Sept 20 (Island) Captain Mahela Jayawardene feels that the variety and the options he has in his bowling unit give Sri Lanka the edge over other teams in the World T-20. Sri Lanka�s campaign in the 12 nation competition got off to a resounding start as the hosts thrashed Zimbabwe by 82 runs here at Suriyawewa with spinner Ajantha Mendis making a memorable return to the side after an absence of nine months due to injury. more..

Sept 20 (Island) The govt and the Opposition were in agreement, yesterday, that certain Standing Orders which were not up-to-date needed to be revised. This followed a point raised by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that certain ministers did not adhere to Standing Orders pertaining to oral question sessions and that some questions had been left unanswered for more than a year. Former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, referring to Standing Order 27(1), said: more..

Sept 20 (Island) A 56-year-old man had slit his throat with a sharp weapon upon hearing that his son had been killed by a wild elephant. The wild elephant which was roaming in the Galkiriyagama town on Tuesday night, attacked two youth who were riding a motorcycle. One of the youth was killed on the spot while the other sustained serious injuries. The two youth had been returning home after a bath in the Ulpathgama tank at Galkiriyagama when they were attacked more..

Sept 20 (DBS) Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias �Pillaiyan� who served as Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council from 2008 to 2012 is now obstructing the appointment of a Tamil provincial minister in the envisaged administration of new Eastern Chief minister Najeeb Abdul Majeed. Although Pillaiyan expected to be chief minister again and was disappointed, the ex-chief minister has reconciled himself to more..

Sept 20 (DN) All measures are in place to double fish production and fish exports in Sri Lanka by 2018. Arrangements have been made to increase the annual fish harvest to 800,000 metric tons within the next six months, Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne said. The minister was addressing a progress review meeting of the Fisheries Ministry at the ministry. The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry launched a number of programmes during the past three years to achieve the target, more..

Sept 20 (DN) The �Sri Lanka in Bloom� photographic exhibition began yesterday at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London and will continue until today. Yesterday�s exhibition was reserved for British MPs, members of the diplomatic corp and their staff and today�s exhibition has been reserved for Sri Lankans in Britain. The exhibition will be held in Brimingham on Sept 22 for the benefit of Sri Lankans in the UK. The exhibition portrays the unpleasant more..

Sept 20 (LT) The flames of communalism that were ignited during the provincial council elections are still spreading and it is the future generations that will have to pay for such crimes says JVP MP Anura Dssanayake. He said, �The Eastern Province is an area in Sri Lanka where the representation of Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities have a healthy composition. more..

Sept 20 (CT) Deputy Leader of the UNP, Sajith Premadasa, said 27.5% of Sri Lankans have left the country due to lack of recognition in the quality of the education. Addressing a media briefing, he said there are only��.. doctors who serve the country and it shows that the quality of education has deteriorated. Quoting Nelson Mandela, he said, education is the most powerful weapon that could change the whole world and without a proper education, a country cannot develop. more..

Sept 20 (Island) The two main suspects wanted in connection with cheating a nurse of Rs. 470,000 were arrested by the Kandy Division Crime and Operation Unit, yesterday. The duo were accused of cheating a Peradeniya Teaching Hospital nurse of the money on the promise of getting her son admitted to year one in Dharmaraja College, Kandy. The main suspect was arrested while he was driving a tri-shaw on the Kandy Lake road. Following his arrest the second suspect was taken into more..

Sept 20 (CT) Hundreds of people took part in a demonstration in Jaffna demanding the release of Tamil political detainees, and urging a judicial trial against those who were responsible for the deaths of Tamil political prisoners Nimalaruban and Dilrukshan. The demonstration was staged by a body called the Joint Front for political prisoners and for the disappeared. The demonstration at more..

Sept 20 (CI) Bubbling with enthusiasm and energy, Afghanistan gave India a scare with the ball and a half with the bat, but 20 overs proved to be too long a time for them to sustain that quality and keenness. They could have had India at 79 for 5, but dropped Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina within eight deliveries only for the two to add a total of 53 further runs. They also conceded 16 extras to facilitate India's recovery to 159 runs, but Mohammad more..

Sept 20 (TN) Fourth seeded Pakistan will play against Sri Lanka in the first round matches of Davis Cup 2013 from February 2-3 next year. According to the draws for the 2013 Davis Cup, Sri Lanka have the choice of ground for this first round match of Asia/Oceania Zone Group-II. So Pakistan have to travel to Sri Lanka in the coming February. �We will try to hold at least one tie in Pakistan this time,� said Secretary Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Mumtaz Yousaf while talking to �The News�. more..

Sept 20 (IL) The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Korea in association with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau initiated a number of activities in the hopes of promoting Sri Lanka as a key tourist destination among Koreans. On the 5th September 2012, the Ambassador accompanied by the Counsellor (Commercial) of the Mission met the Travel and Tourism Club (TNT Club), one of the prominent tourism clubs in Korea. more..

Sept 20 (Scotsman) Travelling at 25mph, my feet were four inches from the Colombo tarmac. My tuk tuk flew along as trucks, old Leyland buses and police cars roared past. In case you did not know, a tuk tuk is a glorified scooter with passengers. Asian cities are rife with them. They are both an entertaining and terrifying way to travel. Foreign Office advice is not to � but I did. Twenty years ago, I visited Sri Lanka at war. Soldiers and road blocks were common. more..

Sept 20 (CT) School teachers will participate in next week�s cross-country march organized by the university academics, the Ceylon Teachers� Union (CTU) said. CTU General Secretary, Joseph Stalin, said the CTU and its aligned unions extend their utmost support to the trade union action launched by the Federation of University Teachers� Associations (FUTA). Stalin said teachers from schools along the Kandy- Colombo road and from schools along the Galle-Colombo road will take part in more..

Sept 20 (Hindu) More than three years after winning the war against the LTTE, the Sri Lankan Army retains an overwhelming presence in the North and East of the island, deploying 16 out of its 19 divisions in the Tamil-dominated regions. Information available with The Hindu indicates that besides three divisions in Jaffna, there are three each in Killinochchi and Mullaithivu, while five divisions are stationed in Vavuniya. more..

Sept 20 (DN) Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane directed ministry officials to promote rice based food products among Sri Lankans to make maximum use of the surplus rice of the country. "Due to the govt's various agriculture development programmes, the country is now self sufficient in rice. So it is necessary to promote value added rice based food products to make use of surplus rice." minister said. more..

Sept 20 (Island) Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said that politicians shouldn�t be judged by development projects and employment opportunities created by them, but by their conduct. The UPFA National List MP urged the electorate to be mindful whether his representative was a crook, goon, rapist or someone robbing the taxpayers� money. The SLFPer said that popularity of those engaged in politics should be examined, having in mind public perception of their conduct in the State sector. more..

Sept 20 (Island) The SLMC, despite its election rhetoric, had disregarded its religion and Holy Book, the Quran, for the sake of ministerial positions, perks and privileges, the UNP said. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the newly elected UNP Councillors at Sirikotha, said that during the polls campaign in the East, the SLMC had gone hammer and tongs at the UPFA govt over repeated attacks on Mosques in more..

Sept 20 (Island) UNP headquarters Sirikotha has called for explanation from UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana regarding a spate of recent statements attributed to him, which, the party said, were critical of MP Mangala Samaraweera. The Matara District MP had been asked to submit a written response to the UNP�s Disciplinary Committee on or before Sept. 30 or face the consequences. The Secretary to the Disciplinary Committee had warned Pathirana that the deadline wouldn�t be extended under more..

Sept 20 (Island) Lanka Private Bus Owners� Federation (LPBOF) General Secretary Anjana Priyanjith warned the govt against importing even a single bus from China as planned. He claimed that the LPBOF had more than 3,000 surplus buses which had not been operated for a long time. Transport Minister Kumara Welgama was on the verge of importing 3,000 buses from China and if he goes ahead with his plan, the LPBOF would launch a country-wide strike of all the private buses, more..

Sept 20 (Hindu) President Mahinda Rajapaksa commenced his most challenging tour of India on Wednesday during which he will meet Sri Lanka�s �old friend,� Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, and PM Manmohan Singh. Mr. Rajapaksa was initially slated to participate only in the Buddhist University ceremony at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh on Sept 21. However, a meeting with Dr. Singh was later finalised. The two met in mid-2010, but there has been no bilateral more..

Sept 20 (DM) At a time when plenty of dramas are directed for the benefit of the theatre-enthusiasts in the capital, there are other dramas scripted and acted out for the sheer benefit of the individuals who appear in them. These are for those who cannot afford to buy theatre-tickets. Though one does not always have a choice over the stories, they are accurate portrayals of bitter realities and indigestible incongruities. Such was the drama that succeeded succeeded the alleged assault by a minister�s more..

Sept 20 (DM) It has been reported that Sri Lanka is expected to lobby the support of friendly US congressmen to defeat a resolution tabled in the House of Representatives on Sept 7 by seven congressmen demanding an international inquiry into alleged violations of the international humanitarian law during the military battle against the separatist/terrorist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka. Our concern here is not the contents of House Resolution 177 but the strategy Sri Lanka more..

Sept 20 (SL) In spite of the euphoria of the government on the results of the provincial council elections held on September 08, 2012, the ruling party coalition has received a significant setback in the Eastern Province compared to the results of the parliamentary elections held in April 2010. As a corollary, the opposition parties (ITAK and UNP) have experienced an awakening in the East. In 2010, the TMVP and UPFA contested separately while the SLMC and UNP contested together. more..

Sept 20 (PTI) The MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Wednesday criticised the Centre as well as the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh govt for inviting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a function in Sanchi near Bhopal. �Despite knowing that Rajapaksa is solely responsible for the genocide of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan govt in Madhya Pradesh has invited him and the Centre endorsed his visit,� more..

Sept 20 (KT) Sri Lankan efforts to increase its export of skilled workers to the UAE were the topic of discussion in a gathering of diplomatic officials at an overseas employment promotion seminar held on Sept 13. At the event, officials addressed local recruiters and employers on the procedures and benefits associated with hiring workers from Sri Lanka. �We need to generate more employment opportunities more..

Sept 20 (LB) A top US official passed through Sri Lanka last week with a fresh dose of pressure on everything from the business environment and elections to accountability and demilitarization. Significantly, this is US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake�s last visit to Sri Lanka before the US presidential election. An observer of US-Sri Lanka relations commented that it is interesting to note how, even three-and-a-half years after the war ended, the US remains more..

Sept 20 (OW) Plan Sri Lanka have trained public health midwives who through role playing, peer feedback, case studies and home visits are helping excluded communities in Sri Lanka to address malnutrition. With only 3 years until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, two goals � to save more lives of mothers and children� remain significantly off-track. An estimated 7,600,000 children under the age of 5 die every year, more..

Sept 20 (Island) The police have arrested a person wanted in connection with the ongoing investigations into the killing of R.A. Larin Saman (42), proprietor of Kapruka enterprises, in Gampaha on July 13. Saman succumbed to his injuries suffered in an attack carried out by a person wielding a sword on the evening of July 13. Acting on information received from the public, a special team from Gampaha police arrested the more..

Sept 20 (GDI) A programme has been initiated by the Ministry of Economic Development in conjunction with other relevant ministries and institutions to revive the textile industry in Sri Lanka along with the apparel industry. Sri Lanka earlier had a well expanded textile industry consisting of handlooms, powerlooms, fabric and cotton industries. But all these sectors were closed down after Sri Lanka introduced the free economic policy more..

Sept 20 (MEA) Mr. Konstantin Dolgov, Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, called on Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, for a wide ranging discussion of current developments in Sri Lanka. Commissioner Dolgov�s visit, on the invitation of the External Affairs Minister, is a sequel to the meeting which Minister Peiris had in Moscow in May this year with more..

Sept 20 (FT) The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) is offering 2717.243 acres of land and 415.7 acres of water body in six selected areas for eco-friendly beach, wildlife and waterfront developments. Located in Kalpitiya, Kuchc-haveli, Bentota, Pasikudah, Dedduwa and Yala, all land offered will be given on a long-term 99-year lease upon payment of total lease rental upfront as determined by the Valuation Department. more..

Sept 20 (BBC) Up to 60 Sri Lankan Tamils being deported from the UK on an overnight charter flight, despite warnings they may face torture on their return. UK officials say those being sent back include failed asylum seekers and visa overstayers. The flight department from the UK late on Wednesday, despite last-minute legal pleas against the deportation. The Sri Lankan government says those being sent back will not be mistreated. more..

Sept 20 (Island) The JVP-led All Ceylon Transport Workers Union (ACTWU) yesterday pledged to support the govt�s decision to import 3,000 new buses for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) fleet. Liyanage told The Island that private bus owners had no right to oppose any decision to increase the SLTB fleet of buses. "There are 22,500 private buses in the country but only 5,000 SLTB buses operate countrywide," Liyanage said. He said that it was very essential to increase the number of buses operated by the SLTB more..

Sept 20 (Island) The govt said that it wouldn�t hold the first ever elections to the Northern Provincial Council as and when the international community wanted it to be held. Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that Northern PC polls could be held only when the Elections Commissioner decided the situation was conducive to such an exercise. Minister de Silva was responding to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella, who demanded more..

Sept 20 (Island) Some politicians and media officials linked to the govt have begun to describe the FUTA strike as an attempt to overthrow the present govt. Some have even come out with the fantastic idea that the FUTA is planning a �Suharto style� conspiracy. I understand that my name has been linked to this imagined conspiracy, either as a co-conspirator, or even as the leading conspirator. I don�t think I deserve such an honour. more..

Sept 20 (LBO) Stocks recovered losses and closed up 0.90 percent Thursday. The Colombo All Share Index closed at 5,901.97 up 52.83 points and the S & P SL 20 Index closed 27.97 higher at 3,169.61 up 0.89%. Turnover was 941 million rupees. Dialog Axiata dominated the day's turnover with 81 million rupees, JKH with 70 million, Ceylon Tobacco with 61 million rupees. Noteworthy gainers for the day were Kandy Hotels up by 32.2% to close at 11.90 rupees, SMB Leasing up by 25.0% to close at more..

Sept 20 (N360) Sri Lanka recently conducted a workshop to help Maldives Central Bank build its foreign reserves management skills. The workshop was held in Male, the capital of Maldives with the participation of two officials from Sri Lanka�s Central Bank. CBSL in a statement issued said this program helped to build the Maldivian Monetary Authorities institutional capacity to formulate foreign reserves management policies and procedures to help manage the more..

Sept 20 (CG) Govt Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda says the Indo-Lanka peace accord was used for personal gain that to solve the national issue. The Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was an accord signed in Colombo on July 29, 1987, between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene. The accord was expected to resolve the civil war. Under the terms of the agreement, Colombo agreed to devolve power to the provinces, more..