Colombo - An employee of a power station which came under a night air attack by Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka's capital died as an investigation into damages was ongoing, a spokesman for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said Wednesday.

The employee did not have external injuries, but appeared to have died of shock during Tuesday night's attack on the Kelanitissa power plant located in a high security zone within Colombo, said the spokesman.

Kolkata, Oct 28 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has ruled out military action as solution to the ethic conflict in Sri Lanka.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, Mukherjee said, "India believes military solution cannot resolve the ethnic issues of the Sri Lankan minorities. For that, the devolution as recommended by the high power committee should be implemented in letter and spirit." 

He also expressed satisfaction on his recent talks with Sri Lankan special envoy Basil Rajapaksa.

Colombo - Polling on the Maldives started Tuesday as voters choose between one of Asia's longest-serving leaders against a former political prisoner.

Voting started at 9 am (0330 GMT) to either re-elect incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, to a seventh consecutive term or to opt for Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed, a 41-year-old activist who was once imprisoned by Gayoom's government.

Gayoom, 71, received 41 per cent in the first round of elections held October 8, while Nasheed got 25 per cent - both short of the necessary 50 per cent.

About 209,000 voters registered to vote and results are expected late Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

Chennai, Oct 27: India will provide 800 tonnes of relief material to the civilian population in conflict-hit Sri Lanka to areas where Indian origin Tamil population is predominant, this was disclosed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

A joint statement issued here on Sunday after talks between Mukherjee and Special Advisor to Sri Lankan President, Basil Rajapakse says that the Sri Lankan Government will facilitate the delivery of the relief material.

The Indian side called for implementation of the greater devolution to powers to the provinces as the issue of negotiated political settlement in the north came up for the discussion in the meeting.

Colombo  - At least four people drowned and some 136,000 have been displaced in floods sweeping areas of Sri Lanka over the past five days, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said Sunday.

Keerthi Ekanayaka, Coordinating Officer of the DMC in the north- west, west and south, said more than 25,000 homes were affected.

The heavy rains also affected Tamil rebel-held northern areas, where government troops are continuing military operations.

New Delhi, Oct 26 : Sri Lanka today assured India that it will ensure the safety and security of ethnic Tamils in the Island nation and that it would allow Indian medical aid to the affected people in the country''s embattled north.

Basil Rajapaksa, Special Advsior of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday to discuss the issue of ethnic Tamils in the island nation.