Feb 04 (CP) Colombo: Leader of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremasinghe faced a protest by party members when he visited Beruwala during a visit to the South. Police personnel had to be deployed to protect Wickremasinghe from the protestors, mainly supporters of the pro-reformists in the party.

Feb 04 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) says that support from other forces would also be gathered to form a broad front to agitate against the current states of lawlessness in the country.

Feb 04 (CP) Colombo- The Queen Elizabeth II of England has sent a congratulatory message to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the country's 64th National Independence Day. "It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency my congratulations on the celebration of your National Day,

Feb 04 (KUNA) KUWAIT- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of congratulations to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his country's National Day.

Feb 04 (DM) The President today reiterated his commitment to the proposed Parliament Select Committee in order to discuss the national issue. “The fact that parliament is supreme and is the place that represents the will of the people does not need to be reminded. It is because of this that I believe that the Parliament Select Committee would serve as the best place to find a solution to any problem.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka University Grants Commission plans to establish the Agriculture Faculty of the University of Jaffna in Kilinochchi. The Faculty is currently operated from a temporary building belonged to the Medical Faculty and therefore, doesn't see any development, according university officials.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says the ethnic issue could be resolved by building a Sri Lankan identity. JVP politburo member K.D. Lalkantha said that the proper solution to the ethnic issue is to build one identity in the country without identifying people based on their ethnic groups.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka Public Service Nurses' Union (PSUNU) says the government has agreed to grant solutions to 12 demands put forward by the union. The Chairman of the PSUNU Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero says that the union will give time to the Ministry of Health until March 01 to implement the solutions and the nurses will stage a strike from March 02 unless the solutions will be implemented.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- A Sri Lankan government minister called on all political parties to participate in the parliamentary select committee (PSC) proposed to find a political solution to the ethnic issue, if they wished to know the government's stance on the matter.

Feb 03 (MB) MANILA, Philippines- Sri Lanka celebrates its Independence Day today. Several activities are held to celebrate this event which begins with the hoisting of the national flag and singing of the national anthem.

Feb 03 (PT) COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Director General Health Services Dr UA Mendis clarified on Thursday that "so far, there is no ban on import of medicines from Pakistan." "An alert warning, however, has been issued to doctors and hospitals not to administer or prescribe isosorbide-5-monoritrate 20 mg imported from Pakistan," he added.

Feb 03 (Island) The National Salaries and Cadre Commission (NSCC) yesterday informed university non-academic staff that it would rectify their salary anomalies within two weeks. President of the Inter University Trade Union Federation R. M. Chandrapala told The Island that their members had met NSCC officials yesterday.

Feb 04 (CP) Colombo- The newly elected Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) A.J.M. Muzammil says that a new mechanism would be initiated to get the residents of the city to play an active role in the city's administration.

Feb 04 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka has made immense sacrifices to achieve peace and unity in the country and will not hesitate to take its own decisions in future to secure those objectives, island nation's President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a message to mark the country's 64th Independence Day.

Feb 04 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka today celebrates the 64th anniversary of gaining independence from the British colonial rule in 1948 with pomp and pageantry in the sacred city of Anuradhapura in the North Central Province. Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa opened the Independence Day celebrations with hoisting the National Flag this morning at 8:30 a.m. and addressing the nation. A grand march-past with the participation of 1,400 army personnel, 750 Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force personnel and 450 personnel of the Civil Defence Task Force and the youth brigade was followed by a cultural parade of traditional dances from all provinces.

Feb 04 (Island) The EPDP leader and Traditional Industries Minister, Douglas Devananda says that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would have no hesitation in entrusting land and police powers to him,but will not risk giving it to others.

Feb 04 (DN) Leaders of many countries yesterday congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa on taking tremendous strides towards development in the aftermath of the 30-year conflict which claimed the lives of thousands of people belonging to all communities. In congratulatory messages to the Lankan President and Prime Minister on the occasion of Sri Lanka’s 64th Independence Day, they lauded the dynamic and charismatic leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who saved the country from the scourge of terrorism.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- The Chief Minister of India's Tamil Nadu state, J. Jayalalithaa has once again vowed to take Sri Lanka's Kachchativu islet back to stop alleged attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Chief Minister has said that she was working towards protecting the livelihood of fishermen and she would not stop till Kachchativu is retrieved.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- Luke Bronin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury arrived in Sri Lanka Thursday with a four-member delegation. The Deputy Assistant Secretary is in the island to hold discussions with Sri Lankan government officials on how the U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran will affect Sri Lanka and the available options regarding the sanctions.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- Leader of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremasinghe says the UNP led Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) should not be accused of any corruption or irregularities. Speaking during a meeting of UNP councilors of CMC at the Mayor's official residence, Wickremasinghe has said that strict action would be taken by the party if such complaints are received.

Feb 01 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) called on the government to implement the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to show its commitment to finding a political solution to the ethnic issue and address the needs of the Tamil people.

Feb 03 (GT) ABU DHABI- UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mahmoud Mohamed Al Mahmoud held a meeting with Wimal Weerawansa, Minister for Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities of Sri Lanka and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of boosting them.

Feb 03 (DM) The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said today it was prepared to support the government to overcome any pressure from the international community in the future. But the government should establish an independent Attorney General’s Department, an independent Judiciary and an independent Police Commission as soon as possible.

Feb 03 (DN) Telecommunication and Information Minister Rangith Siyambalapitiya said the government has spent over Rs 21,000 million for development projects which were conducted parallel to the 6th Deyata Kirula national development project in the Anuradhapura district.