Apr 20 (LT) The President who, without appointing the Constitutional Council, extends the tenure of the post of Secretary to the Parliament and Mr. Kithulegoda who accepts the extension without any hesitation are both people without any shame says national list candidate of the DNA Anura Dissanayake. “We wrote to Secretary General of Parliament regarding Gen. Sarath Fonseka attending Parliament as an elected MP. more..

Apr 20 (LT) General Secretary of DNA Vijithe Herath has requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide relief to Sri Lankans who have been stranded due to the cancellation of flights from European countries as a result of huge clouds of ash from the volcano erupted in Iceland which turned the skies over northern Europe into a no-fly zone. more..

Apr 20 (LT) Several leaders of the present government are preparing to have secret talks with TNA that was branded as tigers by the government using certain state media at the last presidential election when they stated that they would support Gen. Sarath Fonseka. It is further reported that the intention of such secret talks is to get the few MPs who have been elected to the Parliament from the TNA to join the government so that more..

Apr 20 (LT) UNF Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and its Secretary General Tissa Attanayake have been asked by Colombo District Chief Magistrate Laffar Naheer to show cause before 18th July why the undated resignation letters obtained from candidates of the UNF at the general election 2010 should not be banned. The application filed by UNF candidates Ranjith Maddumabandara and Ananda Kumarasiri against the UNF for obtaining undated letters from candidates more..

Apr 20 (IRIN) Healthcare services in Sri Lanka's conflict-affected east should not be forgotten as humanitarian agencies focus their efforts on rebuilding the country's north, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Since the end of the civil war in May 2009, agencies have concentrated on assisting hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Vanni, an area comprising a number of northern districts. more..

Apr 20 (DN) Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry will promote healthy and nutritious short eats among the youths to mark this year’s Nutrition Month which falls in June. The younger generation of Sri Lanka is addicted to unhealthy and less nutritious short eats, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said. The theme of this year’s nutrition month is `Proper youth nutrition – the life of future generation’. more..

Apr 20 (LP) The largest Indian Education fair "The Great Indian Education Fair" will be held in Sri Lanka from the 23rd to the 25th of April 2010. The fair organized by the India-based AFAIRS Exhibitions & Media Pvt. Ltd with the support of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Indo Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and more..

Apr 20 (CMEV) Re-polling in 34 polling centers in Nawalapitiya Polling Division, Kandy District and in Kumburupitiya Polling Station (Number 78), Trincomalee Polling Division, Trincomalee District commenced at 7 am today. The Election Commissioner decided to re-poll following allegations of serious election malpractices including obstruction of voters and chasing away of polling officers on General Election Day on April 8th 2010. more..

Apr 20 (DN) The Anuradhapura Hospital was damaged by a mini-cyclone experienced in most parts of the country Sunday. The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry yesterday dispatached a special team to assess the damage. A team of engineers are estimating the damage caused to the hospital by strong winds and lightning and to submit a report. The hospital was badly damaged by the wind and lightning in Anuradhapura town Sunday evening. more..

Apr 20 (GDI) Sri Lanka Department of Archeology has successfully finalized a pilot project of using ground penetrating radar to explore the underground archaeological monuments. The Chairman of the National Geological and Mines Bureau Dr. A. Wijayananda indicates that the use of ground penetrating radar mechanism will be a major breakthrough of Sri Lankan’s archaeology. more..

Apr 20 (AD) Sri Lankan Meteorological Department today refuted the rumours about ‘acid rain’ in the coming weeks. The Met. Dept told Ada Derana that rumours about chances of ‘acid rain’ during April 20- 28, through SMS, emails and other blogs were all false. The false message says, “Be careful: There is a possibility of acid rain from 20th to 28th of this month. The dark circle appeared around the moon on 17th of last month and this was an indication of an acid rain. more..

Apr 20 (DM) Former Minister of Home Affairs Chandrasiri Gajadeera said politicians motivated by personal gains would not last long but those of high calibre and good principles would be remembered for ever. Addressing a gathering at the 109th birth anniversary of the late Dr.Wickremesinghe he said "The people in the south still upheld the policies of the late Dr. Wickremesinghe and more than 51,000 people in the Matara district voted for more..

Apr 20 (LP) Disaster Management in country is being further strengthened with the assistance of the Information Technology. Disaster management of the country is being strengthened now as a more productive service and it would be easier to take speedy action on emergency situations such as earth Slips or floods said Sri Lanka's Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA). more..

Apr 20 (LNP) Victory at times could turn out to be more problematic than defeat. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who won the presidency and consolidated his power in Parliament in style the other day, finds himself in an unenviable position. He is faced with the gargantuan task of not only appointing a new Cabinet but also keeping those to be left out of it happy. In politics, especially on the winning side, everybody wants to be somebody and aspires to plum ministerial posts. more..

Apr 20 (Island) The BOI expects to target US$5 billion investments in the future. It is expected that this will generate 80,000 employment opportunities. BOI chairman Dhammika Perera said major telecommunication service providers had invested 194,687 million rupees in 18 projects to improve and upgrade networks with new technology in BOI Export Processing Zones. Twelve fully operational zones with all infrastructure facilities are administered by the BOI. more..

Apr 20 (LNP) The Sri Lanka Army has decided to play all their home matches at their grounds at Galle Face after a lapse of five years. Their home grounds at Galle Face was the happy hunting grounds of the soldiers till 2004 during which period they registered several memorable victories over teams such as the mighty Kandy SC, CR and FC, CH and FC, Havelocks and Police. more..

Apr 20 (Island) The Colombo-based Jaffna traders are planning to make representations to the UNP hierarchy to appoint Western Provincial Council member Nalliah Kumarakuruparan as a National List MP, sources said yesterday. The councillor, who contested the April 8 polls as a United National Front (UNF) candidate, failed to win a seat despite securing 34,460 preferential votes in the Colombo District. more..

Apr 20 (DM) What makes Nawalapitiya so similar to Iceland today? Both have destructive forces that appear to be really out of control. No one, not even head of State, it looks, is in a position to tame them. Just like Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano which has already cancelled 63,000 flights, stifled economies of many countries and left behind long term planetary implications, the precedent set by letting the Nawalapitiya war lord to call shots and more..

Apr 20 (Island) EPDP Leader and ex-Minister Douglas Devananda says he will resign from Parliament when elections are held to the Northern Provincial Council. Devananda said he had always wanted to take to regional politics and render some service to the people of the North. "I won’t hesitate to give up a Cabinet post and return to regional politics, when the occasion arises," more..

Apr 20 (Island) The appointment of a Speaker for the seventh Parliament figured at a meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at President’s House yesterday. A spokesman for the President’s Office said that they would not issue a statement regarding yesterday’s discussion. A former minister told The Island that the government and the main Opposition were most likely to agree on the appointment of a senior SLFPer as Speaker. more..

Apr 20 (DM) The Foreign Ministry yesterday instructed the Immigration and Emigration Department to extend the visas of foreigners compelled to stay back in the country due to the cancellation of flights to Europe. Several SriLankan airlines flights to Frankfurt, London and Paris were cancelled since last Thursday due to the unprecedented volcanic eruption in Iceland spewing ash over vast areas of the atmosphere. more..

Apr 20 (DM) Discussions are being held among senior UNP members to bring in changes to several posts in the party including the appointment of two co deputy leaders. A newly elected member of the party told the Daily Mirror that the idea of appointing co deputy leaders had been mooted within the party. Though speculation was rife that Sajith Premadasa was to be appointed as a co deputy leader, Mr. Premadasa said he was not aware of such a move. more..

Apr 20 (LNP) The UNP says the JVP cannot justify its call for appointing Gen (retd) Sarath Fonseka as the Opposition Leader. The main Opposition party alleges that the JVP is trying to flex its muscles, though being reduced to just five members in parliament. UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunatilake said yesterday that the JVP was no longer in a position to dictate terms to anyone. more..

Apr 20 (DN) SriLankan Airlines has evoked much admiration and a sense of national pride amongst the public. It had much to do with the media publicity about the achievements of the “all female flying crew at SriLankan Airlines”. Women are proud of Captain Anusha Siriratne, UL 4 Senior First Officer Roshani Jinasena, Senior First Officer Chamika Rupasinghe and Junior First Officer Madini Chandradasa. more..

Apr 20 (AFP) The court martial of Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka was on Tuesday adjourned until after the opening of the country's new parliament, in which he won a seat this month, officials said. The three-judge military court postponed the case until May 4 after a brief hearing on Tuesday, an army official who declined to be named told AFP. more..

Apr 20 (AD) Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan arrived in Sri Lankatoday. He is slotted to address a press conference in the evening, meet the Sri Lankan President, and leave for Indiatonight. Bachchan is in Sri Lankato participate a media awareness programme on the IIFA 2010 awards ceremony of the International Indian Film Academy. The festival is to be held in Sri Lankaon June 3,4 and 5. more..

Apr 20 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa told UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday that there was no obstacle for DNA Leader General Sarath Fonseka to take oaths in Parliament as a member of parliament. The President made this statement when he met Mr. Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees yesterday. Mr. Wickremesinghe had told the President that General Sarath Fonseka who is now under army detention should be given the opportunity to take oaths. more..

Apr 21 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's shares hit a new record high on Tuesday as retailers pushed up the bourse with hopes of better earnings and an improved investment climate with fiscal reforms under a politically stable government. The All-Share Price Index hit a new all-time high of 4,044.94 points, surpassing its previous high of 4,025.69 on Monday. It closed 0.17 percent firmer at 4,022.37 points on late profit-taking. more..

Apr 21 (LBO) Post-war Sri Lanka's main priorities in accelerating economic growth would be to rein in ballooning budget deficits and inflation, the Asian Development Bank said. "On the fiscal side, we feel the whole focus of policy in the next one year would be on how to contain the fiscal deficit," Narhari Rao, Lead Economist of the ADB's Sri Lanka office said. The bank forecasts it would be possible for the government to bring down the deficit to eight percent this year, more..

Apr 21 (USE) The U.S. Agency for International Development has announced a new business alliance program with Sri Lanka's private sector. Partnering with five local businesses, the USAID Public-Private Partnerships for Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka (PPP) Program is expected to create the equivalent of 5,000 full-time jobs in the former conflict zones. These five alliances are all with indigenous Sri Lankan private companies. more..

Apr 21 (DM) The UPFA, following the re-poll today has won the General Elections in the Trincomalee District by polling in 59,784 votes and winning 2 seats while the UNP came in second with 39,691 votes with one seat followed by ITAK with 33,268 votes and 1 seat. The DNA got 2519 votes with no seats.

Apr 21 (IANS) A mobile phone was seized on Tuesday from the cell in which Rajiv Gandhi's assassin Nalini Sriharan is lodged in Vellore prison here, jail officials said. The search and seizure operation was conducted in the morning in the Vellore women's prison. "During a routine check by Vellore Prison Superintendent Rajalakshmi and her team a cell phone was found and seized. Further investigation is on," more..

Apr 21 (AV) After military operations in Sri Lanka’s three-decade long war came to an end last May, one of the primary barriers to development in the former war zones in the north and east was movement. Travel restrictions and a continued military presence kept investors away and skeptical that their businesses could thrive in the seemingly unstable regions. The first four months of 2010, however, have seen measurable improvement. more..

Apr 21 (DM) The Buddhist convert to Islam, Sara, alias Malani Perera who had written two books about her conversion from Buddhism to Islam and was in detention on the orders of the Defence Secretary from March 19 was released today on bail of Rs 5000 cash with two sureties for Rs 50,000 each by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Mrs. Praharsha S. Ranasinghe. more..

Apr 21 (FP) The Netherlands PUM local representative S.P.C. Kumarasinghe said during the first three months in 2010 Netherlands senior experts have assisted several industries manufacturing exports items in Sri Lanka. These include -Anthurium and Asparagus cultivation, dairy industry milk processing and manufacture of cheese, plastic decorative ornaments, knitted garments, tuna fish processing, rubber products, growing of Button Mushrooms, Paints and pastel industry. more..

Apr 21 (EB) Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known previously, had expressed fears of domination by India and China way back in 1947, before it got independence from Britain. In a paper published by the Nehru Memorial Museum Library in New Delhi, L C Jain says that Ceylon had raised the issue at the Asian Relations Conference held in New Delhi in March-April 1947, four months before India’s independence and a year ahead of Ceylon’s independence. more..

Apr 21 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with leading Indian film star Amitabh Bachchan, Brand Ambassador of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) at Janadhipathi Mandiraya (President’s House) in Colombo this evening (20). Mr. Bachchan is in Colombo for the official launch if IIFA 2010, the largest annual event of Bollywood cinema which will be held in Colombo in June this year. more..

Apr 21 (LBO) Sri Lankan firms developeing mobile and telecom software have teamed up with other players in the the sector to set up a 'centre of excellence' to foster collaboration, an industry body said. "Our national strategy is to focus on several high potential niche areas to compete globally as a niche player," chairman of Sri Lankan Association for Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM) Dinesh Saparamadu said in a statement. more..