Nov 10 (DN) The revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilized Assets Bill was passed with amendments with a majority of 76 votes yesterday in parliament. 122 legislators voted in favour of the bill whereas 46 members voted against it. Minister Basil Rajapaksa participating in the debate in Parliament, earlier assured Parliament on behalf of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, that no private assets or private houses would be taken over by the govt more..

Nov 10 (Island) UNP leader Ranil Wickremsinghe, prior to his departure to England on Tuesday, held talks with Democratic People’s Front (DPF) leader Mano Ganeshan on the latter supporting the UNP administration in the Colombo Municipal Council and the possibility of Ganeshan filling a slot through the UNP national list in Parliament should a vacancy occur. DPF Secretary Dr. Kumar Gurupavan said that the UNP failed to honour its pledge regarding a National List slot for more..

Nov 10 (IANS) India has taken note of some progress in resettling displaced Tamils and in Colombo's dialogue for reconciliation, key subjects that will be discussed between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Maldives Thursday. Manmohan Singh will meet Rajapaksa at Hotel Shangri La in the idyllic Addu Atoll Thursday afternoon soon after talks with Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The two leaders will discuss a host of more..

Nov 10 (Island) The Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilized Assets Bill was passed by a majority of 76 votes in Parliament yesterday. The Bill received 122 votes in favour and 46 against. The UNP, the TNA and the DNA voted against the Bill while the NFF and JHU were absent at the time the vote was taken. Ven. Medhananda thero voted with the govt. Much of the debate took place amidst heated exchanges of words between the govt and opposition lawmakers. more..

Nov 10 (Island) Once the CID had identified those involved in the high profile killing of Dr. Priyankara Prasad Jayasinghe, in the Karandeniya police area, undercover personnel moved in. Among them were a soothsayer, who had walked into the house of the two brothers, both soldiers, offering his services and a curd seller. The astrologer had inquired whether those living there were currently facing trouble due to an unexpected happening. more..

Nov 10 (Island) The Mihin Lanka Airlines suffered losses amounting to 68,160 million rupees during the period of 2007 to 2010, Parliament was told yesterday. Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne told Parliament that the government provided over Rs. 10,000 million to Mihin Lanka during the said period. The recent trends show the losses were on the decrease, the minister said adding that the Mihin Lanka plans to purchase three more air buses. more..

Nov 10 (LB) A shortage of ‘drugs’ has been reported from Colombo and the suburbs. The reason attributed to this sudden shortage, it appears, is that the political protection enjoyed by the dealers is no longer available to them and therefore they are unable to be in business as usual. There is still a large stock of narcotics in the hands of the dealers which they are not releasing to the peddlers due to a lack of confidence and the security they had enjoyed in the past. more..

Nov 10 (SL) For the past few weeks the daily newspapers have been carrying various articles regarding the removal of Mr. Malik Cader from his position as Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka. There were several rumours doing the rounds and the overall consensus was that Cader was being transferred to a high post in the Ministry of Finance. We have not been able to confirm whether Cader is moving out or not. more..

Nov 10 (Island) The Casket of St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, will arrive in Sri Lanka on Nov 19. It will be taken around the country in a procession to Don Bosco institutions, important shrines and parishes. MP Sarath Kumara Gunaratne said that after its arrival from Chennai in India, the casket would be taken to Dungalpitiya, Palliyawatta, Ahungalla, Galle, Uswetakeiyawa, Dankotuwa, Nochchiyagama, Mannar, Kandy, Metiyagane and Negombo. more..

Nov 10 (DN) A proposal had been presented to introduce a palmyra hedge as a substitute for the electrified fence to solve the human and elephant conflict. A number of districts in the dry zone are faced with wild elephant attacks. The Datival Action Institute has certified that the palmyra hedge is a suitable method for Sri Lanka after about an year's research. According to the research, more..

Nov 10 (National) The Sri Lankan govt delegation currently attending the SAARC summit in Addu, will be holding bilateral discussions with their Indian and Maldivian counterparts over maritime security. A senior Sri Lankan govt official speaking on grounds of anonymity said that the current delegation would be taking the opportunity to raise issues related to the escalation of poaching piracy and maritime terrorism. more..

Nov 10 (Island) Buses will not be allowed to use the Rs. 70 billion Southern expressway, from Mahakumbura in Kottawa to Pinnaduwa in Galle, scheduled to be opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at 10.00 a.m. on November 27. The RDA has directed the National Transport Commission not to issue any permits to buses carrying local commuters for sometime in view of the known recklessness of long distance bus drivers, more..

Nov 10 (National) Geoff Marsh, Sri Lanka's new coach, has challenged his young set of players to show they are capable of emulating the greats who have gone before them, starting on Friday against Pakistan. If ever a series proved that time and tide wait for no cricket team, it is this one. Pakistan, who are admittedly better practised at crisis-management than anyone else, have done a fine job so far of coping with the more..

Nov 10 (DM) Sri Lanka will go in for large scale sea sand mining to prevent a looming environmental disaster caused by the mining of river sand, the Environment Ministry said. It said a proposal submitted by minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa had received cabinet approval. He said the legal and illegal We have prepared a river sand minproject proposal to mine ing for centuries sea sand, wash has changed the them and issue it flow pattern of to the market for rivers more..

Nov 10 (DM) Minister Basil Rajapaksa took pains in Parliament yesterday to convince the House that private investors and entrepreneurs would not be victimized under the new Bill. Speaking during the debate on the Revival of the Underperforming and Unutilized Assets Bill, Mr. Rajapaksa said that the government would instead give further facilities to such investors. “We assure you that we will not disturb your entrepreneurial activities. more..

Nov 10 (Island) The long awaited evaluation of the Norwegian peace process in Sri Lanka will be presented at Litteraturhuset, Wergelandssalen tomorrow, with the participation of one-time US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Lee Armitage, the then peace negotiator, Milinda Moragoda and top Indian journalist, M.R. Narayan Swamy. Moragoda’s negotiating team included, Prof. G. L. Peiris, and Rauf Hakeem, more..

Nov 10 (DM) In a country where the child has become a market item, it leaves a minimal space for any adult to rejoice over the success of making the world a better place for children. Undisputedly, money has become the ultimate goal of every adult, who is often compelled to commit the most abominable if not the most sinful acts to obtain his or her daily earnings. Yet, the two most recent incidents where a mother and a father resort to abduct their own child, demanding a more..

Nov 10 (AHRC) Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information about an attempt by an unknown group of people to illegally traffic the organs of a cancer patient. Ms. TC Kanthi (38) of Ibbankatuwa, Dambulla went for medical treatment to the Cancer Clinic at Kandy Teaching Hospital on 16 October 2011. She was approached by two people who identified themselves as doctors. They advised her to go with them to India for medical treatment. more..

Nov 10 (GDI) Cabinet today decided to preserve Archeological sites in the north central Anuradhapura district. Cabinet of Ministers arrived at this decision based on a proposal made by minister Dr. Jagath Balasuriya to carry out this conservation program in parallel with the proposed "Deyata Kirula" Programme - 2012 to be held at Oyamadu in the Anuradhapura district in Feb 2012. Dayata Kirula is a national program conducted annually to mark country’s Independence Day. more..

Nov 10 (DM) The Ministry of Fisheries, Foreign Affairs and Buddhist and Catholic clergy are making a joint effort to recover five boats belonging to Sri Lankan fishermen which have been confiscated by the Indian Authorities. These boats named Matara Amma, Ann Mary, Salkhan, Marine 1 and Marine 2 have been confiscated by the authorities in Orissa. These have been confiscated though the fishermen have been released as a result of discussions which the Ministry of Fisheries had more..

Nov 10 (DM) Q: At a recently held press conference you called for a Tunisia-style revolution. Do you think our people and the prevailing political system is ready for a revolution of this nature? A: Definitely. Because in the world today and in our country the myth that power is centered in the hands of the executive is beginning to be dispelled. Power is in the hands of the people; this was proven by the revolution that took place in Tunisia, more..

Nov 10 (MoD) Sri Lanka Army has organized a number of projects to uplift the education slandered of Jaffna students. Under these projects last week a team of students of Velanai Central College, in Kayts island, Jaffna had an opportunity of visiting the 'Temple Trees,' the official residence of the President. Under the Civil- Military Coordination initiated by the Commander Security Forces- Jaffna, the Commanding Officer of 17 GW Colonel Senaka Premawansa and more..

Nov 10 (DM) A culvert constructed by the people in the Maddinnagoda area in Kotte after collecting money and using a concrete tube, had been removed by the Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council, yesterday. The people in the area charged that the removal of the culvert that brought them much inconvenience which was an act of political revenge. The culvert interconnecting Ihalawelikada and Madinnagoda, Rajagiriya were taken off yesterday leaving the people in the area in the lurch. more..

Nov 10 (CT) “Minister of Justice Milinda Moragoda told StaffDel the GSL was very interested in greater engagement with the U.S. but said the political situation was ‘complex.’ “the US Embassy wrote to Washington. A leaked US unclassified, but “SENSITIVE” diplomatic cable, recounts details of meetings the US Senate Foreign Relations staff members has had with the senior govt officials, international organizations, political leaders, more..

Nov 10 (LP) Now women have applied for the post of ‘Hangman’ to hang men. Of the 100 applications received so far, 3 women have also applied to hang men who are convicted and spending life in the prisons awaiting the final day. If a woman succeeds at the intervies, the Prisons Department would have to change the post to ‘Hangman’. Adding insult to injury a man who have worked in a cattle slaughter house, too had applied to the post of Hangmen. more..

Nov 10 (LT) The commemoration ceremony of ‘IL Heroes’ organized by members of the Qatar branch of the JVP was successfully held on the 8th reports the Media Unit of the JVP. The Member of the Central committee of the JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunneththi participated in the ceremony. The chief Organizer of the Qatar branch of the JVP Anura Hettige chaired the proceedings. A large number of members of the JVP living in Qatar attended the ceremony. more..

Nov 10 (IL) President Mahinda Rajapaksa laid a foundation stone with his Maldivian counterpart Mohamed Nasheed to inaugurate the construction of a concrete Road joining two areas of Addu city in Maldives yesterday. The Govt of Sri Lanka funds this construction project which joins two areas from Sunset Bridge through Maradhoo and Feydhoo in Addu city. It will cost US Dollars 10 million to the Sri Lankan govt to the construction of the 4.5 kilometer highway. more..

Nov 10 (UCAN) The govt has come under fire for blocking five news websites in what media groups and rights activists say is yet another blow against press freedoms in the country. The five websites, which have been critical of the govt in the past, were blocked earlier this week by the ministry of media and information (MMI) which has also decreed that websites carrying any news relating to Sri Lanka need to be registered with the ministry. The move comes just days after the US expressed more..

Nov 10 (AN) Thousands of Catholic parents in Sri Lanka have written letters to the president and the country's education minister to ask that Catholic and Christian students can have classes and exams in their religion in the "English medium", exactly like other religious communities who can study and practice their religion in their language in examinations conducted by state institutions. The Archbishop of Colombo, Card. Malcolm Ranjith has appealed to govt to more..

Nov 10 (IRIN) Cottage industries such as poultry farming, home gardening and bee-keeping are becoming increasingly popular among returnees in Sri Lanka's former northern conflict zone as alternatives to regular jobs, officials say. "We have seen a lot of applications for loans for poultry and home gardens," Prem Kumar, area manager for the Bank of Ceylon, one of Sri Lanka's two largest state-owned banks, told IRIN more..

Nov 10 (GC) A BLOC of 21 `swinging' countries is keeping the 2018 Commonwealth Games announcement on a knife's edge, with Gold Coast delegates launching a last-minute lobbying campaign to secure the event. The Coast bid team has locked in 25 votes from the 71 member countries, but Sri Lanka has also confirmed 25, leaving a group of 21 undecided nations holding the ultimate power. Lobbying from the bid team as well as Premier Anna Bligh has reached fever pitch in more..

Nov 10 (APP) President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here on Thursday on the sidelines of 17th SAARC Summit and discussed bilateral relations.Both the leaders agreed to further expand and strengthen their ties in different fields, especially in trade,security,culture and people-to-people contacts. Prime Minister Gilani also exchanged views on the working of SAARC and said that there was a need to make this organization more more..

Nov 10 (CI) Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, has admitted that Lasith Malinga's arrival will add incisiveness to Sri Lanka's attack, but believes his side is ready for the challenge. Speaking ahead of the limited-overs leg of the UAE series, Misbah stressed on Pakistan's strong track record against Sri Lanka's unconventional yorker specialist. "It creates a difference when Lasith Malinga's there because everybody knows he's a very good bowler, more..

Nov 10 (AHRC) The second day of the 47th Session on Sri Lanka at the CAT took place yesterday (9). For our comments on the first day please see here. At this session the Sri Lankan delegation was required to reply to the long list of questions posed by the committee members the previous day. However, Mr. Mohan Peiris, who spoke on behalf of the govt of Sri Lanka preferred to give a long tedious lecture on the law in Sri Lanka instead of answering questions more..

Nov 10 (AN) The mediation by the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar with authorities in Orissa successfully ended in the release of the last five (of 24) Sri Lankan fishermen held on charges of illegal entry into Indian territorial waters. The five’s liberation comes months before their announced date of release of January 2012 set by a court on 3 October. The release process began after Fr Dibakar Parichha, human rights and diocesan secretary for Justice, more..

Nov 10 (SL) The JVP says that the decision to form an alliance with a capitalist political party like the SLFP in 2003 has brought some victories to the country, like the defeat of the LTTE and the Eelam, JVP Politburo member K.D. Lalkantha said. He said that there were also certain disadvantages in forming an Alliance in 2003. “While there were certain victories due to the formation of the Alliance, it also helped create a dictatorial capitalist govt more..

Nov 10 (DM) The Sri Lanka Army has taken four steps to de-list 55,000 out of 60,000 deserters in the country under a special programme implemented by Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya. Military spokesman Brigadier Nihal Hapuarachchi said that there are around 60,000 deserters in the country. “Out of them 4,500 needed to be rehabilitated as they have to pay back the Army financially or materially,” he said. He also said that another 450 deserters are wanted by more..

Nov 10 (GDI) Minister Basil Rajapaksa made an inspection visit to the Ragama Hospital to see the progress of ongoing renovation work at the Hospital. During his visit he met Doctors, Nurses, staff, patients and visitors and discussed with them the current situation and future prospects of the hospital. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister Felix Perera, Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardhana, Deputy Minister Doctor Sudharshini Fernandofulle, more..

Nov 10 (IL) President Mahinda Rajapaksa concluded bilateral talks with his regional leaders this morning on the sidelines of the two day SAARC Summit which is been held in Maldives from 10 November. President Rajapaksa met Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at Hotel Shangri La in the Addu Atoll to discuss a host of bilateral issues and strengthening regional cooperation. Both leaders took the opportunity to raise issues related to more..