Oct 10 (Island) The Trade Union Co-ordinating Centre (TUCC), comprising 15 trade unions, has placed four demands before the govt, including decent working conditions and wages. Anton Marcus of the FTZ & GSEU said that the demands included that the govt drop all plans to enact laws and regulations legalizing manpower agencies, stop employing temporary workers in all state corporations and state institutions more..

Oct 10 (FT) Third largest private sector player HNB is setting up a finance company to carry out micro finance business. The Central Bank has permitted HNB to set up the proposed company initially as a fully owned subsidiary. HNB is proposing to tie up with prospective international investors in time to come. All existing assets and liabilities relating to microfinance smallholder agriculture financing of HNB would be transferred to the new entity subject to regulatory approvals. more..

Oct 10 (FT) Bank of Ceylon announced that it has pledged its support as a Principal Sponsor of the Commonwealth Business Forum 2013. The bank considers this as an opportunity to sponsor the landmark event, the CBF-2013, co-organised by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and the Govt of Sri Lanka and forming a part of the overall CHOGM. The Commonwealth Business Forum 2013 with the theme of �Partnership for Wealth Creation and Social Development: more..

Oct 10 (FT) The project to establish a branch campus of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in the Mirigama Export Processing Zone received Parliament approval yesterday without attracting much criticism from the Opposition. The UCLAN branch campus, which is identified as a Strategic Development Project, will be the first-of-its-kind foreign university to be established in Sri Lanka to attract fresh investments and mitigate more..

Oct 10 (Island) The OCBT Campus, the University for innovative business and technology, has designed the first-ever study program for experienced professionals in the industry to obtain their Certificate, Associate Diploma and Diploma in Interior Design with the nature of experience they already possess. This is an opportunity for practicing Interior Designers who have at least two years or more related work experience, to get recognition for their experience and prior learning. more..

Oct 10 (DN) Techno Sri Lanka organized by the Institution of Engineers of Sri Lanka features the widest range of engineering and technology products and services. It will begin tomorrow and held at the BMICH till Sunday featuring new engineering development strategies and products. It has the only powerful cost effective component of a well-planned marketing strategy. Providing sales opportunities for over 1000 relevant product promotion opportunities in a small period more..

Oct 10 (FT) Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT), a joint venture between China Merchants Holdings International Company and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, has delivered on its commitment to be the single catalyst and significant player in making the Port of Colombo the regional maritime hub. Within a very short time period of just three months of commencing commercial operations, CICT has attracted the more..

Oct 10 (GDI) President Rajapaksa declared open the fully equipped new building at the Panadura Base Hospital, Wednesday. With the opening of the new hospital building, the Panadura Base Hospital became a fully equipped Base Hospital in the Kalutara district. The new building complex and the new basic treatment unit expand residential treatment facilities of the Panadura Base Hospital. The Western Province Provincial Council, on a request of Health Indigeneous Medicine, more..

Oct 10 (CT) A controversy over the chief ministerial slot for the Central Provincial Council spilled over to the council�s inaugural session today when at least seven Govt councillors voted for the opposition candidate contesting the posts of chairman and deputy chairman of the council. UPFA members nominated Councillor S.B. Ratnayake while the UNP nominated its councillor, Rohana Bandaranayake for the position of Deputy Chairman. Ratnayake, govt candidate won the contest with 33 votes, more..

Oct 10 (Island) The country�s first coal fired 300 MW power plant at Norochcholai which accounts for nearly 17% of the country�s energy demand would find it hard this year to generate the projected annual 1,876 GWh to the national grid. The losses should not be passed on to the consumers and the CEB should take the responsibility, an energy expert said. A senior CEB engineer said that to date the plant had more..

Oct 10 (Island) The Commonwealth Secretariat expressed its disappointment over Canada�s decision to boycott the CHOGM. The ABC news story quoted the secretariat�s spokesman, Richard Uku, as having said that at the end of the day it was up to each member country to determine its level of representation. "Canada is a highly valued member of the Commonwealth family and its contribution to the association continues to provide enormous benefit to other member countries," Uku said. more..

Oct 10 (AT) Two Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Seminars were held in UAE under the patronage of M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development as the Chief Guest. These two seminars were the culmination of the vigorous tourism promotion campaign conducted by the Embassy under the initiative of Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in UAE from the beginning of 2013. The Diplomatic officers met more than 100 tour and travel operators more..

Oct 10 (Island) Former Chairman of the UNP, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera MP said that he had resigned his post to pave the way for party reforms which had been proposed by the Maha Sangha and various well wishers. He said that just like UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who had decided to take a back seat, while the newly established High Powered Council (HPC) runs the day-to-day affairs of the party, he, too, more..

Oct 10 (CT) The officials attached to the Ministry of External Affairs had to remove the Northern Province flag and the Indian flag from the meeting hall where Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid and Northern Province CM, C.V. Wigneswaran were meeting, as they realized the Sri Lankan national flag was absent from the venue. The venue of the meeting at Hotel Tilko in Jaffna, had only displayed the regional flag and the Indian flag and as soon as the officials realized the mistake, more..

Oct 10 (Dawn) India has to show some patience and should not play into the hands of �certain elements in Pakistan wanting to stall the peace process�, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said. �I think much as we feel upset and concerned and hurt by what is happening on the border and the LoC, I think we have to show some perseverance, some patience and some fortitude to ensure that we don�t play into the hands of the forces that want to create trouble,� he said more..

Oct 10 (AFP) Former Sri Lankan football chief Manilal Fernando was banned from football for life by world governing body FIFA on Wednesday after an appeal by him against an original judgement failed disastrously. Fernando, a former member of the FIFA Executive Board, had appealed against an original eight year ban imposed on him at the end of April, while the chief investigator in the original case Michael J Garcia also appealed against more..

Oct 10 (CT) A brawl between two gangs dealing in drugs (one of which is led by Kudu Ruwan, a notorious drug dealer), had led to a 27-year-old youth, Sajith Priyantha, a resident of Serpentine Road, Borella, being shot dead. He had been shot driving a car near the Kelani Valley railway crossing on Baseline Road, Dematagoda, on Tuesday night. The victim was a close associate of Kudu Ruwan. Three others who had been with Priyantha at the time the shooting took place, more..

Oct 10 (CT) The millionaire businessman from Kadawatha who was abducted on Tuesday, while returning from a casino in Colombo, had been released in Kaduwela. He told the police after his release that he was blindfolded, detained and questioned about dealing in narcotics, and that he was also subjected to assault. Police Media Spokesman, Ajith Rohana, said the businessman who was abducted two days ago at midnight, was released at Kaduwela. more..

Oct 10 (Telegraph) Britain has pulled funds from the Commonwealth over concerns about its leadership and performance, it emerged on Wednesday, as the troubled organisation faces mounting criticism over its forthcoming summit in Sri Lanka. With 52 of the organisation�s 53 members prepared to defy human rights protests by gathering in SL, concerns over its direction have seen major donors scale back contributions to its budget. more..

Oct 10 (DM) In the aftermath of the milkgate crisis or the milkmare, millions of Sri Lankans were left confused as to what milk they should drink, whether milk was safe for human consumption and whether milk was essential for people other than breast-fed babies or elderly citizens who cannot take solid food. Transparency International, a movement that works for accountability and State responsibility on a multitude of issues including food safety and security, held a public seminar on Tuesday more..

Oct 10 (DM) The country was first divided into several administrative units during the Anuradhapura era, These were the three provinces; Rajarata, Ruhuna and Malaya Rata. These were further subdivided into smaller units called rata. Over time, the number of provinces increased, but the second-level administrative division continued to be the rata. However, with foreign colonial missions landing and taking parts of the country under their control, this structure began to change. more..

Oct 10 (DM) As the Army celebrates its 64th Anniversary today, the Daily Mirror spoke to the 20th Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake about the evolving role of the Sri Lankan Army. To mark this important event, religious observances of all faiths, an all-night Pirith ceremony to invoke blessings on the Army, and some festive activities are underway. The Army Commander responded to allegations against more..

Oct 10 (SL) The first-elected govt of the TNA could not have asked for more at the turn of assuming office in the Northern Province. The Supreme Court decision on assigning (limited?) �Land� powers on the Provinces may have opened up yet another occasion for political reconciliation on the vexed �ethnic issue�. It would now remain for the stakeholders, starting with the Govt, to take the momentum forward. more..

Oct 10 (ST) Sri Lanka Navy�s fast attack craft moves out of the Northern Naval Area Headquarters in Kankesanthurai that Monday morning and cruises the calm, blue waters of the Palk Strait. We are some three kilometres from the coast. Towering coconut trees sandwiched between buildings appear to the left. To our right, the hot sun kisses the placid waters. What looks like a giant mirror stretches to infinity. more..

Oct 10 (CT) Gampaha Superintendent of Police (SP), Vijitha Komasaru, revealed to the Gampaha Chief Magistrate, Tikiri Jayatileke, yesterday, that it was IGP, N.K. Illangakoon, who had summoned the Army to control the demonstrations at Weliweriya, staged by residents of Rathupaswala, demanding clean drinking water. Komasaru, giving evidence in Court, the proceedings of which were monitored by more..

Oct 10 (Island) Undergraduates of the Kelaniya University who forcibly occupied the Students� Centre, a part of Sports Pavilion, for over the past more than a month, have taken a decision to return to the C. W. W. Kannangara hostel at Polhena in batches. The protesting undergrads left the Polhena hostel and took over the Students� Centre following an attack by a group of villagers. They refused to go back to the hostel, more..

Oct 10 (Island) Dr. Mohan Kaul, Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council said he was happy that his association had had a tremendous response from abroad across the Commonwealth and outside Commonwealth for business partnership with Sri Lanka, Addressing media together with the Minister G.L. Peiris at the Ministry of External Affairs in Colombo yesterday, Dr. Kaul said more..

Oct 10 (CT) Sri Lankan students who pursue higher studies overseas reportedly spend Rs 145 billion, annually, it was revealed in Parliament yesterday. The govt informed the House that measures are underway to use the CHOGM, as a platform to attract at least five more foreign universities to the country. Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane, opening the debate on providing strategic and infrastructure facilities to the more..

Oct 10 (IE) About 7 km from Colombo's Fort area, on the second floor of the Nugegoda supermarket, sits a bearded, bespectacled and balding man, with two computers on his desk and shelves with music CDs and cassettes. There is nothing really remarkable about the shop which sells music and some stationery products. Except its 46-year-old astrologer-owner. In 1987, Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni was a Sri Lankan Navy sailor. more..

Oct 10 (CG) Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran today formally named the Ministers picked for the NPC. Provincial Environment Minister will be P. Aingaranesan (EPRLF � Jaffna), Education and Culture Minister T. Kurukularajah (ITAK - Kilinochchi), Health Minister � P. Sathiyalingam (ITAK � Vavuniya), Fisheries, Transport and Village development Minister Thaineswaran (TELO � Mannar). more..

Oct 10 (IL) Nine new MPs were sworn in as Deputy Ministers before the President at the Presidential Secretariat this morning on 10 October. They have received the letters of their appointments at the oaths ceremony. Most of these MPs gained large number of preferential votes at the last General Election. The new deputy ministers are, Y.G. Padmasiri- Deputy Minister of Agriculture. Hemal Gunasekara- Deputy Minister of more..

Oct 10 (CT) In what has become an all too familiar refrain, India has once again renewed calls for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. Of course, the call was coated in a lot of diplomatic saccharin, with its External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid, not only assuring that India would do everything possible to work with the Govt of Sri Lanka, to enable a lasting political solution through meaningful power devolution, but also commending the Sri Lankan Govt more..

Oct 10 (CT) The recently concluded NPC election has elicited a flurry of interpretations and analyses by various observers, in order to find out the �truth� behind the electoral behaviour of Tamil people on the 21st of Sept. Not surprisingly, many of those interpretations are tinged with the ideology of those interpreters. In this piece of writing, I would like to address two major issues; firstly, the ahistorical reading of the 2013 election results as Tamil people�s �defiance� by more..

Oct 10 (CT) �In the wake of the UNP's defeat at the Nov 17 presidential polls, some members of Sri Lanka�s oldest political party are questioning once again whether Ranil Wickremesinghe, who led the party to defeat in 13 of the last 14 electoral contests, should continue as head. A group of 30 �reformist� MPs is pushing Karu Jayasuriya, the UNP�s avuncular Deputy Leader, to replace Wickremesinghe. more..

Oct 10 (Island) Undergraduates of the Sri J'pura University launched a protest opposite the university�s main gate yesterday, to collect signatures against what they called the suppression of students and a gazette notification facilitating the establishment of private higher education institutions. Former representative of the Students� Council Sameera Sampath said that they also wanted to make the people of the area aware and would, therefore, distribute leaflets among more..

Oct 10 (Island) Minister of Technology and Research Prof. Tissa Vitarana told Parliament on Tuesday that it was very unfortunate that the government did not allow at least one per cent of the GDP for technological research. Participating in the second reading stage debate on the Science and Technology Development (Amendment) Bill, Prof Vitarana said Sri Lanka�s current allocation of 0.2% of the GDP for research and development was not at all sufficient. more..

Oct 10 (AHRC) The CHOGM meeting is scheduled to begin on Nov 15. The govt of Sri Lanka has banned protests in the city of Colombo in the month of November. The govt has taken this action under the Public Security Regulations and directed that protests, marches and any display of banners and black flags is banned during the first three weeks of the month. The special regulations will be in place in areas that are to be occupied by more..

Oct 10 (LBO) Stocks closed 0.80% higher on investor interest in banking, diversified and tobacco stocks and speculative play continuing, while the rupees was unchanged amidst low activity levels, brokers and dealers said. All Share Price Index closed 47.42 points higher at 5,957.37, up 0.80%, after reaching an intraday high of 5,964.76. The S&P SL20 closed 31.92 points higher at 3,286.91, up 0.98%. Turnover was 575.09 million rupees, down from 722.97 million a day earlier, more..

Oct 10 (LT) Welcome ceremonies were organized at Hakmana, Walasmulla and Ambalantota towns yesterday and a large number of youths participated to greet the �Youths tour for freedom� organized by the Socialist Youth Union (SYU) on the occasion of the 46th Che Guevara commemoration. A campaign to distribute leaflets was held and a street drama was performed. The National Organizer of SYU Bimal Rathnayaka addressing the crowd at Hakmana said, �Matara District has the more..

Oct 10 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan govt said on Thursday it is contemplating summoning the Canadian envoy or embassy officials in Sri Lanka to discuss future diplomatic relations between the two countries, following recent allegations raised by the Canadian govt against Sri Lanka. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the External Affairs Ministry will issue the summons. However when contacted, the External Affairs Ministry said that more..