Feb 20 (DM) Following the Rs. 20 million robbery of a jewellery and money exchange centre in Negombo by armed men wearing full face helmets, the need for implementation of the law against wearing such helmets has arisen. Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said such incidences were the consequences of not having implemented the law earlier. �In many countries this law is being implemented. more..

Feb 20 (ECB) Sky Sports will offer live coverage of England�s visits to Sri Lanka in November this year and then again in 2018. The agreement means Sky Sports viewers can now enjoy more than 380 scheduled days of live England cricket between now and 2020. The schedule includes Test matches, one-day internationals and Twenty20 fixtures home and away, beginning with March�s tour of the West Indies. Barney Francis, Sky Sports managing director, said: more..

Feb 20 (Hindu) Fishermen in the Pudukottai district are divided over the plan to stay away from the sea for a month from February 13, a decision taken during the course of bilateral talks between the representatives of fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu in Chennai last month. A majority of fishermen stay away from sea in areas such as Mallipattinam, Sedubava Chathiram, Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district, from where an estimated 650 mechanised boats have been anchored on the shores. more..

Feb 20 (SLA) Indian Army�s General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Southern Army Command, Lieutenant General Ashok Singh, currently in Sri Lanka with a three-member delegation, called on Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army at Sri Lanka Army Headquarters Wednesday. Soon after he was warmly welcomed to the Army Headquarters, he was ushered to the Commander�s Secretariat more..

Feb 20 (TOI) Anxious to steal the thunder, has the TN govt forgotten the provision of setting up an advisory board, which has statutory powers to process pleas for remission of sentences and recommend premature release? Also, by virtually issuing a three-day ultimatum for the Centre to respond to her proposal to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has CM J Jayalalithaa undermined the importance of consultation process prescribed in Section more..

Feb 20 (TOI) V Sriharan alias Murugan: Murugan, 43, was part of suicide squad's recce team, motivated Nalini to join LTTE. He landed on TN coast in Jan 1991 to collect information and photographs. His return trip to Lanka on May 10 was cancelled as the boat did not arrive. He came back to Chennai on May 16, five days before the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. While on the run, he and Nalini married in Tirupati. He was charged with conspiracy. more..

Feb 20 (FT) A large base of public and private sector experts coming together for the first time to share key insights into the country�s five hubs strategy will be a key draw at the full-day forum on 25 Feb. Over 20 experts drawn from the five hubs � maritime, aviation, commercial + tourism, knowledge and energy � will highlight key opportunities as well as challenges during the full-day session at the Colombo Hilton. more..

Feb 20 (CT) UNP MP, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, claimed in Parliament that the police have become 'toothless guard dogs.' Explaining his statement, he said, the police have no real power today when it comes to curbing criminal activities of politicians. According to the MP, the criminal activities of politicians, especially drug trafficking, is so numerous that even he has received information regarding such criminal activities. He added that he dare not reveal such information more..

Feb 20 (Island) The Permanent Commission to Inquire into allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday handed over a charge sheet to impeached Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, before the Chief Magistrate of Colombo Gihan Pilapitiya. President�s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty appeared for the suspect Dr. Bandaranayake charged with non-disclosure of assets. Counsel Ladduwahetty said that trial should commence 45 days after the handing over more..

Feb 20 (TOI) TN chief minister J Jayalalithaa triggered outrage in the Congress and elsewhere on Wednesday by announcing her govt's decision to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. It immediately sparked a heated political row with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asking, "If a Prime Minister's killers can be released, what kind of justice should the common man expect?" more..

Feb 20 (Island) Legal scholar and President�s Counsel Dr. Jayatissa de Costa assumed duties yesterday as Principal of Law College. President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed Dr. Costa a President�s Counsel on May 19, 2010. Dr. Costa was called to the Bar in early 1971 after completing his LLB degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Ceylon. Thereafter, he proceeded to UK for his higher studies, and was awarded LLM by the University of London in 1976. more..

Feb 20 (ICP) On Sri Lanka, this UN remains shrouded in mystery, some say, worse. After Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with Sri Lankan Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and Ambassador Palitha Kohona on Feb 18, ICP asked Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky if Alahapperuma had invited Ban to Colombo in May for a youth conference. Nesirky said that UN is not in the habit of disclosing what its interlocutors say. (UN refused the request at the beginning of 2014 more..

Feb 20 (DN) Civil Aviation Minister Pryankara Jayaratne lashed out at the TNA led NPC for adopting a resolution demanding that govt commences direct flights from Trincomalee and Palaly to India. He said this was done without an understanding of the formalities involved and the ground realities. He said that the country had two international airports from which to operate direct flights to overseas destinations, demanding international airports more..

Feb 20 (TOI) With the TN govt deciding to set seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case free, the CBI is keenly watching the central govt's next move. CBI officials said the agency didn't have any locus standi to oppose the state govt's decision and it could only give its opinion if the Centre asked for it. However, a senior CBI official said releasing the killers of a former Prime Minister would set a bad precedent. He said it was the govt's decision to "do anything on the release of convicts". more..

Feb 20 (CT) CaFFE has lodged a complaint with the Elections Commissioner, protesting against Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena's son making use of govt officials for his propaganda work in connection with the upcoming Provincial Council elections. CaFFE Convener, Keerthi Tennakoon, speaking to Ceylon Today, said UPFA candidate, Pasindu Yapa Abeywardena, is using staff from the office of the Board of Investment in Colombo, for his propaganda work in the south. more..

Feb 20 (Island) Parliament yesterday unanimously approved three regulations pertaining to printing pictorial warnings on packets of cigarettes. These regulations were presented under the provisions of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act by the Govt on Jan 24, 2012. According to the regulations the pictorial warnings should be printed on "the top surface area of both front and back of every cigarette packet, package or more..

Feb 20 (DM) An important first step to save the younger generation from many forms of addictions�including the hi-tech negative side of Facebook-- Parliament yesterday debated and approved regulations intended to curb the use of tobacco and alcohol. Professor Carlo Fonseka, Chairman of the National Alcohol and Tobacco Authority (NATA) and also the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) told a news conference President Rajapaksa, more..

Feb 20 (DM) Does Cyberspace kill? Is it not our ignorance about the nature of new social media that leads to tragedies mostly? The tragic death of Venusha Imandi, a young school girl from Kurunegala, compels us to rethink of these issues more seriously. Venusha had a Facebook account and used it for interacting with her friends. Reportedly, she had also published some of her photos in school uniform in Facebook. There couldn't have been anything too strange more..

Feb 20 (DM) UNP MP, Ranjan Ramanayaka made a politically audacious statement that he was willing to be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Western Province in the upcoming elections. Despite all the media attention he is not in the UNP list for the Western Province. He said he volunteered on behalf of the party and was willing to take any �suicidal move� on behalf of the party in the future as well. more..

Feb 20 (MoD) One hundred brand new cars were handed over to the Army and Police at a ceremony held in Colombo today (19). Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed over the fleet of 100 Toyota Corolla Altis cars to the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake and to the IGP NK Illangakoone to be used for official purposes. The cars manufactured in Pakistan by more..

Feb 20 (SL) Navi Pillay is expected to submit the Report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Sri Lanka at the 25th session of the UNHRC, sometime this month. All Sri Lankans will however consider it ironic that the OHCHR has repeatedly ignored that noble goal during the 30 years up to May 2009, during which period terrorism had been seriously affecting Sri Lanka. All that while, the OHCHR and more..

Feb 20 (SL) While stating that he was ignorant about the fact that Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, was 'public property,' Western Province Leader of the UPFA, Udaya Gammanpila, admitted that, it was wrong of him to have invited the Defence Secretary to participate in his political rally. Gammanpila said that according to the 1978 Constitution, as the post of a Ministry Secretary is only a political appointment, more..

Feb 20 (ST) CMC�s Health Department is to take strict action against schools that have mosquito breeding spots on grounds that put students� lives at risk. Half the schools in Colombo have mosquito breeding places, a Health Ministry study has found. Chief Medical Officer of CMC, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said most of the 475 dengue cases reported in the city are school students from state, private and international schools. more..

Feb 20 (Island) The SLMC has warned the Muslim community against throwing its weight behind the ongoing efforts to pave the way for foreign intervention here by way of an external war crimes investigation into accountability issues. SLMC Chairman Basheer Segudawood, MP, alleged that those who had turned a blind eye to suffering of the Muslim community had evinced a keen interest in their welfare. more..

Feb 20 (PTI) Holding that assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was an attack on India�s soul, PM Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the release of his killers would be �contrary to all principles of justice� and the Tamil Nadu govt has been told not to proceed with it as it is �not legally tenable�. He said that no govt or party should be soft in the fight against terrorism, an apparent reference to the AIADMK govt in Tamil Nadu more..

Feb 20 (LBO) Sri Lanka's prosperity has risen by 6.8 percent over 2012 according to an index compiled by the Central Bank, which has been revised with additional parameters being added. Sri Lanka Prosperity Index started in 2008 rose to 66.8 points in 2012 from 62.5 in 2011. It tracked 26 variables through three sub-indices on economy and business climate, well-being of the people and socio economic infrastructure up to 2011 and more..

Feb 20 (Island) The govt and Opposition locked horns over details and costs pertaining to President Rajapaksa�s foreign trips. The dispute cropped up as the govt refused to submit those details in response to a question raised by UNP MP Tissa Attanayake. He asked the Minister of External Affairs to inform the House of the number of tours the President had undertaken from 2005 up to now, the names of the countries, more..

Feb 20 (TOI) The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case by the Tamil Nadu govt. The apex court has asked the Tamil Nadu govt to maintain status quo on three prisoners Suthendraraja alias Santhan, V Sriharan alias Murugan and A G Perarivalan alias Arivu. The death sentences of the three were commuted to life term on Tuesday by the apex court. more..

Feb 20 (CT) Headline news in Sunday's issue of this paper made interesting reading, not so much in the context of people having had enough with the govt's authoritarian ways, though it is relevant, but in how a group of Wanathamulla residents facing eviction chose to vent their frustration at Duminda Silva, UPFA MP and self-proclaimed friend of Colombo's downtrodden. Granted, Duminda's reputation leaves much to be desired, especially in the wake of the fiendish events in Kolonnawa in 2011 more..

Feb 20 (CT) In 1940, a year before they began implementing the �Final Solution�, the Nazis had a trial-run. A group of German-Jews were deported and the Gestapo watched closely for the reaction of their non-Jewish neighbours. �The surrounding populations�.hardly noticed�.� Reinhard Heydrich stated in his report. What if the �surrounding populations� chose to notice the plight of their Jewish neighbours? What if they protested that trial-run? Perhaps a partial answer more..

Feb 20 (IL) Sri Lanka�s Head of Mission to the European Union, Ambassador Amza addressing the meeting of the European Parliament�s Delegation for Relations with the Countries in the South Asia (DSAS) on 19 Feb, said �Sri Lanka is concerned about the continuation of selective adoption of country-specific actions in the HRC, driven by electoral compulsions of some Member States, as these efforts can erode credibility more..

Feb 20 (LBO) Stocks close down 0.5% retreating for the sixth straight day with losses in the tobacco and banking stocks. All Share Price Index closed 30.08 points lower at 5,956.16, down 0.5%. The S&P SL20 closed 24.24 points lower at 3,257.53, down 0.74%. Turnover was 851.92 million rupees, up from 714.64 million rupees a day earlier, with stocks of 123 firms closing in the red against 53 gainers. Dialog closed flat at 9.10 rupees with 138.00 million rupees of off market transactions more..

Feb 20 (CT) Telecom Regulatory Commission has officially issued instructions to mobile service providers to block Colombo Telegraph and other critical websites on its servers, with a warning that the companies are to maintain to customers that the inability to view the sites on the networks were merely �technical� problems, the Colombo Telegraph can reveal today. It is part of the TRC�s campaign to officially censor the internet, but refuse to acknowledge it is doing so. more..

Feb 20 (DM) The Assistant Election Commissioner for Gampaha was perusing the nomination list of the NSSP when he suddenly noticed a name that sounded similar to his wife�s name. Being curious over the discovery, he checked the name with the civil status of the candidate, and was surprised to find the person was a male. How can a male with a female name be in a nomination list? He asked himself. Upon cross checking of more..

Feb 20 (Island) President of two trade unions, Health Services Trade Union Alliance and the Govt Nursing Officers Association, Saman Ratnapriya complained to the Human Rights Commission that he had been denied a basic right granted to every trade union leader and thereby the govt had violated the Constitution of the country and the International Labour Law which guaranteed trade union rights. Many trade union representatives from various sectors joined him to submit a petition to more..

Feb 20 (CG) Sri Lanka has secured the support of Cuba at the upcoming UNHRC session in Geneva where the US is expected to submit a resolution against the Sri Lankan Govt. Minister Susil Premajayantha is currently in Cuba as a special envoy of President Rajapaksa and yesterday he had talks with the Cuban First Vice President, Miguel Diaz-Canel. During the meeting they discussed the relations between Sri Lanka and Cuba and agreed to work together to strengthen ties. more..

Feb 20 (CG) The police today raised concerns over Facebook after three suicides were reported in the country within the space of just a few days in incidents related to the social media website. SSP Ajith Rohana said that there are fears Facebook will lead to private disputes and more suicides similar to some incidents seen in other countries. He recalled the incident where a young woman in Pittigala had committed suicide after a man she befriended more..

Feb 20 (DM) Under the Strategic Cities Development Project the government was planning to build a three kilometer tunnel in the Kandy city to ease the prevailing traffic congestion, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today. He said the Project was being formulated by the Ministry of Finance and Planning to build the tunnel from Bogambara to Buwelikada in Kandy going under the Kandy Lake. �This will definitely reduce the traffic in the town and the officials said that more..

Feb 20 (Island) Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena told Parliament that smoking killed about 20,000 persons a year in Sri Lanka. Minister commencing the second reading debate on three regulations under National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act on pictorial warnings on cigarette packets said that over 100 countries in the world printed pictorial warnings on cigarette packets. Over 20% of beds in the country�s hospitals were occupied by patients suffering from various diseases due to more..

Feb 20 (PTI) Sri Lanka today extended by six months the mandate of a commission that is investigating cases of alleged disappearances of persons in the northern and eastern provinces during the country's brutal civil war. The three-member presidential commission was mandated to inquire into and report on alleged abductions or disappearances during the period from June 10, 1990 to May 19, 2009 when the army more..