Sept 29 (DM) The JVP dissidents, in their maiden public seminar after the split in the party, vowed to launch a renewed struggle to uphold leftist principles by joining hands with ‘the suppressed people of the north and south.’ JVP breakaway group spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda, addressing the public seminar, said that the leftist movement had made a mistake in the past by distancing itself from the oppressed sections of the Tamil community. “Nationalists, whether Sinhalese or Tamil, will not resolve any social issue,” more..

Sept 29 (Island) It was the Supreme Court that saved Colombo’s poor from being thrown out on the streets by the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, the UNP said. UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera said that with polls to 23 local authorities round the corner, the govt was making all sorts of pledges including bogus assurances, especially to poor people, that they would not be evicted from their humble abodes. more..

Sept 29 (Island) To prevent pollution caused due to excessive use of polythene and plastic, people have been asked to hand over their plastic and polythene to waste collectors and recyclers and they can obtain cash for that waste, Central Environment Authority (CEA) said. Plastic had become a part and parcel of daily life and analyzing several indicators it had been found that the demand for plastics in Sri Lanka for domestic use and export would grow rapidly in the future. more..

Sept 29 (LBO) The Sri Lanka will shift several prisons in prime city centres including the capital Colombo to make way for commercial development, minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said. The cabinet had approved a proposal by prison reforms ministry to move prisons in Colombo, Matara, Tangalle and Galle. The land released will be offered by a competitive bidding process to for development and investment. more..

Sept 29 (DM) At least 50 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers, who were deported from Britain, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last morning on an overnight charter flight, the police said. An official of the Airport Immigration Department confirmed that the 50 persons including eight women from the United Kingdom (UK) had arrived and investigations have already commenced at the Airport. The CID confirmed that currently statements were being recorded from them by a special team from the CID. more..

Sept 30 (GDI) On a directive made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa following representations made by the Federation of Self-Employees, the government has allocated Rs 1 billion for a programme jointly implemented by the Finance and Planning Ministry and the Economic Development Ministry for the financial year 2010-2011 to uplift the living standards of people engaged in self-employment ventures. The Ministry of Finance and Planning through the People's Bank and more..

Sept 30 (GDI) Minister Rajitha Senaratne has said that it is indeed hilarious to find the United National Party which has no knowledge at all about the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike or about his progressive policies commemorating the late Prime Minister. He has said that it is quite clear that they have resorted to this hilarious act to gain political advantage. He has said that they did not participate in this so-called commemoration event respecting neither more..

Sept 30 (NN) NZ became the first country where Sri Lanka govt's documentary film "Lies - Agreed Upon", countering the many allegations of war crimes orchestrated in the UK Channel 4 Documentary, was screened in a National Parliament. This happened at the Beehive (NZ Parliament) theater at 1pm on Tuesday the 28th September. It was the successful culmination of a concerted campaign carried out by the United Sri Lanka Association more..

Sept 30 (AFP) The waters around India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are home to the world's most endangered sea turtles, according to a study released Thursday aimed at setting a blueprint for global conservation. While it was well known that almost all sea turtle species face extinction, the study by 30 scientists was the first to identify specific populations around the world that were most at threat, Conservational International said. It identified the 11 most threatened more..

Sept 30 (NN) As part of our development partnership with Sri Lanka and in response to requirements projected by the Government of Sri Lanka, the Government of India is undertaking a project for providing 10,000 bicycles (both gents and ladies) to returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as well as refugees, in the five districts of Northern Province. The objective of the project is to cater to the transportation needs of persons being resettled and to aid revival of their livelihoods. more..

Sept 30 (NP) A man who worked as a tax collector in the Tamil Tigers’ finance department while the terrorist group engaged in crimes against humanity has been branded a war criminal and ordered out of Canada in a court ruling that holds office clerks just as culpable as the armed insurgents they enable. Puvanesan Thurairajah, 36, is a citizen of Sri Lanka and of Tamil ethnicity who, before coming to Canada, worked for the LTTE, a group on Canada’s official list of more..

Sept 30 (LBO) Sri Lanka had recorded a balance of payments surplus of 1,006 million US dollars by July 2011, with official foreign reserves climbing to 8,099 million US dollars, the Central Bank said. Official reserves were equal to 5.7 months of imports by end July. The central bank said up to July exports rose 30.3 percent to 6,014 million dollars and imports rose 48.3 percent to 11,091 million dollars. Imports rose due to investment goods, and intermediate goods like oil. more..

Sept 30 (Reuters) Stock market gained from a two-month low on Thursday on retail speculative buying in Ascot Holdings and Asian Alliance insurance before the regulator imposed a 10 percent price band on both shares. Investment holding firm Ascot finished 45.3 percent firmer at a record high of 188.90 rupees, while insurance firm Asian Alliance leapt 50 percent to an all-time high of 350.60 rupees. The sharp gain in the share prices on speculation prompted more..

Sept 30 (LBO) A SriLankan Airlines flight was detained at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris last Friday after it failed to meet European safety standards. Passengers on the flight were offered alternate flights and another SriLankan Airlines plane was diverted from London to pick up some of them. "certain technical deviations" identified by Safety Assessment for Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) in Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, held up flight UL 564 on more..

Sept 30 (Forbes) On my first trip back to Sri Lanka since February 2010 I noticed plenty of positive changes. New construction, cleaner streets and a lighter security presence (a bloody civil war ended in May 2009). The IMF predicts Sri Lanka’s economy will expand this year by 7.5%, keeping pace with next-door giant India. Colombo-listed stocks are slightly up so far this year, which is much better than many emerging markets after two months of sell-offs. more..

Sept 30 (MoD) The Civil Defence Committees were the best civil organizations which played a vital role to do away with the insurgency in Sri Lanka. During the troubled periods the Civil Defence Committees in Colombo police division made their maximum contribution to protect Colombo while the security forces were engaged in war against terrorists, Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa said. Secretary Defence made expressed these views addressing more..

Sept 30 (DM) The controversial Japanese Mahayana Temple located in an apartment at the Liberty Plaza in Kollupitiya said it would continue its religious activities in Sri Lanka despite an attempt by some Buddhist monks to stop them. A woman worshipper yesterday rejected allegations that the temple was a fraud and said it was purely a place where on could practice the teachings of the Buddha. She said the temple which had been operating for 17 years more..

Sept 30 (MoD) Sri Lanka Air Force fire fighters based at SLAF Base Anuradhapura doused a massive fire which broke out at the 'Swarna Electricals' in the 'Kada Panaha' area at 0730 hrs this morning (29). The emergency was informed to the Operations Commander of the SLAF Base Anuradhapura seeking immediate firefighting assistance. SLAF Anuradhapura promptly reacted dispatching a team of fire fighters with the required fire fighting equipment to the site. more..

Sept 30 (KT) The Sharjah Police recently arrested a gang comprising six Sri Lankan nationals who were involved in burglarising 14 shops in Sharjah. According to a Sharjah police official, the operations room of the police has been receiving reports from various shops and supermarkets about belongings and money stored at the outlets being stolen. “We have found that the robberies occurred at various residential and commercial areas in the emirate and the same techniques were followed. more..

Sept 30 (GDI) The UNP, which did not take any action to improve the living standards of the shanty dwellers during their 5 decades of rule in the Colombo City, and which desirous of making these people forced to live in conditions commonly described as “Koreas” is making an unsuccessful attempt to create a phobia among the people about demolishing of houses due to lack of any other slogan. more..

Sept 30 (AT) Northern Province Governor G.A.Chandrasiri categorically denied that they have not demolished any buildings in the Jaffna Old Park. He said some people are trying to create an unwanted situation and sling mud on the Government's development activities in Jaffna. A news report revealed that an order by the Governor for the Northern Province to demolish an ancient building with archaeological value in the Old Park in Jaffna has sparked off a dispute. more..

Sept 30 (LBO) The Sri govt is to borrow funds amounting to around 500 million US dollars from local banks to pay domestic contractors to provide concrete surfacing for national highways and provincial roads. The Cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal by the Ministry of Highways for the project to repair part of the road network, a statement said. It includes 266.35 kilometres of provincial roads and 662 km of national highways. Provincial roads to be repaired are more..

Sept 30 (NP) A former Canadian Tamil activist who was caught brokering a $1-million arms deal for a Sri Lankan rebel group five years ago has written an open letter urging youths not to repeat his mistakes. Writing from prison in New York, Sathajhan Sarachandran acknowledged for the first time the Tamil youth organization he once ran in Toronto was “part of the LTTE,” the separatist rebels also known as the Tamil Tigers. more..

Sept 30 (MN) Police have busted a cash card fraud network reported to have stolen more than US$450,000 in expensive luxury items through the use of forged cards. Police have arrested and identified five Maldivians in the network as Abdul Gany Abdul Majeed, 30, Thoriq Jameel, 30, Abdulla Akram, 22, Nadheem Masoodh 32, Ali Ahmed 28. Inspector Mohamed Riyaz said that Abdul Gany and Thoriq were arrested inside a casino in Sri Lanka in a joint operation conducted with the Lankan Police. more..

Sept 30 (DJ) Canadian Tamils in the province of Ontario have been quite involved in the political process both at home and abroad. Tamils in Ontario have taken their voice to Queen's Park on many occasions. Now they weigh in on the provincial election. Tamils have had their voices heard on the federal level and on the international stage. With one week to go until voters select the next government of Ontario, Tamils want to be listened to in the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park. more..

Sept 30 (SM) Attempts are afoot to handover a hostel at the Biyagama Free Trade Zone, owned by the Women’s Affairs Ministry, to Silueta Pvt. Ltd. of MAS Holdings. The Women’s Affairs Ministry had handed over the hostel’s maintenance to the Board of Investment, which, in turn, has given the responsibility to the Labour Ministry. This hostel presently houses nearly 300 female workers from eight FTZ factories. However, Silueta wants it for the exclusive use by its staff. more..

Sept 30 (LP) Cabinet Decisions announced by the Minister of Media and Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, this morning (29) in Colombo as follows. US $ 500 M for Rehabilitation of National Highways with Concrete Surfacing: On a proposal made by President as the Minister of Ports and Highways cabinet approved the proposal for the rehabilitation of 266.35Km road belongs to provincial road networks. With concrete surfacing through domestic contractors by obtaining more..

Sept 30 (CT) “Amarasinghe described the JVP as a reformed Marxist Praty, which stood for a united, Multiethnic, multi – lingual Sri Lanka, with equality for all.” US ambassador Patricia Butenis wrote in a confidential cable to Washington. The Colombo Telegraph is in a position to publish a part of the secret cable today. The US ambassador Patricaia Butenis met the JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and JVP MP Sunil Handunneththi on 15th January 2009. more..

Sept 30 (C4) A plane chartered by the British Government to return failed asylum seekers to Sri Lanka has landed in Colombo following the failure of last-minute legal efforts to prevent it leaving. Frantic efforts by lawyers in London succeeded in delaying the plane's scheduled departure but it eventually left late on Wednesday night. Immigration lawyers had been seeking last-minute stays on the grounds that returnees – many of whom have claimed past links with more..

Sept 30 (RW) Border police found illegal immigrants working in off-licences in Runcorn and Widnes during a week of raids. Acting on tip-offs, officers from the UK Border Agency visited Booze ‘n’ Food on Liverpool Road in Widnes to check staff had the legal right to work there. As a result of the visit officers detained a 39-year-old Sri Lankan man for overstaying his visa and working illegally. Later in the week, officers visited two further businesses in Runcorn and held two more Sri Lankans, more..

Sept 30 (LP) A fitness program to improve the health conditions of public sector employees would commence on Oct 3. The program is initiated by the Ministry of Sports on the advice of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in order to make healthy and efficient state sector. The pilot project of this program would commence next week at the Sports Development Department in Torrington Square where State employees would engage in physical activities for two hours. more..

Sept 30 (NF) An operation has been launched to arrest 60,000 army deserters. According to Army Spokesperson Brigadier Nihal Happurachchi, there will be no further grace period, where soldiers can turn themselves in. According to the army spokesman, legal action will be initiated once the deserters are arrested and they will be removed from the army. Brigadier Nihal Happurachchi added that 11,000 army deserters have been arrested from January 1, to August 15, this year. more..

Sept 30 (NF) Today is the 71st birthday of the UNP Co-Deputy leader, Karu Jayasuriya. A function to mark the occasion was held in the Wanathamulla area in Borella. The function was organised by the CMC candidate, Premajayantha Kasthururathne. "What they are saying is that since they are in the Govt and have two thirds majority, the Colombo Municipal Council must be handed over to them. If that is the case it is no longer necessary to hold local elections for Provincial Councils. more..

Sept 30 (LG) Most of the confusion and conflicts in this country evidently arise as a result of the failure on the part of concerned sections to be realistic and pragmatic in their attitudes and actions. They often are seen clinging on to their favourite ideologies, concepts and theories in their approaches to the country’s problems and issues without coming down to the world of realities. This tendency is observable particularly in the field of politics and economics. more..

Sept 30 (LG) It was never a surprise when Sri Lanka began to be admonished for completely defeating an international terrorist organization. The wave of admonishes coming from foreign Governments including international peace agencies disregarding the success of the first military defeat of a terrorist organization while carrying out the worlds largest humanitarian rescue operation simply reveals the hypocrisies that prevails in international laws & international thinking. more..

Sept 30 (NS) S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, known to many as a politician, was born on January 8, 1899 and succumbed to an assassin’s bullet on September 26, 1959. It’s unfortunate no serious study has been ever done to evaluate his life from a literary perspective. To find out about Bandaranaike’s literary skills, his “Speeches and writings” remains a treasure trove. This volume was published by the Department of Broadcasting and Information, to coincide with the fourth death anniversary more..

Sept 30 (DM) Just as the Global Positioning System (GPS) kicked off, an aviator I knew had a very bright idea. After all he was waiting for the day when navigation would become child’s play. With GPS it had just become so. From then onwards, the heavens would guide our position on earth.Gone were the days of ever changing road names, airport names and country names. Our location could now be given in numbers beyond the tampering of fickle idiotic and transient mortals, intolerant of the past and more..

Sept 30 (DM) My dear Mahinda Aiyah, Ayubowan, vannakam and assalamu alaikum as a political and legal bombshell hit Sri Lanka with a United States Court serving summons in a case involving war crimes charges against Sri Lanka’s UN Deputy Ambassador Retired Major General Shavendra Silva. According to reports the retired major general who led the 58th division during the last months of the war in 2009 is to respond to the summons and face the charges with the intention of exposing the atrocities of the LTTE. more..