July 24 (CI) Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has said his team are in a good position to pick up a consolation win in the three-Test series, after setting Sri Lanka a high target of 492 runs for victory in the third match at the SSC. "We are in a better position to win, compared to the other two," said Intikhab. "In the last two Tests, every time we got into winning positions, we lost while batting second. This time we are bowling second. more..

July 24 (CI) Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath is confident about his team pulling off a victory the third and final Test, provided they bat the way they did in the final two sessions of play on the fourth day at the SSC. "The pitch is spinning but not alarmingly," Herath said. "You have to treat each ball on its merits. There is a little extra bounce at the press box end, otherwise there is no danger. more..

July 24 (LG) "Dayan Jayatileke , the country representative at the United Nations (UN) well known for his integrity and patriotic fervor at all times , and who has on several occasions been responsible for stemming many a tide that turned against SL at the UN, was stripped of his post unceremoniously due to pressure allegedly brought to bear on the Govt. by Israel, more..

July 24 (Telegraph) Expatriates who funded and supported the LTTE, who were defeated militarity in May, have formed a new umbrella group to keep the self-rule campaign alive. The remaining senior figures in the LTTE have now elected a new leader, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, following the battlefield death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, and said it had abandoned violence in favour of a peaceful campaign for an independent homeland. more..

July 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka's tea production in June 2009 fell 14 percent to 23.6 million kilos compared with the same month in 2008 mainly because of sharp falls in teas grown in high and medium elevations, brokers said. In the six months to June 2009, the crop was down 23.8 percent to 130.5 million kilos from the same period in 2008, brokers John Keells said. more..

July 24 (RHC) Indian woman Lina Desai, together with her husband Pritesh Desai, has been helping to rebuild Sri Lanka following the traumatic effects of the Asian Tsunami in 2004. Mrs Desai raised funds and founded the 'Hansa' Pre School in the Uragasmanhandiya, which is 5kms inland from Bentota in a region that was devastated by the Tsunami. Named after her late mother Mrs Hansa Patel, who was a teacher and keen enthusiast for girls education, more..

July 24 (TN) “Sri Lanka government plans to bring 80 Sinhalese officers from South to serve as Junior Polling Officers in the forthcoming Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election while there are sufficient Tamil speaking government officers in Jaffna to conduct the election; it is obvious that the government intends to win the election by rigging as it had done in the East,” Suresh Premachandran, Jaffna District TNA parliamentarian, more..

July 24 (LG) Sri Lanka earned high praise from the chair at the retreat of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) for its positive contributions on the fight against terrorism. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya who chaired the concluding session yesterday at the 16th ARF Conference in Phuket, Thailand extended high praise to Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama for his remarks that more..

July 24 (CT) More than 300,000 Sri Lankans have migrated to Tamil Nadu as refugees in four phases in the past 26 years, the Indian government has said. State minister of home affairs Ajay Maken has told Indian Parliament that 134,000 of them had arrived between July 1983 and December 1987. This was followed by the migration of 122,000 others between July 1989 and April 1991. The influx of migrants was 22,418 during the third phase between July 1996 and August 2003, he said. more..

July 24 (LG) As far as the now defunct LTTE is concerned we are dealing with two fundamental issues here. Firstly the LTTE were victoriously militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May leading to the death of their leader Prabhakaran which was much to the relief and joy of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora who are now experiencing the euphoria and meaning of true liberation from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers after nearly 3 decades. more..

July 24 (AT) The controversial 13th Amendment to the Constitution takes the mind back to our school days over 45 years ago. During history lessons we were taught four factors that impacted our country’s history due to its geographical location. They were (1) Sri Lanka being in the middle of the Indian Ocean (2) Sri Lanka being just next to India (3) yet separated from India and (4) being far away from all other Indian Ocean countries except India. more..

July 24 (CT) Minister of justice and judicial reforms Milinda Moragoda has appointed a special advisory panel of 30 leading Buddhist monks for his ministry. Representing all three Buddhist Nikayas, these prelates will advice as per the Buddhist philosophy to the ministry in performing its responsibilities. They include Ven. Niyangoda Vijitha, Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa, Ven. Valeboda Gunasiri, Ven. Ittepane Dhammalankara, more..

July 24 (TI) The Father of India’s Green Revolution has a Lankan baby to nurture. India is finalising a plan to help revive farming in Sri Lanka’s war-ravaged north, under the guidance of eminent agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan. The “farming diplomacy”, as some in the diplomatic community are calling it, is part of New Delhi’s commitment to rehabilitate the Tamil-majority region after over two decades of civil war. more..

July 24 (AT) Pro-LTTE Tamil film director Seeman on Thursday warned renowned agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan against helping the Sri Lankan Government revive agriculture in the war-torn northern region. Talking to reporters here, Mr Seeman referred to reports that Dr Swaminathan, author of the green revolution in India, had been detailed by the Rajapakse administration to help implement its Vadakke Vasantham( Spring in the North) project involving more..

July 24 (AT) The Foreign Ministry has decided to close Swedish Embassy in Colombo. This decision was made by the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, after Government’s review of development cooperation in 2007, to end Sweden’s bilateral development assistance to Sri Lanka. The Foreign Ministry also decided to close its four Consulate General’s offices in Kaliningrad, Canton, Los Angeles and New York. more..

July 24 (USAID) Traditional rice paddy farmers like P.G. Dayananda are embracing modern agricultural practices and improving their incomes by expanding to a cash crop with high demand: pickles. USAID, in partnership with the Sri Lankan agricultural manufacturer Hayleys Group, is helping Tamil, Muslim, and Sinhalese rice farmers to increase their incomes and communities to begin working together after years of conflict. more..

July 24 (IL) A group of 30 Sri Lankan high school students visited the Embassy of Sri Lanka last week. They met with the Embassy staff and posed questions about issues such as the recent victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, internally displaced persons and Sri Lanka’s relations with the United States. Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya informed the student how the Embassy works and what his duties are in Washington. more..

July 24 (GV) ‘About 2000 years ago the Sinhala people started facing the dreadful enemy invasions and threats from diverse communities living in the Indian subcontinent,’ according to extremist politician Cyril Mathew and his associates in a book published thirty years ago, Diabolical Conspiracy. The fact that Sinhalese too originated from the Indian subcontinent, and that rival kingdoms in South Asia often cooperated as well as occasionally clashing, was conveniently bypassed. more..

July 24 (LG) Constitution of the BASL is clear on the objectives as an independent professional body which is the most powerful professional organization in the country. Judiciary consist only of lawyers - the Head of the official Bar is the Attorney General and the Private Bar has only one organization statutorily recognized which is accepted by the Executive and the Judiciary which of course is the BASL. more..

July 24 (LG) There are two main access roads from Aluthgama to Matugama. Besides these two roads there is yet another road through Kalawila-Navathtuduwa. As this road was poorly maintained it was seldom used by vehicular traffic. There were also a few houses distantly placed between one another. On May 16, 1966, Saturday some schoolchildren were to go on a picnic. A few of them left their houses around 6.00 a.m. to go to their school where a private bus was waiting for them. more..

July 24 (LG) Why would senior administrators who are the best products of our system, spend their valuable time and energy, all the man/woman hours spent, attending to what otherwise would be considered detailed, mundane affairs in trying to punish a few people? I would suggest that it is because attending to these must have an enormous significance for them. All this is done in the name of a worthy cause from their own perspective to which they have committed themselves. more..

July 24 (GDI) The Government has initiated diplomatic talks to explore the possibility of increasing the volume of tea exports with several countries that has a higher demand for Sri Lankan tea, Minister of Plantation Industries, D.M. Jayarathne said. “Discussions have already been mooted with several countries with the objective of opening new vistas for our tea exporters in the international market,” more..

July 24 (GDI) Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake said Sri Lanka will possess one of the strong agricultural economies in the world as a result of the government’s successful agricultural programmes. The government has already taken initiatives to develop the agricultural sector in the northern and eastern provinces. An increased agricultural production is expected from these areas in the near future. more..

July 24 (CT) Four more patients suffering from novel influenza or H1N1 virus have been found in Sri Lanka, reports say. Among them are two Indonesian nationals currently being treated at IDH Hospital. The others are two Sri Lankans returnees from the Middle East and the Maldives recently. So far, 48 H1N1 patients have been found in Sri Lanka and eight of them are currently being treated at IDH Hospital.

July 24 (GDI) The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), proudly heralds its 24th annual exhibition which is to be held at the BMICH, from 09th to 11th October. This prestigious “Techno 2009” exhibition which marks the flagship event in the IESL calendar, will seek to unleash and elicit multi-faceted disciplines, talents and skills in the spheres of engineering. more..

July 24 (GDI) The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 international Standard Based Quality Management Status in May 2009, covering the full operation of the organization. The ISO 9001:2000 certification applies to the BOI Head office and all the Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks. This prestigious award means that the BOI is now the first public sector Institution to achieve ISO 9001:2000 more..

July 24 (GDI) Sri Lanka Telecom, the nation’s number one integrated communication service provider has entered into partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology to provide a total communications solution package to the Ministry and other relevant institutes under its purview like Technology Institutes, Research and Development Centres as well as island wide ‘Vidatha Resource Centres’. more..

July 24 (LG) Upon reading the July 10th interview by Jyoti Thottam with you for the Time Magazine captioned “The Man Who Tamed the Tamil Tigers”, I am appalled as are rest of the majority of the Tamils prompting me to write this open letter to you through the traditional and electronic media. Thank God for free media elsewhere in the civilised world so that your views as well as mine could be aired to the world! more..

July 24 (LG) Revelations about the National Integration Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan nom de guerre Col Karuna following the publication of the brief of his wife’s interview and the background story surrounding his visit to Geneva in the Sri Lanka Guardian received the expected violent response from the Minister. Our correspondent in Zurich who undertook the interview with Karuna’s wife more..

July 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka's software industry said a survey of export earnings indicates it had grown rapidly in a short period and had high levels of revenue per employee and return on capital employed. The Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies said the IT/BPO (information technology/business process outsourcing) industry has significant potential to drive regional development as it moves to regional centres. more..

July 24 (LT) The government’s decision to ignore the issue of the 1700 graduates of the Eastern Province who are engaged in a hunger strike for 22 days in Batticaloa town is a serious matter said JVP MP Anura Dissnayake. He demanded that the government immediately mediates to sort out the problems of the Graduates of the Eastern Province who are not demanding a separate country but a job which suits their qualification. more..

July 24 (LT) The students who visit the Parliament would be given a glass of milk says Speaker W.G.M. Lokubandara. Speaking in Parliament the Speaker said already discussions have been held with two milk producing firms. He said as no funds have been allocated for such a venture he had discussions with Minister of Education Susil Premajayanthe regarding such a project. more..

July 24 (LT) Fourteen containers containing substandard and outdated drugs stored at the stores complex of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation at Ratmalana are to be destroyed states All Ceylon Health Services Union (ACHSU). The stock of drugs is said to be worth more than Rs.500 million. As there is a large commission racket behind importing substandard drugs no action would be taken against the companies that supplied these substandard and outdated drugs more..

July 24 (DN) Agriculture is the most important sector of the Sri Lankan economy. Even though its contribution to the gross domestic product declined substantially during the past 3 decades, it is the most important source of employment for the majority of the Sri Lankan workforce. Agriculture in Sri Lanka mainly depends on rice production. Its main goal is to achieve an equitable and sustainable agricultural development through development and dissemination of improved agriculture technology. more..

July 24 (UNP) UNP M.P. Lakshman Seneviratne said, the Govt. which is so bankrupt of pledges for the forthcoming Uva PC elections , has sent application forms to the 75 year old voters offering them trainee Beautician posts after the elections. The Govt. has to stoop to this type of election promises because it knows, it has not been able to honor its previous election promises. more..

July 24 (LNW) A senior CID officer told Lanka News Web that SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera was summoned to the CID to record a statement on a compliant made by UNP parliamentarian Johnston Fernando and a statement made by SLFP (M) Wing Secretary, Tiran Alles. The senior CID officers had cordially welcomed Samaraweera, who had arrived at the CID around 10.30 a.m. more..

July 24 (UNP) Minister of Agriculture, Hema Kumara Nanayakkara revealed the colossal sums of money spent on Govt.’s agricultural programs launched under high flying names. A sum of Rs. 2.5 million was spent by the Govt. just for the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Api wawamu rata nagamu’ held in Maharagamain 2007. Another Rs. 3.9 million was expended on the ‘Govijana Udana’ Exhibition held in Galle in 2008. more..

July 24 (AHRC) Four pairs of eyes belonging to four siblings, the eldest of whom was fifteen, were fixed upon a scene happening on the morning of the 22nd of July at Beligahahandiya in Galle. What they saw in that moment will remain fixed in their minds for the rest of their lives, more than anything else they had seen so far or will see any time in the future. Their father, who was taking them to school in his car, had stopped at the junction to buy breakfast for them. more..

July 24 (LP) Police Department steps into safeguard and warn the Public of racketeers who in the guise of lending a hand may cheat the Public on acquiring money ,property or vehicles, swaying from the conventional strategies of crime control. These racketeers mainly use tactics to persuade the public in want of some redress to part with their money movable and immovable Property. Well planned crimes are house breaking, looting. Highway robbery, murder and rape or physical harm. more..

July 24 (LP) E. Chandula Padmasiri, a student of Ananda College, Colombo has won the 3rd position at an Intel International Science & Engineering exhibition held in USA recently. Padmasiri won this award in the Electric and Mechanical Engineering Distinction Stream for his innovation – a “Mobile Phone associated Microscope among other competitors from 50 countries. more..

July 24 (LP) Using technologies alone will not help to control mosquitoes, prevention of opportunities for mosquito breeding is rather important as 90 per cent of mosquitoes that transmit dengue, breed in clean water collected in tins, bottles, plastic containers, coconut shells, rubber tyres, gutters etc. as such it is the people who are responsible for creating such mosquito breeding places, Minister of Science & Technology, Professor Tissa Vitarana said more..

July 24 (DN) Chief Government whip Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has no right to exert undue pressure on a Government Minister in getting a reply to a question asked by a member. In addition to the statement made by the UNP in parliament on Tuesday regarding a news item carried by the Defence Ministry website, more..

July 24 (AT) The Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora has united to form a Global Tamil Forum (GTF) to fight for the “Tamil people’s right to self-determination and democratic self-rule in their traditional homeland in the country”. A press release says the forum, represented by Tamil organizations from all five continents, including the United States Tamil Political Action Council, will evolve as an independent, international organization which adheres to more..

July 24 (Times) The International Monetary Fund is set today to approve a loan of $2.5 billion to help Sri Lanka to rebuild its economy and rehabilitate its infrastructure after 26 years of civil war with ethnic Tamil rebels. The proposal has already been described as “a reward for bad behaviour” by Human Rights Watch, which has accused the Sri Lankan Army of shelling densely populated civilian areas in the final offensive against the rebels in May, more..

July 24 (LP) Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development for the procurement of an interest free loan of Rs. 50 million from the General Treasury to increase the production in paper mills at Valachchena and Embilipitiya of National Paper Company Limited. more..

July 24 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa made an inspection visit to the site of the Upper Kotmale Hydro Power project this morning (24). President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take necessary steps to complete the project on schedule or to expedite the construction work to complete the work prior to schedule. The project was launched in 2006 and is estimated to cost USD 950 million. Construction is due to be completed by 2011. more..

July 24 (BA) Sri Lanka’s soon-to-be-ex-Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva took time off from his busy schedule of sipping martinis, getting up the Americans’ noses, and fighting on the Western Front, to have a little chat with us. This is his first interview since the Foreign Ministry announced that he has been recalled from Geneva, effective August 20th. more..

July 24 (CT) A fundamental rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the detention of a war-displaced family in a welfare camp. A relative of four members of the same family at Weerapuram welfare camp in Vavuniya filed the case yesterday. The petition cites the officer in charge of the welfare camp and eight others as respondents. It notes that one of the women members of the family is suffering from a serious illness and more..

July 24 (CT) UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara has been summoned to the CID on July 27 to give a statement. The parliamentarian told 'Colombo Today' that the director of the CID had telephoned him last night and asked him to call over at the CID headquarters today. Mr. Range Bandara said that since he had official commitments for today and in the weekend, he got the appointment changed to 12.30 pm on July 27. more..

July 24 (DN) State Revenue and Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told Parliament yesterday that the unemployment rate of Sri Lanka has come down to 5.2 percent in 2008 from 16 percent in 1990 in spite of the challenges posed by the global economic recession and the North-East war. “The country is currently going ahead in achieving development goals gradually after the consolidation of national security”, the Minister said. more..