Oct 16 (Hindu) Over 40 cadre of Dravidar Kazhagam(DK) staged a demonstration in front of the Anna Statue near the new bus stand in Krishnagiri town on Tuesday condemning the continuous attack on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. The leaders who spoke at the demonstration quoted the open statement of the United Nation�s Secretary General Ban Ki Moon that the UN had failed to perform its duty during the battle between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan forces. more..

Oct 16 (IL) Minister Susil Premajayantha, and the President of the Sri Lanka-Japan Parliamentary League during an official visit to Japan met with members of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League on Monday (7), in Tokyo. The luncheon, hosted by Hon. Masahiko Komura, President of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League and Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party was held in honour more..

Oct 16 (DN) NGOs leaders and civil society activists so called want regime change and that�s their agenda and not a genuine concern for human rights or good governance. This seemed clear when Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu head of the NGO Centre for Policy Alternatives told the AUSTRALIAN newspaper recently, that �the President will be able to use CHOGM as a great political and diplomatic victory �going into the next election�. �So instead of engaging in regime change, more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Negombo police have arrested a Mali national for allegedly cheating several businessmen to the tune of millions of rupees, promising them access to funds belonging to a Senegalese princess. The police identified the suspect as 43-year-old Assene Sckou of Mali. The police took the suspect into custody following a tip-off from a wealthy Negombo businessman. The suspect, after having established contact with the businessmen in Sri Lanka, more..

Oct 16 (WB) Today the UN observes the International Day of Rural Women. Women contribute to the rural economies in many ways from small village self-help groups to leadership roles in decision making processes at different levels. The World Bank believes that supporting women to actively participate in the rural economy is smart economics. Following the end of the conflict, the Bank has initiated a number of special more..

Oct 16 (CWD) FOR two weeks, 15 James Sheahan Catholic High School students lived in the poorest reaches of Sri Lanka, all in the name of helping those in need. The students went days without a shower due to a lack of water and shower facilities, and the ones they did have certainly made students appreciate what they had. The student spent the last 12 months raising money to fund the trip and saved up to buy the Sri Lankan students books, pencils, balls and cricket bats. more..

Oct 16 (FT) A remote, Govt controlled hospital has clinched the National Quality Award giving a shocking wakeup call to Lankan private and manufacturing sectors. �Almost one third of our GDP now consists of the industry sector and our historic industry growth rate, appears to surpass the historic growth rate of GDP itself,� said Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, on Monday, addressing the 19th Sri Lanka National Quality Awards (SLNQA) held at the BMICH, Colombo. more..

Oct 16 (IL) The Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD), the Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the Chairperson of Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy Mrs. Yan Junqi commended the victories, development and the progress Sri Lanka has achieved under the leadership of President Rajapaksa. more..

Oct 16 (DM) Passengers arriving from Mumbai and Chennai would be subjected to heavy scrutiny by the Sri Lanka Customs, Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini said. He said that in raids conducted in the recent past, most of the suspects arrested were those arriving from the two cities and involved in smuggling of gold. Various methods have been adopted to conceal gold from being detected by equipment at the Airport and also avoid the sharp and watchful eyes of the customs officials, more..

Oct 16 (CT) MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan, representing Scarborough-Rouge River, who hailed from Jaffna and is at present a MP in Canada, announced this week that she would run for re-election in the new riding of Scarborough North. Her current riding of Scarborough-Rouge River will be divided before the next federal election into Scarborough North and Scarborough-Rouge Park. "I have consulted the community that I am so proud to represent, and have decided that I will run in Scarborough more..

Oct 16 (DM) The Attorney General is to dispatch indictments on Thursday on six people including the Tangalle PS Chairman Sampath Vidanapathirana who stands accused in the killing of British tourist Khuram Shaikh and causing grievous bodily harm on his girlfriend. A special prosecutor is also to be appointed by the AG to prosecute in the case. A direct indictment is a special procedure used in exceptional circumstances at the discretion more..

Oct 16 (DN) The Hajj festival symbolises the spirit of unity when millions of pilgrims speaking different languages and belonging to different nationalities and cultures proclaim the unique mission of divinity, unity and the greatness of Allah, President Rajapaksa said in a Hajj message. �I am pleased to send this message of greetings on the occasion of the celebrations of Eid-Ul-Alha, the festival of Hajj by the Islamic community of Sri Lanka, together with their brethren the world over. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Agriculture Ministry has taken steps to discourage farmers from growing red rice, in the 2013/2014 Maha season, due to the low demand for it, Ministry Secretary W. A. Sakalasuriya said. "There is a big demand for white rice than the red variety in the market. Therefore, the ministry has decided to encourage the cultivation of white rice and not red rice in the forthcoming Maha season," he said. "We can�t force farmers to stop cultivating red rice, but if they grow red rice, more..

Oct 16 (CT) The reformist group of the UNP charged that Party Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, backtracked on his promise to the Maha Sangha to step down from the leadership, when he met Party stalwarts to discuss the Leadership Council yesterday. A spokesperson for the reformist group said, though Wickremesinghe promised to step down from the leadership at a meeting with the United Bhikkhu Front around 2:30 p.m., more..

Oct 16 (DM) A group of 33 asylum seekers who were deported from Christmas Island, Australia arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake today in a special flight under heavy security. The group consisted of 8 women, 25 men and 8 children who were mostly Tamils from Jaffna. These deportees are reported to have left from Trincomalee in a fishing boat to enter Australia illegally. They have been deported after their appeal for political asylum was rejected. more..

Oct 16 (CT) The poisoning of over 40 monkeys in Balangoda, allegedly by farmers or villagers, has caused concern among environmentalists, who say it is in violation of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (FFPO). According to reliable sources, 42 torque monkeys including babies were poisoned at Welipatayaya, Kongahamandiya in the Kalthota Range, Balangoda, recently. "Most of the carcasses were buried by the time wildlife officials found the remaining dead animals," more..

Oct 16 (Island) Chairman of the NWPC Dharmasiri Dissanayake and CPC member L.D. Nimalasiri yesterday said that they were willing to continue with the party as they had done nothing wrong. The Central Committee of the SLFP decided to suspend their party membership and conduct a disciplinary against them for defying a UPFA collective decision when electing the chairmen of the respective councils. more..

Oct 16 (TOI) Night has come to mean haunting dreams of a war for one and the rumble of an empty stomach for the other. A pair of black shoes has now crossed the distance between the two. A group of Sri Lankan refugees, no strangers to displacement and deprivation themselves, has donated one lakh shoes to underprivileged children to show their gratitude to the state that has given them a home. For some students at Children's Garden Higher Secondary School in Mylapore more..

Oct 16 (CG) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and UNP MPs Sajith Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya discussed the powers to be given to the proposed leadership council of the UNP, when the three met this evening. The UNP leader briefed both Premadasa and Jayasuriya on the preamble of the leadership council. Forming a leadership council was proposed at the last UNP working committee meeting. Meanwhile a proposal has also been made to make UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe more..

Oct 16 (Island) ITAK leader Rajavarothian Sampanthan, alleged that a recent dispute involving some constituents of the TNA over ministerial appointments, in the first NPC, had been exaggerated. He said the so called crisis was nothing but a storm in a tea cup. Sampanthan said that some of those who had shunned last Friday�s swearing-in ceremony in Jaffna to express their discontentment had now taken oaths more..

Oct 16 (DM) The Daily Mirror, in its Editorial on Monday focused attention on the Govt�s move to set up foreign university campuses here amid opposition criticism that it may be a back-door plan to deal a potentially fatal stab in the back to the policy of free education for all. We pointed out that this policy of Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, known and admired as the father of free education, was widely regarded as the main reason why Sri Lanka received the distinction of having the highest literacy rate in more..

Oct 16 (DM) The Most Venerable prelate Agga Maha Panditha Rajakeeya Sri Weligama Gnanaratana Mahanayake Thera was appointed the new Mahanayake of the Dharmarakshita chapter of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya by the Executive Sangha Committee of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya on 12th September 2003, a position vacated with the demise of the Most Venerable Agga Maha Panditha Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera. The Mahanayake Thera was until then the more..

Oct 16 (DM) Q: Your cabinet portfolio, the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management has a direct impact on the lives of all citizens of the country. What is your plan to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in rice and other food crops that can be grown in Sri Lanka? A: As far as paddy production is concerned, Sri Lanka has achieved self sufficiency for the first time in its history in rice, thanks to the policies adopted by the govt. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The fourth International Conference on Decorative Art, to be held in Sri Lanka, would not only focus on the historical perspective of elephant ivory but also on the present plight of the local elephant. Expert on Tourism and Authority on Elephants Srilal Miththapala, told a media conference at the Dutch Burgher Union (DBU) on Monday that the International Conference would be held from more..

Oct 16 (DN) Health Services Director General Dr Palitha Maheepala said that 450,000 schoolchildren in Sri Lanka suffered from poor vision, while 160,000 suffered from minor vision problems. Arrangements have been made to provide them with free spectacles after screening before 2020. Arrangements have also been made to replace their damaged spectacles with new ones. Free spectacles have been distributed among more..

Oct 16 (SL) Laws pertaining to animal cruelty in Sri Lanka are 106 years old, and are in dire need of revision. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance was passed in 1907, and indicates that the penalty for the ill-treatment of animals, such as starvation, mutilation and torture, is a maximum Rs 100 fine which may be extended to Rs 200 if the offence is repeated. In 20th century Sri Lanka, that may have been a hefty fine. more..

Oct 16 (DM) Sri Lanka must look at reducing its reliance on thermal energy while increasing the role of renewable energy in the country�s total power generation mix, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). �Driven by its strong economic growth and increasing incomes, the country�s electricity demand is projected to grow 3.6% per year. Most of the country�s hydropower resources have already been developed. more..

Oct 16 (CG) Amnesty International has described comments by Lord Dennis Rogan, praising the Sri Lankan govt of President Rajapaksa after a visit to the country, as �fawning� over �a regime with blood on its hands�. �Lord Rogan�s fawning comments which describe Sri Lanka as a country at �harmony� where �peace has descended� are grossly at odds with the findings of Amnesty International and the United Nations. more..

Oct 16 (ST) The shadowy figures were huddled inside an abandoned guest house on the Beruwala coastline � men, women and children who hoped that, in a few hours, they would be on a boat to Australia. They didn�t even get as far as the beach. The police pounced just after midnight, rounded them up and took them into custody. There were 46 people, including 10 children. Youngest was just 2-years-old. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The trustees and Poosaries (Hindu priests) of the Sri Badhrakali Amman Kovil of Munneswaram, Chilaw, have appealed to the Supreme Court against a judgment of the Court of Appeal. The Appellate Court had empowered the IGP and the Puttalam district DIG to act against the priests, if animals were killed within the Kovil premises, without obtaining a butcher�s licences and also if the killings had been more..

Oct 16 (IL) Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya offered accolades to a group of top Sri Lankan business leaders visiting Washington, for their contribution towards the prolific economic relationship between Sri Lanka & the US. At a dinner reception hosted at the Sri Lanka Residence, Washington DC on Wednesday (9), Ambassador Wickramasuriya also commended the two centuries of business ties with the USA, more..

Oct 16 (AFP) Britain's top envoy to Sri Lanka announced the British govt will use next month's Commonwealth summit to pressure host Colombo to make "concrete progress" on human rights and probe alleged war crimes. British High Commissioner to SL John Rankin said PM David Cameron will send a strong message to Colombo to improve its rights record and demonstrate a commitment to good governance. more..

Oct 16 (CT) Letters to our Presidents by Sri Lankan and US alumni of the US-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission 1952-2012, commemorating 60 years of the Fulbright Programme. Edited by Tissa Jayatilaka. Published by the US-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission, 2013. This volume of 20 letters by former Fulbright scholars, half of them Sri Lankan and the other half American, addressed to their respective presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Barack Obama, constitutes part of the more..

Oct 16 (CT) Muslims in Sri Lanka are celebrating Eid Al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice today, in an environment that is both disturbing and hopeful, even as death and devastation rocks the Muslim world. In Syria, despite calls by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for a truce between govt forces and rebel fighters during the Eid Al-Adha holiday, fighting intensified on Tuesday, with warplanes reportedly bombing several rebel-held areas, and opposition fighters firing more..

Oct 16 (CT) �Despite the criticism, Wickremesinghe seems set to hang on as party leader, as there are no clear challengers to his rule at this time.� the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington. The related leaked cable is from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as �CONFIDENTIAL� and discuses the UNP�s internal crisis after the 2005 April parliamentary election. The cable is signed by the US Ambassador to more..

Oct 16 (LBO) International Finance Corporation, a unit of World Bank said it had invested 136 million US dollars in private firm in Sri Lanka over the past year, doubling its portfolio to 280 million US dollars. "IFC�s combined investment and advisory approach provides effective solutions for our clients to boost economic growth and help small businesses," said Adam Sack, IFC country manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives said. "IFC continues to scale up its program in Sri Lanka to reach more people more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Hataraliyadda police yesterday arrested the conductor of private bus following a complaint by a married woman that he had entered her bedroom at night and flashed his torch on her while her husband was away. The 30-year-old conductor is said to her entered the house of his neighbour thinking that it was his own. The woman had told police that her husband was away at funeral of a resident of the village that night. She had said that she suspected that more..

Oct 16 (DM) Sri Lankan Muslim clerics are encouraging worshippers to refrain from offering animal sacrifices a day after Eid Al Adha celebrations which coincides with the Buddhists religious Poya day. The request to Muslim congregations during prayers has been made to avoid hurting the sentiments of the majority Buddhists in the country, said a Muslim cleric, Moulavi M. Hannan. more..

Oct 16 (Island) Clearly turning his back on the violent path of the LTTE, Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran told the oaths taking ceremony, of a majority of ITAK members elected to the NPC, at the Veerasingham Hall, Jaffna last Friday that they should not submerge their people again in turbulence. "We should not forget that we have now crossed the times of violence. With armed might we lived with the thought that the people are our handmaidens. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Health Ministry said it had prosecuted 892 individuals for having dengue mosquito breeding sites in their premises. The Health Ministry, with the Assistance of the Presidential Dengue Eradication Task Force, conducted a week-long Dengue eradication programme from Oct 7 to 13. They inspected 2,57,958 places, both govt and private and issued notices to 6,086 individuals responsible for facilitating possible dengue breeding sites, more..