Wednesday.

Colombo, Dec 21: Lauding the Sri Lankan military as a "shining example" of courage, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that it had come a long way from confronting the LTTE suicide bombers to capturing key rebel-held areas even as he cautioned against "unscrupulous" elements trying to destroy the nation in the "garb" of rights activists.

Troops of the Task Force -1 now engaged in counter terrorist offensives West of Paranthan, consolidated 300m further southwards along the LTTE built earth bund cum ditch, reportedly capturing a terror strongpoint, 'Sinna-Paranthan' this morning (Dec 23).

(Colombo Lankapuvath, December 23) Minister of Housing Geethanjana Gunawardena said that special attention of the government is focused on the conservation of the Aborigines and Rs. 50 million has been allocated with this in mind.

Exports from Sri Lanka had increased by six per cent up to last October while all imports had come down by 10 per cent, which in turn, had resulted in an increase of income for the people and a corresponding decrease in expenditure, Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris citing Central Bank reports.

By Janaka Perera  

What should be the primary objective of an agreement between the radio broadcasting services of two countries on the matter of news and other programs? Undoubtedly it is to introduce the culture, language, religion, politics and other relevant subjects of one country to the listeners of the other. In fact this was the basis on which the BBC Sinhala Service, Sandeshaya, was launched in the post-World War II years.

The newly appointed Attorney General, Mohan Peiris, today (Dec. 22nd) has reportedly informed the IGP to release suspects detained under the Prevention of Terrorist Act and Emergency Regulations, if there is no adequate evidence to file charges against them.

A large number of people yesterday paraded in Jaffna against the LTTE and its Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran demanding him to stop committing atrocities against Tamil people and surrender to the Army by laying down arms, the Army Headquarters said.

The Ministry of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion has taken steps to set up ‘Production Villages’ island-wide, the Minister of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion S. B. Navinna said.