Sep 21 (GDI) Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake who will lead the Sri Lankan delegation to the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York is scheduled to have a meet with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. The Prime Minister is due to address the Assembly on September 26 on " Strenghtening of Multilateralism and Dialogue among Civilisations for International Peace,Security and Development". more..

Sep 21 (GDI) Massive crowds throng the Colombo International Book Fair now on at the BMICH, Colombo with over 250,000 having visited the site up to today. Book Publishers Association Secretary, Upali Wanigasuriya claimed the increase of visitors on this annual event was the interest shown towards reading by the public. "Irrespective age, they flock to the venue", Wanigasuriya noted. more..

Sep 21 (GDI) Today is International Day of Peace with much significance to Sri Lanka, a nation which enjoys total peace after crushing LTTE terrorism. It is worthy to note that the International Day of Peace was mooted by the United Nations in 1981 to commemorate and strengthen ideals of peace within and among all nations and peoples. The first Peace Day was celebrated in 1982 September where all nations rallied round to call for peace. more..

Sep 21 (TC) This article has been written in the backdrop of the ‘initial decision’ by the European Union (EU) that the Generalised System of Preference Plus (GSP+) (and its benefits) granted to Sri Lanka will be removed. The granting of GSP+ was a much lauded move on the part of the EU and brought substantial economic relief to a country in which the majority population lived and continues to live below the poverty line. more..

Sep 21 (ITS) My dear Brothers and Sisters! Let me thank the Marga Institute for giving me this opportunity to participate in this Workshop dealing with the process of post war Reconciliation and Co-existence in Sri Lanka. Emphasis has been placed by the organizers on identifying the core issues and gaps in our knowledge and understanding. The word “core” appears highly relevant to our deliberations. more..

Sep 21 (LG) Now that the military effort against the LTTE is over, most of the concern is directed to the IDP camps. Many dignitaries and concerned people have visited the IDP camps, sometimes with axes to grind, and sometimes with a genuine mission of humanitarian aid. The most recent visitors have been the English Catholic Bishops, and then we have had the United Nations Under Secretary General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe. more..

Sep 21 (LG) The government's propaganda drive, particularly in this post active fighting stage and carried out as it were, also by other covert operators in sections of the private media owned by cronies of the political leadership jostling for favours, has all the classic characteristics of typical overkill. Indeed, such insidious (in some instances) or sledgehammer (in other instances) attempts at stifling criticism have the opposite effect of more..

Sep 21 (LG) Astrologers said that as Saturn will be exalted on 9 Sep., rulers will be affected adversely while the proletarians will rejoice. Amazingly this obscurantist prediction was taken seriously by both political and business elites. They were running for safe places as directed by family astrologers. Workers sensed the fright of the bourgeoisie and gave vent to their frustrations and suffering, with demonstrations and strikes. more..

Sep 21 (LG) The most important first hand account of war crimes by Keliya Rabwelaukka and Rajiva Wijesinghe are maintaining dumb founded silence, unable to formulate their harangue they have well tuned and specialised in. the Sri Lankan forces revealed by Damilyany Gananakumar invited only little response from the Sri Lankan government. The traditional government breast beating mavericks like Dr Palitha Kohane, Anura Piriyadarsana Yapa, more..

Sep 21 (UTHR) The very fact that Rajani who died young at 35, twenty years ago, is remembered today with enthusiasm both near and far signifies an immense void she left behind, one that remains unfilled to this day. She held no high office. What she leaves behind is an undying model of womanhood characterised by youthful energy and selfless idealism for an equitable social order that transcended social and ethnic barriers. more..

Sep 21 (LP) The Galle Road from Malwatte road junction to Kawdana road junction will be closed for traffic entering and leaving Colombo and also the road between Karagampitiya junction along Hill Street and Station road junction on September 19 and 21 between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m (22nd) informed the Police headquarters Colombo. The roads are closed due to the construction work of the Dehiwala flyover bridge. more..

Sep 21 (LP) A total of 1072 Naval recruits, belonging to the 174th, 175th and 176th Regular Intakes and 2009/02 and 2009/03 Volunteer Intakes, passed out upon successful completion of their initial Naval training at the Passing Out Parade held at SLNS Shiksha in Poonewa, yesterday (20). The Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. more..

Sep 21 (Feer) People mill about an office complex in Colombo, waiting for appointments with lawyers who are crammed into small cubicles. In one corner office, mothers and grandparents, wives and siblings, stream in one by one. Sometimes they have long, convoluted stories; sometimes their stories are very simple. One woman says her son was detained in a police search and cordon operation. more..

Sep 21 (LP) Special transport facilities will be provided for those who will be attending the Army Exhibition at BMICH which is scheduled to be held from the 03rd to the 07thof October 07th and the Army Tattoo which will be held from the 17th to the 23rd of October at Kettarama Stadium. The Ministry of Transport agreed to provide transport facilities on a request made by the Sri Lanka Army. more..

Sep 21 (PSM) Top LTTE activist who was arrested recently in Colombo by well designed militiary intelligence operation was pausing as a leading Muslim businessman. "Attired in Muslim garb, he had arrived and set up residence in Colombo. He had made it a point to always carry a copy of the Muslim holy book or the Quran and had even attended prayers in mosques. He had also undergone circumcision, to ward off the ultimate suspicion", more..

Sep 21 (GV) When I took these pictures last year, I knew I was standing in front of what would be a perverse chapter in history. Then again, a few perverse chapters are what make history interesting for political scientists and historians, rather than the humanitarians and peace activists. Earlier on this year, within the space of three weeks 1400 people died in Gaza due to what could only be logically perceived as the seemingly morbid intransigence of both Hamas and the Israeli government. more..

Sep 21 (MoD) Financial contributions made by school students for the Elephant Pass Railway Station modernization project has surpassed expectations and exceeded the Rs. 10 million mark, Education Ministry sources said. The project is being implemented according to a concept of Education Minister Susil Premajayantha. Ministry hopes to re-name the railway station as 'Senehasaka Thotupala' and more..

Sep 21 (MoD) Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka who is leading the Sri Lanka delegation to the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, commencing today will address the General Assembly on September 26 regarding the "Strengthening of Multilateralism and Dialogue among Civilizations for International Peace, Security and Development." He will also meet United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. more..

Sep 21 (MoD) Thinnaveli Agriculture Research School, Jaffna is to be rebuilt and upgraded to a high level with Indian agriculture expertise and exchanging bio-technology and the other modern agricultural methods with assistance from Tamil Nadu experts, Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara said at his Ministry yesterday when he met visiting Indian agriculture experts. more..

Sep 21 (LNP) Police will launch a massive raid on internet cafes and computer centres engaged in obscene activities, Central Province Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said. The DIG said there are complaints of schoolchildren patronising these centres which provide facilities to have access pornographic web sites. `These centres have facilities to ensure privacy of individuals with enclosures. Boys and girls visit these places. more..

Sep 21 (MoD) Discontinuing the earlier practice, the Education Ministry will send school text books for 2010 to North and East by ground route on the A-9 road, Education Minister Susil Premajayanth said. Accordingly, the Education Ministry has scheduled to send 1,000,000 text books to schools in Jaffna on Wednesday 23 by lorries spending Rs.108 million. Earlier, the Education Ministry had to get the assistance of the Sri Lanka Navy for transporting text books to Jaffna spending more money. more..

Sep 21 (LNP) Chief Whip of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) Daya Gamage said 75 percent of the members who had voiced their opinion on providing jobs in the Eastern Province health sector had spoken against provincial Health Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbullah. The main opposition UNP is planning to submit a no confidence motion against Mr. Hisbullah against the severe discrepancies in giving appointments to the health sector and other acts of corruption. more..

Sep 21 (LNP) Now that Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva has retired, various views are being expressed on the role played by the Supreme Court and some of its judgments during his tenure. Opinions articulated by senior lawyers at a CEOs' forum last week on public interest litigation and judicial intervention in privatisation deals are of immense interest. Close on the heels of leading businessman Harry Jayawardena s statement at a meeting with more..

Sep 21 (DN) The recital of the 'Takbeer' heralds the end of the month of fasting in the month of Ramadan and the dawn of the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr.To the Muslim, Eid-ul-Fitr or the Ramadan festival is the day of thanksgiving and rejoicing on the successful completion of a month of fasting. The time of joy should be shared by everyone, rich and poor, and this is why we have been ordered to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before more..

Sep 21 (LT) A protest campaign organized by Students’ Action Committee of Medical Faculties against establishing private medical colleges was held by Students Union of Faculty of Medicine of Ragama opposite Colombo North Teaching Hospital. A large number of students from the faculty of Medicine at Kelaniya University participated in the campaign shouting slogans and carrying placards. The campaign was held between 12.00 noon and 1.00 p.m. more..

Sep 21 (LT) SP Dougles Peiris and four other police officers who were found guilty of abducting two brothers, residence of Kanduboda, Delgoda during the 1988-1989 period, murdering one of them and were sentenced to five year rigorous imprisonment periods by Gampaha High Court Judge Saman Wickremarachchi were given bail of Rs.1000000 each by Supreme Court Judge Nimal Nambuwasam after considering an appeal made to SC by them. more..

Sep 21 (DM) Sri Lanka’s first digital X- Ray Machine Units were opened at the Ragama Teaching Hospital and at the Chest Hospital, Welisara by Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on Friday. Digital X- Ray Machine is a high technology X- Ray system. The health ministry has spent Rs. 150 million for the two units. Many Government hospitals use old technology of the X- Ray system which produces X-Ray images with low resolution and quality. more..

Sep 21 (LT) JVP MP Chandrasiri Wijesinghe, in a letter, has asked the President to take measures to halt the violence being carried out by President's Security Division (PSD) against candidates of all political parties since the day the campaign for the Southern PC election commenced. Mr. Wijesinghe states: Since the election for the Southern PC election was announced a massive campaign of election violence has been launched in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts. more..

Sep 21 (LNP) Massive development is taking place in the South. Youth in the South will benefit from these projects in the future. We launched these road and harbour developments while facing the war in the North, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. Today, our foreign reserves have topped Rs. 4,000 million. This figure is unprecedented in history. We are trying to build a country beneficial to you and your children, he said. more..

Sep 21 (DN) A total number of 3,390,933 motor vehicles had been registered in Sri Lanka as at December 31,2008. Of this number 2,532,449 were petrol vehicles and 809,536 diesel vehicles. The number of trailers not using fuel(and electricity) was 49,008. The total number of registered petrol vehicles include motor cars (338,159), three-wheelers (378,864), motor bicycles (1,760,576), buses (2,737), dual purpose vehicles (22,212) and lorries (29,901). more..

Sep 21 (DN) An Industrial and Trade Exhibition and Fair organized by the NCP Provincial Ministry of Trade, Food, Textile Industries, Rural Development and Industries and Housing on the direction of Minister H. B. Semasinghe in keeping with the President’s program of popularising indigenous food production and consumption and with the objective of bringing provincial talent and skills into national focus is being held at the Anuradhapura Yovun Nikethanaya from September 20 to 22. more..

Sep 21 (DN) With the military victory of Armed Forces over the LTTE, the country has seen an end to a long-fought war. In my opinion, now in the absence of war, Sri Lanka faces challenges mightier than the civil war. The biggest challenge that we confront today, some might argue that it is the resettlement of internally displaced people (IDPs) or economic development, to me is the restoration of social justice to all sections of the society. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Acting on a complaint received from the mother of a student at a school in the Kandy District recently, the Wattegama police arrested a person who had allegedly run a schoolboy network to supply heroin to students. The police last Friday questioned 28 students in this connection. All of them had been involved in the supply network, the police said. The boys were from two schools aged 15 and 16 years. more..

Sep 21 (Island) The Department of Labour has initiated inquiries into reports about Sri Lankan companies that have hired Sri Lankan citizens for postings in their branches and associate offices abroad, but do not pay them their statutory dues such as EPF and ETF. It is reported that several complaints about such acts by companies have been received from Sri Lankans working abroad, or those who after leaving their employment have found to their surprise that more..

Sep 21 (Island) There are hints from the Chairman of the APRC that Village Council (Gam Sabha) System may be resurrected (The Island of 7th September 2009), and very likely, it will trigger varying public reactions. Our informal contacts for people’s reactions can be surmised to a baffling question – "will resurrecting Gam Sabha satisfy the rebels and the disgruntled who fought for dividing the country and, in the least, for greater provincial autonomy?" more..

Sep 21 (DM) An engineer of a private ship owned by LTTE’s foreign chief Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, who arrived through Bandaranaike International Airport was nabbed by State Intelligence Services (SIS) last morning. The engineer identified as Ratnasekaram, a resident of Point Pedro had been a close associate of KP and had served as the engineer of one of the private ships belonged to a fleet of ships owned by the terror leader now in military custody. more..

Sep 21 (DM) Galle district UPFA candidate for the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) Nishantha Muthuhettgama was taken into police custody again today for a number of charges, including unlawful assembly and the damaging of property. Muthuhettigama had been arrested at approximately 10.50 this morning over an incident in which he had visited the office of Anarkalli Aakarssha in Galle together with a large crowd of people and caused damage to the property. more..

Sep 21 (LT) He will be elected the chief minister of the Southern Province and then he will be the only chief minister other than Pilleyan who could shoot from both hands says UPFA candidate for Southern PC election Nishanthe Muthuhettigama. He said, “I would worship at the feet of the President or if required I’d go to Courts to get police powers to provincial councils. more..

Sep 21 (DM) National Integration Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna has escaped with minor injuries, when his vehicle and a passenger bus met with a collision at Cinnamon Gardens, in Colombo yesterday evening, an official said. A spokesperson told the Daily Mirror that the Personnel Security Officer and the driver of the Minister were also injured and admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. more..

Sep 21 (LBO) Sri Lanka's plantations industry is demanding that the government settle long-delayed tax refunds to help bear the cost of a wage hike estimated at an extra six billion rupees a year. Damitha Perera, chairman of the Planters' Association, which represents the industry, said repayment of value-added tax refunds and disbursement of funds raised from a tax on exports would help the firms bear the burden of the wage hike. more..

Sep 21 (EB) K P Robert Pias, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has petitioned Chief Minister M Karunanidhi asking for his release from the prison or mercy killing. The Sri Lankan Tamil, who has been imprisoned for the last 19 years, is on an indefinite hunger strike in Vellore central prison since Thursday morning. Pias said, “Considering my long solitary confinement and taking into account my family situation, please release me. Even if it is not possible, I beg for mercy killing. more..

Sep 21 (AFP) The United Nations is sending a top official to Sri Lanka this week to press for the speedy resettlement of 300,000 war-displaced, officials said Monday, the second UN visit in as many weeks. Walter Kalin, the UN Secretary-General's envoy for refugee rights, will arrive late Wednesday for a five-day visit that includes a tour to camps holding tens of thousands of refugees, Sri Lanka's Human Rights Ministry said. more..

Sep 21 (Island) With the second tranche of USD 2.6 billion IMF facility due in several weeks, Sri Lanka has received a mega boost by Iran extending an interest free credit facility for the purchase of Iranian crude oil. The two countries finalised the agreement on September 3 in Teheran. Major General (retd) Asoka Thoradeniya, Chairman of the CPC had signed the agreement on behalf of Sri Lanka with the National Iranian Oil Corporation, more..

Sep 22 (LBO) The catering unit of state-run Sri Lankan Airlines said it was expecting an upturn with more visitors coming to the island after a war with a 1.2 billion rupee net profit already under its belt in the year to March 2009. "The dawn of peace has brought with it exciting possibilities for growth in the country’s tourism industry," SriLankan Catering chief executive Sarath Fernando said in a statement. more..

Sep 22 (LBO) Will Sri Lanka's latest balance of payments crisis, triggered by an unstable peg be a lesson for the future, or was it a gamble which was barely won but is doomed to be repeated again, economists at a conference in Colombo asked. Sri Lanka tried to defend a dollar peg when capital flowed out of the country in late 2008, and simultaneously injected rupees into the system to fill liquidity shortages (printing money), a process known as sterilized intervention. more..

Sep 22 (LBO) Sri Lankan ceramic exporters said Bangladesh was emerging as a key competitor in overseas markets as the South Asian neighbour expands capacity, partly with skilled professionals hired from the island's own industry. They said their south Asian neighbour would get the orders Sri Lanka might lose if duty free access to European Union markets is withdrawn owing to human rights concerns. more..

Sep 22 (CI) Kumar Sangakkara doesn't strike you as the kind of man who leaves much to chance. In most things he does, there is method. Even his batting, pretty as some of it is, is thoughtfully constructed, bit by bit, run by run. He is neither flashy nor a grinder, but instead an accumulator, working on solid percentages. He speaks publicly as he bats: articulate, intelligent, polished, safe, mostly platitudes, very occasionally provocative. Cricket could be a brand and he its spokesperson. more..