Jan 26 (DN) Parents and villagers of Dapane in the Kolonna electorate have constructed a school building at a cost of Rs. 5 m for the primary section of the Dapane Vidyalaya, which was selected for the 1,000 secondary school development programme. The villagers and parents of Dapane had requested President Rajapaksa to place the school under the development programme, aimed at transforming schools as 'knowledge hubs'. On the advice of the President, the school was placed under more..

Jan 26 (DN) Extra caution needs to be exercised not to harm the environment and to adhere to the rules and regulations laid down by Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, when mining sand, said Minister Douglas Devananda. He was addressing the people at the Community Hall in the Amban Village in Vadamarachchi East recently. The meeting was held to sort out the problems faced by the people of Amban, Kudaththanai and Nagarkovil Villages. Their main livelihood is supplying sand for more..

Jan 26 (DBS) Two of the four Jaffna University undergraduates held at the Protective Accommodation and rehabilitation Center (PARC) at Welikanda have been released on Jan 22nd. Rehabilitation Commissioner-General Brigadier Tharshana Hettiarachchi confirmed to the media that the two students � Jaffna University Student Council President V.Bavananthan and Science Faculty third year student and more..

Jan 26 (Island) A group of lawyers, led by President�s Counsel Thirantha Walaliyadda, met President Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees on Thursday and explained that the rural folk have been highly inconvenienced after the fee for registration of marriages was increased to Rs 5,000. "Both, the public and lawyers, have been thoroughly inconvenienced by having been made to pay exorbitant fees to obtain extracts and copies of deeds for the purpose of registration more..

Jan 26 (DN) FIFA 11 for Health, a football based health education programme for children initiated by FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F - MARC) will be held in Sri Lanka this year. The programme is held in collaboration with the Asian Football Federation, Football Federation of Sri Lanka and with the partnership of Sri Lankan Govt through its ministries of Health, Sports and Education. Prof Jiri Dvorak the chief Medical Officer of FIFA and Dr Gurucharan Singh, more..

Jan 26 (DN) Several roads in the eastern and north central areas were flooded as heavy rains continued yesterday, DMC sources said. �The Batticaloa - Kattankudy, Manampitiya - Gallella and Sungawila - Somawathiya roads were inundated,� they said. The extreme weather conditions displaced 456 people mainly in the North Central Province as landslide threats in some areas loomed large. Some people were evacuated on grounds of safety, more..

Jan 26 (DN) Rizana Nafeek's execution was not a question of money, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. "There are baseless allegations against the govt over the execution of Rizana Nafeek. These allegations make out that the govt didn't take any measure to provide enough funds for the release of Rizana," the minister said. "As a responsible person of the govt, I strongly bare witness that the government was ready to pay blood money. I personally know that President Rajapaksa more..

Jan 26 (Island) The NFF has decried Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara�s proposal to introduce a new version of the National Anthem, to be sung in both Sinhala and Tamil, at the 65th Independence Day celebrations. A senior spokesperson for breakaway JVP faction said that post-war national reconciliation wouldn�t be possible through such moves. Asked whether the NFF would mobilise the people against the proposal made by a parliamentary committee late last week, more..

Jan 26 (Island) With former captain Sanath Jayasuriya set to be named Chairman of the new selection panel to be announced on Monday, there is some concern as to what he will bring into the table. But surely he can�t be worse than what the current lot have done. The unique thing about Jayasuriya is that he is passionate about our cricket. It�s hard to find a man who is more passionate about SL cricket than Jayasuriya. more..

Jan 26 (DM) Sri Lanka�s January tea production will be negatively impacted by frost damage, a scenario caused by extreme temperature fluctuations during a very short period of time, a tea broker in the country said. According to John Keells Tea Brokers, in addition to the dry weather prevailing in tea planting districts, a cold wave is sweeping over the central hills that could cause frost damage and subsequently cut production. �With temperatures plummeting to well below 10� Celsius more..

Jan 26 (DN) Heads of govt institutions have failed to take disciplinary action against more than 200 persons found guilty in investigations conducted by the Presidential Special Investigation Unit (PSIU), a PSIU spokesman stated. The PSIU initiates and conducts investigations with Presidential Secretariat sanction, on complaints made on corruption of public servants. The PSIU also sends reports to heads of relevant institutions recommending disciplinary action against the involved public servants, more..

Jan 26 (DBS) In a significant gesture welcomed by residents of Shafi Nagar in Moothoor the Sri Lankan Army has commenced work to build a new house for the family of Rizana Nafeek who was unjustly executed in Saudi Arabia on January 9th 2013. In a simple ceremony attended by residents of Rizana�s village Shafi Nagar, officials, Religious leaders and military personnel the foundation stone was laid formally on Friday more..

Jan 26 (Island) The garbage strewn on the side of the road below the Kelani Bridge, which is a short cut from Thotalanga (Grandpass) to Mattakkuliya, is a sight for sore eyes to the devotees of the Buddhist Temple and the Gethsemane Gospel Church situated in Colombo 15. Informed sources in the area said that the road was not only used by vehicles which drive via Thotalanga to Mattakkuliya but was also used by devotees to the temple and the parishioners of the church who were more..

Jan 26 (Island) Three OIC of three police stations were interdicted on Thursday over an assault in the Negombo police station five years ago. The interdicted officers were the OICs of the Koswatta, Rasnayakapura and Saliyawewa police stations. The investigation had been conducted by the police special investigation unit in 2007 and the report had been forwarded to the Attorney General. SSP Prishantha Jayakody said that the Senior DIG, in charge of the North Western Province, more..

Jan 26 (Island) Media Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath said that the recent coverage of Nirosha Wimalaratne (24) aka �cobra girl� highlighted the urgent need to introduce a comprehensive code of ethics for both print and electronic media. Although the right of the media to report on incidents of its choice couldn�t be disputed, it shouldn�t be allowed to abuse its freedom, he said. Had the media left Ms. Wimalaratne alone more..

Jan 26 (Island) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva lamented that two groups in the Moratuwa University, the engineering undergraduates and the NDT students, were fighting at a time their services were badly needed by the country. The country was in need of the services of the two groups as the govt had vacancies to be filled. The Mahaweli Authority and the Irrigation Department were looking for NDT qualified personnel, but they could not be found. Sri Lankan engineers were leaving the country more..

Jan 26 (LBO) Sri Lanka will update its petroleum exploration law to bring the rule in line with the latest international practices, minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said. Amendments to Sri Lanka's Petroleum Resources Act, No. 26 of 2003, have been approved by the cabinet of ministers, he said. The changes proposed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa seeks to improve governance in the oil and gas industry and meet international standards, minister Rambukwelle said. more..

Jan 26 (CT) Sri Lanka appears to have avoided the prospects of an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), but the country would feature in the regular CMAG meeting scheduled for March and the forthcoming visit by the Commonwealth Secretary General would set the tone for the CMAG response, well-placed govt sources said. Sources suggested the delay in the emergency meeting more..

Jan 26 (CI) Sri Lanka didn't quite manage to win the one-day series but they will fancy their chances in this two-match Twenty20 contest. The No.1-ranked T20 side in the world, they are taking on an outfit led by George Bailey that sits in seventh place on the ICC rankings. Not that Bailey's team bears that much of a resemblance to the side that played at the World T20 last year: of the 12 men in the squad for this game, only six were part of the World T20 group. The selectors have instead rewarded more..

Jan 26 (OU) Govt is in the initiatives of planning behind the scene of colonizing two thousand Sinhala families with the support of forces in the guise of farmers in the areas coming under the Vavuniya southern secretariat division located in the Northern Province periphery. The relevant assignments towards this plan are moving rapidly and activities are processed to grant each family an acre of land is according to sources. Under the humanitarian agricultural production activity working plan, more..

Jan 26 (CT) President Rajapaksa has alerted State security apparatus to immediacy douse communal disharmony and take stern action against those who try to provoke clashes between communities. The President, in his response to Muslim politicians said the CID and the Defence intelligence agencies have been alerted to look into the elements that attempt to fan ethnic and religious unrest in the country, when a more..

Jan 26 (Island) "Justice is not a cloistered virtue. She must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny and respectful comments of the ordinary man", the Attorney General Palitha Fernando said quoting Lord Atkin, at the ceremonial welcome to new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, on Wednesday. The full text: "Your Lordship the Chief Justice, Your Ladyships and Lordships Hon. Judges of the Supreme Court and of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Judges of the High Court, Members of the Judiciary. more..

Jan 26 (Island) A total of 25 university colleges are to be founded with state and private sector sponsorship. Twenty of the colleges, to be established at a cost of Rs.1,600 million, would be affiliated to the University of Vocational Technology. The training centres which came under the purview of the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry would form the nucleus of the project, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said that the Cabinet had also approved a Memorandum, more..

Jan 26 (IBT) A 47-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by four men in a suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in an incident with parallels to the high-profile sexual assault in Delhi late last year that sparked nationwide soul-searching in India. Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody told the PTI that the unidentified woman was assaulted at a taxi stand when she went to ask for directions, having gotten lost in the suburb of Mirihana. more..

Jan 26 (DM) In the picture postcard city of Davos in Switzerland, some 35 world leaders, top bankers and industrialists and the leaders of world financial institutions are meeting at the World Economic Forum in a bid to salvage the globalised capitalist market economic policies. After some 40 years of what the master builders thought would be a picture postcard economic policy, we see the super-power United States trying desperately to struggle out of economic recession and avoid a mighty fall more..

Jan 26 (DM) The political fallout from the impeachment crisis has affected not only the ruling UPFA but also the main opposition party, the UNP as well and its �former� deputy leader Sajith Premadasa appears to be an unfortunate victim. For many years now, the UNP has been in a crisis over its leadership. Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe continues to wear that mantle and it is an open secret that Premadasa harbours ambitions of leading the UNP one day. more..

Jan 26 (ST) The Employees Trust Fund (ETF) has suffered staggering losses due to investments in shares, according to the Auditor General (AG). The AG�s report submitted to Parliament noted that the capital gains received on sale of shares and units during 2011 had recorded a more than Rs. 654 million decline or 54% drop as compared to 2010. According to the 2011 annual report of the ETF Board, income on equities during the year more..

Jan 26 (Island) The govt is attaching top priority to the establishment of 1,000 Language Laboratories in a thousand schools, earmarked by it for upgrading. It has requested the Japanese govt to consider providing assistance for this venture. In terms of the project, not only Sinhala, Tamil and English, but languages, such as Japanese, Korean and Chinese are expected to be taught in local schools, Minister Bandula Gunewardane more..

Jan 26 (DM) The Mahanayake of the Ramanna Nikaya Most Venerable Napana Premasiri Thera said that reconstituting the National Anthem with Tamil verses would only give rise to unnecessary problems in the country. The Thera said that he was expressing strong dislike of the Maha Sangha regarding any such move. �Unnecessary problems would be created in this country by adding Tamil verses to the more..

Jan 26 (Island) President Rajapaksa has told the Govt Medical Officers� Forum (GMOF) that he is ready to appoint a Competent Authority (CA) or a Health Council (HC) to streamline health ministry operations. The GMOF received the assurance at a meeting held at Temple Trees recently. A senior spokesperson for the GMOF said that the President had given that assurance after the deteriorating situation in the health sector was brought to more..

Jan 26 (LT) He doesn't consider Mr. Sanath Jayasooriya�s appointment as the head of the cricket selection committee as an error but getting appointed to such a post in a very short time would cause problems later says Arjuna Ranatunga. He said getting appointed to the post is an issue as Sanath Jayasooriya has not announced his retirement yet. Arjuna Ranatunga expressed these views regarding the appointment of the new more..

Jan 26 (CG) India is committed to being a partner of Sri Lanka in meeting its aspirations of peace, harmony and development, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha said today. He said this while speaking at the celebrations at India House in Colombo to mark the 64th Republic Day of India. He said that Sri Lanka and India have a very special relationship based both on shared heritage and shared interests. more..

Jan 26 (Island) An attempt was being made to deprive senior Sri Lankan military officers of an opportunity to follow top level command courses in the US on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, authoritative govt sources alleged. They said that the govt was aware of moves to reject senior military personnel citing the �Leahy Law,� which prohibited US military assistance to foreign military formations that more..

Jan 26 (CT) Australian Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop will lead an opposition delegation to Sri Lanka to talk about people smuggling. Ms Bishop will be joined on the trip which starts on Sunday by immigration spokesman Scott Morrison and border protection spokesman Michael Keenan. The group will meet with senior Sri Lankan government officials and opposition parliamentarians to talk about the people smuggling trade. more..

Jan 26 (DM) Germany's DVB Bank said that it has asked for an investigation in Sri Lanka about the fleeing of detained Iranian ship in the Sri Lankan waters despite the court order, reuters reported. Last week the Amina, another of the four, fled Sri Lankan waters after weeks of detention by its navy, acting on a court order obtained by DVB Bank. Sri Lanka's navy had fired warning shots earlier to prevent the vessel from leaving. more..

Jan 26 (DM) Sri Lanka has begun to feel the effects of the loss of the GSP plus facility, after the closure of number of factories and reduction of export orders. The GSP+ Plus is a mechanism that gives preferential access to the markets in the EU for exports from number of countries. However, the European Union excluded Sri Lanka from the list of beneficiary countries on February 16, 2010 due to the non-implementations of more..

Jan 26 (CT) Amidst widespread criticism from political groups, human rights activists and the legal community, Parliament on Tuesday, 22 January, debated and passed the �Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions)� Bill with the expected majority votes, 77 to be precise. This legislation, among many other things, will enable the police to detain a person who has been arrested without a warrant, for 48-hour before producing him or her before a Magistrate. more..

Jan 26 (CT) Tamil/English weekly Oru Paper interviewed Ravi Kumar, a senior leader attached to British Tamils Forum. Ravi Kumar, who has been in Tamil Politics for over 30 years, is currently the coordinator of British Tamil Forum. He was in the LTTE negotiation team which had several rounds of Talks with Chandrika�s govt in 1994. Following are the excerpts of a telephone interview with Ravi. Q: Your recent conference which was held in the British parliamentary complex was more..

Jan 26 (CT) �In a private meeting following ambassador�s credentialing ceremony, President Rajapaksa expressed bewilderment and frustration at U.S. policy for encouraging him to fight terrorism and then criticizing him when he did. Rajapaksa claimed that 70% of the IDPs locked in camps would be returned by the end of January and complained that the UN was at fault for the poor condition of IDP camps now because more..

Jan 26 (AD) Former Galle Mayor Methsiri de Silva today accused Southern Province Chief Minister, Shan Wijelal de Silva of being responsible for the humiliation faced by his children and wife due to people calling him a �thief�. De Silva was removed from his post as Mayor and from the Municipal Council after being found guilty of maladministration and misappropriation of funds. Methsiri stated if it is proven that he had cheated even �5 cents,� he would sell his house and property and more..