Nov 17 (LBO) Sri Lanka has successfully test fired a furnace of a 300 Mega Watt Chinese-built coal plant using liquid fuel Wednesday, in the island's Western coastal area of Norochcholai. The first 300 MW stage is part of a 900MW coal fired complex. A ship carrying a 65,000 tonnes of coal from Indonesia has started discharging its cargo using barges, a reporter said. At full capacity the plant will burn 114 tonnes of coal an hour. more..

Nov 17 (Island) Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva on Tuesday (Nov. 16) said that Ramesh, Nadesan and Pulidevan, of the LTTE, had been killed in a confrontation in the Vellamullivaikkal area during the final phase of the war. He was responding to a query by Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Navatne Bandara, who led evidence at Tuesday’s Trial-at-Bar hearings of the ‘White Flag’ case more..

Nov 17 (Island) The TNA yesterday requested the Government to release all Tamils in detention in view of the forthcoming celebrations to mark the swearing-in ceremony of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his second term. TNA Jaffna District MP S. Sritharan said that the government had no better way to secure the best wishes of the Tamil families for the President than releasing the detainees. more..

Nov 17 (DN) The Economic Development Ministry will vest with the people 54,600 completed development projects during the next 10 days (November 15-25), which would bring direct benefits to the masses. The projects would be one among many initiatives in connection with the inauguration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term in office to supplement the Government’s development goals during the next six years, more..

Nov 18 (CI) A testing morning spell from the West Indies bowlers had the hosts struggling at 165 for three on the third day in Galle, before bad light, then rain, intervened to offer them some respite. The hosts will surely have one eye on a draw with just two days remaining in the match and more rain forecast for the week. Before the interrutption, there was movement, pace, spin and bounce from the West Indies attack, all of which made batting difficult, and more..

Nov 18 (SN) The Alliance for the Protection of the Negombo Lagoon, located approximately 40 km north of the capital, is appealing to card Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, to "negotiate with the government" to stop the development project in the area , which involves the construction of a base for seaplanes take off and landing. The appeal is contained in a letter delivered to the cardinal designate on November 15 last and made public more..

Nov 18 (HT) Jailed former Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka was rushed to a prison hospital in Colombo on Tuesday night after he complained of breathing problems and wheezing. Fonseka, targeted by the Tamil Tigers more than once, has multiple shrapnel still embedded in his body. And he developed breathing problems after an attack by a LTTE suicide bomber nearly left him dead. Though Fonseka’s condition had stabilised, doctors had kept him under observation, more..

Nov 18 (AD) The SLMC will announce its official support to the Government at the next parliament session, SLMC Chairman Basheer Segu Dawood told Ada Derana today. He added that the party was due to make the announcement yesterday and officially crossover and sit with the government however due to the SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem being unable to attend parliament it was delayed. The SLMC currently has 8 MPs and Dawood added that the decision to support more..

Nov 18 (LP) Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) says that nearly 150 Foreign Diplomats will be attending the Inauguration ceremony of the second term swearing in of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Malidivian President Mohammed Nasheed, Chinese Vice Prime Minister, President of the Pakistan Senate, and several senior officials of the Indian Government will are scheduled to take part at the National event. more..

Nov 18 (LG) Bloggers around the world reacted strongly this week against Odel CEO, Otara Gunewardene for releasing photos of Udari Waarnakulasooriya kneeling down before security guards when Udari was caught for shoplifting at Odel. Otara’s security guards had made Udari to kneel down and photographed her upon arresting her. The team had later released the photos to media. However, bloggers around the world saw this incident differently. more..

Nov 18 (LG) I refer to the recent passage of the National Security Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 which according to you would ‘protect Australia, its people and its interests … instilling confidence that our national security and counter-terrorism laws will be exercised in a just and accountable way’. As an Australian of Sri Lankan origin, I have serious concerns regarding the above Bill and the way it has been introduced – i.e. without including consultations from more..

Nov 18 (Cimic) A mega road development project in Jaffna was ceremoniously launched on Sunday by Hon. MP Mr. Namal Rajapaksa. The project to be completed within 30 months under the government’s Uthuru Wasanthaya (Wadakkin Wasantham) programme for the north will be carried out by the Ministry of Highways and Road Development with assistance of the Chinese government. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Puttur junction with participation of more..

Nov 18 (MoD) Sri Lankan Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya plants a Japanese Maple tree in the front garden of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington, D.C. as part of the Deyata Sevana program to celebrate the Nov. 19, 2010 birthday and inauguration of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Embassy of Sri Lanka planted a Japanese Maple tree today as part of Sri Lanka's national celebration of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa's 65th birthday more..

Nov 18 (DM) Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has reportedly made two wrong submissions to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). One was falsely blaming the adoption of Sinhala as the medium of Government and second, asserting that there are exclusively "Tamil Only" Northern and Eastern Provinces to which the Sinhalese should be barred. Both of these would even warrant for LTTE positions. "Sinhala only" with the "Reasonable Use of Tamil" soon following, more..

Nov 18 (N360) Chairman of the University Grants Commission Professor S.V.D.G. Samaranayake hails the model followed by Sri Lanka Law College in turning out its students to become Lawyers. Speaking about various unwarranted incidents taking place in local universities such as clashes and protests he said the Sri Lanka Law College does not have any of those issues. “No posters, no demonstrations” added Samaranayake. more..

Nov 18 (DM) (Extracted from a speech made by Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Palitha Kohona at the Department of Social Sciences, West Point.) Sri Lanka is one of those rare cases where terrorism has been comprehensively defeated, substantially by its own efforts despite all the advice, reservations and fears publicly expressed to the contrary. A once-feared terrorist organization has been eliminated militarily. Not even a shadow of that organization remains in the country. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Ayubowan, vanakkam, assalamu alaikkum and best wishes amid the week-long, countrywide ceremonies and celebrations to mark the inauguration for your second term tomorrow at the auspicious time 10.07 a.m. The swearing in, which opposition critics and many independent analysts see as something like an enthronement or coronation, also coincides with your 65th birthday. The ceremonies began on Monday, again at the auspicious time of 10.07 a.m. within the planting of more..

Nov 18 (LBO) Sri Lanka's first coal plant will push the island's carbon emissions by 46 kilograms per person next year, but electricity generation costs will come down sharply, power minister Champika Ranawaka said. The coal plant will increase per capital carbon emissions by 46 kilograms to 700 kilograms a year," Ranawaka said after the furnace of a 300 MegaWatt coal plant was successfully fired with in Norochcholai, more..

Nov 18 (GV) I feel compelled to defend the blasphemy committed through the article titled ‘Cardinal Errors’ (Island, 10th Nov) against holy Churchmen of the highest ranks who expressed their concerns in the interest of peace and reconciliation. It was a trying exercise not only to read but also to respond to such arguments. Although I was deeply provoked to respond in similar language, thankfully I managed to rise above it. I address the following issues point by point: more..

Nov 18 (LBO) Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka will be able to get the qualifications of its sister body in the UK following a deal signed this month, an official said. "Following the signing of a MoU with Institute of England and Wales you will not have to travel to the UK anymore," ICASL chief Sujeewa Mudalige said. "In six to nine months you can qualify as a UK chartered accountant." The UK institute will recognize the training done in Colombo and more..

Nov 18 (GV) We are no closer to nation building post war than we were during it, and before it. More accurately, we are no closer to the recognition that nation building needs to embrace the possibility, and arguably, desirability, of many nations in a State. This brings with it the complex challenge for a democracy to manage, based on the need for social cohesion, the centripetal and centrifugal forces of nation building – an enduring contest between inclusion and exclusion. more..

Nov 18 (TN) Sri Lanka government’s Income Tax Department officials have begun collecting income tax from the traders in Mannaar after twenty years, sources in Mannaar said. The officials arriving from Colombo made searches in more than 60 traders’ business places as well as in their houses in A’n’naa Nakar areas in Mannaar on 11 November and collected income tax from them. The traders who had experienced great losses due to war in the past twenty years had more..

Nov 18 (TC) It was reported in the newspapers a few days ago that nearly a thousand individuals had come forward to make representations to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission during its sessions in Jaffna . The report said that a majority of them are persons seeking the help of the LLRC to find their sons and daughters who have disappeared during and after Eelam War IV. This has been the case even during the sittings of the LLRC in other parts of the Northern Districts. more..

Nov 18 (NF) All sorts of tamashas are being held all over the country while General Sarath Fonseka, who saved the country from terrorism is languishing prison, says Karu Jayasuriya, Deputy Leader of the UNP. Jayasuriya made this statement after visiting former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in Welikada prison hospital last afternoon. He was accompanied by MPs Arjuna Ranatunga of the DNA and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena of the UNP. more..

Nov 18 (TN) The Welfare Associations for the uprooted families from Valikaamam accused Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities for imposing undue restrictions on the people in Thellippazhai Divisional Secretariat area. Jaffna Government Agent (GA) Ms. Imelda Sukumar, instructed by the SLA authorities has asked the families of the above area to again register their particulars on 19 November though they had submitted the necessary particulars earlier, the associations said. more..

Nov 18 (GV) Name and shame the whores that act in pornographic films online. Their seedy grainy stuck-between-teeth pictures plastered across newspapers will be the deterrent for other whores who have the same idea. Designate parks for young people to canoodle in (but ensure someone watches over the canoodlers for we don’t want them to canoodle with naked noodles, for that would be a travesty of our cultural norms and mores). more..

Nov 18 (LB) UNP Colombo district MP Ravi Karunanayake says that there is a visible delay in introducing the reforms to the party but was optimistic that the main opposition would be rejuvenated before the LG polls. In an interview with Jatila Karawita, he said that there were also a few bad eggs within the party determined to ensure the UNP remained in the opposition for as long as possible. He averred that the onus was on the current leadership to handle the more..

Nov 18 (Island) Prisons are no doubt hellholes as far as their appalling conditions are concerned, but prisoners seem to be privileged in some respects unlike the law abiding citizens. If an ordinary person dares raise his or her voice to a policeman, he or she runs the risk of being beaten with hobnailed boots into a pulp but the convicts who assault the police inside prisons go scot free, as we saw at the Welikada Prison the other day. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Government wastage by way of tamashas that a country moving out of a three decade old war can ill afford, is difficult to be condoned. While the end of the war itself provided a perfect opportunity for the country to celebrate, the same justification cannot be provided for the several state functions that followed. While it is not revealed the exact expenditure of each and every one of the state functions that we witnessed over the last few years, more..

Nov 18 (Island) A three-member fact-finding-mission to Baghdad has found that Sri Lankan skilled workers can work in Iraq in spite of occasional terrorist attacks. The delegation, which comprised Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Lebanon and two representatives from the External Affairs Ministry and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, handed over its report to the External Affairs Ministry. more..

Nov 18 (LB) Remember the not so distant past when obtaining a telephone connection entailed so much hassle and prolong delays? They were the perils of state monopoly. How dismal was the performance of the state owned telecom could be well explained by the fact that within two years after its privatization, the new management issued more telephone connections than its predecessor issued throughout its history. Sri Lanka underwent an information revolution thanks to more..

Nov 18 (DM) The Valana Anti Vice squad raided several hideouts in Vaikkala, Wennappuwa and Marawila that were used to produce illicit alcohol on a large scale. The officers were able to seize 70 barrels containing goda and kasippu, 40 bottles containing illicit alcohol. They also raided hideouts in Koswadiya, Rangamulla and Haththidiya. The value of the seized stock is yet to be assessed. The suspects were carrying on the illegal business for a long time. more..

Nov 18 (BBC) The parents of a young Sri Lankan woman sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia have appealed to King Abdullah to pardon her. The Saudi Supreme Court recently confirmed the sentence originally passed on Rizana Nafeek three years ago, when she was convicted of murdering a four-month-old baby she was caring for in 2005. She could be executed at any time, but she denies murder. It appears she was under-age when the alleged crime was committed. more..

Nov 18 (DN) Amparapura Sangha Council President Most Venerable Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera on behalf of Bhashanthara Visharada Most Venerable Dawuldena Sri Gnaneswara Maha Nayaka Thera, Supreme Head of the Amarapura Sect, other Chief Prelates and Bhikkus of the sect has issued the following statement to Myanmar's Head of State General Than Shwe and his government welcoming the release of Myanmar's Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi from detention on November 13. more..

Nov 18 (LB) The unprecedented and rampant corruption and wastage prevalent in the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and in its grid stations has resulted in the electricity bill becoming unbearably high for the public charged, Convener LVSS of CEB, Ranjan Jayalal. He said that the wastage and corruption had assumed such alarming proportions that the after effects are being felt only by the innocent public by way of constant price hikes to their electricity bills. more..

Nov 18 (DN) The Nidahasa Suba Sanskruthiyaka Pera Dekma exhibition organized in connection with the inauguration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term in office at the independence square, was opened by Prime Minister DM Jayaratne yesterday. The exhibition showcases special moments in the country’s history, freedom, development, application of modern technology etc. The exhibition includes an extremely rare photographic display of more..

Nov 18 (Island) The huge mountain of garbage at Gohagoda in Katugastota in the Kandy Municipality area will soon be utilised for the generation of electricity. Preliminary preparations for the project were already underway. On inspection of the site, Chief Minister, Central Province Sarath Ekanayaka said that the implementation of the project proposals were to be carried out jointly by the Central Provincial Council, Kandy Municipal Council, more..

Nov 18 (Hindu) Passenger shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo is likely to be launched shortly, according to G.K. Vasan, Union Minister of Shipping. He said officials from Sri Lanka and India were engaged in talks. Probably in three months, shipping service would start. The Tuticorin and Chennai ports would be developed at Rs. 3,686 crore under the Eleventh Five Year Plan. In Chennai, a mega container terminal would be built and more..

Nov 18 (Island) Inquests into the deaths of four persons due to recent floods in Colombo were held by City Coroner Edward Ahangama. Giving evidence at the inquest held on Saturday into the death of Wijesuriya Arachchige Ananda, an epilepsy patient of Obeysekerapura, PC Sisira Kumara, said that on Friday 12), the Welikade police area had been inundated and the house where Ananda lived affected. When some bricks were removed the water level had receded exposing the body of the victim, more..

Nov 18 (DM) The 144 bus route which plies Rajagiriya-Fort will go on strike today (18) in protest against the alleged issuing of unauthorized route permits, the Private Bus Operators Association said yesterday. The association’s Chairman, Gemunu Wijeyaratne said that Western Province Transport Authority issues the largest number of unauthorised route permits and that a number of 144 route buses received unauthorised permits recently more..

Nov 18 (Hindu) External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is scheduled to make an official visit to Sri Lanka from November 25 to 27 for bilateral talks. According to diplomatic sources, the focus of the would be rehabilitation of the nearly three lakh Tamil civilians displaced during the war between the LTTE and Sri Lankan forces and the need to move beyond resettlement and towards a political solution to the ethnic conflict. more..

Nov 18 (Island) A Holy Mass will be offered at the Church of Milk Grotto in Bethlehem on Saturday November 20 at 4.00 p.m.to bless President Mahinda Rajapaksa and to mark his 65th birthday and the assumption of duties for the second term. This event is organized by a Palestinian group called the ‘Friends of Sri Lanka in Bethlehem’ in association with the Representative Office of Sri Lanka in Palestine. Sri Lankan workers in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will also participate. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Four former LTTE cadres were arrested yesterday in connection with killing of 60 soldiers and five navy personnel who were in captivity. The troops were held in a torture camp in Kilinochchi and according to what has been revealed by the suspects they were shot dead when the Tigers had heard that government troops were advancing towards the camp. The police have found the mass grave where the bodies of the soldiers might have been buried. more..

Nov 18 (DN) Turning a new chapter in the country’s development, the first stage of the Magampura Port will be commissioned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa today with the arrival of a vessel “Jetliner” followed by a sailing ship and a cargo ship. The Jetliner will enter the Magampura Port at an auspicious time with 254 members of the Maha Sangha on board chanting Seth Pirith to bless the Port and the country. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Five women and three men were produced before the Kandy Chief Magistrate yesterday in connection with an 80 million rupee alleged fraud by two Indian nationals and were remanded till the 19th of November. The scheme operated by inviting potential ‘investors’ to deposit Rs. 14,000 for a type-setting project along with a project of type-setting a story book. At the completion of the ‘project’ the investment would be returned with an additional Rs. 6, 500 as returns. more..

Nov 18 (CI) A post-lunch fightback was not enough to prevent West Indies from asking Sri Lanka to bat again on the fourth day in Galle, as the hosts were dismissed agonisingly close to the follow-on target of 381. Some positive batting from the Sri Lanka openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, however, ensured West Indies would have to battle hard to go 1-0 up in the series, as they closed out the day's play on 89 for no loss, having chiseled the deficit down to 113. more..

Nov 18 (Island) A Rs. 50 million project will be launched jointly by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the UNICEF today to help develop skills and provide employment opportunities for the youth in conflict affected areas. The launch coincides with the 21st anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Under this project 850 youth including those released from rehabilitation centres will be trained. more..

Nov 18 (Island) The GNOA warns that it will resort to a strike if the government fails to incorporate amendments into the Cabinet approved Nurses’ Service Minute (NSM). GNOA President Saman Ratnapriya said the Cabinet had approved the Nurses’ Service Minute on November 10 following a strike launched by the Union on October 25. He said the approved Service Minute did not include several factors important for the development of the nursing profession. more..