Nov 24 (G&M) More traces of explosives have been found on the migrant ship that brought 76 Sri Lankan Tamil men to Canada last month. The explosive RDX – also known as cyclonite hexogen – is used to make plastic high explosives, mainly for the military. The explosives residue was discovered in three separate parts of the Princess Easwary, which was intercepted off the coast of Vancouver Island on Oct. 17. more..

Nov 24 (LG) The forthcoming elections are predicted to be closely contested ones. Much of the keenness surrounds the possible candidacy of former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka as a common candidate of the opposition parties. At previous elections when the cosmopolitan and pro-minority UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe spearheaded the opposition’s election campaigns, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his allies were more..

Nov 24 (LG) Gerald became a friend of mine through unfortunate circumstances. He was the victim of torture at the hands of an Assistant Superintendent of Police and a group of policemen attached to the Wattala police station. Further misfortune was to follow. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, presided over by late Justice Mark Fernando, granted him all the relief that he claimed by holding against all police officers and awarding a recorded sum as compensation in a fundamental rights case. more..

Nov 24 (LG) Sri Lanka is strategically situated geographically, as it is set off the South – east cost of India and the Palk Striait, and the Gulf of Mannar, which separates the country from India. The country is also ideally located to the Far East and Europe and its natural assets, namely its location, as it is in the high way of air and sea traffic, the Trincomalee harbour and natural resources, such as titanium, and the possibility oil, more..

Nov 24 (CI) Muttiah Muralitharan may have played one of his most forgettable Tests in Ahmedabad last week but he isn't "struggling", his captain has said. Kumar Sangakkara did, however, concede that it was "unusual" for Murali to have gone wicketless in India's second innings, the first time in his career when he's bowled at least 20 overs. "Murali is not struggling. He is just finding himself again in a new way. I'm a very strong believer he is our match-winner still," more..

Nov 24 (OD) The news that the Government of Sri Lanka is to close the internment camps where thousands of Tamils were illegally detained, following the end of the country’s civil war against the Tamil Tiger rebels six months ago, is testimony to the effect of international pressure. The European Union backed the call by Judge Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for an independent, international investigation of war crimes allegations. more..

Nov 24 (CT) Britain has commended as "a major relief" the Sri Lankan government decision to allow freedom of movement for war-displaced Tamils living in welfare camps in the north. The government has announced that the people living in the camps will be allowed greater freedom from December 01 this year. Welcoming the move, international development minister Michael Foster said humanitarian agencies must now be allowed to assist those who have been resettled. more..

Nov 24 (AP) The U.N. humanitarian chief on Monday called Sri Lanka's decision to release Tamil refugees confined to government camps since the end of the country's 25-year civil war "good news" but said the United Nations is concerned about how they are being returned home. John Holmes, who just returned from Sri Lanka, said the U.N. would have liked and still wants more consultation with the detainees and more..

Nov 24 (GDI) Tamil parliamentarians are satisfied over the programme mooted by the Government on behalf of the civilians liberated from the grip of the LTTE terrorists. Parliamentarian K. Thangeshwari said they were confident that the President could meet the aspirations of the Tamil Polity. They appreciated the initiatives taken by Basil Rajapaksa to increase the allowance two-fold given to the inmates of welfare villages and grant them freedom of movement. more..

Nov 24 (GDI) Two new Ambassadors and two High Commissioners have presented their credentials to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. They are from Kuwait, Canada, Germany and India. They presented their credentials to President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday. The event took place at the Presidential Secretariat. They were conducted to the venue in horse carriages. The newly appointed Ambassador from Kuwait presented his credentials to the President. more..

Nov 24 (GDI) Sri Lanka has bagged an award at the 16th Golden Elephant international children’s film festival held in India. The jury’s special award was presented to Somarathne Dissanayake’s “Siri Raja Siri” film. Already the film has bagged six international awards. This is also the 27th award won by Somarathne Dissanayake for his cinematic creations. Dissanayake has been in the forefront of quality films produced for attraction.

Nov 24 (GDI) The Minister of Textile Mahinda Ratnatilaka directed the Ministry officials that all local industrialists supplying school uniform material to the Education Ministry should be asked to supply their quotas to the Textile and Apparel Institute for quality testing. Accordingly, all the suppliers to ensure that school uniform materials should be supplied before that date as distribution of uniform material to schools will begin by December 15, more..

Nov 24 (GDI) Minister Lakshman Yapa Abewardena today gave the definition of 'Common Candidate' as the person who represented the people with a vision and cracked in a lighter vein that a so-called 'Common Candidate' who comes from the opposition only with the intension to defeat another could be called a 'Narrow Candidate' (Patu Apekshakaya). He described President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the 'Common Candidate' and more..

Nov 24 (GDI) The decision to hold the presidential election two years ahead of my first term was prompted by the fact that people in the North should have an unadulterated mode to exercise universal franchise which the people of North claimed deprived at the previous occasion due to the threat of LTTE terrorism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. 'I have been assigned by the people of this country to unite the nation, protect the sovereignty'; more..

Nov 24 (GDI) The Lions Club International President, Lion Eberhard J. Wirfs has welcomed the Government’s decision to grant freedom of movement to the displaced civilians in welfare villages. He was amazed over the facilities provided to such a large number and was grateful to the Sri Lankan Government for giving the civilians in the welfare camps and those who had been resettled, an opportunity to lead happy lives. more..

Nov 24 (LBO) Vehicle imports to Sri Lanka in August 2009, measured by the total number of new registration of motor vehicles, fell 22.2 percent to 16,293 from a year ago, latest official data showed. In the eight months to August total vehicle imports were down 31.2 percent to 124,822 compared with the same period in 2008, according to central bank statistics. In August 2009, the number of buses imported fell 24.5 percent to 80, cars fell 66.8 percent to 423 and trucks and more..

Nov 24 (MoD) The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) was announced the champions of the fifth Defence Services Games that concluded this evening (23 November 2009) at the Sugathadasa Stadium. The SLAF managed to secure the championship trophy marginally after having won equal amount of 1st place wins with the Sri Lanka Navy, but had the advantage of having two more 2nd place wins against the Navy who had nine of them. more..

Nov 24 (LP) The Government donated a sum of US $ 25,000/- as an emergency relief for the recent flood victims of the Republic of Tajikistan. The cheque for the above sum was handed over by the concurrently accredited Sri Lanka Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan, Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody, after presentation of his Credentials to Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan yesterday. more..

Nov 24 (LT) The JVP was prepared to put forward Gen. Sarath Fonseka as the common candidate at the presidential election and work for his victory said JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He said, “We told Mr. Rajapakse to implement a programme that would bestow dignity to those war heroes who laid down their lives for the victory of the Motherland, those were maimed and more..

Nov 24 (LT) Students of Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities of Rajarata University are engaged in an agitation opposite the administrative building of the university since yesterday against the failure of the authorities to pay attention and find solutions for the issues regarding hostel facilities for students. The students who had arrived with their books and clothes sat opposite the administrative building to commence their agitation. more..

Nov 24 (LT) Former Mayor of Negombo Municipality Nimal Lansa who was elected to the Western PC and has been sworn in as a Member of the PC has broken into the Municipal building, has occupied it and is using its resources by force say reports. Mr. Lansa has occupied the building and forcefully using its resources to support Mr. Mahinda Rajapaske at the presidential election say sources. more..

Nov 24 (LT) The news item appearing in today’s ‘Island’ that the JVP had agreed to handover the premiership of a caretaker government to Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is a blatant lie says JVP MP Anura Dissanayake. Speaking at a press conference held at party head office at Pelawatta today Mr. Dissanayake said his party had no dealings with the United National Front and there was no need to have any discussions with them. more..

Nov 24 (LT) According to sources there is a shortage of three important medicines at Nephrology & Renal Transplant Unit of the Teaching Hospital inKandy for the last three weeks. As a result about 800 patients who visit the unit for treatments are inconvenienced say these sources. The medicines that are not available in the unit are Cyclosporine, Celsept and Erithroproiten. more..

Nov 24 (LNP) The Health Ministry has cancelled all foreign tours of Ministry officials and government doctors with immediate effect until January 30 as a precautionary measure to prepare the country for a possible epidemic. This move was taken in the backdrop of AH1N1 influenza commonly known as Swine flue, Leptospirosis commonly known as rat fever and Dengue now spreading in the country. more..

Nov 24 (LNP) China and India are to jointly fund the extension of the Northern Railway line to Kankesanthurai, General Manager of the Railway Department P.P. Wijesekara said yesterday. The Railway Department will be laying the railway line to Omanthai, while the Indian Company will continue the work from Omanthai to Pallai and the Chinese company will be laying the track from Pallai to KKS, more..

Nov 24 (LNP) Suddenly, the executive presidency has become the biggest problem in the country! We have had that institution for about one half of the post Independence period or 31 years. There have been five executive presidents JRJ (two-time), Premadasa, Wijetunga, Kumaratunga (two-time) and Rajapaksa. The UNP held that office for 16 years and the SLFP for 15 years so far. JRJ did not create the executive presidency out of any love for the country or more..

Nov 24 (AD) When the Mavil Aru sluice gates were opened General Sarath Fonseka was not even in the country and when Prabakaran was shot dead he was in China, SLFP MP Mervyn Silva said today. He further claimed that the final hours of the war were fought by soldiers hence the credit of the war should go to the soldiers and not to Sarath Fonseka. more..

Nov 24 (CT) An LTTE member has been arrested in connection with the killing of Jaffna SP Charles Wijewardena in 1995. The suspect has been identified as K. Sathish, said Chunnakam Police which made the arrest yesterday. SP Wijewardena was brutally murdered in Jaffna four years ago. Meanwhile, police in Vavuniya arrested, together with an accomplice, an LTTE leader said to be connected to murders and bombings in Colombo and other areas. more..

Nov 24 (LeN) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunge in a letter addressed to the President Rajapakse had said that neither the govt. nor any individual has a right to attack those who visit the Bandaranaike mausoleum to pay their respects. She had urged the President to immediately institute investigations and punish the criminals who launched an attack on the group of UNP ers who visited the Mausoleum on the 13th of November. more..

Nov 24 (DN) The John Keells English for Life scholarship program was launched in Jaffna recently. This was in culmination of program launches held in ten other districts of the country, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Trincomalee and Vavuniya. Implemented through Gateway Language Centres, English for Life is designed to help youth aged between 17-25 gain practical skills in English together with more..

Nov 24 (DN) The reconstruction of the stairway from Nallathanni to Seetha Gangula on the access road to the Sri Pada Maluwa will start today under the patronage of Highways and Road Development Minister T.B. Ekanayake. A stairway with 14,000 steps to enter the Sri Pada Maluwa will be reconstructed at a cost of Rs.200 million under the Gama Neguma project on a special request by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Nov 24 (TN) Mr. Ashok K. Kantha, assumed duties on 9th November as the new Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in place of Mr. Alok Prasad who has been appointed Deputy Defence Advisor in the Indian Foreign Ministry under Chief Defence Advisor Mr. M. K. Narayanan. The new High Commissioner has been serving as the Indian High Commissioner for Malyasia from April 2007 until 2009 November more..

Nov 24 (DN) Nursing is not merely a profession but a social service too when considering the nature of it. The Daily News visited the Ampara Nursing College to witness the fruitful efforts of the Government to train beginners in nursing. The Nursing College in Ampara is considered the largest nursing college in Sri Lanka. The Nursing College in Ampara was opened at a ward in the General Hospital in Ampara with only two teachers on March 29, 2005. more..

Nov 24 (CT) An outbreak of viral fever has resulted in the closure of Sabaragamuwa University in Belihul Oya. The university will remain closed for one week period from noon today (Nov. 24), said its administration. Around 500 students are presently being treated for the illness. The administration has decided to close the university for fear that the viral fever could spread to the outside.

Nov 24 (IL) If you watched “Ragavi Ragum” last year, you would remember the graceful, alluring young dancers, the Sigiri Lalanavo, who mesmerized the audience with their lithe movements, exotic costumes, and delicate blend of classical and modern dancing. Now, in its wake comes “Ragavi Ragum II,” as the Sigiri Lalanavo add another dimension to their professional dancing skills. more..

Nov 24 (UNP) The unions of the Ceylon Railways under Dallas Alahaperuma the Minister of Transport are to stage a massive protest against the colossal frauds and corruption running into billions raging in the Railways. The Secretary of the Union said they had already informed the Bribery and corruption commissioner with details two months ago, without avail. The Railway employees are to stage a demonstration tomorrow in front of more..

Nov 24 (LP) It is now confirmed that Sri Lanka's former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka will contest the Presidential anticipated to be held in January. He has got the obstacles cleared to be the opposition common candidate as the major opposition United National Party (UNP) as well as the Marxist nationalist People's Liberation Front (JVP) have agreed on conditions to prop up him. more..

Nov 24 (Island) Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama said that the SLPA did not lose financially in any way. During the recent work to rule and added that port workers performed with added commitment resulting in the situation being under total control. The president of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, Udeni claimed that the SLPA suffered a loss of rupees two billion excluding more..

Nov 24 (Island) The Secretary to the Ministry of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion, Nihal Somaweera, said that measures have been taken to uplift the Kitul Producing Industry from rural to commercial industry level under the National Programme of Kitul Production Development. New Technology and marketing facilities will be introduced to the people engaged in the industry to encourage them, under this programme. more..

Nov 24 (Island) The people of Sri Lanka should move forward together as one Sri Lankan people with no further polarization based on labelling some as victors and the others as vanquished, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said, addressing the Leopard Capital Investor Forum, at Cinnamon Lakeside last week. He said: "From the perspective of a Government Minister charged with the subjects of Disaster Management and Human Rights, more..