With the army cutting off Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Mankulam, the stage is now set for troops to evict the LTTE from rest of the road, senior military sources said yesterday.The capture of strategically located Mankulam, 30 kilometres north of Omanthai, by the recently raised Task Force III (TF III) has divided LTTE positions along the A9 to two segments.

UNP demands immediate Rs. 7,500/- pay hike for employees
A demand for the granting of an immediate Rs. 7,500/- salary increase to the working class was amongst three key resolutions the United National Party (UNP) adopted unanimously at yesterday’s executive committee meeting at party headquarters ‘Sirikotha’.