The $27 billion economy expanded 6.6 percent in the three months ended Dec. 31 from a year earlier, compared with 7 percent in the third quarter, according to the median estimate of 10 analysts in a Bloomberg survey. The statistics department is due to release the data tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in Colombo.

Growth in the South Asian island economy has been boosted by record commodity prices, which has pushed up export earnings for rubber and tea. That's made up for weaker domestic demand as the central bank holds interest rates at a 5 1/2-year high to rein in inflation, now running above 20 percent. Policy makers are expected to keep the benchmark rate unchanged tomorrow. More... Discuss this story Published: Mon Mar 17 23:52:00 EDT 2008

Prapaharan Thambithurai is accused of collecting money from ethnic Tamils in B.C.'s Lower Mainland that was destined for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, a foreign terrorist organization under Canadian law.

A senior B.C. counter-terrorism officer said Mr. Thambithurai, aka "Prapa," was soliciting donations for the World Tamil Movement (WTM), which police say is the leading Tamil Tigers front organization in Canada.

"There's no doubt he was collecting funds for the WTM, ultimately with the linkage to the LTTE," said Superintendent Lloyd Plante, head of B.C.'s counter-terrorism squad, the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team. More... Discuss this story Published: Mon Mar 17 23:50:04 EDT 2008