Aug 19 (DM) National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) together with 366 islandwide trade unions yesterday launched a campaign demanding that the government grants a Rs. 10,000 salary increase for state employees. Speaking at a special trade Union meeting held in Fort, President of the NTUC, K.D. Lal Kantha said that this is not an unfair demand as the cost of living had increased to an extent where an increment is essential for the survival of the working community. “This will be one of the biggest trade union more..

Aug 19 (DM) Complaints have been received about government attempts to recruit some 200 labourers to the Colombo Municipality in violation of election laws, which prohibit recruitment to public institutions after elections have been declared, a leading election monitoring group said. People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said he would write to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya about this matter. Mr. Hettiarachchi said complaints had more..

Aug 19 (Island) UNP reformists yesterday said the party leader and others were carrying out a govt contract to ruin the country’s biggest political party. They said that they had not accepted a disciplinary inquiry against Colombo District MP Rosy Senanayake by the party’s unconstitutional Working Committee, which met on August 17 at Sirikotha. Addressing a hurriedly called media briefing in Colombo, Ratnapura District MP, Thalatha Athukorala denied media reports that more..

Aug 19 (Island) In what could be seen as poor South-South cooperation, two South Asian economies featured in a credit line deal which saw the application of a relatively higher rate of interest, usually reserved for them by other, more affluent, global lenders. Sri Lanka yesterday (18) extended a relatively small credit line to the Maldives but at a relatively higher rate of interest so that it can use the funds to purchase agricultural produce from Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 19 (HT) The forthcoming debate in Parliament will focus on the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils but the more important issue about the diminution of India's strategic leverage to China in Sri Lanka is likely to be lost. Hambantota rings the bell. Famous for salt flats and arid and hot weather, the sleepy environs of Hambantota district are destined to become the primary port of call in Sri Lanka. Reason? As the political constituency of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, it is central to his Vision Document 2025. more..

Aug 19 (Island) Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa expressed concern over The Hindu unfailingly targeting him on the basis of a recent interview he did with Indian TV channel, Headlines Today, in Colombo. Addressing a symposium on post-war challenges, to coincide with the launch of www.outofwar.com, the Defence Secretary said that The Hindu editorial of Aug. 16, 2011 went to the extent of advising his brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ‘distance more..

Aug 19 (USE) The United States Government, through coordination with the Government of Sri Lanka Ministry of Health, will fund the renovation and reconstruction of four hospitals located in the Northern Province. The U.S. Government remains committed to supporting Government of Sri Lanka efforts towards reconstruction and reconciliation in former conflict zones. The renovation of these hospitals will provide essential medical services to conflict affected areas in Kilinochchi and Mullativu. more..

Aug 19 (BN) Sri Lanka’s economic growth is set to outstrip India’s for the first time since 2000 as record foreign investment and govt spending fuel a resurgence after almost three decades of civil war. Sri Lanka’s $50 billion gross domestic product will increase 8.5 percent this year, up from 8 percent in 2010 and bucking a global slowdown, Central Bank Deputy Governor Dharma Dheerasinghe said. India’s $1.7 trillion economy, Asia’s third-biggest, is likely to grow 8.2 percent more..

Aug 19 (Island) Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge yesterday contradicted a Sinhala newspaper editorial, which said she had plans to join the UNP, by stating that she would never join that party. She said that she was born a SLFPer and would die as a SLFPer but stressed that if the country was to prosper and gain political stability, the two leading political parties in the country should work together on national issues. more..

Aug 19 (Hindu) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the whereabouts of C. Anitha Nair (37) of Ongallur and her husband C. Ramachandran (39) of Kannadi in Palakkad district has sought information on the couple. Ramachandran, Anitha and their son were living in Hyderabad. In January 2003, the woman went to Maldives after she got appointment as teacher in a private school there. A few months later, she came on leave to meet her family in Hyderabad. more..

Aug 19 (LBO) Sri Lanka will budget for a deficit of 6.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2011 down from a planned gap of 6.8 percent in 2010, information minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said. The state is planning to bring down national debt to 75 percent of GDP from the current 80 percent of GDP with the economy ticking away at 8.0 percent he said. The cabinet of ministers had given the nod for the Treasury to prepare the budget on a medium term expenditure framework for 2012-2014. more..

Aug 19 (DM) The Medical Research Institute (MRI) said that the plastic bottles in which mineral water is sold should not be later used to store water or other liquids that are to be imbibed. Dr Anil Samaranayake, director of the MrI advised against the use of such bottles for such purposes.“These bottles have been made to be used only once; and reusing them constantly is liable to cause carcinogenic or other harmful substances to enter the body. more..

Aug 19 (DM) The government said yesterday it was committed to protect and respect the Leader of the Opposition as it was one of the main features in a robust democracy.“As a democratic government we accept and respect the views of the opposition and the opposition leader. The opposition has also reciprocated by cooperating with the government when there is a national issue. This is what democracy is all about,” more..

Aug 19 (Island) 22 independent groups had paid their deposits to contest the forthcoming elections to 23 local govt bodies before the acceptance of nominations from registered political parties commenced yesterday. The Deputy Commissioner of Elections A. Senanayake said that 12 independent groups had handed in their deposits to contest the Colombo Municipal Council. One independent group had handed in its deposit to contest the Anuradhapura Municipal Council. more..

Aug 19 (BBC) The govt will go ahead with the controversial re registration of land in the North and East. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said “ninety five percent of IDP have been resettled and there is no need to delay land registration” in the North and East. Lands Ministry Secretary Asoka Peiris has notified divisional secretaries early August that ownership of land in the north and east should be re confirmed within two maonths. more..

Aug 19 (IL) The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin visited Kandy and paid respects at key Buddhist sites in the sacred hill city recently. He paid his respect to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) and later visited the Asgiri and Malwatta Chapters to meet the Chief Prelates who are the custodians of the sacred Tooth Relic. The High Commissioner paid respects to the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter, more..

Aug 19 (Reuters) Central bank kept policy rates unchanged on Friday as expected on hopes for moderating inflation due to improving food supply, but warned it will take appropriate action if demand-driven pressure increases. The island nation aims for record 8.5 percent economic growth this year, topping 2010's 8 percent. Sri Lanka expects annual inflation, which reached 7.5 percent in July, to slow to 6 percent by the end of 2011. more..

Aug 19 (IL) The Secretarial Level Meeting and talks between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Colombo were concluded on August 18. The two sides reviewed several bilateral trade aspects and focused on the possibility of mutual tariff concession entitlements on selected items. The agreed minutes of Pakistan Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) and related matters were signed on Thursday 18 August following the talks. more..

Aug 19 (Island) Many Sri Lankan youth, who had sought employment in Malaysia, after arriving in the country on tourist visas, in connivance with illegal employment agencies, had taken to the worlds oldest profession and other criminal activities. It is the same in Singapore. The youth arrive in the country on the tourist visas and overstay or find themselves stranded unable to find employment. To survive they take to illegal activities. more..

Aug 19 (DN) The Darusman Report prepared by the advisory panel to the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) cannot be submitted to the UUNHRC since it is neither an official document by any means nor has it any kind of legitimate nexus to any UN organ, said External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris. He was delivering the keynote address at the fourth annual symposium of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) at more..

Aug 19 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's govt, two years after winning a three-decade war against Tamil Tiger separatists, said it would issue electronic identity cards to its citizens as a new security measure. The cabinet has approved the proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. He did not say how exactly the govt would use the new IDs. During the war, the govt used existing identity cards as a tool to more..

Aug 20 (LBO) Sri Lanka's renewable energy agency is setting up 'wind energy parks' to allow investors to build larger plants on a negotiated tariff moving beyond the current pre-set tariff for 10MegaWatt plants. The first such park will be set up in Mannar in northeastern Sri Lanka minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said the cabinet of ministers had approved the proposal from the energy ministry to have multiple plants at one location as it also made it easier to export power to the grid. more..

Aug 20 (LBO) Sri Lanka's foreign direct investment for the first half of 2011 reached 413 million US dollars putting the country on track for a full year goal of a billion dollars, the Central Bank said. Foreign reserves had reached an all time high of 8,158 million US dollars by August 16. Sri Lanka sold a billion dollar bond in late July, about half the money was used to retire high cost domestic debt and the rest was deposited at the Central Bank to meet future debt payments, the central bank said. more..

Aug 20 (MEA) Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner for Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe addressed a gathering of Federal MPs, Australian Govt officials and Australian Print and Electronic Media yesterday (16) at an event co-organized by the High Commission and the Australia- Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group. Hon Chris Hayes, Chair of the Group and Hon Don Randall, Vice Chair of the Group whilst introducing the High Commissioner did not fail to congratulate him on more..

Aug 20 (GDI) The British govt is considering bringing in emergency regulations to deal with rioting. The Sri Lankan govt is considering repealing the emergency regulations brought in to deal with the LTTE, the worst terrorist organization known to man. Nevertheless, the British govt continues to criticize the way Sri Lanka conducted the “war on terror” within its own borders, states Irish journalist Padraig Colman, in reference to the Channel 4 allegations raised against Sri Lanka via more..

Aug 20 (DM) An American national and two locals were arrested on allegedly attempting to export 53 grams of cocaine to America. They were charged with cocaine-trafficking and were ordered to be detained under the Police Narcotic Bureau till August 23, by a Colombo Court today. The Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) filing a report before Colombo Fort Magistrate informed that three suspects were arrested by the police at the Katunayake International Airport while the American national and more..

Aug 20 (TS) St. Joseph’s Health Centre has a culinary secret. Its food is so good that people who live and work in Roncesvalles Village drop by for meals. The menu is the work of two devoted chefs. John Butler spent almost eight years with the Oliver & Bonacini restaurant group (at Auberge du Pommier and Biff’s) before becoming the hospital’s executive chef. Chef Bala Thangarajah had been quietly toiling in the cafeteria, cooking what he was told, until more..

Aug 20 (ER) On August 4, 2011 the Govt of Sri Lanka rejected the TNA two-week ultimatum to come out with ‘devolution’ details saying it is now set to embark on the process of Parliament Select Committee (PSC) to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict that has engulfed the nation for over three decades. The TNA had set the deadline earlier in the day, during the course of 10th round of talks. The talks between the two sides, which commenced on January 10, 2011, appear to have hit a dead end for now. more..

Aug 20 (DT) Former Pakistan Test captain Asif Iqbal believes that a special plan should be drawn by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to welcome the Sri Lanka team in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both teams are scheduled to play three Tests and five ODIs in October and November this year as the PCB has decided to host its home series in the UAE. “The PCB is hosting these matches as a home series on neutral grounds. more..

Aug 20 (IL) A grand show was displayed at the Alfred Duraiappah stadium last Sunday on 14 August to introduce teakwondo as a martial art to Jaffna youths by the Sri Lanka Army, Security Forces Headquarters- Jaffna. A special taekwondo show was performed by Korean teakwondo instructors and the sportsmen and women of the Army taekwondo pool, including those who have won medals at international events. more..

Aug 20 (LP) A youth was arrested inside a bus bound to Piliyandala for showing a ‘Blue’ video on his mobile phone in an attempt to entice a young girl seated next to him last night, Police said. Passengers who had seen it had assaulted the youth and called the Police to arrest the young man. Despite his attempts to focus the attention towards his mobile phone, the young girl has pushed him and resented the young man’s attempt. Police who took into custody the suspect’s mobile phone have more..

Aug 20 (GDI) Construction work of the 2nd phase of the Southern Express Railway Line will be started on 1st September 2011. The 2nd phase will be implemented from Galle to Induruwa. The project is planned to be commissioned within six months. Under the third phase of this project the railway line will be upgraded from Induruwa to Kalutara. The Minister noted that after completing the project trains will be able to run at a speed of over 100 kilometers per hour. more..

Aug 20 (DPA) Five Chinese nationals were sentenced to death by a Sri Lankan court on Friday, for murdering one of their colleagues and trying to dispose of the body in a remote jungle, officials said. The five - four men and a woman - were found guilty of killing a fellow Chinese in January 2003, allegedly after a dispute over the restaurant where they all worked, in the Colombo city area, as the police told the court. The body had been sliced and packed into two bags and transported from more..

Aug 20 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's shares fell more than 1 percent on Friday, following the global trend, but became Asia's top performer as other regional markets nosedived on looming fears of another recession with deepening debt crisis in the U.S. and Europe. Globally stocks plummeted on Friday due to mounting concerns over the U.S. economy heading into another recession while some European lenders facing a short-term funding crunch, highlighting the risk of a banking crisis. more..

Aug 20 (DM) Air Force Commander Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama said that the Mi-171 utility helicopter deal is the still in the negotiating level. “There aren’t any agreements as such,” he said. He said that the country will be an aviation hub in the near future. “So therefore we need to improve domestic aviation and facilities required. We will need a lot of helicopters to meet the demand,” he added. “We will need helicopters to meet naval requirements. more..

Aug 20 (DM) Poets and authors have penned words on the innocence of childhood and the beauty of “life’s summer”—yet everyday we see countless innocents walking the streets destitute and alone or being abused by those who are either emotionally or economically unable to care for them. The SOS Children’s villages attempt to remedy this situation by providing real homes for orphaned or abandoned children. Begun in 1981 the SOS Children’s villages are located at five locations across the island; more..

Aug 20 (DM) The spirit of Mahathma Gandhi apparently lives on in the Indians who have determined to fight corruption until the canker is totally removed. Dubbed, India's second independence struggle, the battle against corruption entered a decisive phase this week when the government unsuccessfully tried to prevent a hunger strike by a Gandhian, only to spark nationwide protests in support of calls for effective legislation. The arrest of 74-year-old Anna Hazare, India's icon of more..

Aug 20 (MoD) 'OPPORTUNITY', the new state-of-the-art officers' mess hall at the Security Forces Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) at Welikanda with four storeys high, saw its ceremonial opening on Wednesday after it was completed in record 142 days upon foundation-laying. Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the invitation of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya graced the inaugural house-warming ceremony as Chief Guest at Welikanda, more..