Aug 17 (CI) Paul Farbrace, Sri Lanka's assistance coach, will be leaving at the end of the New Zealand series to take up the post of head coach of Kent. When he left the county two years ago to undertake the Sri Lankan job, he was the county's second team coach and academy director. But the chance to become Kent's head coach was too much of a temptation to resist, he tells Cricinfo. more..

Aug 17 (AT) With the release of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE clutches, over 74 percent of paddy fields have been cultivated in this season, the Northern Province Governor’s Secretariat announces. The Governor’s Secretariat reveals that there are 13101hectares of paddy-fields in Jaffna peninsula and 9611hectares have already been cultivated. The officials further said that the farmers had been provide the security, freedom as well as more..

Aug 17 (AT) The Government has accelerated the project of water supply to the Jaffna peninsula under the Uthuru Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) program, the Northern Province Governor’s secretariat announces. Senior Advisor to the President, Basil Rajapaksa, supervises the project while the Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda, Northern Province Governor Major General G.A.Chandrasiri and many other government officials directly involve in the process. more..

Aug 17 (Hindu) The Sri Lankan government has sought to put at rest doubts in some quarters in general and a section of the Indian establishment in particular on the latest agreement between Sri Lanka and Chinese Exim Bank for development of the Hambantota Port. Ports Minister Chamal Rajpaksa said on Sunday: “We have been following the debate on the Chinese investment on the Hambantota Port project. more..

Aug 17 (BBC) Politicians from the ruling and opposition parties have supported calls by residents in Angulana for tough punishments for police officers accused of killing two youths. Mourners gathered to pay last respect for Dinesh Tharanga Fernando and Dhanushaka Udaya Aponsu killed in custody last week called on the police chief to impose death penalty on those found guilty of the murders. more..

Aug 17 (PTI) Tears rolled down the cheeks of family members of 110 former LTTE child soldiers when they met their teenage children, who were carrying arms and guns just four months back, for the first time after the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka. The children, who were brought to the centre after being caught by the Sri Lankan forces in the last phase of the 30-year-old civil war, are being rehabilitated at the Child Soldiers Rehabilitation Camp in Ambespussa, more..

Aug 17 (BBC) Over 100,000 Roman Catholics in Sri Lanka have visited the Our Lady of Madhu shrine in a former Tamil Tiger-controlled area to celebrate the 15 August feast day. But Catholic bishops have criticised the continued detention of nearly 300,000 Tamil war refugees in camps nearby. Charles Haviland reports from the Madhu shrine. more..

Aug 17 (NZH) Tillekaratne Dilshan vows to replicate the deeds of unconventional opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag in New Zealand last summer when Sri Lanka start their quest for back-to-back test cricket series victories tomorrow. The languid West Indian captain and fearless Indian slugger successfully took the gloss of the new ball during boundary-laden campaigns either side of Christmas. more..

Aug 17 (EI) Fifty former armymen belonging to Pune-based Horizon Group left for Sri Lanka early this month to clear landmines there. It's not the first time the Horizon Group, founded by Maj General (retd) Shashikant Pitre, comprising ex-servicemen are on landmine deactivating mission in Sri Lanka. They have been doing it since 2003, but the current projects has a new edge, as, for the first time, more..

Aug 17 (LBO) An official core-inflation index for Sri Lanka may have understated underlying price pressures in 2008, but there is wide disagreement among proponents of core measures about their calculation and usefulness, a new International Monetary Fund study has said. Core inflation measures have long been derided by critics as a useful cover-up for money printing and inflation generating activities of paper fiat money central banks. more..

Aug 17 (LBO) Sri Lanka known as a manufacturing hub for leading international brands and a commodity producer should develop a strategy to build its own brands to earn more and cope with rising costs, a marketing expert said. "The predicament of the third world is we don’t have brands," said. Uditha Liyanage, head of Sri Lanka's postgraduate institute of management said "If you develop robust brands you have a good thing going. Brands develop value and brands create wealth." more..

Aug 17 (National) The ruling UPFA may claim it won a crucial election in the minority Tamil-dominated town of Jaffna, but frustrated residents say the government is far from being able to provide peace with dignity. “It is a long way before people will get their freedom and peace. We want to be treated with dignity, not live like second-class citizens,” said a retired lawyer who, like many others who spoke to The National, did not want to be named. more..

Aug 17 (GDI) Political parties are now putting the final touches to their nomination lists for the southern provincial council polls. General Secretary of the UPFA Minister Susil Premajayantha said they have already completed the final draft of their nomination lists. Several political parties will a contest the election under the UPFA ticket. The United National Party is to prepare its nomination lists in the coming few days. more..

Aug 17 (GDI) The Year Five Scholarship Examination will begin on Sunday (23) All actions for the exam have already been finalized, the Department of Examination said. The Commissioner General requests the parents to create conducive environment for the children to sit for the exam. He appealed to the parents not to force the children but to let them to answer the question papers in a free mind. more..

Aug 17 (GDI) The provision for the supply of water in the North has been speeded up under the 'Northern Spring' programme of the government. Governor, Northern Province, Major General GA Chandrasiri who toured the Karaveddy water supply scheme with minister Douglas Devananda instructed that the water supply schemes ne expedited early. The government incurs a cost of Rs.2.5 million on the Karaveddy water supply scheme and more..

Aug 17 (GDI) Rubber exports this month fetched a higher price in the international market. It is the highest since December last year, claimed Plantation Industries ministry sources. Sheet rubber has increased from Rs. 125 to Rs. 225 per kilo while crepe rubber has increased from Rs. 225 to Rs. 229 per kilo. This is an overall price increase of nearly 30 percent. 97,375 kg crepe and 30,565 kg of sheet rubber were offered for sale at yesterday’s auctions. more..

Aug 17 (TN) Noting several trends in Sri Lanka point to "early steps in [reaching for] totality of power," Prof Kumar David in a column in the weekend edition of "The Island" asserts that the cultural control exercised by the current Rajapakse regime are no different to those of "the Mullahs of Teheran and the iconoclastic Taliban fundamentalists." Prof. David summarizes the views of six lawyers expressed at a Lawyers’ Press Conference more..

Aug 17 (LG) KC Kamalasabayson, PC, was the Attorney General of Sri Lanka from 15th October 1999 to the 7th of April 2007. As compared to several Attorney Generals before him, beginning particularly with Sunil Silva, and those who followed, KC Kamalasabayson is remembered as a relatively more politically neutral person, who attempted to keep a fine balance in a situation where rule of law and the legal institutions were much under threat. more..

Aug 17 (LG) Minister Dulles Alahapperuma’s needs commendation for public lamentation over the massive drift/loss in the UNP vote-share in the three years since the presidential polls of 2005. It is long since any politician or political analyst has put the successive electoral defeats of the GoP of the island-nation in perspective. Translated, it could mean that the SLFP leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been able to make deep inroads into both the traditional and shifting vote-banks of the UNP. more..

Aug 17 (TC) Q: When asked 2 1/2 months ago about Sri Lankan government’s efforts to implement a political solution, you said: Which government could be accused of non-implementation a mere 10 days after the end of a 30-year-war? What is your position now? A: At the very outset let me say that the views I express here are strictly my personal opinion. more..

Aug 17 (LNP) Because of the obnoxious and degrading conduct of the incumbents of the Bishop palace of Mannar during the concluding sessions of the Maradhu Madu feast, all the media personnel who went there to cover the proceedings were refused entry and obstructed from fulfilling their assignments. The conduct of the Priests was so insolent that even the official media personnel who were to cover the most Rev. Malcolm Ranjith's discourse was also obstructed. more..

Aug 17 (LP) Dheemathi Periyapperuma, Assistant Superintendent of Police ,recently addressing a crowd of a leading Girl’s school in Nugegoda said that there is a mass racket to trap innocent girls by organizing beauty pageants. These racketeers are holding these kinds of pageants promising various opportunities to win a title and grab them. Ultimately the organizers abuse them to create pornographic photographs, films etc. more..

Aug 17 (LP) New authorities have taken over the Sigiriya Rock Fortress from this month says reports. Wasps have taken control of the fortress and started its attacks on Sigiriya viewers. The very recent attack by wasps on the 15th left over 48 spectators with injuries. Wasps struck once again yesterday (16) injuring 08 locals and foreigners. It is reported that their condition is not serious. more..

Aug 17 (LP) President Mahinda Rajapaksa participated 3rd remembrance arms giving of the MP and Former Minister of UNP Government Late Mr. Alic Aluwihare at his Matale resident on 16th. UNP Deputy Leader Mr. Karu Jayasooriya, MP’s of the opposition Mr. S. B. Disanayake, Thissa Aththanayake, Mrs. Renuka Herath, Mrs. Amara Piyaseeli, Matale District Organizer SLFP Mr. Laxman Perera, wife of late Mr. Aluwihare, more..

Aug 17 (LT) 28 Members of the Western Provincial Council led by the Leader of the Opposition of WPC Rosy Senanayake arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday after a nine day tour in China. Members of the UPFA and the UNP in WPC participated in the tour labeled ‘Educational tour of China.’ In addition two officials of the WPC too have participated in the tour. more..

Aug 17 (LP) President Mahinda Rajapksa paid last respect to late Mr.Shyamlal Rajapaksa at his Colombo residence,Beloved Husband of Mrs.Prashanthi Rajapaksa.son of former minister of Fisheries and Health the late Mr.Georg Rajapaksa and Mrs. Lalitha Rajapaksa Brother of MP for Hambantota District Mrs.Nirupama Rajapksa, Expired while serving as a Prosecutor in the United Nations war crimes Tribunal in Tanzania. more..

Aug 17 (LT) Several areas in Ratnapura and Kalutara have gone under water due to heavy rains experienced in these areas during the past few days. 280 houses are under water at Palinda Nuwara. Two spillway gates of the Kukuleganga reservoir had to be opened due to the prevailing situation and a boat service is being operated for the use of students sitting the G.C.E. A/L examination.

Aug 17 (LNW) A senior officer at the Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) told Lanka News Web that the Defence Ministry has given permission to investigate into the Malaysian telecommunications company, Maxis Malaysia, which owns 49% of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) shares and the suspicious political links of the company’s two local representatives. The investigation it is learnt was launched following information received by more..

Aug 17 (LNW) Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has launched a secret operation to make the SLFP Kamburupitiya organizer in the Matara District, Chandima Rasaputhra, the next Chief Minister of the Southern Province. A special discussion on the matter was held on Thursday (13) at the Eco Village in Lenabatuwa, Kamburupitiya. Rasaputhra had attended the meeting Alahapperuma. more..

Aug 17 (LNW) Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has complained to several senior ministers that he was sometimes helpless and unable to answer some questions posed to him by the media at the weekly cabinet press briefing. Yapa had said that due to the undisciplined and atrocious actions of ministers, organizers, party politicians at lower levels, senior police officers and public officials he was helpless in front of the media. more..

Aug 17 (LNW) A senior Justice Ministry official told Lanka News Web that an inquiry has commenced into complaints received by the Ministry about former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, during his tenure in the post, passing judgments favorable to some private media institutions when such cases were taken by him due to a conflict of interest. Silva at the time was and still remains in the board of directors of the Buddhist Broadcasting Service Guarantee Limited, more..

Aug 17 (LNW) Presidential Advisor Vasudeva Nanayakkara had in writing told Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma that although the contents of the story written under the title “The Wanni camps are a hell hole” in the Ravaya newspaper, he did not make such a comment. According to Nanayakkara, the statement in the headline was made by the editors of the newspaper. more..

Aug 17 (LBO) Sri Lanka is seeking to encourage local businessmen to venture overseas by establishing clear rules and reducing red tape, especially for capital outflows, seen as a key impediment, a senior official said. Kanchana Ratwatte, the new chairman of the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA), said a growing number of Sri Lankan businesses were looking to invest abroad, having acquired the capital and expertise in manufacturing and marketing. more..

Aug 17 (CT) The bodies of two men have been found from a marshland at Siyambalape in Delgoda. According to Biyagama Police, the bodies were discovered around 2.30 this afternoon (Aug. 16) following a tip-off by area residents. It is believed the two bodies had been there for some days. Meanwhile, the bodies of two Tamil girls found from a canal in Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo were handed over to their relatives today. more..

Aug 17 (LeN) A complaint has been lodged with the Police CID, by most Rev. Malcolm Peiris that 400 acres of land belonging to the Roman Catholic church in Puttalam had been sold by a Govt. henchman on forged deeds. Asoka Karunaratne, the culprit, based on the complaint is now wanted by the CID for arrest. Asoka is a prominent Sri Lankan, functioning as a Director of the residents organization, and a Chief secretary of the Trincomalee Sinhala Organization. more..

Aug 17 (LeN) Founder of the PAFFREL Organization, Kingsley Rodrigo passed away today (16 Jul). Kingsley Rodrigo arranged international and local monitors for the campaign for Free and Fair election in the country. Before becoming a Social worker, he was a businessman and a leading marketing expert. Late Mr. Rodrigo was an old boy of Ananda College and a graduate. Mr. Rodrigo who was ailing for the last six months before his demise. more..

Aug 17 (BBC) Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis will join Hampshire as their overseas player for the 2010 season. The 24-year-old, who has taken 39 wickets in just eight Test matches since making his debut last year, will replace Pakistani spinner Imran Tahir. Chairman Rod Bransgrove said: "Mendis is the most exciting new bowler to explode onto the world stage since Shane Warne. more..

Aug 17 (LNP) Emboldened by its spectacular victory in Uva, the government seems to have taken the Southern Provincial Council polls for granted it is already readying for a snap presidential election to be held in December or early next year followed by parliamentary polls in quick succession. The government could not have thought of a better strategy! It is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who has been winning elections for the UPFA and there is hardly any need for him to launch a separate presidential election campaign. more..

Aug 17 (DN) Anti-trafficking detection cells to nab possible human traffickers and identify their victims are to be set up at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) as a part of a series of measures adopted to combat the scourge of modern day slavery in Sri Lanka. These cells are to be manned by highly trained immigration and law enforcement officials. Identified victims are to be given shelter and assistance while traffickers would be reffered to law enforcement officials. more..

Aug 17 (DN) Plans are under way to set up a sanctuary for butterflies close to the Ritigala forest reserve, Minister Patali Champilka Ranawaka said. "The preservation and conservation of the country's natural resources including the flora and fauna and wildlife is one of the most important things we could do for the future generations," he said at the inauguration of the construction work of wild elephants' transit camp, in the forest reserves at Ritigala in Anuradhapura district more..

Aug 17 (DN) The mother of a prematurely born baby who allegedly attempted to poison the infant was arrested by police at the Kandy General Hospital and produced before the Kandy Magistrate and remanded last Friday. According to the Kandy Police, the suspect was admitted to the Kandy hospital where the baby was delivered prematurely and was warded in the special ward for premature babies. more..

Aug 17 (DN) The invention of modern technologies has changed many things in the world significantly. Among many technologies that have emerged, the position occupied by the Internet is unmatched. The century’s wonder tool INTERNET has the ability to change everything it touches, similar to how telephone has revolutionized the world in the last century. Keeping this in mind let’s look how Internet is going to change our way of commuting in the future. more..

Aug 17 (MoD) The International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank will provide concessionary additional credit of Rs. 2,760 million (US$ 24 million) for Health Sector Development Project (HSDP) with particular emphasis on the special health needs in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Rs. 1,380 million has been allocated for the Northern and Eastern Provinces and Rs. 1,265 million has been allocated for other provinces. more..

Aug 17 (Island) Dismissing UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s criticism that nearly 280,000 displaced persons had been held at camps in the Vavuniya region against their wish, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa accused the Opposition of playing politics with essentially a security issue. The Defence Secretary warned that LTTE terrorists masquerading as civilians, now taking refuge among the displaced, more..

Aug 17 (Island) Proposed Economic Centre at Boosa located adjacent to the Timber Corporation had been neglected for over six years. Construction work was over but the facility was yet to be opened, residents of the area told The Island. A spokesman for residents Amarajeewa Rajakaruna told The Island that the foundation stone for the building had been laid on July 3, 2003 by the then Deputy Minister of Finance Bandula Gunawardena under the UNF government. more..

Aug 17 (Island) Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardana has accepted a challenge by the Kandy District UNP MP, Lakshman Kiriella for a public debate on the IMF loan granted to Sri Lanka recently. Minister Bandula Gunawardana while acknowledging challenge has requested the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavani Corporation Dr. Ariyaratne Athugala to allocate an early date and time for the debate. more..

Aug 17 (Island) The breakdown of a machine used for heart surgeries at the National Hospital has caused the Health Ministry to dole out money to heart patients to receive surgical care at the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, doctors say. The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has requested the health Ministry to have the defective equipment either repaired or replaced without causing further hardships to patients. more..

Aug 17 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo Rev. Malcolm Ranjith said on Saturday all religions including Buddhism should be used to bring about peace in the nation rather than using them as political tools. “Many are using religion as a political tool to seek power but it should be used to bring people together,” he said, during his sermon at the annual feast of Our Lady of Madhu, which was held on a grand scale after 30 yeas with the participation of over 500,000 people. more..

Aug 17 (PSM) Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and the board of ministers have reportedly sent a petition to President Mahinda Rajapaksa asking for the removal of Eastern Province Governor Mohan Wijewickrama. few weeks ago Provincial Minister of Health MLAM. Hisbullah lashed out at the governor for his interferance in the EPC at macro level more..

Aug 17 (DM) Teacher trade unions yesterday charged that education authorities were still to take disciplinary action against officials responsible for the muddle in the provincial mid year term test-papers. The unions said the test papers consisted of factual errors, spelling mistakes and misprints with even obscene words having crept into some of the test papers. They said most of the errors were reported from the North Central Province and this had inconvenienced teachers and students. more..