The Central Bank of Sri Lanka brought the rupee exchange market to a halt on Tuesday, as banks stopped quoting spot prices against the US doller, after the traders were told not to trade the rupee beyond the 133 level.

On Monday, the Sri Lankan rupee traded at a near record low of 132.90 to the dollar, with a state bank selling dollars at that level.

In the latest clampdown on press freedom, the Sri Lankan government has blocked access to five Tamil language news sites - TamilWin, Athirvu, Sarithan, Ponguthamil and Pathivu - making them no longer accessible through Sri Lankan internet service providers.

In November last year, the government blocked websites it believed were critical of Sri Lanka, after stating that all news websites must  register with the media ministry.

A preliminary report on the census released by the Sri Lankan government appears to show dramatic changes in the population of the North-East of the island since the 1981 census.

According to the government figures, there were large increases in the eastern districts, but also huge losses in the north. The decline is thought to be due to Tamils fleeing the conflict.

"Our estimate is that out of the one million Tamils who fled the fighting and are living abroad, at least 80 percent were from Jaffna," said Suresh Premachandran, a member of parliament for the TNA.

"If not for the war, the population in Jaffna would have been over 1.4 million,"

Citing the threat of dengue fever, the government has warned that it would need to take over uninhabited land over the next month.

The head of the dengue control programme, Dr Ranjith Batuwanthudawa, said that empty property and land provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

A hunger strike by Eelam Tamil refugees in Chengalpet ‘special camp’ in Tamil Nadu has entered its 12th day, TamilNet reports.

Nine of the fourteen hunger strikers have been hospitalised, while protesting and demanding immediate release from the camp, where they are held in squalid conditions.

The Chengalpet camp houses 29 Eelam Tamils, held for not having a passport.

The Sri Lankan government rejected reports that the External Affairs Minister, Prof G.L. Peiris has submitted a document on its plans to implement the LLRC recommendations, during a visit to Washington last month.

The chair of the 'task force' overseeing implentation, Lalith Weerathunga, said,

“We are yet to determine the potentiality of recommendations in the LLRC report and which recommendations can be implemented,”

From whale-watching to hotels to public health campaigns, Sri Lanka's military have been entrusted with a new role.

Over 10,000 Sri Lankan military officers are to be deployed to find dengue fever the Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announced.

In a statement, Sirisena said,

A demonstration was held in the town of Murikandi, near Kilinochchi, on Tuesday, protesting against the occupation of Tamil land by the Sri Lankan Army, Jaffna daily Uthayan reports.

Dozens of people turned up outside Murikandi temple, despite of threats and intimidation by Sri Lankan security forces.

The Sri Lankan Government has turned down an offer by India to develop Palali airport, reported the Daily Mirror on Monday.

India has been involved in several infrastructure projects in the north of the island, including modernising the railway and developing Kankesanthurai harbour.

However its offer to develop Palali airport, was turned down by the government and will instead be run jointly by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Air Force.