Even as Tamil Nadu leaders pressed for an immediate ceasefire and India reiterated that there could only be a political solution to the Tamil national question, both the Sri Lankan government and the main opposition, UNP, rejected calls for a ceasefire during a debate on the defence budget.

THE UN strongly condemned the killing of an aid worker in late November and called for safety guarantees for humanitarian aid staff. The European Commission also condemned the killing but announced an increase of 2 million euros in aid to the Sri Lankan state, which is accused of killing number of aid workers

A RULING Friday by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court's to halt payments to an international bank in connection to a badly judged oil hedging deal entered into by the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) could harm Colombo's ability to obtain credit from global markets, an international rating agency warns.

INTERNALLY Displaced persons in Vanni who were receiving the humanitarian supplies sent by the people of Tamil Nadu, while expressing their gratitude for the timely help, urged the leaders of Tamil Nadu to help them to win their freedom by voicing for the political aspirations of Eelam Tamils.

Despite Sri Lanka refusing to cooperate with European Union’s (EU) investigations into human rights violations, it was announced that a European trade concession scheme for the garments industry in Sri Lanka would be extended for a year whilst the probe take place.

As the ongoing war in Sri Lanka displaces yet more people, the indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations by the Sri Lankan government and mother nature have also added to the miseries of the displaced populations.

So, did you heed the government's call and hang the Lion Flag over your front door last week? If you did, feel free to turn the page. If not, dear worthy, liberal-minded soul, we pray you read on.

While conveying his love and gratitude to the people and leaders of Tamil Nadu and India who have grasped the heartbeat of Eelam, the LTTE leader V.Pirapaharan in his Hero’s Day speech on Thursday requested them to voice firmly for Tamil Eelam and to undertake conducive measures to remove the ban, a great hindrance to amicable relationship between India and the LTTE.

Earlier this month President Mahinda Rajapakse unveiled a budget comprising of tax rises and heavy borrowing to support the government’s war efforts against the LTTE, declaring that offensive operations in the country's north would continue.

Tamil Canadians express their concerns and hopes for an independent Tamil state.

Leader of New Left Front, Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne, in a column that appeared last week in Lankadeepa accused the Rajapakse administration of spending 500 billions of national wealth in its military drive to kill Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lankan national flags flew from buildings and lamp posts and posters covered walls in the capital Colombo and across the south of the island as part of week-long celebrations ordered by the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse to mark the capture of Pooneryn in the north.

Sri Lanka has appealed to "friendly countries" to buy tea to help the country weather the global financial crisis.

Despite a poor human rights record and even as Sri Lanka spurned advice from international monetary agencies, continuing with its policy borrowing heavily to fund a dragging military offensive, Asian Development Bank announced USD 630 million to the island over the next three years.