The Hindustan Times , New Delhi, May 4. NDIA RECEIVED specific requests from Colombo for assistance in Jaffna and after three days of intense consultations agreed to stand-by with humanitarian support. More...

Yahoo . An army medic treats an injured soldiers at the army hospital in Colombo. More..

MSNBC, ISLAMABAD, May 4. Pakistan said on Thursday that Sri Lanka had sought its help in trying to end Colombo's prolonged separatist war by Tamil Tiger rebels. More...

The Hindu, NEW DELHI, MAY 4. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has no plan for supplying or selling arms to Sri Lanka to help the island nation tackle the situation in the Jaffna Peninsula in the wake of the on-going conflict with the Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam. More...

The Hindu, NEW DELHI, MAY 4. The External Affairs Minister today informed Parliament that the Indian Government had received ``some requests from the Government of Sri Lanka in the context of the present situation''. While stating that all requests were under the urgent consideration of the Government, Mr. Singh, however, did not elaborate on their nature. More...

The Times of India. NEW DELHI: With both the ghost of IPKF and the spectre of Musharraf hovering over him, Prime Minister Vajpayee said on Thursday that his government would lay off Sri Lanka. But he was also worried India's failure to act could create a vacuum which other countries might try and fill. More...

Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 9 p.m. SLT Thursday May 4. Sri Lanka's Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera today announced that a censorship on all military news will be imposed on all foreign correspondents based in Colombo. The censorship until today was imposed only on local media personnel. It will now be extended to foreign based news agencies under Section 40 of the Special Public Ordinance gazette notification implemented today.

The Free Media Movement (FMM) in a strongly worded statement issued today has condemned the implementation of the above legislation. The FMM states that the State is using the present military crisis as an excuse to resort to a dictatorship. The gazette notification the FMM statement asserts, is being used only to safeguard the President against adverse viewpoints and not in reality to protect national security. The FMM has also condemned the legislation for depriving all trade union activities which is a fundamental right in a democracy. The FMM statement further maintains that four months before a general election the government by muzzling the press has prevented the public from a right to information.

Mr. Bala Tampo, General Secretary, for the Ceylon Mercantile Industrial & General Workers Union, (CMU) denounced the above law saying "it is an absolutely cowardly and foolish act because the State is trying to suppress the truth from the people about the real situation in the northern peninsula."

The CMU meanwhile in a letter to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge today has called for the President to negotiate a ceasefire with the Tigers. The CMU maintains that such an intiative will enable troops to withdraw to bases in the north or facilitate a complete withdrawal from the peninsula. Mr. Tampo said his organization has made the appeal in a bid to prevent further loss of life to government soldiers.

Roy Denish in Colombo, 5.15pm, SLT Thursday.. Sri lankan government resumed diplomatic relations with the government of Israel with immediate effect today.

Resumptions of diplomatic relations were made after the Indian government on Wednesday refused to assist the government of Sri lanka to fight Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) now on the gateway of Jaffna peninsula.

Meanwhile the Sri lankan government on Thursday clamped down a complete censorship on the Sri lanka media after president Chandrika Kumaratunge placed the entire country on war-footing.

The new regulations came into effect midnight Wednesday. Under the new regulations no media institutions will be permitted to carry any articles pertaining to the on going battles in northern Jaffna peninsula.

The 110 pages new gazette notfication was expected to be released to the public by today afternoon, but government printing department sources said due technical difficulties the notfication will be released only by 6.00pm local time.

India Express Network, May 4, 2000. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on May 4 urged the Vajpayee government not to send the Indian army to help the Sri Lankan Armed forces in the ongoing conflict there. More...

Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 11.30 a.m. SLT Thursday May 4. The Indian Central Government yesterday decided that India cannot respond to a request made by the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge to send military assistance to Lankan troops fighting to hold the northern peninsula. Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee at a special security council meeting in India held together with his three armed service chiefs, also refused a request from Sri Lanka for Indian Naval vessels to help evacuate troops from the peninsula. Mr. Vajpayee however has said India will lend whatever 'humanitarian assistance' is required in Sri Lanka's hour of crisis as the Sri Lankan government continues its battle against the LTTE.

Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 12.00 p.m. SLT Thursday May 4. The Government today issued a gazette notification which detailed that under Section 40 of the Public Security Ordinance any events, publications or meetings that will threaten national security are to be banned. The entire country was placed on a war footing beginning 12 midnight yesterday. The State will maintain a strict control over all publications, press items and meetings and will resort to stern action in the event such meetings, publications or actions of any persons is found to be harmful of national security. The stringent measures have been adopted in the wake of fierce fighting in the northern peninsula as Lankan troops fight to hold out against Tiger rebels. All public services have been declared essential and strikes from these quarters are prohibited.

The gazette notification states that the government can take over assets in the way of ships, planes and vehicles from the public in order to maintain national security and essential services.

Displaying banners posters and leaflets are banned and the government has the right to seize printing presses seen to be working against the contravention of this regulation.

Any persons who voice views against the President, judiciary and constitution will be arrested and punished.

Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 1.30 p.m. SLT Thursday May 4. The Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry today announced that it will resume diplomatic relations with Israel. The move comes in the wake of a refusal by India to assist Sri Lanka in her military battle against Tamil Tiger rebels. Political analysts say the decision has been made as the country's armed conflict in the north continues to escalate. Israel is a key arms supplier to Sri Lankan armed forces.

Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 1.55 p.m. SLT Thursday May 4. Speculation that the LTTE has offered to hold their fire until the government evacuates troops from the northern peninsula remain unconfirmed.