Nov 9 (TC) The notion of �National Security� is generally regarded as being in conflict with Human Rights. I would like to express a different view. National security is multi faceted and human rights are also encompassed within this concept. The security of the nation which has to be protected is not only the physical security of the people and the state from internal armed attack or external aggression but also more..

Nov 9 (LG) The JVP has challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to either abolish the executive presidency or call a snap presidential election. Earlier, it was urging the President to honour his promise to scrap that institution during his first term. What does the JVP's volte-face signify? It is pretending to be confident of defeating President Rajapaksa. In 1970, the JVP clung on to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike's sari pota and more..

Nov 9 (LG) Public shock and astonishment that greeted the recent forcible drowning of a mentally challenged man by police officers attached to the Bambalpitiya police station illustrates the culture of extreme denial in which we function as citizens in Sri Lanka today. From where does this incredulity spring from? Are we surprised that such an incident happened in the first instance? But how can this be so when this is just one of the many such incidents that have now become commonplace? more..

Nov 9 (LBO) South Asian surfers get slower and less reliable broadband internet connections for every dollar spent despite compared to users in developed countries, despite 'cheaper' packages, researchers have found. "The US and Canada packages that we have tested are not too different to pricing to our ones but the difference is introduced in the speeds they offer," Chanuka Wattegama, more..

Nov 9 (DBS) dandy: Went for Hindi movie "Aladin "just to see Bollywood debut of Miss Sri Lanka Universe Jacqueline Fernandez .She looks dandy! Nice eye candy! Jacqueline Fernandez: Jacqueline Fernandez looks like a composite of Hollywood's Rene Russo & Bollywood's Rakhee Gulzar, Parveen Bhabi, Sonu Walia & Sushmitha Sen. Success: "Aladin" seems to have flopped at box office but more..

Nov 9 (LG) No sensible and discerning Sri Lankan voter will dispute the contention that this country has been governed for quite sometime without any sense of direction, patriotism and dedication to the needs and aspirations of the general populace. The country�s economy has had a perilous passage with the strength of its developmental, natural resource, and human-resource bases being persistently eroded. more..

Nov 9 (LG) I returned to Malaysia as an educational consultant�an external examiner for the department of communication (Jabatan Komunikasi) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University)�more than two decades after I left my lectureship at Universiti Sains Malaysia (Science University). Mohd Safar Hasim, head of the UKM department of communication, was at the Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur to welcome me on the Sunday morning (June 15, 1997) I arrived. more..

Nov 9 (Xinhua) Myanmar top leader Senior-General Than Shwe will pay an official visit to Sri Lanka soon, an official announcement from Nay Pyi Taw said on Monday, without giving the specific date of his visit. According to the Sri Lankan sources earlier, Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, will pay the visit near this weekend and the trip will last for three days. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) "The environment created by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Tamil civilians to live in freedom, ending the three decade war cannot be forgotten and the sufferings experienced by the Tamil civilians of the North for 30 years cannot be expressed in words," noted Jaffna Mayor Yogeswari Patgunarasa. The Mayor was apeaking at the All Ceylon Local Government Heads Convention. held at Polgolla in Kandy. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) Applications to recruit aesthetic graduates will commence next week, official sources disclosed. These graduates will be recruited to national and provincial council schools. Provincial ministries of education have been instructed to call the applications at provincial level while applications at national level will be called by the ministry. The graduates will be able to apply for the vacancies in their own provinces. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) In the continuing post-war humanitarian assistance, a stock of items essential for fishing were distributed among five poor families by the 18th (Volunteer) Sinha Regiment [18 (V) SLSR] serving under Batticaloa-based 234 Brigade on Saturday during a simple function held at 18 (V) SLSR Headquarters. The donation sponsored by Seva Lanka Foundation included five push-bicycles, five fishing nets, and five wooden boxes to be used for selling fish. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) The BOI granted investment approval for Claudia International Limited to manufacture garments for export. The venture will operate a garment manufacturing plant in Boralesgamuwa and provide employment opportunities for over 500 workers with an investment of over US$ 1 million. Products manufactured will be exported to the European Market and Ladies Fashion blouses and skirts will be the main items manufactured by the company. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) Minister of Labour, Athauda Senevirathne said that threatening demands by certain trade unions for a wage increase looked meaningless in nature. The minister pointed out that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has publicly announced that a salary increase will be granted to government employees from next January. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) Sri Lanka will participate at the 18th Asian Athletic Championship after ace woman sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe retired. But the 400 meters champion Susantha Amarasekere will enter the fray. Sri Lankan who earlier participated in the previous championships and created records were Susanthika Jayasinghe, Damayanti Dharsha and Sugath Tillekeratne. more..

Nov 9 (SLW) It was once claimed that education would round up a man, smooth out the rough edges of a Character full to the brim with flaws, and make him a better human being with integrity and idealistic values. He would glimmer in the darkness of mortal evils as a diamond would among pebble stones. Yet 13 years of solid education and a good 2 to 3 years of higher education seem to have made some, lesser than human beings, highlighting some tragicall blows of our education system. more..

Nov 9 (TC) The European Council is likely to take a final decision on the extension of the GSP+ tariff concessions to Sri Lanka in the first week of January 2010, to become effective from middle of June, 2010. The investigation report compiled by the EU Committee on the effective implementation of Human Rights in Sri Lanka submitted to the EU Headquarters on Oct 19, 2009 is likely to influence the decision. more..

Nov 9 (SLW) The UNP and JVP trade unions warned yesterday that if the govt does not increase wages immediately they would make the govt to fall on its knees. This is the first time these trade unions have formed an alliance. This unique alliance came in to being at a time when both these parties have almost reached an agreement to table a common candidate if the Presidential elections are held before the general elections. more..

Nov 9 (MoD) The Government has allocated Rs 600 million to support academic development of students in the North as all out efforts are made to uplift students' education in the Northern Province under Uthuru Vasanthaya. He said steps will be taken to build schools for every Divisional Secretariat in the Jaffna district and of them, 13 Isuru schools have already been built at a cost of Rs 325 million under Uthuru Vasanthaya. more..

Nov 9 (LP) The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka granted investment approval for Pure Nature Limited to set up a project to cultivate and process fruits in Havampitiya, Monaragala. The venture is an initial investment of Rs. 75 million, sponsored by Norwegian Investors. The project which will be based on the out-grower farmer model will initially provide employment for 200 out-growers. more..

Nov 9 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be featured tonight on "Janapathi-Janahamuwa" (A program the President meets the people). President Mahinda Rajapaksa spontaneously reaches the people on a question cum answer session, and the program will be held at Temple Trees at 9.00. It will be telecast live over the Sri Lanka Rupavahini TV channel. more..

Nov 9 (LG) This year�s World Travel Market (WTM) in London is scheduled to open in a few hours time at 10am GMT, and Sri Lanka Tourism will be conveying four major messages. Sanjika Perera, heading the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board�s London team, speaking to newsfirst.lk yesterday at the ExCel centre at the London Docklands, said that the island nation would be highlighting the launching of the Visit Sri Lanka: 2011 campaign; more..

Nov 9 (LG) In the news published in Media, the Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara has refuted one of our recent lead news �KP tortured� in the Panagoda Army camp. The brief news headlined �KP not tortured or held at Panagoda camp � Army spokesman� One of the Media which based in Colombo stated: �The Army refuted Pro-LTTE media reports which claimed that former LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Padmanadan alias KP was being tortured for information more..

Nov 9 (SLW) UNP, the main opposition says that the Proportional Representation system should be scrapped and replaced by a mixed system which combined the Proportional Representation system and the First Past the Post system. Leader of the opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed this sentiment when addressing the party�s Youth Front meeting held at party headquarters, Sirikotha. more..

Nov 9 (LNP) Sri Lanka will export high value added rubber products to niche markets using natural rubber and will increase export revenue by 50 percent by 2014 achieving a stable supply at low price volatility, said Dr Shantha Walpalage of the Moratuwa University making a presentation on the national Action Plan for the Development of the value chain in the rubber sector organized by FCCISL (SMED) at Galle Face Hotel last week. more..

Nov 9 (TC) It was no surprise in any way to read that Mano Ganeshan, Colombo district MP, leader of the Democratic People's Front (DPF), Chairman of the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC) and the leader of the Democratic Workers' Congress (DWC), as his e-mail signature reveals and my good friend in politics above all, has finally decided to back the former army commander and present Chief of Defence Staff, Sarath Fonseka. more..

Nov 9 (TC) One of the countries with a continuous memory of warm relations with Sri Lanka is Myanmar. These connections span over one thousand years. The best illustration of this is in the ruins of Bagan, the ancient capital of Myanmar and the cradle of its culture and civilization since the 11th century. Bagan is a wonderful city which every Sri Lankan should visit. Its Buddhist monuments are great feats of construction in the ancient world, more..

Nov 9 (LP) While terrorism is a concept to most countries, for Sri Lanka it has been a reality for 30 years. The gap in comprehending this factor has contributed to a number of misunderstandings in the international community, said the French Ambassador for Human Rights, Fran�ois Zimeray during his meeting with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. more..

Nov 9 (LT) The Government has informed IMF that it will present a Budget for 2010 in accordance with its rules and regulations after the general election scheduled to be held next year. A letter has been sent to the Executive Director, International Monetary Fund Dominque Strauss signed by Acting Finance & Planning Mr Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Central Bank Governor Mr Ajith Nivad Cabraal on 30th October 2009 consequently. more..

Nov 9 (LT) The Minister of Petroleum & Petroleum Resources Development has promised to get a discussion arranged between the Secretary to the Treasury P.B. Jayasundara and the Alliance of Petroleum Trade Unions for today and if the demands of the employees are not met the �work to rule� campaign planned from the 11th would be definitely launched states the Alliance of Petroleum Electricity Port & Water Board Trade Unions. more..

Nov 9 (LNP) In an unprecedented move, trade unions affiliated to the JVP and UNP yesterday vowed to bring President Mahinda Rajapaksa s government to its knees unless the government granted them a salary increase with immediate effect. The anticipated move comes close on the heels of the JVP and the UNP agreeing to field a common candidate to face President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the event he called an early presidential election. more..

Nov 9 (LNP) Jathika Hela Urumaya, Propaganda Secretary Nishantha Warnasinghe said on Friday, the UNP s recent announcement that they have formed a new alliance called the United National Front, with 12 political parties, leaders of civil organizations and groups of media sympathizers joining them is true only so far as MP Mangala Samaraweera from the SLFP M-group is concerned for his is the only face to be discerned as new among them. more..

Nov 9 (LNP) The JVP has challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to either abolish the executive presidency or call a snap presidential election. Earlier, it was urging the President to honour his promise to scrap that institution during his first term. What does the JVP`s volte-face signify? It is pretending to be confident of defeating President Rajapaksa. In 1970, the JVP clung on to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike's more..

Nov 9 (CT) The Ministry of Education has obtained special approval from the cabinet to promote nine officers in the education administration service outside seniority consideration, reports said. Several teacher trade unions have strongly objected to the move. However, the ministry has played down the opposition, saying the promotions had been granted to officers who had been political victimized. more..

Nov 9 (DM) The UNP has appointed MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as its organizer for the Maharagama electorate in the Colombo district. Meanwhile, district leader MP Ravi Karunanayake has been appointed Colombo-North organizer. Mr. Rajapakshe, a President�s Counsel, entered Parliament as an UPFA member in 2004. In 2005, he served as the SLFP organizer for Maharagama. more..

Nov 9 (DN) The Education Ministry is implementing a special crash program to develop Information Technology in government schools with special emphasis to train at least 75 percent of the teachers in computer technology or literacy at least, Education Minister Sunil Premjayanth said. Ruwanpura Teacher Training Institute has been converted to a fully fledged ICT training college to train 220 IT teachers annually, Minister Premajayanth said. more..

Nov 9 (SN) The Jaathika Hela Urumaya staged a demonstration opposite the Christian Evangelical Prayer Centre, 'Jesu Ath Nohari' (Jesus Never Fails) at Koswatte, Thalangama on the Kaduwela Road, on November 5 to protest against the deaths of two women after they attended a so-called faith healing session conducted by this Evangelist centre, at Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo. more..

Nov 9 (DN) About two million people suffer from diabetes in Sri Lanka. It has been observed that diabetes patients are on the increase in the urban areas than the rural areas. Therefore it is clear that the disease affects all, irrespective of age, gender. Dr. Kusum Abrew expressed her concern about mal-function of vital organs such as heart, eyes and kidneys leading to coronary disease, vision impairness and paralysis due to this disease. more..

Nov 9 (DN) With the initiative of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the first ever Tele- Cinema village in Sri Lanka (Serendib Studio) is gradually taking shape in a 235 acre land in Ranmihitenna in Hambantota District. This national project is a landmark in the history of Sinhala Cinema, since commissioning of the National Film Corporation in 1971. It is also a dream come true for all in the Cinema and Tele drama Field. more..