US: Three fiction writers, a poet and two essayists have been named recipients of the 14th annual Rona Jaffe Foundation's awards, grants of $25,000 each for "women writers of talent and promise in the early stages of their writing careers." Hasanthika Sirisena, a native of Sri Lanka now living in New York City is among the recipients.

THE PROPAGANDA mill of the terrorists, now on the verge of meeting its Waterloo with the imminent defeat of Tiger terrorism, appears to be twisting humanitarian ground realities in the MULLAITTIVU and KILINOCHCHI Districts to LTTE’s advantage.    The latest ruse came to light with the publication of stage-managed photos where some civilians in un-cleared areas were taking cover inside LTTE dug trenches and pits which totally distorted the truth, according to escapees arriving in cleared areas.

T V Sriram

Colombo, Sept 4 (PTI) The number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka has increased steadily and is expected to cross 7.11 lakh this year, the immigration department has said, attributing it to the improving law and order situation.

"Despite adverse travel advisories by some countries, the tourists’ arrivals here have only increased substantially depicting the return of peace in the country," the Controller, Visa, of Sri Lankan Department of Immigration and Emigration, Damayanthi Jayaratne said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Tourism (SLT) said, an earlier travel advisory imposed by the government of Belgium advising visitors to refrain from non-essential travel to Sri Lanka has been revised since Friday, August 29th last month.

4 September 2008 – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced plans today to boost rice production in districts of Sri Lanka hit hard by recent floods or conflict and by the soaring cost of many basic foods. Under the $500,000 project, families in four districts of north-central and eastern Sri Lanka – Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura – will receive certified seed paddy and small implements so they can increase their rice production.